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/125864
Bast redflags race ~ Costa Mesa quiets announcer 00 ...... By Dennis Greene Ventura, Californ ia J une 4, 1974 With a full moon in the sky, a large hole started to form in the track and was giving trouble to all the riders. After hitting the hole and going on his head, Big Mike Konle was very upset and pulled the pole out . with his bare hands, placing it over the hole and saying that that is where it belongs. Ko nle was not the only rider to take things into his own hands. There was another official mixup when two riders went down in turn one and Mike Bast had to aim his Eso in the infield to avoid hitting them . When Mike looked up there was no red flag out to stop the race as called for in the rule book, so he ran to the starting line, grabbed the red flag and stopped the race himself. Mike more than likely got fined for the ac t as he has every time poin ted out to the officials they are not working by the rule book and do not have the riders' safety in mind . Even with the full moon and all the other problems, there was some outstanding racing during the night. Jdf Sexton and Mike Curoso were in the feature match race. Curoso has been winning this part of the show for a week and kept his winning streak going, doing away with Jdf in the two-lap dash. Rick Smith was so surprised to cross the finish line first in the Handicap Main that he missed the tum and hit the wall after taking the checkered flag just a foot ahead of Mike Bast. As the bikes lined up for the Scratch Main event. the fans were already on their way out. so sure were they that Bill Cody and Mike Bast get the wall dirty backing it in at Costa Mesa's weekly speedway, Mike Bast was going to win. The gates went up and Mike was on his way for yet another win! Bakersfield, Californ ia J une 5,1974 Bakersfield took the riders at their word last week when they stated they would not ride if they did not get a new rd. The SRA sent up a new man and it looked as if things would work out. The new man works I 00% by the rule book and this spelled another time for Mike Bast - ab ou t $100 this time. It seems that the more trouble Mike has with the rules, the better he rides. Not only did he win the Scratch Main, he won the Handicap Main as well, becoming the second rider this season to Jim Ashworth. Don Cullum. 8 Scott Sivadge. Bill Gray . do it. Bill Cody was the only other rider to win both Main events in the same night and he did it on opening night at Irwindale. . Mike has to win every event just to break even with the fines he has been getting. Irwindale, Californ ia Ju ne 6, 1974 In the pasrjhree weeks it has been very hard for the back yardage riders to earn a ride in the Handicap Main because the track has been wet and rough . This past Thursday night it was fast and dry, making for some of the best racing of the year. In the Handicap Main. two riders started on the 40, Bill Cody and Dan Becker, with Steve Bast on the 50-yard line. Mark Cherf had the advantage, starting on the 10 yard line along with Troy McKee. The sixth rider. starting on the 30. was Jeff Sexton. Cherf and McKee battled for the lead and it was anyone's race until Bill Cody slid in between them to take over the second spot. sending Troy back to third. Andy Cadotte is making his name better known with every ride he takes. Cadotte gets into most Division Two Sam Vanderhoff graduated into Division One and made the regulars wish he'd stayed in Division Two, winning the Sacto Hand icap Main.