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/125806
JONSSON TOR THE fAST fl DeCoster fals Down!r'; . ti o ~ w Z W ...J U :> u '..r.t.-- ' . '::.;.;: :!'. " The start of the 250 Support class. Gary Bailey (931 winds his frame around his Bultaco. The gate is about to drop. .- .~. Roger Detos~er got very, very tired. -::l.";;!>o",,~'~'."" ~ He took the chec;kered first in the last moto and that-was enough to give Heikki Mikkola. the Fastest Finn, seco~d over~; .J ,~.Il.J J 1(,1 j ..... ~ by Jim Cianatsis Photos by Jim Cianatsis & Charles Morey ORLANDO, FLA., Oct. 22, 1972 Ake Jonsson made it three Trans-AMA wins in a row today, as he took the latest at the Orlando Sports Stadium. Roger DeCoster, reigning World Champion, had the overall points lead going into the final moto but pulled out halfway through the race after dropping his bike twice while holding the lead on the demanding Orlando track and-was too weary to continue. Second overall went to Heikki Mikkola who won the final moto, with Husqvarna teammate Arne Kring taking' third. The 250 Support class went to Peter Lamppu on a prototype Kawasaki. Second place went to Bob Crossi, who had a running battle throughout the afternoon with Cary Semics (third), and Jim West; all three Husky-mounted. "1 don't like tltis sand," - Ake Jonsson. uThe track was too rough," -.. DeWayne Jones. "I had to drop out, ] was just too tired and my hands were bleeding," - Cary Bailey. In other words, as featureless as most tracks in Florida are, the Orlando track was perfect for an International event. Th e sandy soil, graded before practice, was quickly dug up by spinning wheels and, by the first race, was nothing but whoop-de-doos and shudder bumps.. Riders had to be constantly on their pegs, as there were no sections to rest on. Ake powered his 400 Maico to' the lead as the starting gate dropped for the first 500 International mota. Closely behind Ake was Roger DeCoster on the CP Suzuki, then Hans 1aisch and Brad Lackey. DeCoster rode Ake's tailpipe for four laps then, in the sand pit: a treacherous ten-foot wide and six-foot deep trench in front of the main spectator stand, Roger bounced his Suzuki by Ake to take the lead. Pierre Karsmarkers moved up to pass Brad Lackey and had a charge going that was moving him up on the leaders. DeCoster's lead was short-lived as Ake repassed the Champ on the next lap. He stayed in command for three laps, then DeCoster got around again. Ake was already beginning to look tired as he began to lose ground on DeCoster. Soon, both Karsmakers and Mikkola were able to get by him. The mo to ended with DeCoster in first, followed by Karsmakers, Mikkola, Jonsson, Maisch, then Christer Hammargren. Hammargren is just over from Europe with Jaak Van Veith oven, and the two members of Yamaha's International CP Team will be can testing the rest of the Trans-AMA series. Behind Hammargren was Arn.e Kring; . then Brad Lackey and Jammim' Jimmy Weinert. Brad and Jimmy were continuing their running battle from track to track. It is totally unbelievable how evenly matched they are. Every mota, it seems, you can look in si.."th or seventh position and see the two of them scuffling it out wheel-to-wheel for first American. The . second mota had Mikkola getting the advan tage at the start, followed by DeCoster, Kring and Jonsson. Cary Chaplin, who was just married a few days before, was involved in a crash after the start and was taken to the hospital. He was able to return a few laps later but was a little sore with a few cracked ribs. By the eighth lap, DeCoster had taken over with Jonsson hot on his wheel, followed closely by Kring, Mikkola and Karsmakers. These five were flying around the track in a high speed pack and were already lapping slower riders. On the ninth lap, Ake passed DeCoster for the lead, and Mikkola was righ t behind will ting for one of them to make a slip. They continued this furious pace for ten laps with Roger just riding Ake's whe'4i for room to get by in the turns. Then, t!)e two racing side-by-side down the bumpy straigh ts; the Maico and Suzuki evenly matched in power with Ake just able to shut the gate on DeCoster as they'd ~ve into the berm for the nex t turn. Other than Lackey and Winert, the five riders, now joined by Aberg, had lapped the en tire field with most riders being done under twice. • DeCoster was forced to slack up on Jonsson when they lapped Serge Baeou for the second time and Roger was held up, giving Ake the opportunity to ease up the last lap to the checkered. It was a fantastic mota with the spectators on their feet the whole time. The Husqvarna boys seemed to have been putting on a side show behind the main event up front. Arne Kring