Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

spectator sport. and is farther beyond the reach of Joe Lunchbox's pocketbook. Motor racing may be the sport of the seventies. but don't bet it will be primarily on four wheels. * By Papa WeaIey Steve McQueen has been frequenting Indian Dunes lately, getting in a lot of riding time plus watching his kids scatter about on assorted minibikes. McQueen reluctantly shook hands, the reason being his hands are covered with open blisters from so much riding. He never bothered to mention the pain but taped them up for more riding. On this particular day he spent much time watching his son ride and tended to. some tuning chores on the small Yamaha. While patiently examining a fouled plug, Steve mentioned (as he often does) that his son had earned the bike - it wasn't given to him. When asked if it was true. the tyke said. "Naw. I hypnotized Dad and asked where the money was." Steve laughed the loudest. Later, his daughter felt a bit ill under the 1OO-degree sun. Dad patiently asked a friend to move so he could mO\le his truck under the shade so she could sit in the air-conditioned cab to recuperate. * * * After the kids had pooped out, McQueen and Roger Riddel. one of the men behind "Sunday", hopped aboard Huskies and headed for the tulies. Riddel had just come home from six months of back-east paperwork and was slowly trying to regain sanity. McQueen watched Roger bomb wide open up a bank and launch himself into space. ·He came down very out-of-shape and skipped across the turf with the front waving high over his head. He shifted up a gear and poured on some more, bounced three times. threw himself off another bank and landed at the bottom in complete control Roger and Husky noisily' pounded across th.e Dunes and faded into the sunset. Steve calmly observed. "He's been in New York too long. " * * * "On Any Sunday" fans no doubt were a bit upset about the Husky that was burned in the desert sequence. Relax. The bike was old enough to vote. The rod had been spun a few times, destroying the innards. The whole machine was ra99ed. In fact, it cost all of 45 dollars to put it back into its previous shape after it was I'it. * * * We see where Wallis Weatherwax has become just another one of those "s ponsored" riders for Circle Industries-Bultaco Western... BTAIM. here are some other notes on the now famous 861 MX of the Desert Ducks M.C.: did you know that WW's father owns Lassie, the famous hound? Yup. or so his wife says; the DDMC. along with being a nifty Desert racing crew, is also an enduro going group - seems that another group of characters has taken up the charge and when they leave on the minute after the DDMC, they call themselves the Duck Hunters M.C..... * * * Using the present National Points scoring system, Jim Rice would have had 1262 points in 1970 and Gene Romero 11 S7 (figurin9 hastily done and may be a few didgets off, but you get the point) - HMMMM .... * * * Take a guess at what Honda is now testing. testing, testing - ? It's a 900cc four and a whopping 1300cc shaIt-drive V-6 .... * * * Czech ace Vlastimil Valek, a favorite on the AMA motocross circuit. has taken on a new look. VV appeared at the Boise event sans the antique porridge-pot he had been wearing; Ted Moore decked him out in a new jersey, boots and topped it off with a shiney Bell Super.Ma9num. His teammates have a hard time finding him now.... * * * During one of our infrequent visits to the typesetting office. the typesetter exclaimed. "So. there is prejudice at the rates!" while she was working on the Calendar section...When quizzed on her proof. she pointed out the evidence; sure enough. there was a Northern Short Track event with the ominous request: uwhites" .... * * * The Oct. 24 Team Challenge at Oak Creek Ranch by the Mid Valley CZ Teams seems to be shaping up nicely, alth9u9h supporting entries are a bit slU99ish ...Word is out that Mid Valley is 9ettin9 a wee bit nervous with the foes they've gotten, mainly: Precision Cycle, Cole Brothers. Steve's Bultaco, Don & Ray's and Valerians. Don't forget Kolbe Cycles, who has been chuckling and seems amazed by all the rivalry going on - what do they have up their sleeves? There's $1500 on tap for the day's raciD9 card SO it should be interesting.... * * * ~While on the subject of motocross, we thought we'd drop this one off for you: BFAW reports that Bob Grossi rode his tmt race last weekend after making a lengthy recoup from his Mammoth accident. "He won. but you sure can see a definite slowing. He was second for a long time in the fIrst moto. taking it easy 'til the.last lap. White flag and he caugh t Carl Cranke, just jammin·. ready to dial his eye in a bad sweeper, and crashed. Still maintained a second. Last moto (there were only two) he fell again. which I have never seen more than two times in my life. but wasted no time and smoked everyone. He's getting ready for Oklahoma and the last three Trans-AMAs." BFAW says.... * * * * • * The Lightwei9hts M.C.'s TT at Elsinore on Oct. 31 will be a benefit for Scott Hoffee...we saw Scott at the Carlsbad GP and he looked in fine shape except he had temporarily lost vision in his left eye. Scott said a similar fate occurred to his father awhile back when he was involved in a car accident - his vision returned in about six months; Scott doesn't think it'll take that lon9, however.... Been reading in the slicks about a bunch of technical pieces on helmets so we got a few tips. too: on the care and feeding of 'em, check with the manufacturer before painting or cleaning with any solvent that is a petroleum disstillate - particularly iI it is made of polycarbonate; use water and a bit of soap to clean it. Keep it away from the heater or it might end up looking like a Salvadore Dali clock...Dogs love to chew the liner for some reason .. .if you ever have reason to use it, have an expert check it out before you trust it again. This has been a public service message by PW .... • * * * * * Another quick note on helmets: Poor Don. he's the fellow overat Bell-Toptex that keeps everyone's head intact.· He had his picture in a mag recently but people always seem to forget his last name...it's L·Heureux .... We talked to Mike Jackson at the English Embassy (N orton Villiers) recently and he reports that the Second Annual Laugh In Trials for the MIC industry and press will be coming up Dec. 2 at Saddleback...Capping off the event will be the Ivan Wagar Hill Climb ... Dave Bickers and John Banks will be doing the observing and the 4O-years-and-under handicap will again be in affect.... * * * * • * * * * * * * Evel Knievel bent our ear over the phone again this week and here's what he had to say (paraphrased, of course): "If you (that mean's us) receive any requests for information about challen9ing my jumping. you may print that I am going to jump 20 automobiles either at Ontario, Dallas or Houston in January or February in '72. I will take on any and all challengers." ...Got word that Super Joe is now being sponsored by Triumph. one of Evel's older sponsors.... The Rainier Brewing Company of Seattle. Wash.. has picked up the sponsorship of the Nov. 21 Trans-AMA Motocross to be held at Puyallup Raceway Park in Puyallup. Wash. That's the 10th in the 12-event series and the prize totals $10.000 .... Who said horses and motorcycles don't get along? If you ever hear someone telling you that, head over to Ascot Park some ni9ht during the races and show 'em this: There is a large string of thoroughbred horses stabled at the northern extremity of the track. Add this to the fact that the Harbor Freeway directly to the east is also a source of 24-hour noise pollution. Add it up and have them tell you why the horses seem contented enough to even manage to win a race once in a while.... Been checkin' out some mechanic's schools and got the word on a few. Long Beach City College, BTC. has a couple under the guise of "Small Engine Repair". one is during the day (205 A.D) and the other at night (405 A-D). Also. the La Puente Valley Vocational center offers a good repair course. we're told. They have open enrollment and the classes are also offered days or evenings. That school is located in the city of Industry. Calif.. phone 213/968-4638. Give them a jingle and tell 'em PW told ya about it.... * • * The famous Elsinore Grand Prix may be no more...The Gripsters M.C. reports they still have suits brought against them from several years back and they can't rest comfortably with all the legal hassles ...They are reported to have the entire event up for sale for anyone who wants it .... * * * "Car and Driver" resident rascal Brock Yates makes several thoughtful statements explaining why car racing will be the "sport of the seventies". Many comments apply directly to our own sport: "No matter how popular. racing becomes, it will remaIn an anti-establishment sport, unsupported by the intellectual power-brokers of society. " "Motor racing is a disordered. essentially unreasonable enterprise - an anathema to intellectuals because of its lack of structure and discipline." "Organized society can never kill it, but in fact may cause it to thrive." "There is a valid relationship to the rise of racing and the increasingly limited opportunity for individual action on the highways... the racing driver may symbolize the ultimate in independent action amidst a thickening atmosphere of sheep-herd movements in an impersonal mass-culture." * * * Auto racing is awfully boring compared to motorcycle racing as a SClram * * Indian Dunes is building a brand new motocross course. among other things. The new course is a tigh t, challenging li affair that is excellent for spectators. 0 Other long-range plans for the Dunes ~ includes a $350.000 stadium that will w be the scene for upcoming Nationals Z and some digs into the back hills for ~ international motocross events. It's all ~ paper. u * * * * • • Just have to plug those outstandin9 murals by Sam Manrlin of Competition Graphics. Beautifu colors. We have some decorating our walls and they lend real class to the joint. See his ad elsewhere in this issue. Got a reliable source lined up in Europe so we'll be able to give a bunch of reports from there in the future. To start things off. though. try these on for size: --BSA has closed its Armory Rd. Small Heath Main faciory which has dumped 3000 workers into unemployment lines in England...Triumph·s Coventry plant is pegged to be the one picking up the BSA load. --MX - Augusta is I?lanning to get a sufficient number (200) 750 fours into thrs country in time for Daytona National in 1972... the machines are reported to have 90-plus brake horsepower... Giacomo Agostini is the designated Daytona rider· on the magnificent machine. --Strikes have caused the Lambretta Scooter firm to close up shop in ltaly...That leaves only its Spain plant in operation. --Triumph development is currently experimen ting with a three cylinder 850cc modeL..the thing is that it cannot race in the U.S. and in Europe it would have to go against the 1000cc machines making it slightly Less competitive....it·1I be interesting to see what they have up their sleeve.. ~--.t~-----~iI'"' By Maureen Lee We enjoyed having a bit of Iun with the bit about the big two-strokes being illegal under District rules, and seeing some of them fall into a little .trap. Maico was justifiably unhappy. 'specially when they thought Jeff Sexton might not be allowed to run at Hopetown. Horrors! Phone call to Worthington followed etc. It's in the rule book all the time folks, that they are legal. What really happened is this: District 37 has its own rule book to cover the type of racing we do here as our District is. of course, different than others across the country. Our system works, too, if you look at the number of Southern California riders we have in all facets of racing. even up to the pros who came up through District 37. However. it is clearly enforced and has so been stated many times by the Sports Committee that there shalt be no rule in that book that goes against the AMA Amateur (Sportsman) Rule Book and the reference to valves. side or otherwise was deleted in engine classifications quite a few years ago. I repeat. years ago. Where the hang up carne from was that in the printing of the District rule book the valves were not deleted. the many stalwarts on our Competition Committee when re-working the book from year to year never caught it. Now you know why I say each year it is worth sending off that $1.25 for that rule book so you can look something up before yelling a boo-'boo before there is one. Jim Hunter. one of the District's fInest came a cropper the other day and put a scare into his family and friends. Testing out a bike he fell and later on. like his beloved Goldstar's, developed a little leak. In all seriousness it was a bit dicey for Jim for a while and he's now minus his spleen and a couple of pints of engine oil his body used for blood. but. I repeat, not his orneryness. So come on James. get well fast. your fans will miss you. Rumors have it he was entered in the Old Timers Race at Hopetown. Now that would have to mean admitting to a certain venerable age or else telling a story. The Dirt Diggers have told me to pass along this info. To stop any sneaking around in that race as to age. they are liable to ask for proof of age. just to make sure no young whippersnappers try to gate crash and cash in on beating the old men. Old men. hal Wait 'til you see the line-up and what they're riding. In fact, some of them could still teach the younger blood a thing or two. I think the Diggers should invite George Blanda to be honorary starter. he's the quarterback some sports writers have with one foot in the grave because he's 43. Trouble is no one has yet told this to Mr. Blanda or his team! I hope most of you had the opportunity to read Jim Dour's piece on going back to the .old way of allowing National number holders to retain their numbers from year to year providing they follow certain conditions. Hurray! Sure hope it passes at the Competition Congress and apparently the riders want it back the way it was, too. I stood up for the old system that last time this came around and even got told I was more or less trying to hold back the sport, etc. Well. there are some things that need re:vamping and changing and others that don ·t. It's nice to have some of the old things around and no one is giving a man a National number. He still has to earn it and. under the proposed system. keeps it providing he rides a certain number of events to keep his number active and they don't have to be all the Nationals. Owning a National number is an honor in itself regardless of whether it is 1 or 99. The rider who earns the number three plate now is still the number three ranked rider and may never go any higher and would probably be just as happy being known as old 42 or whatever for all his racing years unless he gets the real one that counts: Numero Uno. That's where it's at. Once you've held it you are always head of the rest. You're either number one or you are a Nationally ranked rider. still heads above those who never earn one. The other side of the argument has been explained to me but that's where I stand. Still, having the other system gives the factories a chance to point how many of the top five are their riders; it sure sells lots of programs and causes confUSIOn even amongst professionals in the business. Like the day Roxy Rockwood forgot the new numbers and lnistook his son. Tom, for Gary Nixon when number nine went by. That's how the conditioned reflexes work. We'll see what happens anyway, whatever the outcome of the vote.

• Cover