Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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Page 6 October 2,1973 Four-in a row for the -Czechs America WZ1lS the Silver Vase U.S. Trophy Team in fifth By Charles Clayton ~hotos by Richard Creed DALTON, MASS., SEPT. 16-22 On the first day of America's first ISDT they assembled in D alton-Pittsfield~ Massachusetts, the cream of the earth's USA Josef Jozif, Czechoslovakia, aboard a 175cc Jawa. "I'm sorry, ma'am. But they're having this race..... Joseph Sirucek, Czech Trophy Team, had trouble starting. I cross country riders, factories, reporters, supporters, motorcycle as~ociations, camp followers and hangers on. The preparation, the hassle and the training were all behind them now. What lay ahead were 1,099 miles of flat-out racing while at the same time conserving one's machine and resources and outwitting the strategy of one:s opposing teams in hopes of winning the world's highest motorcycling honor, the ancient silver World Cup. A t the stroke of 7 a.m. on a cold and frosty morning the first three men rolled their machines to the starting line and prodded their engines awake. A Zundapp and two Gileras, the world's smallest scooters - only 50cc engines with cylinders about the size of a double shot glass. Fourteen of the potent riddlers fired up and moved out, minute by minute. Then there was a half-hour pause, and the 100s tum came 10 the line. Altogether 300 motorcycles came to the line in grou.ps of three, on the minute, and tried to start from dead cold within the minute allowed. Some didn't make it, and took the 20·rnark penalty for failure in this first of over a hundred tests. The American Rokons got a big hand of applause from the gallery each time their rope-pull starters lit them off. There was barely a breath drawn while one of the Czech Trophy Team Jawas failed to fire and the rider was forced to push it off. While eagle-eyed observers watched, he tensely whipp~d Oil. t his tools, removed a crankcase plug and cleared the flooded engine. It crackled finally, the plug was stuffed back in, tools swiftly stowed and the tan clad rider with the red bike disappeared up the trail. American hopes were pinned on the .Penton Trophy Team. It is John' Penton's American dream to win the World Trophy for the USA. He has won every major-hon.or that an .enduroist can acquire on this continent, but never a gold medal in the Six-Days. Penton's three sons have won their share of golds, but the U.S. had yet to win the World Trophy or the almost equally prized Silver Vase. . The six-man U.S. Trophy Team started in time and got away cleanly. It was a mild autumn day, dry, in the siicities. The course took them through some of 'the prettiest hill country in the world, but there was not time to admire it. This was 90 percent· of maximum.edge cowtrailing, with the last full measure frequently called up. Sometimes 100 percent is not enough. Two thirds of the Zambian club team crashed out and one of the Czech. Vase A team fell out, as did Don Stover of the U.S. Vase B team. Stover's coun tershaft snapped. • When the leased computer spit out the results of the first day, Czechoslovakia led the World Trophy standings for the fourth year in a row and the Pentons lay 6th. Italy's jockey size Vase A team had a good hold on the Silver Vase with America's A team down in nirith; for Ron Bohn had had • The winning Czech Trophy T.eam could hardly contain their joy.