Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

'" . M ~ 0- ,... N en Northern Speedway: Bigger, Better Class ARacing "'_i---'" '" go < ~ W Z W ..J U > U earl Cranke warms up for the-ISOT (It is a Jawa, isn't it?) by sliding past Jim Doran and Joe Henry. who rides almost as many different types of events as Carl. Story by Bruce C. Young Photos by Glenn Artinian To talk about the Northern California speedway racing, one must not forget the man behind this renewed in terest in the most exciting motorcycle racing to come to the North in many a year. Al Lauer brough t Class A racing back to the North last year with his own program at Cal Expo. He chose to run Friday nights for the full season with hope of other tracks starting up in the area. Al Lauer has to be one of the most experienced persons in the speedway game. He was one of the lucky few Class A riders of bygone years to hold a 100 yard handicap. Lauer also, for many years, was a promoter here in Sacramento until Speedway died out during the war. He knows what it takes to put on a good show not only for spectators but for the riders, also. Last year's firs season was very successful with a great deal of interest generated in this great style of racing. Crowds were great and riders came from all over the state to compete for the purses. We had riders [rom -Southern California who were regular competitors Ric!,.MacMurray goes outside of Barclay".Trehal 131N) at Nal!8.S'peedway~. every week but we are more interested in the riders from our own area, with the 1971 season being their first taste of Class A racing. Speedway racing was tried for a few weeks in Reno during the 1971 season but it did not work out. The Cal Expo arena was transformed in to a super Class A racing surface and kindled some of the best racing that has been seen in the Sacramen to area. Some of the riders that I0'0 ked best at the end of the first season were Carl Cranke, Pat & Mike Rooney, Gus Lauer, John Cunningham, Paul Minor, Butch Corder, Joe . Henry, Mark Eckels, Norman, Denny, and Barclay Trehal, to men tion a few. Now we have not only Cal Expo but two other tracks in the North. One is located in Reno, Nevada at the Wahsoe County Fairgrounds, promoted by Mr. Christian. There have been problems but as the season progresses they seem to have some of the best races and riders in the North, including John Cunningham and Barclay Trehal who each have shown great improvemen t over the last year. This year they win almost everything they enter. Along with these two there are several others with great prospects. o They are Ron Smally, Windy Forman, Allan Christian, and Lonney Murphy. Races are staged every Wednesday with racing starting at 8:00 sharp. The field of riders that shows up at Reno is more than enough to fill ou t a program with riders left over. The crowds also have been great. Our newest Class A track in the Northern District is Napa, Calif. They run every Saturday night and, as with Reno and Cal Expo, draw riders [rom all over the North, along with many of the top riders from Southern Calif. These southern boys are finding it more difficult with each meeting to make it against our own riders. I Napa is still in its growing stages, now having a new promoter who really goes all out to please everyone. The track at Napa still needs some irnprovemen ts bu t with the new promoter it looks as if they have it all together. Over the past few weeks, racing has been fantastic. Now, to the originator of Class A racing here in Northern Cal., Cal Expo! Every Friday nigh t finds the grandstands jammed full of the most enthusiastic spectators in the entire state. The track is 180 yards around and its surface is letter perfect. Preparation is something that Mr. Lauer really knows. He puts the track in ideal condition each week, sometimes working all week long on it to make it perfect for Friday. This is where speedway was reborn and here is where the best racing can boe seen. . The riders that come to Cal Expo Fridays from both Northern and Southern California, come to compete in a most professional way. As the season progresses, it seems that our Northern hoys have got it together and are giving the Sou them riders hell all the way. Riders such as Rick Woods, Bill Cody, Mike Konle, Stu Morley, Les Chanky, and others have been beaten by our own Northern riders on our tracks. A couple of riders that started out big bu t, due to injuries, have not been able to compete in the past couple of weeks are Paul Minor,Jr. and Hoe Henry. Mike and Pat Rooney, who last year seemed unbeatable, have not found themselves this year on the racetrack. Gus Lauer also made some fine performances against the South but as of late has had to run behind some of the up -and coming Northern riders. Every Friday at Cal Expo, an inside battle is waged between the Reno riders , and the Sacramento area riders. John Cunningham, Barclay Trehal, and Ron Smally together take a lot of top positions away from the local riders. Cunningham is handicapped. While we are talking about the riders, don't forget the new up and coming Div 11 riders whose ranks seem to grow each week. The best in Division II are Ron Alves, Benny McDaniel, Chuck Watson, Mark Eckels, Norman Denny, Greg Johnson, Paul Orlandi, and others that we have to look to for the fu tare of Speedway here in Northern Calif. and Nevada. The future looks so good that there seems to bo be enough room to put all the riders at each race meeting. There is some talk abou t team racing but we are watching the southern tracks to see how it works out. There also is talk of a bigger track (close to a half mile) being developed in the Sacramento area,.jllld a practice track for fu ture riders. Dealers for Speedway bikes and parts are· springing up. The future looks fantastic with renewed interest from spectators riders, promoters, and all others interested in professional racing in the North, really great. The future is not a question mark but very much bigger, better Class A racing. ,,

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