Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

Greenh orn organ ization I noticed that Terry Blumenthal "did not care to comment ann Schneiders' ar ticle other than about the honesty of the drawing. Since Bill Zaremba asks for credentials before commenting on this year's Greenhorn. (like 'if you don't finish you can't knock the race), I have finished in '70 and '72 and could have probably finished this year. Despite the Pasadena MC I rode the complete first day and to the first gas check on the second day. (Despite being lost many times because of the poor markings and finding many of the checks off.) Now comes the big gripe - my brother crashed two miles past the first check Sunday and was unable to move his legs. When I arrived at the first gas check Sunday and was told of this I had to stop riding the race and go find hi m. The only reason we knew he was hurt was because of the other riders. Had the course been marked decently enough for a pi t crew to follow or had there be en any sweep a ambulance or any type of communications I could have, with a clear conscience, continued to rid e. However, not wanting my brother to lay in the sun all day, I had to go find him. The course didn't stop me, it was Pasadena MC's poor organization. No wonder Mr. Blumenthal didn't want to comment about Mr. Schneiders' article. It was too close to the truth. J. STARR Van Nuys, Calif. INSIDE Sportsman racing ISDT Qualify ing We didn't get any results from that class in time to publish them. . .Ed. Dear Butch Baggs I don't know you, but am a motocross racer who knows how it feels to be down and out. Hang in there. DREW SIDORIS Beverly Hills, Calif. Coors Beer I have a couple of pictures I would like to put in your paper, One was taken at the Indy Race on May 26. It reads "When you go back to California, don't drink Coors Beer" and the other "Boycott Coors Beer, they're against outdoor people." Would you please tell me how to do this? VELDA BENT Santa Ana, Calif. We don't want them. This stupid rumor about Coors Beer being anti-bike keeps coming up. Every time we chec k it out it turns out to be false. Papa drinks Coo rs (and any other brand anyone offers him ) and likes it just fine. . . Ed . I wo n! I won ! I would like to make a correction with reference to the article on the Virginia City GP in the June 4th issue. On Sunday the 250 Junior winner was myself (Penton mounted) not as was reported. I was tenth Overall about seven minutes ahead of the next Junior regardless of class. I led the Junior ranks during the entire race. There was some confusion in the scoring which initially did not credit me 13 World Champ. MX Czech 500 and German 250 16 Preview Stadium MX 17 Personalities Team Honda 18 North Controversy and co m p e titi o n Test ..•...... ... .. . .. 26 The miser 28 Speedway Furious four laps Results 32 Congratulations, you made it with 10 laps. This was later corrected but apparently your writer did not learn of-this. On another subject someone in the pits was selling van license plate holders which said among othe r things, "I'd rather be desert racing." If I could contact that person I would like to buy a set. TERR Y H. GOUGH Menlo Park, Calif. 408/277·1765 In the Gringo 100, Pepe White broke his hand in the first ten miles and went on to finish seventh in the 250 C class. CRC can verify this. _ S.R. San Jose, Calif. 10 Nati on al news Ridin' busted At the Virginia City GP, Saturday 420 riders finished, half of which were 250 Novices. Why did you not publish the winner of the 250 Novice class? 9 Nixon wins Loudon, etc. Your Viewfinders GP coverage was pretty good. But leading the first lap was not Mark Adent on a Honda (he was in lIIissouri in an ISDT Qualifier getting a gold medal). It was Dave Arnold on a Honda sponsored by world famous Tom Sawyer Honda. Dave finished second because his grip fell off. Virginia City GP , Penton at Potosi Dave Arn old, not Mark Ade nt SQUEAKY SAWYER "The Slowest Powder Puff Around" Saugus, Calif. 6 Dirty Pavement at Riverside ROBERT SHERWOOD Huntington Beach, Calif. Thanks to K & N It's not often that somebody will admit it when they make a mistake, let alone pay for the damage. Illy thanks to Ken Johnson at K & N Engineering. Ken not only paid for the work on my bike (S 7 2.00) but also sent along a replacement part and a K & N Filter free. It restores my faith in the industry and the K & N product line gets my first consideration for accessories and parts from now on. MYLES ADDY Whittier, Calif. Puny pictures Cycle N ews is going down hill faster than a Mack truck with burnout brakes, in my eyes, the eyes of a 11 and Hal f·Mile Freak. The Ascot Half-Mile on May 25 article by Editor Clayton was not only unbelievably boring, but also insulting to Novices and Juniors, giving the impression that they a ren't even worth mentioning, except as "poor" "brain damaging" incompetents. 1 would like to see Clayton twist the throttle half as much as they do. And in the Colorado National, May 25 article, four puny pictures, a good article, but four puny pictures. Surely you guys could give a National race a two-page spread. I won't even comment on the local coverage, be cause: it is practically nonexistent! I'm not asking you people to devote the whole paper to 11 and Half-Mile, I'm asking you to treat it as the great SP0rl that it is. CRAIG JOHNSON Lancaster, Calif. As Neil A rms trong "aid , "space is th e problem." Nobody called the Ascot Novices "incompetents. " ... Ed. Cal Mart del ivers Last December we ordered finish ing pins for our February 24, 1974, 0 -37 Hare Scrambles. We were promised six to eight weeks delivery , As many of your readers know the pins did, not arrive in time for our ra ce. These pins werc ordered from a Trophy Shop through a supplier and were to be made in Taiwan. After four months of wartmg and false promises, .. they should be here this week," we finally got smart and checked with the pin companies advertised in Cycle News classified. One company, Cal-Mart Plating of LA promptly replied that they could fill our order and save us 8 cents on each pin. The message is clear: don't mess around with people you can't even talk to when you can get a better deal right in your own backyard. _ The Sand Blasters are very sorry for the long del ay in getting the pins to the finishers. BILL FAITH Sand Blasters I\IC China Lake, Calif. 38 Calendar Emex Kat 42 Getting bombed ON THE COVER: Artwork by Steve Norman. Photos by Dan Mahony and John Ulrich. Advice from afar When the National Championship races came west in May, I followed the trail for two reasons: I) being the promoter of the yearly Daytona Warmup Half-mile in Phenix City, Alabama I thought I might learn something of value, 2) to cheer Georgia Expert Roger Crump (who qualified in the top five at both western Nationals). I stayed to see a Regional 11 at Portland's Sidewinders and the opening pro event at the famed Castle Rock. It was here at the Washington track a professional program was put to shame. I thought I had seen bad starters before but I suppose I am yo ung yet and have a lo t to see . Not only were his starts frustrating and dumb but halfway through the program he ch anged his starting tactic and began some inven ted way very contrary to the AMA rulebook. As for a night of good racing, it was just that. But to look at it as a professional event, this it was not. A promoter, or a club promoting such an event, does not begin said event one hour and fifteen minutes late, sending the Expert Main off the line at 12 :45 a.m.! No doubt these remarks will be taken by some fans and club members in the Pacific Northwest as calloused and bitter, coming from an outsider who should stay south. I hope not. I'd sincerely hope they treat it as constructive criticism hut if not, and the: old cliche of "if you can do better then do it" comes up, then brother, just hand me the flag. W.P. 'BUTCH' DUNFORD Columbus, Georgia Sachs airborne death In rep ly to A.L. White's letter in "Ask E.C." in t he June II issue , the reason the bike is dying on the whoops when airborne is probably that so meone left the small screen that goes around the mainjet of his Bing out. This screen is not a filter but a means of keeping gas at the mainjet when the bike is airborne. If it's missing the man is right: the bike is running out of gas. JOliN MECHANIC The Rotorcycle Shop San Fernando, Calif. [ oh» Mechanic 's tru e nam e is j ohn He-y, or Hey john. . . Ed. Sharon Clay ton : Publisher Tbomas R. Culp; General Manager: Edna Mewton: Secretary to Publisher. Ad vertis ing Th omas R. Culp: National Dire ctor Trudi Culver: Assistant. Ed itoria l Charles Clayton; Editor. John D. Ulri ch: Associate Editor, John Hue t te r ; Feature Editor. Lane Campbell ; Calendar Editor. A rt & Production Catherine Lampton: Art Dire ctor. Nancy Gray; Advertising Art Director. lIec tor Aguilera: Lab Technician. Marion Hatashita; Typographer. Me lvin Phelps; Assistant Typographer. Circulation Rheba Smith : Manager. Pam Hobbs & Chris Andrews : Ams· rants, Acco untin g Gaye Zaionz ; Manager. Chris Kolbet &- Twila Wheeler; AuiJ~ tants, Rosemary Chandler: Collection. Daryl Christian; Assistant. Services & Support Mike Colika>, Randy Davis, Bill Runyan, Jeannie Dunivan: Receptionist. West P.O . Box 498, Long Beach, CA 9080 I (213) 427-7433: LA 636-8844. East P.O . Box 934-7850. 805. Tucker, GA (404) Central P.O . Box 13245, Austin. TX 78711. Subscription One year, second class mail, $1 2.5 0 ; 2 years. second class m ail, 122.50; 3 years. second class mail , 130.00; Single copy price. 50 cents. Copyright Cycle N~•• In c . 1974 . Track mark ft"gislered U.S. r.lrnt Orricc . All righ t. ~~. Published wC'tltly UN'p1 the fint .nd lUI week of the a lcon dar' year by Cycle N~. Inc•• P.O. Boll. 498 . LonM: Beach, e;.lifomia. Second du. pos tage' paid ill! Lona: Bc.ch . CA. Editorial . Ion e. , CaJ"toonl. photOl. CIC. arC' welcome. AddrC'lU'd. etam pe d en velope ... urn ft' turn of Wlpllrch a«d edncrtal m att er . Reprintinl in wh ok o r p.ut o n ly by pcnnillion of me publi..herJ. Adwrtisinl{ nUl .nd circub tion information will be SC11 t u pon request, See S.R .D.S. 5

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