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/125789
Northern California and, to a lesser extent, Southern California are beginning to suffer from a lack of road racing tracks. The ACA has done quite well, in its limited region, supply its membership with a variety of courses. The AFM, however, is kind of getting out of the game. They have more chapters than they do courses. They have only one course going for them: Orange County. They won't even allow that to be altered a little bit to give some variety. As a result the riders who have the course wired usually win unless they are outpowered. Riders with less time on the track don't have a chance. It would be nice to see the AFM try to open up some other courses. They might try to get at Cotati again. Unless they do there isn't going to be any 250 mile Production race this year. They could also take a crack at Anzac or Whiteman. Whiteman' was closed because of the nearby residences and noise, but it seems that if properly muffled production bikes were run that this wouldn't be a problem. One man can save the AFM from dying of boredom: Gavin Trippe. With his position as promoter he could by-pass much of the red tape that the hierarchy of the AFM becomes involved with. The AFM is a democracy and has to cater to the wishes of all of its members. Unfortunately, one or two members seem to find a sympathetic ear to complain to abou t an y proposed changes, and nothing ever seems to get done. Trippe has already started a series of pro events which was needed. He seems to be the man to make AFM road racing what it once was. Something needs to be done. * * * Our nomi nation for best dressed motorcyclist goes to Ron Schneiders who wears a different set of stylish, spiffy threads every time that he comes in here. * * * SO THICK YOU CAN EAT IT WITH A SPOON: Latest people to get on our good guys list is Tastee-Freeze. They are putting out a lot of money to throw a road race at Orange County on July 16. There will be a $1200 purse for pros as well as support races for the regular AFM amateurs. Tastee-Freeze will have discount tickets at their eateries. Maybe you can get an ice cream cone at the track. * * * Tile Nazareth Mile National scheduled for September has been cancelled. Details are elsewhere. * * * LEGAL BRIEF: Bob Franks of the New England Motorcycle Post called from Boston to say that the constitutionality of the Massachusetts mandatory helmet law was appealed before a three judge Federal District Court last Wednesday. Each side was allowed 45 minutes to presen t their posi tion but a final decision on the constitutional and legal aspects of the law aren't expected until September. The wheels of justice grind slowly. * * * Yamaha bought themselves a piece of the Coliseum,. The Leisuretec!) ,"Superbowl of t-\otocross" has gained the prestige of Yamaha, and the entire Yamaha racing team. Marty Tripes will be 16 years old and able to race. The Jones boys, and Jimmy Weinert will also be there. Joel Robert, Sylvain Geboers, Torsten Hallman, Dave Bickers, and Arne Kring will be among those representing Europe. The big guns from Kawasaki, John DeSoto and Brad Lackey, are doing it. It's going to be quite a fancy shooting match, and now that Yamaha has gotten ,involved. it's going to be even fancier. The shooting starts at eight PM on Saturday evening, July 8 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Be there or be square. . * * * The Radio Racing Network isn't. Who acted fIrst isn't really clear, nor does it seem to matter. No more Nationals will be broadcast. The AMA cancelled all 'broadcast rights for Nationals that were previously held by KBIG in Los Angeles..KBIG says that they dropped network-wide. commercials, couldn't make enough clams to hreak even by carrying the races. It seems to the old Papa that a lot of bike man ufacturers missed a good opportunity to pitch their wares before a very hot population of poten tial buyers. It seems that local shops, etc. were eager to buy time on the neighborhood radio station but not enough of the biggies. And they say motorcycle racing has gone big time ... * * * ... ... > :; ~ w Z W ..J Conversations with John Penton indicate that a 30mm Mikuni just may be the hot set-up for the 175 Jackpiner tested for this issue. If you read the test, you'll see why the Japanese . fix-everything carb may be just what the scooter needs. * * (.) > (.) * Everybody told J obn McGowan not to go riding without Cookie, his dog. (You know, the one that rides on the gas tank during desert events.) Cookie:, has a broken leg. Well, John didn't listen and ran into a barbed wire fence. Something like 22 stitches to close up the holes. * * * AMA NEWS RELEASE No. 72801 ana Other Funnies: The following is a direct quote from those ever sharp dudes at the AMA's professio.nal racing division. "DuHamel, riding a Kawasaki from the Team Hansen stable, lost an early 9-lap lead to Rayborn when he had to pit with minor mechanical adjustments." Gee, if he was nine laps ahead of Cal, why didn't he just push it across? * * * Latest grist from the overseas rumor .miII includes the possihility that KTM is trying, or is interested in trying, to sign a pair of Russians to campaign the emergent KTM 250 motocross machine in next year's GP events. After Kavinov's excellent showing in the Dutch GP, he would seem to be first choice. Gunnady Mosisiev would seem to be the second pick if KTM has their way. Question: Will Russian riders be allowed to sign contracts with a capitalist motorcycle manufacturer, even if it is in officially neutral Austria? * * * * * Medevac chopper made available at Columbus Half-Mile. A dustoff in turn three is better than a five·thumbed flagman for aid. * The Man who many say was the greatest racer of them all, Carrol Resweber, is now working in the H-D racing department. Carrol and Babe Demay who is also a, member of the same department were joined in the Harley pit area at Columbus by a wrenching Bart Markel. One of our staffers tripped up to Laguna Seca this weekend for a look at the track. He carne back completely stoked. It is the best road racing course in this country and the National there is probably going to be the most amazing road race seen on the AMA circuit in a long time. The people tq> in Monterey (that is where Laguna Seca is located) say that advance ticket sales are going faster than they have for any other race of any kind ever held there. It's going to be a doozy. * * * * * * All you young would-be motocrossers might be interested in what our bookkeeper tells us. He was down at Saddleback testing and rode in an AMC event. He says that they are really neat. They have classes for beginners, novices, and juniors which are run very quickly with no long waits. And guess what! There aren't 40 riders in every event. Thank goodness. You can find out more about their Saturday events at Saddleback or Carlsbad by calling (714) 830-7646. One casual ty of the floods in the Northeastern part of the country was Matt Falconer's van. Todd Sloan, alone in the van, attempted to drive through a flooded underpass near Gary Nixon's shop in Cockeysville, Maryland, and was swept-downstream. After riding along on the roof of the van for awhile, Sloan was able, to grab a hold of an overhead phone wire and hand-over-hand himself to a bank. Matt's van was totaled. * * * YOU WON! VICTORIES THAT MATTER: The mandatory motorcycle helmet bill (AB 744) is dead. It has been defeated in the Senate Transportation Committee due to lack of • motion by any state senator on the committee to report it out to the full Senate. That's it, the law that tells you what you can do with your head is kaput. The defeat of the bill was based almost entirely on the committee's response to grass' roots opinion. The little man and the letter writer are listened to, as most of the committee members came to the chambers with their minds already made up. Too mllny eopl. a If you wrote a letter, co...-atulate youne"_ ou lOt involved and It WOI1tect. J( crt of credit also belongs to M.O.R.E. the AMA, the IVIIC and various ad hoc groups of bikers who worked to kill the bill. Give credit to the California Senate fqr responding to the will of the people and doing their job right. Not many do. The greatest danger of AS 744 was the precedent it could set for future restrictive legislation. The greatest good in defeating the mandatory helmet bill is that it serves notice to lOlany that bikers can act in a united manner in the plitical arena. This is the seventh straight year that mandatory motorcycle helmet legislation has been defeated in California. Hopefully, somebody will start to get the message that California bikers (and most others for that matter) do want to have freedom of choice. Good show, you've retained a little more control over your own fate. The Fuel-Injected, Clam. Quad-Exhaust Racing