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/126055
Canadian Road Race GP: Baker Soaks and Slides By Ray Ninness CLARKE a NT., CAN AD A ,J UN E 26 'All goo d t hi ngs must co me to an end and so St evie Bak er was finally led across t h e Mosport fini sh line. The event : the LaBatt's GP of Canada ; the rider: Fr ank Mrazek. Mraz ek did t he deed tak ing th e win over Bak er in t he last race o f the day, the Unl imited Expert ra ce. Mrazek go t more th an a little help _from th e we ather, it was raining , as it had on an d off all day . Ther e w a s a lso a li ttle American i n t er ven ti on a s Richard Chambers lo aned Fran k a new se t of G oody ear rain tires. Bakers OW31 750cc Yamaha was shod with a h and-me-down set of hand cu t G oodyears that Gen e Romero used at the match races two year s ag o. T hey sim p ly d idn 't cut it. T he race was almost cancelled because of th e r ain when o nly four riders sh o wed up on the _start in g grid , but it was decided t o run anyway . . Mra zek led Baker, R adbord and Barnum away from the start, getting some super trac tio n o n th e rain -slicked track. Mra zek and Baker soo n left Harnum and Radbord to fight over last place an d se t out on their own little slip and slide ride according to Baker who said traction was non-existent, Each lap Mrazek would los e ground to Baker from tum one through t um 5b. After that Mrazek 's new rubber would d o the trick down the back chute. At th e start of the eighth an d final lap , Baker started to reel in Mrazek finally getting by going into Mos' comer, turn Sa. But that's when it also ended as Baker spilled, Mrazek had to take to the dirt to miss Baker but he went on to the checkers while Bak er re mounted to fin ish second . Mrazek pulled in with an ear t o ear grin t hat left n o do ubt he'd had a fine time even if Baker hadn't. Mrazek admitted that the tires were the differe nce , stating that the bike didn't slide o nce , in contrast to Baker's one slide t o another ri de statemen t. Th-e G r a n d P r ix of Canada got underway with the running of th e 5 00cc Expert race. To no one's surprise Steve Bak er put his red and black Yamaha Motor Can ada machine into the lea d right from the start. Taking up th e chase was Doug Teague on his Ya maha, an d behind Teague were Yamahas of Brian Henderson, Ted He nter and R ich ard Chambers. Teague managed for the first few laps to stay in touch wi th Baker bu t that game en ded when D o ug's front bra ke wen t south . He n derson started to else on Teague while Ba ker disappeared up front. Henter jumped in and out of the pits dropping back in the standings. Chambers took ove r fourth for the moment, slowing and being reeled in by Gary Collins and George Morin. Soon Co llins "and Morin were by Chambers who held on for six th ahead of Robb Cooper. • . The F-rst and F-.nest -w~ Handle ba rs & Ca ble K.ts .~~e:4: D~~. :;~':de~ f rom t h e Lead e .. BECKfl~RN LEY = BeckfAmley the first and is still the leader, wi1h the widest selectiQn of cable kits and broke hoses for the motoreycle industry. We have kits for more different molor- _ throttle cable elbow is nylon lined for longer fife and ease of operation. long cables and brake hoses are available individu• • • • ally as _ II as in kits for added can..-ience. BeckfAmley also ca rries a wide assortment af 8~ 10~ 12" and 15" handlebars, including those dn11ed and slotted for all the Japanese models. Great Beck/Amley selections of highbar cable kits, handlebars, and D.O.! approved broke hoses are avaaable 10 fillyour needs";'NON! Riders: See Your Beclt/Amley DeoIer s-.. Dealers: See Your Beck/~Iey Distributor listH below: CLASS B JM:1 MEMBER ~~C",, ~l ,":" ~ . . ~BECKIAINLEY CORP. lleckl AInley Corp. 2917 Bailey Aven ue F., My... 548 Broad H9110w Rd Me lVi ll e , L I • N Y. ,, 746 Bunalo, N .Y. 14215 6950 N . W . 46 th Street 20 15 West " Iameda Denve r, Colo. 80223 4 29 N. Azusa Ave . Azusa. Ca l. 91702 GeM SIIHllngford "_.Inc. Nichola Molac,d11 RadCliffe St reel Bri sto l, Pa. 19007 Ch icago (Alsi p), III. 60&58 3130 Easl Maf ia S1reet Comp ton , LA.• Ca l 9022 1 Rt t Ind Ul trtal Park ;UCIA ' " & ~,,weSIWDO. (BOSlonl' -q PARTS J.~~/~~ ss .... 02090 Miam i. Fla . 33166 8214 WellmOOf' Jessup, Md. 20 794 2331 Lamaf Avenue Mem phis. Tenn . 381 14 7421 N. E. Beech Po rtland . Ore . 97213 Green lane and _ ..1. . _ - ~.Inc. 4135 W. 128 IIont...1 II-..orto, L.... Montr••I. P.O.• Canada Off\C\O\." suz.u" Resu lts 25 0 c c E x : 1. S. B a k er ( Yam) : 2 . G . MacKay 3. J. Arnold (Ya m ) ; 4. G . Coll in s (Yam ; 5. R . Cooper (Yam) . {vam l; 250cc Jr: 1. R . Bieni ek ( Yam); 2 . S. Go dwin (Vam) ; 3 . R . Bump ( V am) . GP of ca nad a: 1. S. Baker (Y am ); 2 . Doug Teague ( V am ) : 3 . B . Hen d er son ( V am) ; 4 . G . Co llin s (Va m): 5 . G . M o rin (Y a m) : 6. R. Chan1ber s (Vam). SOOcc J r: 1. A. M c K enna ( Yam) : 2 . G. Gon salv es (Yam) j 3 . R. B ump (Yam) . unlimit ed E xpert : 1 . F . Mra zek ( Y am) : Baker ( V am): 3 . M . Radbord (H on) . U n limited J u ni or : 1. B . M ac lea 2. S. 11