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/125799
i en ~ w Z w ~ U >U I ~ Art Baumann may have put in the most heroic ride of the weekend. Despite a broken collar bone, three cracked ribs, and intense heat he brought his Suzuki in for third . .:J It was that kind of weekend for Kawasaki. They eve'" won the motocross. By Jack Mangus DuHAMEL DOMINATES Photos by Bob Lenk, Jack Mangus, TALLADEGA 2 0 0 · - - - - - Carol and Bill Neill EASTABOGA,ALA., Sept. 3, 1972 ~ Yvon DuHamel lapped everyone but second place fmisher Gary Nixon as he won the Talladega 200 at a record average speed of 110.441 mph. With the exception of an early lap fight for the lead with Suzuki's Jody Nicholas, the Kawasaki factory rider had only the intense heat to worry about. With the temperature in the high 90's, several competitors were forced out of the race suffering from heat prostration. Team Hansen, Kawasaki's factory effort, almost made it a 1-2-3 finish as Britisher Paul Smart finished fourth behind Suzuki mounted Art Baumann. Baumann's perfonnance was remarkable in that he had unloaded in practice on Monday and was racing with a broken coUarbone and three cracked ribs. The green flag saw DuHamel and Nicholas take off together with Jody's water cooled Suzuki showing a bit more top..,nd around the oval and Yvon's Kawasaki coming out on top through the infield. Nicholas led the initial lap by a length over DuHamel with Baumann, Nixon and Smart close behind in a pack. Mert Lawwill was a "did not start" as he was pulled off the starting grid when it was discovered that his front brake cable was broken. Mert never did enter the race, and he was joined in the pits after three laps by Harley's road race ace Cal Rayborn. Rayborn, who had won the two previous road races at Indy and Laguna Seca, burned a piston. Through the first ten laps the battle continued between DuHamel and Nicholas. On lap 12 Yvon pulled out a small lead that the next few laps saw widen. • On the thirteenth lap the Canadian Kawasaki rider turned the four mile course at an average of 113.520 mph which topped his record qualifying speed of 113.207 mph. By DuHamel's record breaking lap the race had settled down into individual battles with Baumann a none too secure third. Yamaha factory riders Kel Carruthers and Kenny Roberts were fighting over fourth spot with Kawasaki teammates Nixon and Smart doing the same for sixth. The Carruthers-Roberts duel carried them past Baumann and the two continued to swap third and fourth spots until Nicholas made his first pit Bugs Mann leads Gene Romero and George Kerker. We can't tell if George is smiling or not. I 1 . 1 . Vvon lapped everyone but teammate Gary Nixon and brought the Kawasaki 750', their first outright victory. Kenny Robert' and Gary Fisher duel for second in the combined. Here Kenny leads. but Fisher beat him to the flag.