Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

.• • • out the top ten when hia H~ky Ia.t its spark. With abOut 15 minutes to go in the 45-minute moto, Hakan Andenson had slipped on past Wolsink to lP'UP second behind Weil. Karsmaken was still charging through from his poor start and moved up behind Hakan, then passed him. The two Yamaha facWry riders banged it out over second position for a number of laps until the World Champ fell down for the second time in the moto. Pierre was then left alone with a clear shot at Weil who was only about rtfty feet ahead but the moto was over too soon. Adolf Weil motored past the cbeckered flag as Pierre had to setde for second, followed by Wolsink, Andersson, Geboers, Kring and Brad Lackey. ~ e The Second 500 Moto the The nicest plast to be in any motocross: winner's circle. Left to right are Sylvain Geboen, a Belgian who w. third overall; Adolf Weil (He's Gennan and he won it. He's done it befOl'e.l; Hakan Andersson, the Swede who also happens to be 250 World Champion this year. He won the last moto and second overall. nodda TraDS AMA: Tbe O.d MaD emb.....asses Ibem agaiD Story By Jim Gianatsis Photos By Charles Morey ORLANDO, FLA., OCT. 28 The racIng was probably the best so far of the series, and everyone got a chance to lead the second moto, but when it was all over crafty Adolf Weil (Mai) had captured his third TransAMA win. The Northern Europeans liked the rough and sandy Orlando Sports Stadium track though it was somewhat short, with 250 World Champion Hakan Andersson (Yam) in second overall and sandmaster Sylvain Geboers (Suz) third. The 250 class made this week's' racing much less predictable than in the past. The winners that emerged by the end of the day were the same, though, with Rich Eierstedt (Hon) fust overall; then Billy Grossi (Kaw) and Bryar Holcomb (BuI). The First 500 Moto Pierre Karsmakers was defmitely the fastest rider in practice. He is one of those that doesn't know how to go slow Sylwain is regaining his priOl' form • he overcomes a leg weakened by multiple breaks and managed to keep Jim Weinert behind him when it coun1lId. 8 in the sand. If he could pick up just 65 points over Mike Runyard, he would be the new AMA 500 Nationill Champion. The problem today was that winning practice was a little easier than winning the motos. Adolf Weil had the fust moto won from the start when he got away in rust being chased by Husky development engineer Jan Johansson, Montesa's Kalevi VehJr.onen, Gary Semics and Arne Kring on Huskys, then Jim Pomeroy, Gerrit Wolsink, Hakan Andersson and Sylvain Geboers. Jim Cooke didn't get any further than the first lap before the engine on his Kawasaki quit. Pierre pulled a poor start and was back in 15th position. Right away they set a furious pace that would last throughout the day. Sylvain ate dirt on the third lap when he got off going up one of the big jumps on the back of the course but, dodging bikes right and left, he jumped back up and rejoined the battle. On Lap four, Arne Kring moved into second, passing Vehkonen and Johansson as Semics dropped back off the pace. Wolsink was also doing some moving up. By the following lap, he had his Maico sitting in fourth, but the man to watch was Karsmakers who was already up seventh and looking for room to get around Roger DeCoster. The rough whoop-de-doos that were everywhere were playing havoc with the bikes as much as some riders. Vehkonen had to pack it back to the pits when a rear shock mount bro~ on his 370 prototype Montesa. Kalevi has bee.n disappointed, with·his bikes breaking in almost every race of the series, and might go home to Finland if things don't get better. Throttle cables were being joggled and DeCoster pulled off the track when the throttle on his 370 Suzuki began hanging up. Gary Jones didn't rmd out until the end of the ,high speed front straight that his throttle was wide open. Gary quickly bailed off as the Maico rocketed off the high banked turn, sailed over the fence over 200 slack.jawed spectators. Over another fence, and landed on another section of the course. Postions were changing quickly behind Weil as Maico teammate Wolsink worked his way into second ahead of Aberg, f<>llowed by Andersson with Karsmakers now fifth. Brad Lackey (Kaw) was top American in sixth. Jim Pomeroy (Bul) was next American in eighth behind Johansson. When Jim stalled his 400 Bultaco in a slow turn, he didn't look too enthusiastic about getting going again and lost a number of positions. Werner Schutz threw the chain on his GP Maico but rejoined the race after getting it back on by hand. Mike Runyard got out of shape on a high speed whoop-de-doo tum and wiped out hard. He lost about six laps but was able to get back out and rmish the moto. Mike Hartwig was rounding Adolf Weil has to be an embarrassment to everyone else racing the TransAMA series. When the 34 year-old Maico rider pulled a hole shot again for the second moto and left all the under 30 year.old riders behind, he was just rubbing it in a little more. Behind the grand man was Kring, then Geboers, Vehkonen with his rewelded shock mount, Karsmakers and Hartwig. Weil's start had been a good one but, by the second lap, Kring was on his fender and trying to get past as they began pulling away from Geboers. Karsmakers passed Vehkonen and then Hartwig tried to get by but the ignition on his 360 Husky went blooie again, ending his ride. With third now in his grasp, Pierre dialed the throttle on as much as the Yamaha monoshocker could handle, and then a little more. Turns weren't there, he just left the throttle on and when it was time to change direction he laid the handlebars into the sand and carved out a furrow. When Weil and Kring backed off a spoke length for the tricky wboop-de-doo tum by the pits, Pierre left the engine pegged and bashed by both of them on the outside. Weil and Kring already had the tum dialed in to its limit, though, and. the instant Pierre bounced by Weil and took over the lead was the instant he was over his head and out of shape. The resultinllget-off was a rare mistake for Pierre and left him with a broken throttle. The bike was quickly pushed back to the pits for repair. On the six th lap, it was now Kring's tum for a shot at the lead and he took 'it as he, Weil, and Geboers knocked it out in tighf· battle followed about 200 yards back by Andersson, Bauer, Wolsink, DeCoster, Thorwaldson and DeFeo. Arne's lead was very short·lived, though, because his Husky blew its base gasket and then seized. Weil took back the lead. Andersson fell and lost two positions. The Honda Team, Gary Chaplin and Marty Tripes, went out with problems on their prototypes along with Vehkonen who had more troubles. Everyone had their eyes on Brad Lackey and Jimmy Weinert who had their new 400 Kawasakis in a terrific battle carving their way up from the middle of the pack, passing DeCot.ter and Geboen in the process. Andersson had worked back up after his spill and was holding onto second with his sights set on Weil. Brad clHltinued to hold onto third but Jimmy appeared to be a Ii ttle pooped as he began missing shifts and Geboers passed him back. Ten minutes from the end of the moto, Hakan Andersson took over the lead from Weil and built up a small cushion. Geboers and DeCoster moved back irito third and fourth as Lackey also began to tire a little. Weinert had to pull off his dirty goggles, having a hard time seeing with sand in his eyes. Gerrit Wolsink was riding without his prescription glasses and later admitted he couldn't see much of anything except which way the track went. Pomeroy dropped back when the end of his expansion chamber broke off causing his Bultaco to run rich. Hakan Andersson (Yam) won the moto but Adolf Weil won the motocross by main taining second place. The factory Maicos and their riders have built up a reputation for never missing a beat. Grey-haired Adolf was all SIIllles as the pretty trophy girl gave him a kiss and a bottle of champagne for his third

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