Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

· u.. 'f>!'~.'.."r, l~ ~ "I .r...... ~\:~~rt"G:n\'_~ DAYTONA '71 WRAPUP g &: :! ~ re w z w c:l > U By Russ Whittinghill Millenium: A period of great happiness or perfect government or freedom from race." Smart and Hailwood didn't have imperfections in buman existence. Daytona '71 may not fit this description, but it's much to teach Superstar Mann as he getting close. 1970 was a breakthrough year for the new 750 road racing formula. carved his way from a downfield fourth 1971 Daytona, the factory flood gates opened wide and portends to be only a notice position to splice in between Hailwood of greater and more fascinating involvements for the remainder of the decade. A and Smart on the tenth lap. Running at Norton company official said Norton will definitely be at Daytona '72 with the century mark through the infield England's Peter Williams. The heat should be on to a higher degree as Norton can left hander neither Smart nor Hailwood build formidable pavement rigs. Other companies will likely feel the pressure and fmd could pull MarlO an inch. About 100 miles out, Paul Smart was it difficult to merely spectate in the coming years. Although there were complaints about the intensified and lengthened speedweek, snarling out of turn one when he turned the kaleidoscope of events left little lacking be added in variety; ~ mile, his head to check out his lead and found indoor-outdoor sbort track, pro Moto-X, and road racing. Someone will probably Mann at his current rate of progression promote a Daytona steeplechase before this decade is up, then California will be may soon exceed the Markel·Leonard completely vacated of professional racers for one week. A road race cross? The Saturday Daytona infield moto-x packed in spectators five deep. Even thougb many people didn't know one rider from another due to P.A. problems, this fITst time show did not lack in pure excitement. The racers, who feU one on top of another in the tench over the center jump, were probably excited too as they wondered if they were going to get out alive. The Daytona TV stated 24,000 people were trackside Saturday. The news media also stated 60,000 to 70,000 people were in town for the speedweek. Regarding impressive figures, the Daytona short track races groosed over $50,000; the 5,091 seats sold out on Friday and Saturday. The City of Daytona rents the track for 10% of the gross. After the 4% state sales tax deduction, the City collects close to $5,000 for three nights of racing. Evel Knievel was in town with his jump cycles, and Chuck Hart, a rookie expert, rode the "Little Fauss and Big Halsey" "Cha«snooga Charlie" Whinen always rides something interesting to Daytona. This year his 350 Yamaha in the 200. Volkswagen 3-wheel ricksha drew stares. The refueling devices were very sophisticated this year, indicative of the record of 27 nationals. Hailwood said miler, a 500cc G-50 in 19th position. time-consciousness of the main before the race he hoped to ride Road Tragedy struck the 200 on the first contenders. Kawasaki hired California Atlanta, but "that would depend on lap. Rusty Bradley, one of the most movie makers to mm their anticipated what happened today." Mindful prOmising road racers of recent years, 100 miles Junior win, but a broken shift Hailwood was leading when he went came off in tum ·one and received fatal lever changed that. Early leader Mike out, hopefully BSA will field injuries. According to pit talk, Gary Lane displayed an unusual amount of Mike-the-bike on a real G.P. course in Fisher was riding a "well kitted" Honda horsepower as he brought the Kawa-3's 4. He did a Mann style 1970 hole shot ApriL back wheel around on the high bank and led the world's best for three laps. Paul Smart was something else. U.S. during gear changes. Junior James After the race Mann said he "had a spectators have been missing a lot. He Cotherman, Freeport, lllinois, rode lays into each corner like it was his last. Lesson in road racing following the home the first British motor in the 100 A very good source said three of the Europeans for the first part of the top circulation mens, world news, and sports magazines' sports editors were offered free air fare and all expenses to watch the Daytona races with no obligation to write a word, but all refused. It's almost like a conspiracy to keep the public ignorant of the "new thing," international cycle racing. However, many European newsmen flocked over to cover the event as weU SlC:IP CL"'~KS as spectators. A sort of paradox. Daytona is bigger sports news in Europe than the U.S.A. CITY CYCLE CENTER n'JWL RIDE jqJ~~ ~r STARTS A.T 930 DoNATIO" ~ ~OO 'T1lOPwIIS 10 20 TIl PLAa 1'''MClRf'' Au SlU MO'I'ORC"-:L.U ALL. ~u PiCIPLI "E~ N)W.e'D Prizes Donated By: Accurate Accessories Austin & Graydon Bates Circle I nds. Cycle News Dick's Accessories J.C. Enterprises J&R Mfg. Members Insurance Milne Bros. Nlssho Iwai·American Tabloc Sprockets Torco Oil Yod... Helmets Vavoline Oil officials told him he would have to use the standard tank. Apparently he had no Honda road-racing tank available, so he used a street tank. A pit stop of only eight and nine-tenths seconds was enough to cost him a lap at the checkered flag, with an eighth place finish, just ahead of Lane. Meanwhile, Dennis Poneleit had been laying back, also on a Honda, and took over for the last four laps. Second place went to a Yamaha, ridden by James Allen, of Canada. Another Canadian, John Lysight, followed him in for third, on a Kawasaki. Kurt Leibmann, a top AAMRR road racer, took his Arnol Precision Honda in to fourth place. The Junior race at Daytona is always interesting, for a variety of reasons. For one thing, most of the machinery is privately entered rather than factory-backed. For another, a rider who has not yet achieved national prominence can frequently pull an upset victory. Except for a machine which is occasionally poorly prepared, attrition is not as much a determining factory as in the expert event. In today's event, we see that machine failure did influence the results - in one case due to the breaks of the game, and in the other due to a lack of planning. Even so, the racing was close, and there were some top riders behind the winners. Rarely in this event do we see the type of attrition which occurs in the expert race, blown engines, seized gearboxes and such. Machines are not as highly tuned, and are not being ridden to 'ten ten ths' as are the expert machines. And the race is only half as long. Still, bad luck can prevail. Among the early leaders was Harry Cone, of Sherman, Texas, who won the novice event here last year. Harry, still Yarnaha mounted, was in the hunt for a while, but completed only twenty-three laps. Torello Tacchi, the perpetual Junior, JUNIOR RACE Junior Daytona winner Dennis Poneleit was all smiles. By John Waaser Mike Lane, the novice sensation of Loudon last year, started his Junior career with a bang by riding his new 'factory' Kawasaki to an early lead in the 100-mile amateur - oops, Junior road race at Daytona this year. Mike looked just unbeatable as he powered his way ahead of the pack. But then it became motor racing again, and the leader isn't the winner until the checkered flag comes out. A series of pit stops to correct some mysterious shifting ailmen t cost him two laps. He finished ninth. Dave Burchards had been running a strong second on a Honda four, and inherited the lead, but had to pit for gas on the twenty-third lap of the twenty-seven lap event. He had fitted a super-large petrol tank, but managed fifteen laps on his Norton, and Ron Bums, who bought Rusty Bradley's winning machine from last year, got as far as sixteen laps before crashing. Other early retirements included Conrad Urbanowski, Doug Libby, John Porter, and Rudy Galindo, all of whom are fairly well known. A tuner can also make a name for himself in the junior event, as happened at Loudon, when Don Cutler tuned the privately-entered Triumph which beat Walt Fulton's factory KR in the (then) amateur event. Some of the real excitement of Daytona Speed Week happens righ t in this Junior event. Don't pass it up if you wants orne insight into racing a couple of years from now. (Results on page 26) 61UFFlli WITH THE NEW STUFFER REED VALVE THE ULTIMATE IN EFFICIENCY AND POWER. 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