Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

!:j ~ STEVE SCOTT FASTEST UP PIKE'S PEAK '" switch back. The Open class bikes were the final race of the day and the fog had gotten severe. As the riders sat on the grid, the first turn was barely visible. When the flag dropped, the thirty professionals got off in perfect fashion and out of sight around the first right hander. No hint of what would soon follow. With the fog so thick, riders' judgmen ts were screwed up, but that did not stop the throttles from being screwed on. One rider that was a bit less brave, despite his front row start, saw four scary crashes righ t in fron t of him. The' wildest put Ricky Manka in the hospital with a concussion, the only ambulance ride of the day. After about four miles and three tear-offs, the riders broke into the . sunshine. Don Palmgren was an early leader On his new Trackmaster Triumph. He dropped the bike and three positions in a hairpin, and the race for first turned. into a mind bender between two cousins on Suzukis who crossed the finish line in almost a dead heat. Gale Gieck made g « ~ w Z W ...J U > U I The 250 Professional class roars off the line at the start of the 50th Annual Pike's Peak Hillclimb. Story by Bill Brokaw Photos by Annie Brokaw COLORADO SPRINGS, COL., July 4, 1972 - The annual "Race to the Clouds" turned out to be a race from the clouds. This was the 50th running of the Pikes Peak Hillclimb but last year was the first time in recent times. that the bikes were invited. They put on a show that stimulated everyone and barring some catastrophe it looks like they will become a permanen t part of the program. The weather on Monday was super soupy which just is not like Colorado Springs. Everyone figured that it would just have to be better tomorrow, but it wasn't. The morning of the fourth found several thousand determined people heading up the famous mountain with their windshield wipers going. As we got higher, the rain diminished and turned to fog. At the starting line the spectators, and particularly the driver, peered up the road in a "You gotta be kidding" manner. The first event was 250cc bikes. Louie Unser blasted his pace car up the mountain to open the event and when he passed Glen Cove, the 250cc Professional class got the green flag. Two minutes later the sportsman class blasted off. As the riders made their way up the mountain, the -action was picked up at several points by radio. The frantic onslaught of motorcycles, noisy motorcycles, seemed to overwhelm them as there was much switchiDg from vantage point to vantage poin t in an apparen t effort to get away from the pressure. . Steve Scott, from California on a Bultaco Astro, was the last to sign up and so started in the last row. It would seem that this only served to make the twelve-mile race from seven to fourteen Gale Gieck (81), back in the pack-at this point, won the Open Professional class in the mist. won it. thousand feet a little sporting, Somewhere around the uW's" he was on the leader, Bob Conway and his Yamaha, and had taken command by "Devil's Playground". His time at the top was 15 minutes 13.472 seconds which was the fastest bike up the hill. The bewildered riders he passed with a rooster tail of granite off his K70 just could not accept the speed of the bike. With the prize money heavily favoring the winner, a protest seemed like a good gamble. A bad gamble it was and Scott, all smiles, said the extra $25 was just fine. The car program included open wheel, stock and utility vehicles. Rather dull sounding names bu t the Cars were not dull. Not unlike the appeal of Bonneville, this race encourages drivers and mechanics to slave away all year on a car to attack this mountain in July. This year the lower half of the road was oiled and in the fog it became a migh t slick. There were cars nosed in to ditches and banks, and one rolled about a hundred feet down over boulders on a a shift a few feet earlier and spurted ahead of his cousin Lonnie Hou tchens. That was by no means the only close fmish. Both the 250cc and Open sportsman classes produced hairbreadth finishes. Randall Perry and John Toler, both on 250cc Yamahas were within inches. Perry was given the win. Open sportsman Richard Conger (Suz) aced Maico-mounted Dan Helm from New Mexico by less than a half second for first place. ACCESSORIES It's a must that you have a name and number for all Pro A.M.~. Races. .12.95 each 1 . . . . . . ,$29.95 ........... $9.95 .......... $1.50 SEND YOUR NAME. BIKE AND NUMBER Send Check or Money Order to: 228-2025 ••• Central WITH $5 PURCHASE STOP BY AND CHECK OUT OUR LOW PRICES motorcycle r--------------------------DEALER' AND DISTRIBUTOR INQUIRIES INVITED CALL: II, II FREE CYCLE NEWS HATS lET REIDY FOR THE '72 TRlISI.M.A.I PRO MoX. RICES WITH YOUR PIIO-IM M.X. SHIRTS FEATURES: Nylon vented ... padded elbows ... double padded shoulders. Weighs less than 6 oz. Indestrucible ... no wear and tear. Shirt comes with name and number on back and name of bike on front. The Open Sportsman division fights through the thick fog at the end of the day. Among them, Wendell Goodbee (321, Oarold Jones (1761, Jim Kerbs (401 and Rick Pirog (411, Rich Conger PRO-AM PRODUCTS 45 Woodland Avenue, Washington, Pa. 15231 Please send me' PRO-AM M'x. Shirts Name. _ Address, . . . . . . . . . .L City ALSO MAIL ORDER WITH 50% DEPOSIT _ State Zipi UNLIMITED _ ~ M-F 12-8, Sat. 9~. Sun:1Q-2 (213) 429-5961 4136 Woodruff, at Carson Lakewood

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