Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125719
.. '" .1 . " C> '" ;:: ~ ei M .s:; ~ . ::;; ~ w z W ..J (,) > (,) By Maureen Lee Daytona was triumph and tragedy ambulance crew know the signal, too. this year, unfortunately. Outsiders don't We went to a race once where someone understand how racers of any kind carry was waving frantically for the meat on when a comrade goes down, but we wagon, which din't move because they mourn our own in our own way. Death were a new crew to racing and no one is part of the racing scene and we learn had told them that a waved flag meant, to live with it, all of us. "gil. n How about Bugs Mann! That just had Unless using it, keep your flag furled to be the best day of his life, he even and don't make gestures with it. There's wore a little smile now and then (Dick is nothing so disconcerting to a rider then an absolute pessimist although flying into a tum to catch a glimpse ofa sometimes you do see a small twinkle in flag and wonder if the nagman meant his eye) and there he was, two years in a the signal or noL A flag is not a play toy row in the winner's circle. Maybe some even if you are bored with the hours of you youngsters will start having you've spent on that turn. Sometimes proper respect for those "over thirty" youngsters are pressed into service as who are deemed too old to do anything. flagmen and generally do very well. One Ha! Ride against Bugs, Jeff Smith or day, just as everyone crossed the wire, Dave Bickers in a motocross and you'll way off in the distance everyone co,:,ld • ()'.i ~ ~ ~ be ftrmly put in your place; the older see a flag wavmg around and bemg ... \ 1 ' generation isn't down the tube yet! So, thrown in the air. Needless to say, '. . I ~ if you're a teenage hotshoe, start taking everyone, including the ambulance, care of yourself if you want to be moved. We figured for sure one of the t I. ~ around racing for a while. Experience late runners had landed in the boulders. ••..... . I counts. There stands an eight year old, "Just , Cycle News will keep you posted on playing with it," he said "The race is when Wide World of Sport will show the over, isn't it?" He was quickly informed ; Elsinore Grand Prix. Don't miss it. The of his responsibilities! chap who had the camera strapped to It is hard to be a good starte.r, but his helmet for a full lap of the course impress on the riders right off the bat was Canada's Bryan Shannon, and being that you are in command, and demand top-heavy he wobbled around a bit in that from them. If someone makes a that rock wash. "Scared me," he says, jump, blackflag and line 'em up again. but being a top motocrosser he didn't Once they find you can't be fall and lose ABC a camera. bamboozled, and don't think they Mike Vancil has requested I do a won't try, you won't have so much column on flagmen at a race. Glad to trouble. One of the hardest days I ever spent was starting a scramble, I had the oblige. If you've ever done a good one, you know how important the nagman is 500 Experts back on the line three when you're laying there, can't get up times and finally had their little paws on and you can h.ear the pack approaching. their he.lmets to get them off only to From experience, I know it's scary! fmd out they were doing it for fun. The If you assume the position of a hand on the helmet stopped the flagman at a race, remember your auty foolishness, though. to the guys riding. They rely on you to If you are handling the checkered get them through a comer safely if a and the white and black flags, make sure pileup or crash has occurred that they they are clearly displayed. We've seen haven't seen. Move down away from the naggers with all kinds of fancy girations incident., and display your nag clearly, as they wave the checkered. But., if don't start waving it around wildly or you're all tucked in howling down the PARTICIPATING DEALERS/DISTRIBUTORS making hand gestures unless you can straigh t and the nagger is a couple of clearly show the on-coming horde that feet in the air waving the flag over his they must go the inside or outside of head all fancy like, you won't even see *JOURNEYMAN TRAVEL & BIKE TRAILERS OF DOWNEY the curve. Don't 'attempt to help the it. It's also distressing to suddenly see *DON GATELY'S CYCLE SHIRT SHOP OF MISSION HILLS fallen rider until everyone is safely by the checkered when you thought you *LONG BEACH HONDA and no one else is coming. Let someone had another lap or so to go because you else do that. didn't see the white. So hop around if *THE HOUSE OF SUZUKI·TRIUMPH OF FOUNTAIN VALLEY A naggers meeting should be held you must, but be sure the rider really *TOM COSGROVE'S PACIFIC COAST HONDA OF LOMITA before every race so that everyone sees the signal. *CALIFORNIA CHOPPERS OF ANAHEIM A tip of the helmet to the Simi clearly understands what the signals are, *K & N MOTORCYCLES OF RIVERSIDE Valley M.C. All their members are now especially if you have to call the ambulance. Usually it's waving the flag required to use silence.rs. A step in the *BOB MAYNARD'S ORANGE COUNTY CYCLE over your head, and make sure the right direction! *PETE PERRIN'S J.T. RACING IMPORTS t> ..' .. • 4t ', ~r frlIda,/ @) 1111GB 28tb. 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