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/125756
o .. '" N '" e, Double Jumping Latest Rage ;:! w Z w -' U >- U PHOENIX, ARIZ., Nov. 28, 1971 - Two young Phoenix cyclists successfully executied the world's first double-motorcycle jump today - thereby establishing a new distance record. Gary Davis, age 20 , and Rex Blackwell, age 18, passed within three feet of each other in mid-air at Mel Larson's Phoenix Dragway, in an unprecedented display of motorcycles in flight. Starting from opposite ends of a double-ramp set-up, Davis and Blackwell sped down the long drag-strip toward each other, vaulted from their respective take-off ramps, brushed by each other in mid-flight, and landed on the opposite ramp. Davis' jump measured 103 feet - three inches: Blackwell, who experienced mech an ical problems with his motorcycle just prior to the record leap - soared for a distance of 92 feet, five inches. The crowd was treated to a bonus when Davis and Blackwell; dissatisfied with their intial effort - decided to jump again - in an attempt to reach their goal of 107 feet. Marking the touch-down point of each of the cylists were members of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Department. Verifying and certifying the distances was Rick Lynch of Mo tor Sports, International, the governing body which sanctions suc h records. Lynch declared the jump a new world record for double-motorcycle jumps. Mel Larson, owner-operator of th e Phoenix Dragway and sponsor of the Davis-Blackw ell jumping team, announced that the boys would make another double-jump o n January 16th in an a ttemp t to better their record. Larson ad ded that a national tour is slated for Davis and Blackwell, indicating the schedule was not definite p end ing his consideration of various offers and dates. BCDR Stages Neveda 'Cross obi tt supplied the on ly close competition for ~he 125 Novice winner, Jim LaW"re~ce. ADR Gets New Additive By Mike Murphy LIBERTY, ARIZ., Nov. 14, 1971 - A new dimension was added to the track at Arizona Desert Raceway today; water. Real H-TWO-O. This new feature was the undoing of more than one rider who was not used to it and hasn't prepared his machine for it. This rare liquid (rare here anyway) was brought in by a water tank on a trailer and dumped in the first wash off the straight from the starting line. It didn't make mud or sink in, it was just a nice (?) high speed pond. The dust ,did n ' t help either. Tons of dirt were put on almost all of the track in resp o nse to rider's complaints about rocks. Lack of time, however, prevented Phil Aurenheirner, the track manager and operator, from putting enough oil down to p revent a dust problem. As a result, the entrance to the "pond" was through a small but thick dust storm. This will soon be rectified, Phil assures. As usual Dave Miller (Hus) walked off with the 250 Pro gold. But for the first time this last few races he was not out in front. Too few Pro entries necessitated a mixed Pro class : 125's, 250's and Open all together. But this time an Open rid er fro m down San Diego way held Miller at bay. Mike Stephenson (CZ) to o k the lead in the first two-rnotosandheld it to' the finish . U:: ,gnq no Gl!UG) '!) In the first moto the water got into Miller's electrics and he lost his spark; twice. The first time of the second lap he got started and off to chase Stephenson before anyone passed him. On lap three he stalled and two riders passed, one was Frank Fruciano (Mai) another 250 Pro. Miller started again and played a game of catchup to come in third behind Fruciano. The second and third motos weren't a repeat of t he first. Miller was glued to Stephenson's rear tire in the second and passed Stephenson in the third when the California rider spun out. In the 125 Novice class Jim Lawrence (Bul) wa lked or rather ran away fro m most of the field in the first moto. Lee Noblitt (Suz) being his only serious competition. But Lawrence fell victim to the water hole in the second moto and his piston came apart. According to the rules of the track a rider and cycle must finish at least one lap every moto to get points for the season. But the rules do not say that the rider cannot push the bike the required lap . And that 's what Lawrence did. By a unanimous vote the other 125 Novices elected to let Lawrence (with help) push hi s broken Bul for one lap in the third moto and Lawrence kept his point lead fo r th e season. ~o:.u .', ' . " l -(Results on page 1 24 ) I D! . ~ "' ! ' I ' C:yuoo 'I/ n.GIU "J.::HIJo uno n t.t>VI OOS: By Kent Nicholls LAS VEGAS, NEV., Nov. 21, 1971 The Las Vegas area has to have the world's worst soil for ma king a good motocross track. If it's not that super fine talc-y silt, its rocks, boulders and such. We had a good course set up near a natural spring but the land is owned by the local school district who seems to be against motorcycle racing. Enter the Boulder City Dirt Riders. These guys loo ked a little harder and came up with an are where the soi l is fine volcanic soil. BCDR then took a good natural area and made it even better. They set it up so that it could lie 100% watered down. Their turly fine course had up hills, downhills, and some neat turns with three-feet h igh berms o n them. The IOOcc combined class (26 strong) was the first to take a crack at the super course. Before one lap , nearly ha lf of the field had fa llen down at least once. One of the survivors, Bill McDaniel, won the moto, not without a real fight from mini-bike ace Kevin Davis . Bill went o n to win overall in the 100cc Novice class . The start of the 125cc Novice class , the largest class of the day, can only be described as awesome. The 125 Am/Ex. races had to be the best of the day with Experts Danny Davis, Bobby Davidson and Casey Fo lks havi ng the three-way duel of the century, finishing in that order. In the 250 Am/Ex. go, a coup le of Experts figured, why wait until out on the course to crash? So they did their thing right in the starting area. Bo ulder City Dirt Riders' only real blunder of the day was when they / watered down the steep up hill (that's the one with a nasty left turn in it) , ju st before the third 100cc moto . Ever try to ride a 100 up a steep hill that is so slippery that you couldn't even walk on . it? (Results on page 24) aJI~1 I ••• Central MI NT 400 MARCH 19-21 The Fifth Annual Del Webb Desert Rally, alias the Mint 400, will take p lace March 19 through 21, 1971. Entry for each vehicle has been set at $300 per. This year the course designers promise to cool the dust and silt and allow for more high-speed areas. Motorcyclists will race under one division (Division I) with $ 11,800 up for grabs, $6,000 of which will go to the overall winner. As a bonus , an extra $1750 will be divided amongst the first three 126-250cc machines and another $1750 handed out to the top three bikes under 125cc. Get the full skinny from the Mint Hotel, Las Vegas, Nev . 89101. 4i