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/125795
'" « IJl ;;: ~ L1J Z L1J ..J U >- U • East German mini·bike design seems to favor long-travel suspension and spokeless wheels. Rider looks like he could use a square meal. Roger DeCoster unoffici;,lly clinched the 1972 world title by taking second place in the East German Grand Prix. Now with 99 pomts, 39 over Heikki Mikkola in the number two spot. Roger could turn his Suzy out to pasture in Belgium and Luxembourg and still be assured of his second world -championship crown. Paul Freidrichs won the ninth round of the GP series on his home soil wh ile Bryan Kenney once again placed eleventh. one point away from J ykri Storm, Finland. in tenth. A good finish but frustrating for the AMXT supporters who arc looking for that GP point l Mark Blackwell finished thirteenth overall. Our visit to East Germany proved to be not only an exciting we~kend of racing but an experience in international relations. During the course of Saturday and Sunday, Mark and Bryan had made several East German friends at the same time depleting their supply of cardecals. The spectators were begging for colorful rac.ing decals to display on the windows of their Wartburgs (the economy car which isn't far in style from a 1929 Plymouth). Cycle News stickers arc now being flaunted on the streets of Apolda, East Germany. Despite political posters on every street corner aimed .at turning the people away from the western world' i the spectators seemed awed by our presence. They eagerly plied us with questions about cowboys, Las Vegas and Elvis Presley. The principal propaganda slogan: "Through friendship with the Soviet Union lies our future success'" lost its meaning as the crowd ~heered on the two Americans and was silent for the Russian riders. With the start of the first leg of the GP, a cloud of dust rose over the cOurse. Only after several minutes did DeCoster emerge into view as leader. Paul Freidrichs held onto second place never seriously menacing the Beige. Adolf Weil left third place to teammate Willi Bauer when his front wheel collapsed over an abrupt d!opoff. Bengt Abetg and Heikki Mikkola rou nded off the top five for Husky. As for the two Americans, they both started the first leg ncar the rear. At the end of the start straight. Mark hesitateeLto take the steep dropoff until the dust had cleared. Not far in front was .Bryan's Mako also slowed by the lack of visibility. Add four or five laps and several ncar involvements in pile-ups, and they both had worked up considerably, Mark hot on Bryan's trail. Then while an -East German rider was tangling his handlebar in Kenney's bike, Mark slipped by. On the last lap a rider with a flat tire chose Mark as a support long enough for Bryan to skirt them both finishing 16th in front of Mark. The second leg was one of the rare times in this year's GP series that DeCoster hasn't taken the hole shot. Starting way back in the pack, he coaly overtook some forty riders and ended up in third place giving him second overall and enough points to wrap up his second World Championship. On home territory. Paul Freidrichs showed the young boys how it's done and took the second leg. With 30,000 spectators to give him full support, he had only to hold his lead to give him first overall for the day. Ake Jonsson reappeared this leg, after changing his front wheel the first moto, to present the only challenge to Fteidrichs, He was steadily gaining on the three times World Champion until Heinz Hoppe blocked him to assure that his teammate Freidrichs would win. Ake \ fill' Freidrichs (7) and Jonsson were this close during the second leg. CZ fanatics will freak on all the visible trick goodies on Freidrichs' machine. Don't forget. guys. if you're going to flop your front brake, you've got to switch sliders, too. passed the checkered flag in second place and right away registered a protest which never amounted to more than the shaking of a rew fists. ror the American flag, Bryan rode to an eleventh place this mota, Mark a fourteenth. And just as in West Germany, Bryan finished eleventh overall behind Storm. This week we were one point away from that GP point. Mark ioonded off his finishes to thirteenth overall. At the after-the-race party, East and West proved their compatibility. With wine and song to liven up the group, the riders and supporters kept the Volkshaus open until 3:30 the next morning. By this time all the political posters outside were no more than a muddle of letters. .j t r ' Bryan Kenney taking an 11 th overall in the East German GP. One scoring point separated him a GP point. -