Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

~ u o ~ w Fun Witll Tile Runners Z W ...J By Bill Spencer SANTA CRUZ, CAL., Sept. 25, 1971 Soda-pop, mini-motos, chicken tacos, beer, a two hour marathon and more beer capped the Ridge Runner M.C. fun day held at th eir club grounds country club, adjacent to the Santa Cruz municipal dump. Almost 20 little people got a chance to run a mini version of the Bob Grossi laid out track and with slight rain showers passing by the sand facility, the' day's marathon outing was going to be a great one. Tripping over from the San Francisco Bay Area were teams from many of the bike shops. From the Selby Motors shop came a 250 Montesa and Roger Selby. Trophy Cycles sent out a 400 Maico and a 400 Suzuki to see which one of their brands could do the best and with owner Gene Miller on the Suzuki, his mechanic Ray Arndt wasn't sure if he should go out to win or let the boss have his way and the lead. From the Sonny Kenyon stables came the Fat Man entry of Bob McQuiad and yours truly on a 360 EI Montadero. While the racing is not usually fast, this day was different as the rain made the track in better than usual conditionn despite much water put down by Mr. Grossi and friends. At preciselY 1 :45, the 33 entries were allowed one lap to familiarize (,) >- (,) Bultaco • Maico. Norton 'J!!'<' .~!~aka • Yamaha :~rt\D,;c;a:i; 21ii~c.mino Real Redwood City. California 366-1755 366·3814 COLISEUM CYCLE and MAIL ORDER ACCESSORY CO. ~ KAWASAKI __ ~ MOTORCYCLES 3958 E. 14th ST., OAKLAND, CAL. (415) 534-5461 94601 ~ i S1by Moto,~MWO : 0 Suzuki o Montesa I' KaW ~ Sales ,... Service 0 0 0 ~ Parts 346 EI Camino Real Redwood City. Calif. (415) 369_-4112 ~ Sales .. Service custom work" all rna kes TROPHY PU~~Z~~ICO CYCLES 184 San Antonio Rd. Mt. View, Calif. 94040- About an hour after the race was over and most of the spectators had long since left, Jake shouted for quiet and got a hearty round of boos and booze. After much lap counting and checking, the winners were Arndt and Cunningham on the 400 Maico from Trophy Cycles. A round of cheer for these two Novices, then the team of brothers, Don and Ron Hart were -given the second spot on a 125 DKW; they completed 54 laps, just one less th.an the winners and they were also glven a cheery round. Another marathon? Soon, race fans. 941-7317 Cow Trail Y., a a BlOOIO SPIOCIETS 2 TOOTH CZCounter Sprockets $9.25 Cal. res. add 5% sales ta •. C&M SPECIALTIES-P.O. BOX 717 MOUNTAIN VIEW CALIF. 94040 so cents CYCLE NEWS HOT HATS REVITALIZATION PLANS FOR BSA Due to the fantastic demand for this hot little item, WE HAVE REORDERED The manufacturer has promised delivery next week and we expect to ship all back orders by November 1 st. 1-----------. L.... I I I I BUL.TI'lCO --_.......I sonn" t7 kenyon's cycles Sales service parts I ~ 1 50 cents "E I 0 I iii 1 '~ w-.~ SPECI,\Usr 2594 Middlefield Roell Mt. View. California 94lMO 141&) 961-4399 themselves with the grueling" 1 ~ mile motocross track. This allowed the water hazards to become mud holes and test the water proofing of each bike. With this complete and not one bike missing the Le Mans start got the green at 2:10 and the next two hours would test the very souls of many old men and young speedsters alike. The majority of the entries were of the small bike category and only six bikes were over 250cc. In the first few laps, the mud holes got wider and deeper and although no one got eaten by one, many were stuck for some time. One of the 400 Suzukis took the first two laps. From that point 1 really can't say who did what to who because I got caught up in trying to stay in the race. At the end of my first stint Bob took over and kept us right in the reat of things and I was told by just about everybody that they were first and we were last. It looked like the big bikes were going to run away with it but that is just about the way it always happens in the first part of the race. Toward the middle, the big bikes and their riders usually slow as they both get overworked and that is precisely what happened today. First it was a Husky and then the Suzuki was sidelined. It got back in but it faltered again anand the word spread fast that the Trophy 400 Maico was leading. The two riders, Arndt and Steve Cunningham, were both newcomers to this sryle of racing and therefore were obviously favored as the newer you are the better you race. It was my tum again and so refreshed by aid of brew and words, 1 mounted my trusted steed and went to the fore only to crash again on my second lap out and spend the rest of the afternoon sitting on the cooler directing my replacement, Bruce Kelley. Bruce is a Junior rated AMA motocrosser and can be seen at spots like the Salinas sand pit and so I thought he would be excellent entry for the Cycle News special. It only took one lap for the officials to notice that the white Cycle News jacket that normally carries a 260 pound 6 ft. 5" giant had shrunk to about 6' and 160. A no-no was filed with the stewards of the meeting and many more sudsy cans decorated the surface, but nothing was accomplished. A lot of cheering came after two hours as the last of the 33 starters wound around the twisty dump and 24 bikes took the checkered. The best part of the day was yet to take place as the winner wouldn't be decided until the lap charts were triple check~d by J.ake Singleton and crew. This l.eft much tJme for riders and crew to taU< of the day's events for yet another time. I 1 I I I I I I 1 After undergoing a transition period, plans have been finalized for a more profitable future for BSA. Denis McCormack, president of the firm in the U.S., announced the formalization of the parent company's revitalization plans. McCormack indicated that the British parent company's financial predicament, resulting from the 1971 supply shortages and labor problems, is being solved. The result is that 1972 promises to be a good year for the Company and its Triumph and BSA, Top Gear and Rickman dealers. McCormack also pointed out that substantial stocks of 1972 models are already in the company's U.S. warehouses, both East and West, and will be avaJ.1ahle for shipment on schedule in mid-october. Double Vallejo winner John Gennai was turning 33-second laflS while his co"!'petitors were in the 40's. Elastic bandage on his left wrist replaces the cast from hIS Labor Day mIshap. GENNAL TWICIE, FOLEY ALMOST By Jamesprammer VALLEJO, CAL., Oct. 8, 1971 - Foley w~ turning the c~>urse in 32.8 s~conds and Gennai raced at Vallejo Friday in while hIS co~petJto.rs we.re taking .40 their contest for Foley's District 36 seconds. That s whlle stl1l recovenng black plate number one. Gennai gained from a broken wrISt that occurred another vital point closing in on Foley's L~bor Day .. He has replaced the cast WIth an elastIC bandage. lead by winning the 250 Expert final of the TT scrambles. He took the lead of One recent tabulation for the District the final from Foley in the second lap shows the point race be~ore Friday to with the two holding the one-two be Foley 268 and Genna! 257. Ano~er positions all the way. shows It ~o be as close as five' pomts Sixth-place man on the point tables, after Vall~Jo: . Larry Drew riding a borrowed AJS, Jess Hmnchs pressured wmn.er Harry grabbed the lead of the 500 Expert tmal Young in the 250 Novice final. all the from Foley on the third lap leaving way. Pat Lane w~n s~cond to Richm,an Foley scoring two seconds for the mounted D~I Sm~th m the 250 JunIOr evening. final by passmg Rick Huggard. Gennai moved from fourth to tlrst on From Sacramento, Emory Gray rode the second lap in the 650 Expert final a Harley-Davidson to first in the 350 to go on to win his second final of the Novice final. (Results on page 36) evening. In his 650 heat r,lce, Gennai HENRY THE TWELFTH IN CHICO, HANDICAP By John Noffsinger CHICO, CAL., Oct. 2, 1971 - Joe Foley, Silva and Allen to win this big· Henry on the final night of the season one. here at Cycleland Speedway won his The big race fa! season high point 12th Handicap Main Event and thus honors in the 200cc class came to a earned the title of "Scratchman." What sudden end for Jim Hubbard. As he was passing Ron McGil on the outside in ·the a race it was with Henry, Rick Hocking, Jim Foley, Joe Allen and David Massee east straightaway he caught some loose being the real big names in the line up. dirt and did a header. Going into the Allen got a good start, slide into the evening's race he and McGiI were tied for inside line immediately, and began high point honors, and depending upon putting his front wheel inside riders, and how each finished in the Main Event then simply nerving it out to the next determined the high point man for the comer. One by one he began picking off season. Ron simply rode on to victory riders until he had only Hocking ahead for season high point honors with Jim of him. Catching him is one thing but laying down in the east straightaway. passing him would prove to be Brad Johnson ended a very enjoyable something else. However, Joe continued season of racing here by winning the with what he had been doing best and 100cc Handicap Main. Next year pushed a front wheel inside in the south lohnson should be on a larger bike corner and simply outrode Rick to the making waves for those racing with him. north corner. Once in front Joe simply Johnson won high point honors in stretched his lead until he won by some the Handi.cap class in the 100cc division 15 big yards. while McGiI took the honors in the Even starter Denton Hill was pleased 200cc class. David Massee took high with Joe's performance as he did a little point honors in the 250cc class. jig at the finish, as J oe came forth a very High point honors in the Scratch big and fortunate winner. events go to Tom Southam in the 100cc Joe, also during the course of the class, Hubbard in the 200cc class and evening in the Expert Main passed some Jim Crenshaw in the 250cc class. (Results on page 36) seven riders including again Hocking,

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