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/125798
~ W Z W ...J Merle Shank, who broke a 35 year record when he rode his Honda 750 for 24 hours to average 81.046 mph, seen here with friends who assisted him during his assault to the old record. Stock Honda was fitted with Koni shocks, Dunlop tires and was lubricated by Castrol. U >U Pocono Pro Road Race MT. POCONO, PA. Aug. 21, 1972 Two exciting days of motorcycle racing, sanctioned by the AMA were concluded with the big winner Gary Fisher of Parkersburg, Pa., who captured tbe 50.4 mile race in the Expert division. Remembering last year when he took quite a spill at the start·finish line, Fisher went out to make amends for the mistake and went all the way never to be challenged in taking the win. Conrad Urban ow ski who finished second lried in vein to catch Fisher but there was no hope as the Yamaha rider from Parkersburg had it all his way for the entire day. In the Junior feature, Kur,t Leibman of Bergenfiled, N.J. took the lead on the 10th lap from John Sartoricus for the victory. Sartoricus seemed to be a contender bUl a problem developed with his bike and he had to drop back and had to settle for second. In the Novice feature John Long of Miami Beach .. Fla. was the winner of the 25.2 mile race at an average speed of 84.379 mph. A real battle developed in lhe closing laps of the race with the leaders tigh lly bunched at the checker and Long taking the win with Ted Henter a close second and Billy Larie third. Heat winners in the Junior/Expert Combined were Fred Guttner and Ron Pierce with the main event going to Pierce followed by Gary Fisher, Cliff Carr, Jeffrey March, and Conrad Urbanowski. Gary Fisher was the winner of the Expert 50 miler. NEW WORLD RECORD SET AT POCONO Your Nearest Rickman Dealer: Oave Golden MfC Inc. Ramer Motors Inc. 2701 Leavenworth St., Omaha. Nebr. 68105 Anchor Enterprises 501 N. Main, Fort Bragg, Ca. 95437 Gateway MfC, Inc. ~5c:,~klp~~eu~;.~~0~~;r,Colo. 80302 Amrick, Inc. 900 S.E. Salem St., Portland, Ore. 97202 Grand Island Cycle & Kart Route 2 BOX 272A, Grand ISland, Nebr. 68801 Rossi & Bell Motorcycle 415 Davis St., Santa Rosa, Ca. 95401 Bellflower M(C Sho:r. ~s':~~toa~nClt~~U~mathFalls. Ore. 97601 ~gx9~~4~~~II~~t~6~~~9~~40 Johnny Allen MfC Sales 3733 E. Belknap St., Ft. Worth, Tex. 76111 9135 E. Comp on Blv ., Bellflower, 235 Valencia St., San Francisco, Ca. 94103 11908 N.E. Haley, Portland, Ore. 97211 ca. 90706 Brownes Harley Davidson 3321 Leopard, Corpus Christi, Tex. 78408 Geisler's 171 So. Broadway, Blackfoot,ldaho 83221 ~~bll ~aO~?:~ Real, Bremerton Cycle 1234 Charleston Bch., Bremerton, Wash. 98310 Grants Pass Triumph 2910 Foothlll Blvd., Grants Pass, Ore. 97526 Smith's Cycle Haven 729.3 Village Parkway, DublIn, Ca. 94566 B & B Cycle 224 Norfolk Ave., Norfolk, Nebr. 68701 Honda Peninsula 1289 West EI Camino, Sunnyvale, Ca. 94087 Swanson S Cycles 1570 McKee Rd., San Jose. Ca. 95116 Bill Blake's Cycle City Hoh Corporation 3165 N. Nimitz Highway, Honolulu, Hawaii 96819 ~~~i~~n~l~te~t.~~~ilnas,Ca. 93901 ~j%oDW~b~~~s, Dallas, Tex. 75211 George E. Hall PO Box A 7661 Monterey, Gilroy. Ca. 95020 San Luis Cyclery 1239 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, Ca. 93401 BSA-Yamah.a West 3519 W. McDowell Rd., Phoenix. Ariz. 85009 House of Wheels 3511 Houston Ave., Houston. Tex. 77009 ~~~4nl,I~~I~X~,~~X~I,e,t View, Ca. 94040 J~le2~~:;'a~~tklahomaCity. Okla. 73120 Honda Sports Center 704 E. Santa Fe, Flagstaff, Ariz. 86001 5711 W. OkmUlgee, Muskogee, Okla.. 74401 ~AI14Bt~~~t":i~C~~~~CllC;~~~c~~~;ado prings, Colo. 80906 ~~~~~r~~!.ia~~rsfleld.Ca. 93301 S 4~T: ~~fl~rts~~t~l,e~ichita,Kansas 67216 ;~~i~~t~e~~~~i!~~r~l~~,Tex. 79107 Redwood City. Ca. 94062 ~~:~Ic~~ttu~~sBI~dc.: Lynwood, Ca. 90262 The Sport Center 1510 Washington St.. Var'tcouver, Wash. 98660 i~itt.y~~n~oTct~~~y~~Okla. 73701 ~rocJeJe'C'~s~a Blvd. No., Petaluma, Ca. 94952 J & J Tri Cycle Center 4010 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas 66102 ~~~~I~:e~lu~:lg.f~~~a. Covina Motorcycle Citrus Avenue, Covina, Ca. 91722 Kolbe Cycle Sales 22123 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills. Ca. 91364 Sports Cycle Co·Sports Inc. 5460 Coast Highway, Pacifica, Ca. 94044 Keck I mplement Co. 4629 Highway IIi, Brawley, Ca. 92227 ~fT~~~hJa~~~~~~~Ytf:~,'~~~ih Dakota 57783 City Cycle Center 8423 Rosemead Blvd., Pico Rivera, Ca. 90660 Kawasaki of Tucson 4868 E. 22nd St., Tucson, Ariz. 85711 ~~Jltss~~~~,Sc~~fralia,Wash. 98531 Carey'S C.ycle Center 3558 Riverdale Rd., Ogden. Utah 84403 Kawasaki of Tucson 2634 No. First Ave., Tucson, Ariz.. 85719 Triumph of Houston 5802 Southwest Freeway, Houston, Tex. 77005 rcr3cJes~~~~~:yoJ,~~~ 1~~~ Ca. 95129 ~5~1l>~;Jg~eB~vaJ~sR~~e~a~~a·. 1335 ~ Triumph West 11065. Main St., Salt Lake City, Utah 84101 ilocJeN~~~~cryCBIVd.,Portland, Ore. 97232 224 N. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim, Ca. 92805 Robert M. Law MfC Sales Louie Thomas Inc. 345 S. Atlantic Blvd., Los Angeles, Ca. 90022 N 4820 Market St., SpOkane, Wash. 99207 ~~4nl.B:aacTncTc!~~sT~rghway,Long Beach, Ca. 90806 Joe Turney BSA Sales S206 Lomas NE, AlbUQuerQue, New Mexico 87110 i!2c~'tv~[~it~~eCs~~,t:~ise,Idaho 83703 Richnd A. Lewis 401 S. Fann St.. Anaheim, Ca. 92804 Tulsa Triumph & BSA ~12ck~ ~:t;St., Milpitas, Ca. 95035 La~s Triumph Sales N. Hl9h~ay 26, Riverton, Tom S. Cycle Center 1230 South Main, Las Vegas, Nevada 89104 California Kart Sales & Service 994 So. First St., San Jose, Ca. 95112 Gene Meyer Cycle C~nter 235 Rainier Ave. South, Renton, Wash. 98055 Tom S. Cycle Center 1325 Galindo St., Concord, Ca. 94518 ir6c~r~~~~~~,Missoula, Montana 59801 1~8 MotorcYcle- Sport Center 16[h St., Sacramento, Ca. 95814 Tri City of Tempe 2308 Apache Blvd .. Tempe, Ariz. 85281. f19ck~~~hd4th St., Salina. Kansas 67401 Motorcycles Unlimited Inc. 14 Nt:: Fourth,.Oklahoma City. Okla. 73104 Triumph of Austin • • 5120 Bumet Road, Austin, Tex. 78756, Buzz Chaney 2811 Main St.. Boise, Idaho 83706 Marin Motorsports 1101 F4'ancisco Blvd., San Rafael, Ca. 94901 Texas State Cycle 2908 Franklin Ave., Waco, Tex. 76710 f14cl~ St~trtet St., Channelview, Tex. 77530 Martins Cycle Sales 202-0 N. Texa~.s.t., Fairfield, Ca. 94533 I6i~~~;~~:s~~~,~~~~~s, Ca. 91766 .. Crown Valley Suzuki 27601 Forbes Rd., Laguna Niguel, Ca. 92677 McGill Cycle S.hop Inc. ~tJI~rC~j~~O~fXt~,I~ Cajon, Ca, 92020 Jg ~~rl~~ ~tt.~~~nN&'a~dro, c r65 Ca. 94578 Competitiorr Motors 8340 Barbour Blvd. 5W. Portland, Ore. 97219 ~joc~eo~e~r~~reet,EI Paso, Texas 79904 • 4114 East lIth St., Tulsa. Okla. 74112., Wyoming 82~1 . 1805 Cherokee Lane', Stockton, Ca. 95205 ~o~c~r~~~I~t.• Clarkston, Wash. 99403 r8f5 ~~!~~a~g~.~~e~,ocolo.80223 Y:J~e~.~~t~~1~.cie:sa~~criz. 85201 Western Yamaha Triumph 701 West 4th St., BI9 Spnng, Tex. 79720 D&L Motorcycles Inc. 5120 Burnet Rd., Austin, Tex. 78756 Michaels Cycle Center,lnc. 901 Washaki st., Thermopolis, wyoming 82443 Wildwood Cycles Inc. 176 East 40th St.. San BernardinO, Ca. 92404 Don's Tire & Cycle Inc. 356 Fourth Ave. Wes1, Twin Falls, Idaho 83301 O&E Cycle & Marine 1601 BroadwaY, Eureka, Ca. 95501 ~il~a~~eC~~~~,tG~t~~, Okla. 73501 Floyd Emde 929 Columbia St., San Diego, Ca. 92101 ?J~~~.i~~~~-a~o~oad,Olympia, Wasl:l. 98506 ~~~e~~~t~cJ:t~a~,~.~Omaha, Nebr. 68107 Eastside MfC 1440 South A St., Springfield. Ore. 97477 Paulson Sine. 6111 100th St SW. Tacoma. Wash. 98467 ~~~~~:~~/~ak..Houston, Tex. 77035 Ted Evans M/C Sales & Service 13347 N. WaShington Blvd .• Los Angeles, Ca. 90044 Pierce Brother Indian Sales 1511 N St., Mary st., San Antonio, Tex. 78215 Wils·on Waters M/C,lnc. 5845 Leavenworth Rd., Kansas City, KansaS 66 J 04 ~~I~~ [OJ~~~~\~ve.,Los Angeles, Ca. 90044 Precision Cycle Sales & Service 4573 Artesia Blvd., Lawndale, Ca. 90262 ~~ahJI ~~~n~~eal, PalO Alto, Ca. 94306 ~i~~~'~~ ~lo~'~r~~l~, COlo. 80631 Price Sportcycle Sales 2607 Clovis Road, Lubbock. Tex. 79.4.15 Yosemite Triumph M/Cs 2229 East YosemIte Parkway, Merced, Cill. 95340 ~J~'b~~f~eTJ:~:~amie,Wyoming 82070 ~?~t~a~/~h~~~~~O~~OIO. Zakarian Automotive 525 South Solnta ~ruz, Modesto, 81001 ca. 95351 MOUNT POCONO, PA., Aug. 19, 1972 - A new world record of endurance on a motorcycle was established loday when Merle Shank of Des Moines, Iowa, rode his 1972 Honda 750 Four around Pocono International Raceway's 2.5 mile tri-oval for 24 hours. The American Motorcycle Association sanctioned the run. The new record for the time is 1945.105 miles with an average speed of 81.046 mph erasing a record which has been in the books since April of 1937. Al that time the late Fred Hamm rode his 61 cubic inch Harley Davidson on the 10 miles course at Muroc Drylake in California to a distance of 1825.2 miles and a speed of 76.615 mph. Shank started his record breaking ride at 9:06 a.m. on Friday, August 18 and at 9:06 a.m. on Saturday morning, August 19, 1972, had the new world record. During the run Shank made a total of 22 pil stops, most of them for fuel. On three occasions he had to stop to change a tire and to rest a bit while the change was taking place. At 5:06 in the morning he made a stop to relax a moment and put on some warm.er clothing and was off again. His fastest SLOp was nine seconds, and his longest took a total of 31 minutes. This lengthy SLOp was made only after Merle had the record set. In the afternoon a ligh t rain fell for a few minutes, but the track surface did not get lOO wet and he continued. His first signs of tiring appeared around the 13th hour, but delermination dominated, and he continued. His mental attilude was great, and he was ou l for a goal which he knew he could reach. Shank rode consistently during the final hour realizing a new world record was eSlablished. Timing the record ride was Paul Shattuck, and it was officially witnessed by AI Walters and Dave Welsh of the American ~10torcycle Association. MOTORCYCLE EXHIBITION AT ONTARIO 500 Abou l 30 of the West Coast's top motorcycle road racers will hold an exhibition race at Ontario Motor Speedway. this Sunday, September 3. Headlining the field will be Steve McLaughlin aboard a 750cc Honda prepared by Action Fours of Santa Ana, California. The company has prepared this machine to lest and demonstrate the power, reliability, and safety of their producls. McLaughlin, aboard a smaller Action Fours Honda 500, has been the winner of many local road races in the Sou them California area, and will campaign the 750 at the AMA professional event at OMS. The exhibition race is being sanctioned by the American Federation of Motorcyclists as a promolion for the upcoming AMA professional races held at OMS eptember 29 tbrough October 1. This will be the firsl opportunity [or many auto racing fans lo see motorcycle road racing, and il is hoped that it will atract some of them back for the AMA ational.