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/125804
Fremont Marathon _ by Patrick Neil FREMONT, CAL., Oct. I, 1972 - Four hours of competitive riding left Chris Willems with blue thumbs -and some blisters on his blisters. Three attempts by one fellow at successfully finishing came to unsuccessful conclusions, at the All American MC Marathon Event, at the Fremont Raceway this Sunday. To get a good start at one of these endurance-marathon races, I would suggest an electric starter from off some big street bike. The start involves some guy wandering around with a flag or shirt or oily rag in his h and, rapping to riders parked on the 'line'? When he decides that everyone is more or less positioned, in a more or less starting line, he. says, "S'traddle your front wheel, facing the rear of the bike". Then, without warning, someone jumps to start his machine, causing everyone else to panic and before you know it, the start has started! The 125cc class saw a large number of Novice riders as well as seasoned Experts on the Line. What beller place to learn to ride in competition, than at a Marathon Race! The 125s took off with a roar at 9: 30, running for the full two hours. The official results aren't known at this time. Chris Willems (No. 66) on a CZ started at 12:00 in the 250 class, and stopped only once at the halfway point to get gas, and have number plates cleaned. Riding without a partner, Willems used the Marathon event as a means to get in shape for the Trans AMA races scheduled to be held on the West Coast next month. Along with No. 66 were some very fast riders, hut being fast doesn't always mean winning in this type of competition. You have to finish! Regardless of what type rubber one had in the dirt, the course averaged the traction factors out evenly. The K-70s were an advantage on the hard-packed corners of the TT section, the loose dry stuff was easy for the guys with the trail tires, and the mud saw the knobbies digging in and going wi th more ease through the goo-holes. Dan de Costa made tnree attempts to finish today. Each time the' team Dan belonged to would start, all would look good. But as each event proceeded, Dan would find himself without a ride. None of the machines would handle the one-mile course. In each event, the 125, the 250, and the Open, de Costa's luck would tum black. In the Open class, No. 9w on a Maico, took the leader's position on tne second and final start. Out front for the first forty-five minutes, suddenly the 9w was observed ealing some three or four pounds of mother-earth in the back pasture. Some laps were lost on that one. Doing an additional two hours of soloing, was Chris Willems on a fresh CZ. Coming in again after one hour of steady steaming, No. 66 took on some gas and refreshment, losing only one place in doing so. That's the kind of pit -crew to have working for you. Another problem found in this new form of fun, is keeping yourself identified by clean number plates. Some riders solved this problem not by keeping their plates clean, but by pu tting foreign objects on their uniforms and helmets, in order to grab the scoTer's attention. Some scorers have a habit of rapping, when they should be scoring. (Can you imagine u o ~ w Z W ...J U >U A clean number plate and horns on your helmet help the scorers get it right. . ,. Five ways "to cheat on the start. Number 18 is the only one who is in the correct position~as the Open class prepares to get go:ne . . being scored as the 'guy with the rubber duck' on your nelmet?) One team adopted a form of horns on their helmets made from some beer cans taped together, to seize immediate recognhion. The best one was the guy with the finish flags flying on the aft section of his headgear. Incredible! .' ... '. Two numbers 16 demonstrate totally different cornering p ,losophtes.