Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

• ., .. '" N 0.. N " ,,' Cl ,.; " 0 '" ;: W Z W ..J U >- U THE SIX DAYS: CORRECTION, CLARIFICATION AND OPINION by Tod Rafferty Several factual errors in Ron Schneiders' articles should be set straight: Jack Penton did not have a flat tire on the last day, nor Was he carrying a chain when he stopped to help Burleson. Dick did have master links with him, but he found them insufficient to repair the damage to his chain. This could be considered an error in preparation. Ho}\'- o ever, given the difficulty of the sectipn in question and the miserable weather conditions, it's extremely doubtful that Burleson could have repaired the chain in sufficient time to maintain his gold medal. The implication that Jack Penton fouled a plug in stopping to aid Burleson is also misleading. Jac.k's machine fouled more than a few plugs that day, and the trouble was eventually traced to an igmtion malfunction. There is no reason tTHERE'S MORE TO BRITISH BULL THAN BEEF' to believe that his brief stop caused that problem • While 1 recognize the difficulty in accurately reporting an event of this scope, and the eventual necessity to rely on second hand W!?rmation, there are several points in Schneiders' story that I must challenge. It's rather unclear what he means by " .••the performance of our team as a whole was disappointing to many of those who were most concerned with the trial." Perhaps for those who assumed we would better last year's fourth place (in a comparatively easy trial) it was disappointing. But the Six Days was far more difficult this year, and the U,S. Trophy Team riders deserve considerable respect for their performance against the hyper-specialized equipment and riders from Czechoslovakia and Germany. As Schneiders mentions, they were awarded the Watling Trophy for outstanding effort. As for the "good breaks" the U.S. had, the Czechs and East Germans both losing a top man before the event, one need only look to the results to see how those "bad breaks" affected the two top team's. There is some truth In Schneiders' statement that the U.S. riders are notso experienced as the top Europeans. This has to be taken for granted, it's a fact. . But all of the U.S, Trophy Team were still on golds at the beginning of the sixth day, so It's obviously in an area other than trials ab1llty where we are deficient. It's called motocross. While it is true that Burleson, and Cannady as well, accumulated bonus points on the sound test, most of the U.S. points were lost on the motocross course. This might surprise those who know something of the individual motocross talents within the trophy team. But-the Czech motocross course was quite different from what any American rider Is accustomed to. It looked deceptively simple upon casual observation;, no huge jumps, mudholes or hlllclimbs. But it had the one feature familiar to Europeans and alien to Americans: Off-camberness. The whole circuit was built on a sloping, grass covered hillside and it played hell with the confidence of the American riders. Early spurs by many riders resulted in them becoming overcautious, and by the time they really started to get the track wired in it was too late. CHECK CHASE One gains some perspective on the nature of this disadvantage by counting the number of Americans who have finished near the top in International motocross competition. . Beyond that, we must offer a good measure of praise to the Americans who put forth their very best this year; to Carl Cranke for virtually rebuilding a sour machine before the event; to Gene Cannady for his outstanding performance; to the entire Trophy Team for genuine tenacity In the face of odds stacked overwhelmingly against them; to John Penton for coming closer than anyone has in fielding a team potentially capable of challenging the Europeans. And, more important, for not accepting the challenge on their terms. Penton Is not Into buying high-priced professional riders, or equipping them with exotic machinery tailored to win one particular event. He has assembled (and, in some cases, sired) a group of young, enthusiastic riders to face off with the big guys. And in two years the upstarts have given the big guys something to think about. And you can be sure that between now and October '73 they'll be giving it a lot of thought. Oh, one last exception to Schneiders' closing comment that the U,S. has nearly reached the European level of SOPhisticated cheating. Hogwash. That this allegation is unsubstantiated seems hollow enough, but to make this charge without· exploring the problem in more detail Is just unfair. The organizers make it so easy to cheat that it becomes almost mandatory. It Is Indeed blatant, and thus mocks the alleged amateur/ sportsman nature of the event. They have constructed it In this fashion, and you play by the rules (which in this case means outside the written rules) or you've lost from the start. But to say that American cheating compares with that encountered over there Is simply erroneous. I was there. I rode quite a bit of the trail (one guy wearing a clean Barbour suit and carrying a helmet stepped out of the trees, looked at me, and casually went back to, his hiding place), and I peeked down some of the blind alleys in the llttle villages. Thus I can report that as cheaters we have a long way to go. Let's hope we never make it. (Cont'd. from page 11) EASY RIDER '$64·95 Just ask Mark Brelsford... He is one leading rider who wants only Prime Hide for protection, comfort and lasting looks. There are many others. TT Leathers make Mark's racing suits, - they manufacture the Easy Rider in the same prime hide. For protection, with comfort and good looks. The EASY RIDER in supple British leather, with the vivid tri·stripes: red, white & blue, or red, yellow and black from welt to shoulder. Chamois·lined collar racing-style, ana fully lined throughout. Heavy Duty zippers and streamlined waist adjusters. iF leolher§ FROM ALL AUTHORIZED DEALERS OF KK SUPPLIES, 431, E. 3rq St., Dayton, Ohio and WEBCO INC., Box 429, Venice, Calif. 90291. Write for Dealer List and full details of TT Leathers goods. At the end, it was Pfutzenreuter (right) and Friant sandwiching Tom Smith. Aahh. for this race and they didn't even get off the starting line. "Next year..... they say. They will tell their grandchildren about the time they raced the big one from Ludlow, California to Parker, SNORE 250 WOD by Johnson, Mason on 400 CZ LAS VEG'AS, NEV., Sept. 25, 1972 The bikes have done it again, proving that when the terrain is roughest the two·wheel machines are quickest. Jack Johnson and Mark Mason co·piolted a 400 CZ to the overall win (and, of course, first motorcycle) in the recent SNORE 250 in the Nevada desert. They were a full 16 min utes ahead of the next vehicle, a single seat dune buggy driven by Orlo Cox, and beat the next bike across the line by 36 minutes. The second bike across was a 400 Suzuki with Bill Hill in the saddle at the finish line. Interestingly enough, the second Arizona, Some will have trophies to show, or pictures, or the Cycle News article with their name misspelled - yes, Sonny, these are the good old days. (Author's note:So many things happened that I can't tell it all here. See next week's "Dirt in Your Ear" for more on Check Chase.) _ buggy to finish was driven by Malcolm Smith. His bum leg will at least allow him to drive, if not ride yet. After domination of the top positions in the long off-road races by four·wheelers for some time, it looks like the bikes are making something of a comeback. Remember that Dick Vick and Niles Ussery won the Baja 300 overall on their privately entered 8-speed Husqvarna. Now, Johnson and Mason on the CZ in the SNORE 250. It takes something close to a factory effort by the four·wheel machines to be.at the bikes when the racing is really "off-road".

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