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/125825
September 11, 1973 Page 13 '. third by taking advan tage of the pit stops required by the thirsty two strokes; was being cheered on by one and all. Calvin Lee's ride ended on the twenty seventh lap when he had reported problems with his Harley's right clip-on/brake lever/throttle assemblage. His retirement came at the same time that Paul Smart's Suzuki engine gave up the fight, putting KeJ Carru thers in the lead for good. Carruthers was followed by a horde of dueling Yamaha riders who for lap after lap had been closely cDntesting some of the lower ten positions. Closest of the dices for dollars was the Gary Fisher-Ken Roberts-Don Castro-Jim Evans-Steve Baker battle that saw coun tless position exchanges particularly on the last few laps. Suzuki mounted Ron Grant entered the Yamaha discussion for a while but dropped off the pace as the race neared its end. With three laps to go, it was all Carruthers in first place but it was anyone's· second place. The 36th lap saw Baker, Castro and Fisher cross the line side by side with Jim Evans a short distance behind. Kenny Roberts had dropped out on the 28th lap wi th a seized engine. Steve Baker, aboard a Yamaha Motor Co. of Canada machine, pulled away from Castro and Fisher on the white flag lap to take a second, while Fisher zapped Castro on the banks for the show spot. Kel Carru thers collec ted $6,275 for his efforts that saw him take the checkered flag 32 seconds ahead of Baker. The Aussie transplant led 12 out of the 38 laps and became the fifteenth different National winner of the year. He averaged 104.778 MPH. • Results: 1. Kel Carruthers (Yam); 2. Steve Baker (Yam)j 3. Gary Fisher (Vam); 4. Don Castro Yam); 5. Jim Evans (Vam); 6. Ron Grant Suz); 7. Doug Libby (Vam); 8. Ste.e cLaughlin (Vam); 9. Bart Myers (Vam); 10. Gene Romero (Trl): 11. Harry Cone (Yam): 12. Dick Mann (Trl): 13. R. G. Wakefield· (Yam); 14. Robert Winters (Yam): 15. Gary Scott (Tri); 16. Marty Lunde (Vam); 17. Torello Tacchi (SUZ); 18. Doug Sehl (H-D); 19. Cal Rayborn (H-D); 20. Stan Frlduss (Vam). ~ Kel Carruthen: 19 years of experience and 150 miles was worth $6,275. Ju~iors: Long gone John Long, as usual By Gary Van Voorhis Photos by Bob Lenk, Bill Neill & Jack Mangus TALLADEGA, ALA., SEPT. 1 John Long picked consecutive Junior fashion as, for the race in a row, DuHamel and Smart each led for a time both broke; Yvon, of course, did it more spectacularly. • John Long (in glasses) and Pat Hennen rest in winners circle. off his fourth win in easy second Junior it was the weatherman who called the action to a hal t. Rain shortened the original 19 laps to 14 and when the red flag was thrown there were two new faces in the winners circle with Long: Doug Teague and Pat Hennen. The Talladega 76 .mile Junior program is run Daytona style, with the Junior riders using a qualifying time trial for grid position rather than the heat system used at shorter races. John Long's Longevity prepared machine easily outsped the field with a two and a half mile per hour advantage to secure the pole over Denny Varnes, Mike Clarke, Phil McDonald and Doug Teague. A slim field of only eigh teen Juniors lined up on the grid for the start on Talladega's long four mile course. At the end of lap one it was Pat Hennen on a Ron Grant prepared Suzuki leading the . pack with Long and Mike Clarke in a very close second pace. As the field exi ted the infield on to the ban king it was Long with a short lead, pulling away, and Hennen, Clarke, Teague, and Varnes preparing to battle for second. The sweeping banking/chicane/ banking back straight put Long into a comfortable seven .second lead by lap three with the same quartet in second and Tom Byars and Larry Bleil moving up to joing in the action. Varnes retired on lap four, leaving the real race to the trio of Hennen, Clarke, and Teague for second with another battle shaping up between Bleil, Dennis Purdie and Phil McDonald. Tom Byars raced against himself for fifth, being too far back to challenge the leading trio and far enough ahead of the trailing one to be safe. Long continued to increase his lead to an unofficial 18 seconds by lap 8, enough distance to give the impression he was in his own class. The second place duel was the one that kept the race alive as Hennen· held second, outbraking Teague and Clarke into the infield, only to gain and lose, gain and lose on the long back half of the course. Lap ten found the field strung out with leader John Long lapping the. riders at will but slowing-just a little, the result of a broken fairing screw on the upper left hand side. The fairing was only a bother. Phil McDonald eased to the fron t of the second trio then lost his rear brake pedal and slowed, leaving Bleil and Byars in sixth. Teague zapped Hennen on lap eleven and the race for second see-sawed back and forth with changes two and three times a lap, but it was Teague in the lead where it counted. With rain falling on the back part of the course the race tigh tened, and Teague led Hennen on the all important fifteenth lap as the red flag began to wave momen ts later. Hennen regained' second but the race was over with Long, Teague, and ·Hennen wheeling into victory lane. Mike Clarke was fourth; Tom Byars fifth. It was a flawless ride for winner John Longwhoseease in winning in the Junior class is a carbon copy of his Novice year. Doug Teague's second placing on his self prepared bike pleased him. Ron Grant built Hennen's water cooled Suzuki only two weeks ago. • Results: 1. John Long (Yam): 2. Doug Teague (Yam); 3. Pat Hennen (Suz); 4.Mlke Clarke (Vam); 5. Tommy Byars \Vam); 6. Dennis Purdie (Yam); 7. Larry B eil (Yam); 9. Peter Chancey (Yam); 10. Phil McDonald (Vam): 11. David Watkins (Vam); 12. Allan Engel (Vam); 13. Bob Endicott (Hon); 14. AI Phillips (Suz); 15 Richard Manger (Vam); 16. Scott Brelsford (H-O); 17. Dennis Varnes (Yam); 18. Gene Hornot (Yam).