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/125750
.... - Speedway Series Begins Tightly en ~ ~ w Z W ..J U >U At Costa Mesa••• By Mike Capalite COSTA MESA, CAL., Oct. 22, 1971 The European speedway riders who come to American had often said that Orange County Fairgrounds' track is like ricling in a teacup. Tonight, they raced the teacup again but somebody left tea in it. Starting out on a track that was sloppy wet it turned into a track so tacky that to turn it on in the corners was to invite a .wheelie. In addition to this, a hole, or should I say, a ditch appeared in each corner that cause many an anxious moment for the riders and was the demise of a number of them. To top this off, due to the number of spills and restarts, it was decided by the powers-that-be that the drag was taking too much time so it was conspicuous by its absence. Only valiant effortS by the Jackrabbits M.C. members between races kept the track from resembling Shiloh as they armed themselves with rakes and shovels to assume the role of hole-fillers and Barry Briggs holds the point in the Team Competition series with Sonny Nutter in second. Bill Cody third and Dave Gifford fourth: Gifford, by the way. is returning home to New Zealand this week to fulfill commitments abroad. Current World's Champion Ivan Mauger hold off an obscured Rick Woods while one of the Bast brothers 15 forced toward the wall. At Gardena••• Barry Briggs nearest to cameroa and Mike Konle have at it in the Team Competition series at Ascot Park. track-smoothers as well as corner men. Neither the Americans nor the international riders were giving it their all, however. With the scoring system of three points for first two for second and one for third with fourth getting zero, it was a constant battle for points as the bonus point system was dropped to avoid confusion to the crowd_ Being used to quick gates, the riders for the United Kingdom had a little trouble getting used to the American system of "nyah-nayh-I-caught.you" as both Jim Airey and George Hunter were disqualified in the first race and with only one reserve rider, the UK team came out of the rrrst race trailing, 5 to 1. While the UK riders never achieved the lead throughout the evening, they were never more than eight points behind and at one time were tied. When the series of 15 races was over, they were behind by six points. This narrow spread was due mostly to the ricling ahility of two former 'world champions, Ivan Mauger and Barry Briggs, who were the high point men of the evening. Mauger racked up an impressive 12 points with Briggs right behind him with 11. High man for the American team was Larry Shaw with a total of 10 points. Each team will have a chance to win a test series each night that they race, but the points will be totaled as they go along to determine the winner of the series overall, so the final score at the end of the evening was the United States 48 points, the United Kingdom 42 points. With the test series replacing the usual scratch races, the second half of the program was devoted to Handicap races with six beats and three semis. The Handicap Consolation started one man short as Woods did not start due to the reopening of his leg injury. As the flag went up and the riders went into the first corner, Steve Bast dropped out with engine trouble and. then brother Mike hit one of the large holes in the corner and went down, leaving it a three man race. Don Cullum took first, Ivan Mauger, second, and Bill Cody, third. Barry Briggs was the only international rider to make it into the Main Event but his bopes were dashed as he unloaded on the second lap. John Fishburn led after takinR the point from Sumner McKnight. Mike Konle had moved up into second place, and on the last lap, Shaw made a valiant effort and charge past McKnight and Ed Williams to move into the number three slot at the ch eckered flag. (Results on page 28) *!}{t {t {r ACE {t --tr***{t {r S ... cll...... By Mike Capalite GARDENA, CAL., Oct. 23, 1971 - The United Kingdom took revenge on the American speedway tearn tonight with the move to the larger quarter-mile track here at Ascot Park. It looked like it was going to be a repeat of last night at Orange County when the rrrst race had Ivan Mauger suffering engine problems in the first corner allowing Bill Cody to take the win with Sonny Nutter second and Jim McMillan third. Barry Briggs and Bert Harkins came back for a one-two fmish in the next race to tie it up, but to the deliltht of the fans, Rick Woods won the next one with Steve Bast finishing third behind George Hunter to put the Americans ahead, 10-8: This glory was short-lived; the crowd was finally able to see what Ivan Mauger was able to do as he took the win with a full quarter-lap lead to move the UK tearn into the lead where they stayed for the remainder of the evening. While Ivan went on to win all the remainder of his heats by the same fantastic margin, Briggo Tacked up an impressive string of three wins and two seconds to tie American Rick Woods for high-point rider of the evening. It was evident to the fans that the larger track was taking its toll on (Please turn to page 27) BAYMARE MOTOCROSS OCT. 30th AND 31st (Bayman Ranch, Moorpark, Calit) i:}Jyt Jyt {r Jyt Jyt ** ACE ~ Jyt--tr-et'* S... ell...... "Iide "" .ew', illpro,ed co.ise ,,'ed #1, It, "" Europea. riders" Sat. Oct. 30th - Free MX School, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm by VIC EASTWOOD, European National No.1, AJS works rider Sun. Oct. 31st -' 100, 125, 250, Open, Junior & Senior Classes Juniors 50% SUPER TROPHIES Seniors $500.00 CASH PURSE (paid per moto 8' Overall positions) SUPER RACE - Bring a friend and ride the Buddy Race. Winner receives $25.00 cash and $10.00 cash to best Halloween riding costume. VIC EASTWOOD will try to put it on the local boys riding the 250 and 410 AJS works bikes in the Senior classesWill he or won't he do it? Meet Vic penonally and find out. Si'l Up closes 9:00all • lace 9:30a. '.'or.a,iol (805)259·8007 Pos' Ea'r, $5.00 Ga'e $2.00