Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

DISTRICT 36 REFEREE'S ASSOCIATION. Oct. 11, 197t SAN- FRANCISCO, CALIF., Nov. 5, 1971 - A most unusual kind of circus, featuring motorcycles in place of trained animals, has been announced for Cow Palace on Saturday_, Dec. I I. Entitled 'Cycle Circus', the show will consist of acts by some of the top motorcyc!. stuntmen in the country and will feature two performances during the one day show at 2 and 8 p.m. One of the major attractions of the show will be motorcycle jumps by a number of daredevils. A new indoor record will be attempted by 'Super Joe' Einhorn who requires the use of the Cow Palace lobby, and possibly even the front parking lot, in order to build up the necessary speed to make the jump. The rear freight entrance will be cleared in order to provide adequate space for him to slow down after completing the jump. 'Super Joe' broke Knievel's outdoor record, jumping the equivalent of 20 cars, on Sunday, Oct. 3 I at the Race of Champions at San Jose, Calif., which was f"tlmed by ABC's Wide World of Sports. Joe's jump was certified by AMA officials as 144 feet, 15 feet further than Knievel's longest successful jump to date. Einhorn, 23 years old, who lives in Richmond, Calif., recently accepted an open challenge by Knievel for a $50,000 winner-take-all showdown match jump. Another jumper who will be performing at the 'Cycle Circus' is a young man from Iowa whose jumps are quite novel. Steve Droste, 18, jumps over cars but does not use a landing ramp: One of the latest stuntmen to begin motorcycle jumping is a local man by the name of Gene Sullivan, son of San Francisco Examiner sports columnist, Prescott Sullivan. Gene, who has been proficient at riding on the rear wheel of a motorcycle for sometime, started jumping over 50 gallon steel drums a few months ago willie on a tour through Colorado. For ills act at the 'Cycle Circus', Gene plans to leap over 20 of the steel drums into a blazing wall, set afire as h!, starts his approach. 'Cycle Circus' will also be featuring precision drill and stunt team acts, one wheel riding, clown acts, numerous novelty acts, such as riding backwards, dismounting a moving motorcycle and 'skiing' behind it on steel shoes, and many mor~ specialty performances. The producers of the show, I.S.C.E. Inc., are planning to travel the show to other major cities after the Cow Palace. All tickets for 'Cycle Circus' are reserved seats and they are expected to go on sale this week. Box seats will be selling for $5_50, Reserved for $4.50, and General Admission at $3. Children under 6 will be admitted free, provided they are kept on their parents or guardians lap. Juniors (6-14) will be admitted for half price for the afternoon show only. Tickets will be available at the Cow Palace Box Office, Ticketron outlets, Macy's stores, Downtown Center Box Office, Sherman & Clay stores, Peninsula and Bay Box Offices and Crane Box office. QUICK CASH The manufacturer of Blendzall racing products recently awarded $500 each to Adolf WeiI and Sylvain Geboers for first place wins in the Motocross National Championship races. Weil won, at Elkhorn and Unadilla, while Geboers came in first at both Carlsbad and Boise. Both race in the 500 Championship class. Junior, Kenny Roberts, also received $150 for his Oklahoma City record win. A Novice rider, Howard Lynggard, received a contingency award of $150 for his recent roadracing win in the 250 class at Ontario. All winners sported the requisite Blendzall insignia sticker and used Blendzall products. THE SACRAMENTO AREA'S NEWEST PARTS SHOP MAKES ITS OPENING Gene Nunes and Bill Onga of Gene's Automotive of Loomis, the Biggest Little MX Shop in Northern Calif., branches out into a new Motorcycle Parts Shop. The name of tne new shop is Boss Motorcycle Parts and is located at 303 Riverside Dr., Roseville, Calif. Parts and accessories will be carried for all major brands. Items can be ordered on a special order basis. The store manager is Sam White who has been in the M/C parts business for the past six years; he knows his parts. Just call any time and ask for Squeeky and he will give you the very best possible service. Phone 783-5553. VALLEJO CLOSES TT SCRAMBLES By James Brammer VALLEJO, CAL., Oct. 22, 1971 - The weekly Friday night TT races at Vallejo Speedway that have been running for six months without interruption closed two weeks early without advanced warning when the sponsors failed to receive AMA sanctions for the last two dates in October. Admittedly, they failed to apply in time for sanctions with the last two Friday night dates in October going to Fremont. However, the American Canyon M.C. has sanctions for two rno toaoss races and if successful this may lead to more Sunday race dates. Habeck Repeats in High Desert 100 By Larry Ulrich took the time to fully gas the 500 BEND, ORE" Oct. 24", 197I - A 100 miles for $100. That's how far Seattle, Triumph engined Greeves. Habeck came Wash., school teach Ken Habeck had to flying in, took on one gallon of gas, and ride in the second annual "High Desert was gone in a flash. Jagow figured no-sweat and chased after him, only to 100". Habeck won last year's event also, follow him all the way to the finish line. and this year was almost a photo finish With the finish linein sight, Jagow tried with Dick Jagow. Winning time: 3 hours, 5 minutes. a longer route on a road in hopes to The day before the race it rained, beat Habeck on the trail, but lost ground instead. Not far behind was sleeted, and snowed; it was cold. Randy Limbeck riding a l45cc Poweroll Sunday morning the sun came out and Performance Honda for third overall warmed up to a perfect temperature for and fust in the 250 class. racing. The snow had disappeared on Tills cross-country event is unusual most of the course and it was a dust free for the Northwest as it features a 100 event. Some guys commented about being able to see where they were going mile long course. Most cross-country in the three mile drag race to the smoke events are three 30·mile loops or two bomb. They couldn't hardly believe 50-mile loops. A 100-mile course is a lot more work, but it makes a much more -riding a desert event without dust. enjoyable event for the ride.rs. Two miles past the smoke bomb A more varied terrain would be hard there was a culvert under the highway and your reporter went there for the to find. The first four miles were flat action. The eventual winner Habeck, out running through sagebrush and sand, free of rocks. Then sand with riding a Husqvarna, was first through rocks scattered here and there, then the culvert, and 50 yards behind was some fast fire roads and then rock piles, "Grumph" mounted Dick Jagow. Third was CZ-mounted Frank Sunada and creek beds, mud, more rock piles and a fourth was an unknown rider on a little snow to keep you on your toes. Triumph Rickman. After that the tr-affic Into the big pine trees for a real contrast got pretty heavy as the balance of the to the sage brush and finally back to the finish. 177 riders funneled through. Tills time Central Oregon had its Thirty-five miles out at the first gas share of trophy winners with John check, it was Jagow in the lead. Not far Campbell winning the trail bike class, behind was Habeck and Poweroll Performance Honda rider Randy Randy Limbeck winning the 250 class, and Doug Aiken taking second in the Limbeck. Jagow built up a commanding Open class. Next Spring, the Cascade lead on Habeck ouly to get lost in rocky M.C. will hold another cross-country. terrain above the one family town of . I; ,_ t Mill' J (Results on page 32) ,1'9W,lIrp'3 t ' " c;r~ ,nR.WliI ,i'4 ~.~ "lPim" ~l?W OLG BUSINESS: After two riders cards were pulled for an infraction, the Commissioner was asked why these same two riders were allowed to ride at Salinas. The Commissioner stated that he had in his possession both cards for both riders. that the riders called him and stated they wanted to go to Oregon on vacation, and could they have the AMA cards back. Because Oregon doesn'·t have a local district, the Commissioner gave back the AMA cards, but kept the Sportsman Cards. When the two riders attempted to slg" up at Salinas, they were questioned by a member of the Sports Committee, who was told the Salinas Club was going to let them ride. Trumbull, -5.T.R.A .• asked the Club Referee to Intervene, but they were allowed to ride in District 35, without sportsman Cards, as the Commissioner did have them In his possession at the time. Scally, Palo Alto M.C. argued that no one had the right to pull the AMA Card. Woods, Haywar.d M.C., argues that vanCil AMA, had told us we did have the right to pull the cards. The Commissioner was instrucl ed to write to AMA, to get the correct answer in writing. Landsborough, Sports Committee, asked the Commissioner Why he gave back Ron Carpenter's card, after he refused to have his motor pulled down for measurement. The AMA RUle Book states that for refusing to tear-down, the action shall be not less than one year. After two monthS. Carpenter told the Commissioner that his motor had been worked on and was legal, and could he have his card back. The Commissioner gave back the card, and was taken to task for not "Going by the BOOk". The Commissioner remarked that there seems to be two sets of values in the District ...That for some of the rules, It seems to be O.K. to just overlook the culprits, and not enforce the rules as they are written, and on other rules so "sock it to tem" and enforce the rule and the penalty to the hilt. We just cannot operate In this manner. Either all the way, or not at all. Stockton M.C. said that if the one year rule is not realistic, then we should change it. The Commissioner said that just because a rule called for such--and-such penalty, there could be ~~~~Jil~gh~~;~~:~~~~~St~h:~~~~I~'c:~ddbs~~~lgu~l~dc.~~s~~~~~'a~\::;~t~ISt'h~~~(r~~t o~~I~h~~~hk~ and that special meeting of the Sports Committee are called to rule on the appeals. Anderson. Hi Hats M.C .• discussed the tear-down fee, stating he didn't think the fee was high enough. McDonald told him that he has a proposal to the congress to rectify this problem, and to raise the fee, with the rider getting the fee. if the motor Is legaL Link. Sports Committee, discussed some recent court decisions, and the effect It is having Qn other clubs in the District keeping land they once used so easily. Seems that the owners are becoming more aware of Insurance requirements and fees because of the recent court actions. NEW BUSINESS: The District has rented a sound leval meter to be used at the various tracks to check the sound level now that we have been using silencers. It was rented because the availability of good new devices is bad due to the dock strike, freeze, etc., but as soon as they become more available, the District wllr buy one to save on the rental fee. At the tracks that have been checked, the sound level is still abov& 92 DBA. bu is much quieter than In the past •. The clubs running events now are not pin·pointlng the noisy machines, but ~re turning away )10 silencers a't all. By the first of the year. we should have some specs from AMA, and manufacturers, as to what each silencer can be expected to produce, soundwise. RULE CHANGES FOR 1972: This started at about 9:30 p.m., and was still going strong until adjournment. The Commissioner called for a special meeting to be held on November 6th, 1971 at Hayward M.C., 3800 Depot Rd., Hayward. which Is a Saturday night for the purpose 0 1 further taking up the rules for 1972. NOMINATIONS FOR 1972: Commissioner: McDonald sports Committee: Masterson Landsborough Ramos Link DePreist Halloway Carr Congressman: Vestal Wilson McDonald Lantz Trumbull McDonald Ramos Seatley Woods Mortensen Wells Woods Dilling Bills Masters TMRA Season Commences By Janis Randall EUGENE, ORE., Oct. 24, 197I - The Terri torial Motocross Racing Association opened its first motocross of the season on what threatened to be a rainy cold day, but riders suffered through a blissful day of sunshine. The course is located just west of here and was situated on a gentle sloping hill. It was not physically demanding, but it was fun to ride. During the day there were three crash incidents. The first occurred in the first 125 Senior moto when Bill Oliver on his Suzuki passed Charles Andrews on a Yoshimura Honda and lost control. Andrews drove over Oliver's downed machine. This caused a restart and Andrews went on to sweep the class. Oliver was shaken but unhurt as his 250 Senior performance, first overall, showed. Tne second crash occurred in the second 125 Senior moto when out of the starting _gate Craig Randall (Hon) rode through the field from the penalty line and crashed with Scott Shepard (Hon). Scott was shaken but apparently uninjured, although unable to compete the,rest of the day. The third occurred in the second 250 Senior moto when Jack Heater (Bul), Lee Stumpenhause (Kaw), and an unidentified CZ rider collided in the {"lrst tum with the CZ rider losing his complete front wheel. No injuries, but it cost all but Heater high placing; Heater finished second. The Mini Bike class was dominated by Chet Campbell on a Honda with his flat track, rival Scott Nelson (Yam) finishing second. The 250 J",nior class saw Don Bolton becpme the official victor on his Maico. Dan Stoneburg took his Yamaha to second in all three motos, and Jim Cheshire (Bul), President of TMRA, took third. The Open Senior event saw Forest Hiner ride a newly acquired 360 Yamaha to first over Ken Dawl and 250 Junior winner Don Bolton on Maicos., With 160 riders, the TMRA wasn't really prepared to run a smooth event. There were glaring errors in many cases, sometimes tne first moto was not counted for points overall. In one case a rider was blackflagged for course cutting but ",as still given the overall win. Let's hope it's together for the second race of the season. (Results on page 32) lapus Cranks'EID Out By N. A. Williams WOODLAND, WASH., Oct. 24,1971 With a sign-in of 223 riders it was a hard riding bunch that took to the track in the heats, as only the first four from each were going to make the Mains. The winners of the fastest four heats, of each class, went to make up the trophy dashes. The track was in good shape and Gary Kapus put on a real good ride in both the 250cc and 360cc classes. Gary was mounted on a new '72 Yamaha (250cc) and he collected the wins in both trophy dashes and A Mains. Several other riders had good days and took home more than one trophy. Very few riders were down during the day, ""d no injuries were reponed. (Results on page 32) M . " '" l>. ~ w Z W ..J U >- U

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