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/125801
l!l i 11. N ,.. en ~ CD' N Q. " '" '" w ;: Z W ..J U >- U The start of a Main on an Arizona cinder track where the TT became a half·mile. by E. C. Birt FLAGSTAFF, ARIZ., Sept. 8,1972 - I was on my way home to L.A. and hit Flagstaff, Arizona. On Friday a check around the local bike shops showed that there was no racing the Phoenix this week end, but there would be a T.T. here Sunday. Since I'd pulled the head ligh t off my enduro and had been lucky in Grand Junction, Colo. Why not try a T.T. here? Sunday morning, and we were on our way to the track located about eight miles out of Flagstaff right out in ~he middle of a valley. The valley IS filled with sunflowers, making the bottom look like a blanket of _ yellow, surrounded by a ring of mountains. The altitude at the track is 7,000 ft. making tuning fun, but it was nice and cool, and one of the most beau tiful places I've seen. After getting my bike out of the van, 1 Snd out that today they're running Flat Track, not a T.T. Well, why not? I've got a fresh 400x 18 Barum on" the rear and a 300x21 Metzeler on the front. Just what I always wanted to do: ride a motocross bike on a flat track. The track was something to behold. The surface was ground-up cinders, with what looked like sand mised in. . A full third of a mile on the inside, and a half-mile on the outside, with good, high, banked ends. This was a track just made for J oha R., and some of our other Calif. shoes, who like a fast,let-it-all-hang-out type track. The track is controlled by Coconino Racing Assn. and managed by Wayne Cooksey_ After the track was watered down, there wasn't any dust, and it was going Desert Striders Hare Scrambles by Terry Newfarmer CEDAR FORT, UTAH, Sept. 3, 1972 Yes, there were problems, but the 96 riders who rode the Desert Striders Hare Scrambles at Manning Cycle Park found the course tough, and yet completely fun to ride. The day started on a sour note when it had to be announced that the fees for the club's AMA sanction had not been paid in time, so no competition insurance. This automatically took the race off the 'schedule of point events for the Utah number one plate, and some riders, notably the current No. I, Kenny Archibald, chose to $ave their bodies and bikes for the poin t motocross the next day . . The dusty start quickly led to a struggle for the lead between hard riding Don Fuller and one of the country's best desert riders, Preston Gerber. Both were on 250 Bultacos. The_ reports is that Gerber wrested the lead from Fuller, and then fell behind again with some mechanical malfunction. Gerb then overextended himself in the effort to catch up, and he caugh t up with a wash instead, to win a broken collarbone. to be a super-fast track. With the heat races over, it's time for the Mains and some serious racing. First race on the line was 60cc to 80cc: Jr. Minis. The win went to Randy Steward follwed by Jimmy Trancher. Next were the Mini Srs. The two leaders in this race were the riders to watch. Tracy Robinson riding for ~SA-Y amaha. West of Flagstaff, on a Yamaha Enduro with an 80cc engine in it, and Gaylon Shawler on a 60cc Yamaha. Off the start it was Tracy with Gaylor Right on his bumper. Under powered, he couldn't pull Tracy off the line and had to settle for a second. Gary Nixon has nothing on these two little types as far as style is concerned. They rode their Ii ttle bikes just like the pros, with full lock sl;des and the wick turned all the way up. Watch out, CaUfornia, if they ever come our way for a flat track. After the race, I was talking to Gaylon. He's sponsered by his day, Jay Shawler, who is Chief Tunner and gunk boy. His dad said that Gayloo wan ted to become a proffesional some day, and he .was going to see that he had the chance. Next race on the line was 100 JR. Gaylon was back on the line, this time on a 100cc Yamaha. It was his third race on it, so he is a J r. in that class. He flat ran away with this race followed by Bryon Olson for second spot. Next race up was 125 Jr-Sr. Combined. They also pu t Tracy Robinson in on his 100 Yamaha as they didn't have enough 100 Seniors to make a class, he had to ride as a 125cc Jr. The flag dropped and away we went. Into the first turn, 1 found myself in front. I had my 125 Rickman down low, where it was wet, trying to keep my knobby tires under me. I had the lead nailed _ Fuller went on to an easy first overall, eight minutes ahead of John Harrelson and his 200 Bultaco. Kind of makes you wonder about that stuff about Buls being too fragile for the desert. The course was a fun ride, but dust was more than the usual problem, as the shale rock tends to break up, exposing the powder underneath. After a road to the ridgetop, and a you-better-