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
~_-·-~ Mclaughlin Heails Exhibitionists as 177,000 Watch __M-_- E. ., til ~ W Z W ...J (.) >(.) , There were people jumping out of balloons... Stew Mclaughlin won the real race, however. Here he waits for the last turn to pass Rudy Galindo. ~OMPETIJION Moto-X - by Art Friedman Photos by Dave Schoonmaker ONTARIO, CAL., Sept. 3, 1972 About 30 AFM road racers were invited to ride in an exhibition at Ontario Motor Speedway. Thing was, there were 177 thousand people there to watch. That's the biggest crowd to ever watch a bike "race" in this country. The purpose of having us out there 'was to give a little publicity to the Champion Spark Plug Motorcycle Classics coming up at the end of the month in the form of the Ontario 250 Mile National road race and accompanying hoopla. The neat thing was that we were going to get a whole afternoon of practice on the track, but that turned into two hours. Then Ontario decided that we shoule! go four laps during the exhibition rather than the originally slated ten. Then they told us that it wasn't even going to be a ract. We were to cool it and stay together. But there were 177 thousand people there and nobody could resist the chance for glory. The only one who did cool it was Steve McLaughlin who won easily on his Action Fours Honda. Before we could go ou't and u race " there was a parade with (as 1 recall) 13 elementary school marching bands and drill teams, a Smokey the Bear float, some old cars, a Girl Scout troop (Boy, are Girl Scouts wearing short skirts these days.), a $250,000 fire truck that claimed a 100 mph SS quarter mile, and about 30 official pace Then a stunt flyer did some Cuban Eights (probably something communistic), and a motorcycle stunt man named Ironhead Irons (1 think that's his name) did some wheelies and things. By now we had warmed up our engines four times, and they fmally let us out. 1 got a good start so 1 could see who was going fast as they passed me. McLaughlin was. Another Honda that had spent all night being rebuilt didn't fmish the four laps. After us, there were some more Cuban j':ights (maybe it's liKe Acapulco Gold) '\Ild some people jumped out of airplanes with parachu tes. Another guy jumped out of a balloon without a parachute and landed in a sponge. 1'here were some fITeworks and jet planes to demonstrate American Military Migh t, .,.d Patricia Nixon Cox got a mixed reception when she said "Gentlemen, start your engines." Oh, yeah. There was a car race. But 1 didn't watch. Too dull. They just went 'roud and 'round. And, anyway, they stopped when it rained. I listened to Talladega on the radio, and Yvon DuHamel won that. ~, Desert Enduro • 16612 Beach Blvd. untington Beach·, Calif (714) 847-2202 YClE ~ ~RODUC . • QDY FUlL BY _DURa Tested and ERIC ~~~~I • GEO u~ JENSEN ; ; the followln9 Olst. 31 ride": • 80B McLAUGHLIN • LARRY :w'A~~~Vxr~~~~E.N~l':~~~;A~~ AGALLON M.D. S8.50 for 3 months I s~~e~~~~d~I~'*'E~A'TURAL supply ( $750 for J months SUpply (Calif. residents add 5'" tax) Send check or money order to: Endura Vitamin, D.Pt~.A. 638 S. Glendora Awe., Glendor., Ca. 91740. CANOGA PARK SUZUKI Our prices are so low we can't advertise them. SUZUKI • MOTO GUZZI 7633 Winnetka Ave. Canoga Park. Ca. 91306 Leisuretech presents the $20700 TRANS-AMA Motocross Oct. 29. 1972 "'Rio Bravo Park. Houston WARDS RIVERSIDE MOJAVE Bv Benel;1 PARlllA CAPRIOlO MV AGUSTA 250 cars. BlANCH' CAPRI SCOOTERS ...·.. . . 1-PARTS _111II1 1I8lIR,_ Replace heavy or damaged fender. with GUARANTEED UNBREAKABLE ...... .,. IlIIII/It EIIIn EJclII. . -.r_--.__ Hatboro, Pa. 19040 (215) 672-9100 ".;~~:~~~:.IJ=~" ~ distributors of DiU Brake _Ka G- clt:e FRAME MODIFICATIONS Members. To represent in government Motorcycle Owners, Riders, and Enthusiasts Send a minimum contribution of $1 for a year's registration of your support. Register each member of your family. . Prod uctio n pric' now available for LESS SOUND MOR£GROUN : : Off. Road Vehicle '.stit.te·SD . • WARREN WILSON MOTORS I •••• RepliCII~i~ Yamaha DT·', RT·', CT·', AT·' & 'Suzuki 400 & Hodaka'OO Other rna kes & models altered per your specs at slightty higher cost 2353 San Fernandn Rd. P.O. Box 65735 los Angeles, Calif. 90065 (213) 222-8778 PO Box' 26062, Sacramento 95826 .......... ASK YOUR DEALER for Super 2 or order from us. Postpaid. Sorry no C.O.D.'s. Colors: Silver, Black, Yellow, Red. Please specify our model number, size and color. Pick the one that fits! Send 25, lor complete catalog. ,...engineering _ .. 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