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/125790
the $50,000 125 mile National road race whether you wanted to or not. /$? > :; .... CI.l 3: w z w ~ (.l >(.l the exception of Gary Nixon the whole team are road race specialists. But Nixon may be the man to watch. He is overdue for a win. Yvon DuHamel has been mnning at the front of every National road race this year and has to be considered as one of the two or three more likely favorites. He has led every National except Louden and was given the win at Atlanta after the Suzukis were disqualified. Yvon will be going for his first out-and-out win and if anyone can do it, Yvon is the man. Paul Smart is the last member of Team Hansen.He has a European type of course and possible a new Seeley frame going for him. He says that the Seeley makes a significant improvement in the handling of the Kawasaki 750 racers. Backing up the Hansen effort will be Mashiro Wada from Japan. He is a factory tester and his bike is quite fast. Transplanted Anglos, Cliff Carr and Ginger Malloy are also potential winners if the cards fall righ t. Harley-Davidson would seem to be second strongest. Their machines have the flexibility and handling to make up time on the tigh t sections of the course and their two ace racers, Cal Rayborn and Mark Brelsford, can definitely do the deed. A ~in there might put H-D at the front of the manufacturer's points standings. Yamaha has sheer force of numbers going for them. There will be more Yamahas in the field than any other marque. Kel Carruthers and Kenny Roberts are the best bets among the factory crew. The privateers are headed by the likes of Gary Fisher and Don Emde. Fisher showed that both he and his machine had the necessary stuffings at Laconia where he shined up both the Combined and Expert races. The fact that Yamaha has only 350 cc's going for them won't be much of a disadvantage since Laguna Seca'is definitely a rider's course. The only place that they will feel it is on the uphill front straight. Yamaha can be expected to win the Combined race and the Novice even t. John Long has been the fastest Novice around. He was the winner of every previous Novice road race this year, which is quite a recommendation. Pat Evans has been there and may be able to do some good. He won the demonstration race there recently. Yamaha is also a good bet for the Junior event. Dick Mann and Gene Romero will pilot the only factory Beesumphs. Both have their good moments on the pavement. The only Norton entry will be the . John Player machine ridden by factory engineer Peter Williams. Smart on his new Seeley frame and a European type course will be in Suzuki doesn't expect to be at Laguna Seca·. Geoff Perry may enter on a private basis and he is among those that can do it if things come his way. Another dark-horse is Ducati. They have had their 750 twin homologated and it will be ridden by Walt Fulton. Paul Smart rode one to victory at Imola, Europe's richest race. Racing can't be· accurately predicted, of course. Anything can happen. Machine failure can sideline the top riders. An obstacle, such as the Ontario oil slick last fall, can drop several riders and change the whole texture of the event in the flickering of an eye. A rain storm can bring a relatively unknown rider to the lead while everyone else slows down. One can only speculate. e unto t SPECTATING The spectator can plop himself down on one of the hillsides and be afforded a view of most of the course, but because the course winds around the hills, part of it will always be out of sight. But never mind, bring your binoculars and pick a spot. Turns 6 and 6A will probably be the most spectacular to watch. FACILITIES The track is located on the Fort Ord military reservation and the Army has built some excellent facilities. There are two first aid stations, ambulances and choppers for medevac of any injuries. 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