Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

Dirt in your Ear by Alice Rhea "Ride to finish" we told the beginner. "Don't worry about how fast you ride, just try to finish tbe race." Tony Bakken, Sr. stood with me at the starting line at the Ponderosa Hare Scrambles, encouraging a boy who had just entered his first desert race. By the end of the second lap, our beginner was visibly tiring bu t we waved encouragement. He grinned at us and started out on the third loop. Slogging along at about fifteen miles an hour, he rode the third loop and arrived at the finish line long after the course officials had gone in for lunch. But he did finish. And you know what? He trophied! There is no ch arge for camping under the trees at Ponderosa or for using their 17,000,000 View First U.S. Grand Prix On September 19, 1971, the first United States Motocross Grand Prix at Carlsbad, Ca., was filmed by ABC-TV's Wide World of Sports and was to shake many people who thought there were only three sports in America: football, baseball .and horse racing. ABC is to be congratulated on their progressive policy and their foresight in capitalizing on the fact that there are millions of people throughout America who are just not in teres ted in the three "major" sports. The national statistics predict that by 1975 one in every seven households in the U.S. will have at least one motorcycle and ABC's viewing figures certainly bear this -trend out. When the spectacular 33 minute film, provided by the 30 man crew, was aired on January 15, this year, TV sets across the country were switched on in gratifying ahundance which more than justified ABC's decision to film the event and our confidence in it's popularity. ABC's average audience for a Wide World of Sports show from October to june was 6,520,000. The Nielson ratings for january 15, show an audience of 9,560,000. An incredible increase of nearly 50%. This was enough to persuade ABC to screen the show again on July 8 and al though Neilson figures are. not available, it is safe to say that the show had an audil:nce of nearly 17,000,000 people. One experienced journaUst, on seeing the 21,000 spectators at last year's event, referred to it as "Carlsbad Motorcycling's answer to Woodstock." With riders from 10 countries competing this year we expect the I-lang Ten United States Grand Prix to attract nearly 40,000 people to enjoy themselves under the sun at Carlsbad. Watch out for the Uniied States Grand Prix at Carlsbad, California, _on November 5. This year sponsored by Hang Ten International, the renowed manufacturers of famous sports cJothes and recognized by the little pair of feet, their famous trade-mark. I-lang Ten will be associated with this event for the next five years because as they put it, "We at Hang Ten wish to identify with our market and support things which are popular with our customers. We feel motocross is one of these sports besides it's fun, isn't it?" .fREEDOM running water or rest rooms. \Ve rode free before and after the races on Saturday and Sunday,' and the only money we spent was entry fee for the races, hamburgers and cold drinks from the air-conditioned snack-bar. There is nothing technically difficult about Ponderosa's race course. Nine miles of sand and body pounding whoop-de-doos make an ideal place for a beginner to learn to con trol his Inachine. More experienced riders practice conquering whoopers and riders who are already very good come here to keep in shape, for at any speed over ten miles an hour, the whoopers allow no sitting. Wes Anderson, Sr. helps out at Ponderosa and after one of the races he came over to talk. Seems that most people don't know where Wes,jr. is and keep asking the Andersons if he has been injured. No, Wes is doing his duty. to hi's country. He is in the army. Wes, Sr. also men tioned that Rescue 3 will not be in attendance at the Invaders/Greyhounds Hare and Hound. Somebody failed to get the paper work in on time. However; International Radio Racing Association will provide radio communications and Invaders are looking for an M.D. to provide first aid. There will be an ambulance, alio. Tom Clodt arrived at Ponderosa late Friday nig4t with a story so far but that we almost believe him. Tom says he and -, ., Hot Tips 1) Look where you are going. Deceptively simple, isn't it? But take the case of the Novice Stiff-Arm Syndrome. I am standing near the course taking. pictures. I look up and a terrified Novice is headed straigh t for me, his eyes as big as sewer lids. He knows he is go~g to run over me and there is nothing he can do to prevent it. I look him right in the eye and point to the left. The Novice veers in the direction [ am pointing. 2) The Big Rock. [Jow many times have you run smack in to the biggest rock in the world because you simply could not turn the bike? Do you know why you hit the rock? Because you were 'Iooking at it. For sure. Next time you see something like that heading for you, just look at something else.· You will be amazed to discover that your motorcycle will take you right where you are looking. 3) Once you are able to avoid most . of the things you don't want to hit, you can carry the trick one step further and start looking at where you do want to go. Aim your body and the bike will take you there. Check Chase is just a couple a weeks away. This is one of the best races of the season, but it does present problems. You will need at least three pit crews for this 170 mile cross-country event. [f possible, get several riders together to share the pits. That will cut down on the congestion in the pit areas. Also be sure to get your crews together before the race and go over the maps, decide what the crew should do if somebody doesn't show up, designate a meeting place if you miss each other. Be sure to carry water and matches. A few minu tes spen t in preparation can preven t hours of frustration and eliminate the grim prospect of being without water or spending the night in the desert without a fire. ATTENTI DEALE IF YOU'RE NOT SELLING CYCLE NEWS ,GET WITH IT ""'_ ..... ' ©W©&~~~~~! F:A:"TRRN EDiTION ,\--JPc ll;/)~ * First with News * First with Fact· * First with Profit You make 14¢ on every copy sold. Plus you have full return privileges. The profit maker that cost you nothing. Minimum order is ten copies and we pay shipping (via 2nd Class mail). Your customers will come back for every ·issue. of CYCLE NEWS. Each and every issue is filled with News of happenings in the two-wheeled sport. Motorcycles fr9m mini to monster, coverage of competition events, all the AMA National Championships, local sportsmen events, local fun runs, tests of fact, .new products, legislation, want ads, and a voice for readers. This is CYCLE NEWS. I-----------------~----- I (Co.ntinued from page 46) push that damn bike out of the way without getting a scratch on my Wildebeest V-9? So the bike gets bent a little. So what? His insurance will pay for it. Motorcyclists have allowed themselves to be isolated from other road-users by special licensing and eq uipment requirements. What we should now demand is the same protection afforded' pedestrians. A motorcyclist will lose in a collision with a car just as surely as a pedestrian will lose. This no more proves that motorcycling is unsafe than it proves walking is unsafe. What it does prove is' that the drivers of modern armored safety cars should bear the SMl'le liability towards a cyclist they have injured as towards a pedestrian they have injured. We should not be on the defense, as Mr. Frank Connor seems to be."we should be on the offense. his two passengers started for the desert and near the Magnolia Strret off-ramp in Riverside the pickup started sputtering and lurching and finally quit altogether: [ngenious Tom got out and soon located a faulty fuel pump as the source of trouble. Tom took the tire pump, wrapped th e hose with rags and stuffed it securely in to the filler hole of the truck's gas tank. One unhappy member of the crew sat on. one of the bikes and pumped like mad, forcing air into the fuel tank which displaced the gasoline, forcing it in to the carburetor. When the pumper, exhausted, stopped to catch his breath the truck would sputter, causing Tom to bellow, "Keep pumping, we're dying!" Three hours and 13 miles later they ·came upon an all night wrecking yard/auto parts store and were able to scrounge a used fuel pump from one of the wrecks. Tom wondered if the pumping would have been easier if they had by-passed the fuel pump and ran the gas line directly to the carburetor. His wild-eyed crew, hearing this, began frantically searching for another ride home. Okay, what can 1·1 ose. Start my I store selling CYCLE NEWS I with the next issue. I understand I you I will bill me monthly and I have full return privileges on unsold papers, by returning the price tag wltn my check for the balance. o o o Cycle News East , Cycle News Dixie Cycle News West (Check one, two, or all three) I wi sh to receive copies of: 10 15 20 . , 3 35 _ Address City 0 50 00000000 Send CYCLE NEWS to: Name of store i 25 _ , ,").1') _ Authorized by Mail to: CYCLE NEWS WEST, Box 498, Long Beach, Ca. 90801 ._B~ .. L.J _ Zip National and Regional Coverage State _ _-.,. I ,L~O( r b".d:;Tj;> ) {' J :.,[ _ ~.a.i .... ... . co '" C1. ('oj .... ell ell . 15. en en s: W Z W ...J U >- U -

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