Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

a i Sanders Continues Troy Domination B_. .va.... CluIice of ,.. By Art Loya Photo by Dennis Greene M SOUTH GATE, CAL., july 22, 1971 g. If you keep knocking at the door long « enough, it follows that sooner or later youll get in. Such was the story of ~ Ventura's Dave Arrambide's win over w top favorite Dale Hopkins of EI Monte Z W in the 250 TT Main Event Thursday ..J night at Trojan Speedway. U >. Arra~ide and his Os.sa led U wll"e·to-WlJ'e over the short, tn~ky TT course and was really never 10 any trouble as far as his compe~tion w~s concerned. Hopkms, and hIS Steve s Bultaco who finished second, exchanged positions back and forth, lap after lap, with john Sperry of 'Long Beach in a ba~t1e royal for the runner-up spot. Thll"d went to Sperry, Ossa mounted, followed gy Tom Warren (Bul) and Bob Byars (Oss). The 250 F.T. Main Event action was dominated by Sperry and his Ossa by '" LUO':'J:~ggitO~I~t~:.:a~'\;~~~C~:ke~~~ flag over a 12-nder field on the fast fifth-mile clay oval. Arrambide in quest of twin victories, hounded Sperry while looking for an opening to get by the Long Beach ace but had to settle for second. jay Lewis (Bul), Stan Sweany CH A M PI 0 N S PO N SO RS ONTARIO NAT'L. Champion Spark Plug Company will sponsor the richest ev,nt in motorcycle racing history at Ontario Motor Speedway October 13-17, company vice president Richard D. Kudner announced. "With total prize money exceeding $50,000," said Mr. Kudner, "'The Champion Spark Plug Motorcycle Classics" promise to be the most important happening in the sport of cycling." Highlighting the five-day program will be the inaugural running of the 250-mile race for Experts. Over 100 professionals are expected to battle at speeds reaching 175 mph on the 3.194 mile road circuit. The classic event will have a record-breaking guaranteed purse of $40,000, plus contingency money. The total purse for all racing activities during the weekend will be a record $50,000. (Bul), and Warren (Bul), chased the pair across the finish line. Unquestionably, the big bike events at the South Gate oval are increasing in popularity with the fans. Competition is keen due to the new influx of top talent who consistently keep the veterans working for every position gained. Bob Sanders of Whittier, kingpin of the 100 and 125cc class, found little competition in winning f~ur ma~ ev~nts for .the ~venmg by adding to hIS stnng of vlctones the 100 TT, 125 TT, and 100 and 125 F.T. . Ma~s. Apparently Sanders has proven h,s pomt by becoming almost unbeatable in those classes. The big question now: what is k~eping ~jm from moving up to the bIgger. ~,kes and a little tougher compeutlOn? Outstanding performer Steve Young (Yamaha), finished second to Sanders (Kaw) in the 125 TT Main and in the 125 F.T. Main, where Sanders switched to Yamaha. Another top performer, Tom Doty, chased Sanders and his Kawasaki in both the 100 TT and 100 F.T. Mains aboard his Honda-powered speedster. Lewis (Bul) beat out top riders Bob Byars (Oss) and Warren (Bul), during the running of the 250 F_T. Semi that more likely resembled another feature event. Mike Collins (Bul) of Montclair added to the action by finishing fourth over Craig Steigler (Bul). Young, who hails from Playa Del Rey, triumphed over Michael Danell (Yam) and Doly in the 125 F.T. Semi Main. Weekly double-header racing cards of TT and flat track motorcycle racing action at Trojan Speedway continue every Thursday night in South Gate. Free parking. (Results on page 28) II It rU,IS DfJII e Ul1'/I /J • ,fI IfjU "'j 7 ~ SIMI, CAL., july 18, 1971 - Ken Zabrt, Bultacoing for Woodland Hills Sportscycle, found himself mixed with new riding constituents today as last week's Desert Turtles point run caused Kenny to lose his Novice standing. Sunny skies and a well-prepared course had Zabrt doing battle with his sponsor's other newly acquired rider Steve Scott. Forty-five out of 50 minutes of riding had these two axle-to·axle. Ken, easily taking the 125 Senior class, found the going a bit different when mixed with the 250 Seniors. The first 250 moto went to Scott with Zabrt following his line and apparently content to do so. Determination was apparent in the next moto because when the green flag dropped, Scott and Zabrt went rim-to-rim for the frnt half·mile. Zahrt closed the door on Scott and led another V mi1e. Scott then squeezed .. Zabrt out in a series of S·turns. For some 15 minutes a mere ~ second separated Zabrt and Scott when up jumped the Devil and Scott's scooter died. From then on it was Zamt's by a bunch, l(iving him the only double class t L~ overall win for the day. Open Senior Mike Chamberlain had his "ups and downs" today, but determination brought him a fll"st for the day's efforts. After unloading on a whoop-de-doo, Mike grinded back to take a third in his first moto; a slideout put him in question on the second moto but again his stubbornness brought him fll"st place bucks. Randy Burak (Monkey Head) pushed his Greeves for two consecutive second places leaving him with that position for the day's efforts. Due to the numerous rider, magazine, and newspaper comments, Rough Rider now runs 25-minute motos instead of 15-minute squirts. A 15-minute trophy dash can go to a quick bike and a lucky start, but to ride hard for 25 plus minutes, one had best put his bod in shape and keep a close wrench on his scooter. If the Europeans all ride a minimum of 30 minute motos and 45 minute motos the only way we can ever expect to become internationally competitive is to lengthen our rides and build up our rider's endurance. (Results on page 28) NfJIVil Tefl Time SIIfJW D,flWS Pless By Ron Schneiders SADDLE BACK PARK,july 22,1971Was British tea to be scuttled in Vancouver Harbor? Well, almost. Fortunately for N orton-Villiers and the hard.working tea-drinking press, the dock strike didn't leave the plucky lads complet~ly devoid of new models to show at their soiree in merry old Saddleback Park. In fact there were more than enough models to keep everyone who was young enough to ride and old enough to drink bashing around the Saddleback trails and hills until dark. Most exciting of the new models was the 410 AjS Stormer, a model that has been rumored for mon ths bu t only this week become reality. It will replace the 370 in the AjS catalog and hopefully replace some Swedish and German iron in the motocross box score. It is powerful. Ask Doug Grant, ace Ajay works rider. He had a bit of trouble holding it in check on one of the hills. Although Norton Chief Mike jackson probably wouldn't fancy being referred to as the desert fox (disturbing teutonic connotations, you know) that is exactly the title he is shooting for with a new desert model 250 Stormer. The desert stormer features a wide-ratio gear box, large gas tank," waterproof carb cover, muffler and something called a "steel sump guard" which can be used as a bash plate since there is no sump to A gentleman of the press tries out the new AJS desert model. You can tell he's a gentleman of the press by the tennis shoes, the scared stiff expression end the tee shirt denoting his favorite refresn ment... guard on the 2-stroke Ajay. The entire package adds just short of $120 to the list price of S1 ,095. A brief spin on the desert Ajay on Saddleback's anything but desert·type trails was not much of a test but, it looks as though the new configuration might work quite well. It's certainly fast, and the gears are not spaced so far apart that there is a power fall-off between shifts as there is on some models. To hold up the Norton end of things were three models boasting some degree of change or improvement. Whether you class th~ ~"Hi Rider" as improvement or merely change depends, I suppose, on whether you'd rather make the scene "in style" or with style. At any rate this model has high handlebars, a turned up seat and a sissy bar. It takes a mere $1 00 to tum your excellent Commando into a pseudo "Hi Rider" chopper. "Pseudo" because the Hi Rider is not (quite gaudy enough or dangerous enough to be a real chopper.) Also on hand was a version of the Commando fitted with a front disc brake. While the road Commando has perfectly adequate brakes, it suffers in competition from the added demands placed on the braking system. In the production class, only modifications that are offered as purchasable options are allowed and th us the Commando was limited to its drum-type brake. The disc brake is no'>A offered as a standard option at $230.00 and Commando racers are expected to welcome it with open arms. Most of the magazines and cycle newspapers had representatives at the Norton Tea and all seemed to have an enjoyable time. A flOe buffet and large quantities of booze were consumed between bouts of testing. Most of the Ajays were crashed at least once by over exuberant members of the press or the Ajay factory riders, but all of them except two survived their trial-by-press in ridable condition, which says something for their stamina. Of the Nortons, only one was demolished and that by one of the staff members of a road rider's magazine. For shame! Cycle News will run comprehensive tests on each of the new models as they are made available to us. Chmpi. . Med~lnternalional, 4790 Palm Avenue, La Mesa, California 92041 Sleen Hansen Motors. 3619 109th Street, Edmonton 73, Alberla SPECIAL OFFER LIMITED QUANTITY Brand new, 125cc, 15 HP, SACHS, 5-speed engines, in factory-sealed cartons - only $209.95 Complete with 24mm Bing carburetor Bosch ignition coil Kickstarter Gear lever Short exhaust pipe Tool kit Service manual Instructions how to bore to 152cc Instructions how to increase weight of flywheel for low-end torque * METTCO * 1528 so. santa fe ave., compton, ca. 90221 (213) 636-6144 MAVRICK MOTOCROSS MODEL $32.00 pair Dealer Inquiries Invited Phone: (8DS) 824-42&1 Deluxe MOdel 534.00 pair ." travel w/60·90 pracresslvely $29.9 Sw::::prlnes Sprlne Rallos from 6St 10 12St In sloek Shoeks co.. with 7at as standard spa.. sprlnes SI.OO pair. Complete rebuild kits S5.00 ea. 1\2" Extensions $3.00 pr. Seals 51.50 paIr Plea.. speelfy motoreycle ma. & model. Mount type required. Eye at eaeh end or eye and elevls tJll8. Now In stoek the now "IIavrlck" 5·way adjustable heavy duty shoeks, rellalldable lustrous chro.. sprlnes, ll~· or 12\4" 'eneth available. Center to eenter of eyes 3*" rravel. We Pay Postap on Prepal d Ordtrs. California Resldtnts add 5" lor .sales tax NOW......NEW ADDED WARRANTy...... Illhe seal falls on any MAVRICK unII wlthl n 90 days from date of pureha.. we ..III repl..e the ..al fr... P.S. Does anybody else do this? MAVRICK DOES IT AGAIN Ta. advantaee the besl 01 buy of lhe year. SPOOL HUBS, 40 hole wllh 5/1· bearlnes inc luded. Best alloy with chrome Iinish. II. $10 10 on t~ls Inlroductory offer. Calif. residents ade! 5% saleslu. I't STAINLESS STEEL f ~ SPOKES . IN STOCK NOW Dealer Inquiries Invited MAVRICK NORTH AMERItAN IMPORTS 2325 cerro GIrlie, P.O. Box N Mojave, Calif. 93501

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