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/125803
tj o ~ w Z W ...J U >- U The Arlington Motor Sports team, Cliff Carr and Kevin Cameron (back to camera, working on bike) were the tragic heroes of the weekend. ONTARIO:SMART GETS THE BIG ONE Rayborn, DuHamel, and Carruthers are longest in getting to the line. Rayborn's bike has extensive &ont end damage, and he just gets it done in time. Yvon has taped up his broken elbow and is once again starting from the very back of the grid. THE SECOND RACE The second halE is the Real Race. Now it counts. If you are still in you have to make it now. Ties are settled by second half results. The higher scorer here gets the points. The Champion Spark Plug Motorcycle Classic will be decided in the next 39 laps. When the first wave pounds down into the first tum, the leader is a popular one: Cliff Carr, the British privateer from Arlington, Massachusetts. Once again he is dogged by the great Paul Smart. Point leader Carruthers is on the move and goes from fifth to fourth on the first lap. Geoff Perry is in thjrd. From dead last at the start of the first half, Mark Brelsford, the new National Champion, has worked to sixth. DuHamel is into 16th on lap two, as indomitable as ever, still charging hard. Britishers ar. n first and second and Anssies rul th< next two slots. Ron Pierce is first dOL1estic. Art Baumann is in and out of the pits, despite his Talladega injuries and doctors' advice not to race after his first half crash, he is still going. Pasolini's Harley is missing badly on the straigh t. On lap three Roberts retires with a broken crank. Then disaster really strikes the Yamaha pits as Carruthers rolls in withproplems that eventually put him out. This means that the top three runners are contesting the win under the Olympic scoring system. All eyes are on Cliff Carr. Can' a private rider and bike hold off the likes of Paul Smart? The spectators are beginning to get behind him as Roxy Rockwood tells them what's happening. He has a second, no more, over Smart, but he showed that he could do it in the first half. Perry is 14 seconds back. There are more re tire men ts: Dave Aldana, engine problems; Dick Mann gearbox; Ron Pierce, oil leak. Gary Nixon has come from 41st to fourth in 13 laps. DuHamel is in lOth. Eddie Mulder breaks and goes au t. Smart comes up to challenge Carr who is slowed by traffic in the infield, but Kevin Cameron's super engine pulls Carr back in front before he loses the lap 17 lap money. The halfway point comes and Smart Mark Brelsford came from a late start to fourth at the",ery end. takes on fuel. It is an appallingly long and Cooper. The first four places remain stop - 10 seconds. Perry takes almost as the same despite Pasolini's best efforts long. The crowd is beginning to to dislodge Brelsford, but there are anticipate a privateer victory, but it some battles shaping up behind them. never comes. As Rayborn moves up past Smith On lap 2( Carr coasts to a stop. Not into fifth it leaves Smith's rear flank because he did something wrong, not exposed to John Cooper. Now, Smith because Kevin Cameron overlooked rides for Don Vesco, and last year, in something, but because they were the last few feet of the race, Cooper just privateers. Because they are privateers nipped Carruthers who then rode for they can't get the trick crankshaft that Vesco. So the signs come out franticly they wanted and -needed to win. A signally Smith of a rapidly approaching bearing on the right end has shattered Cooper. But there isn't anything that and with it not only the dreams of Carr Smith can do, and Cooper keeps waving and Cameron but Kawasaki's chances at Vesco's pits with a grin like the wolf for a double in the Classic. The crowd, who is about to eat the family chickens. too, has lost the popular hero in the In the last few laps everyone either Arlington Motor Sports underdog. backs off or dashes for home. Pasolini So Paul Smart picks it up and and Brelsford and Cooper and Smith do continues on just as he haS all weekend the latter. Sure enough, Cooper blitzes with a precise, smooth, fast, beautiful out of the very last turn to beat Smith ride. He is untouchable now, barring the by half a wheel. Vesco must hate him. mechanical woes tht never come. And that is how Paul Smart aboard a Gary Nixon takes a long gas stop Seeley Kawasaki came to win 30,400. dropping him out of second place. Ln In the winner's circle Smart was joined second now is Mark Brelsford, showing by Geoff Perry and Renzo Pasolini. Fourth place Mark Brelsford was first . why he is National Champ after starting about 45 seconds behind everyone two Yank. Paul Smart, the man who was hams before. On lap 22 Perry passes almost fired because he supposedly him to take possession of second place. wasn't riding well enough, who had to Brelsford is engaged' in a dice with pay his own way to Talladega, thus Renzo Pasolini, who's H-D is still missing becomes the only man to win the for third place. Mark needs to wedge ~ richest races on both sides of the pond rider between them in order to get third - Imola and the Champion Classic. ave rall but the rider never comes up When asked what his plans were for from behind, and they can't catch next year Smart replied, "I'll stay with Perry. DuHamel stops for four laps to the company." Where is he going to l"tx a flat rear tire. live? "Over here. I'm just beginning to - - - - - The -order oniap 25·is..Smart- f'e!~1r --iearn'theianguage. u __ - . ,... • Renzo P....tini'f'rom italy came out thinL He", in squabbles With vear's winner, John C~r " B'relsford; Nixori, Dave Smith, k~ybo~:-' (Results on ne"t page) (28) and Art-Baumann who ran well ,untM put. down bV a slower rider. ,.;«