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/126056
LI · . Tony DiStefano's debut in GI> competition across the pond ended in frustration as Tony encountered various problems that left his best finish of the day a fifteenth. around. Gerrit was on his way down the big hill to the last lap flag when he got into a tank slapper that had him both feet down and out of control. He got it back together -as he passed th e finish bend and just opened it up all the way for his last lap effort to get by Roger. Gerrit's determination finally drove him 'p ast DeCoster but it was not only his speed but also Roger's ailing bike that robbed Roger of the twelve points. For the last five laps Roger's throttle had been sticking and this gave him impossible control of the bike as it threw him around and finally banged his righ t foot into a fence post on a narrow bum p y stretch of the course. Roger thought his shocks had also faded away in the final stages of the race and he had his mechanic check them for the second race. Union Jacks were waving as young Graham streaked across the line ahead of Gc:rrit by twelve seconds. Roger was 12.41 seconds down on his teammate with Herbert Schmitz holding on to finish fourth . While the GP riders .recuperated and the mechanics used the hour break to get the machines in to shape it started raining during the support race. Solid and long enough to lay down enough water to keep the dust down and make it a little slippery in some places. When the gate dropped for the second GP heat Pierre rocketed into the lead again, this time with the ageless Maico pilot Adolf Wei! attached to his rear wheel. But behind them on the big downhill after the uphill start Andre Massant of Belgi um crashed his monoshock Yamaha with Graham Noyce ramming into him. Behind them Brad Lackey made a split second decisio n to cut to the righ t to avoid the crashed riders in the middle of the track but that decision put him out also. Massant's Yamaha cartwheeled into Brad's path and the Husqvarna rider went down. Bengt Aberg was next and he pitched his bike down but was rammed in the c h e st with , the handlebars of his Bultaco as his bike sma shed into Massant's Yamaha , rupturing the Bultaco's gas tank. Brad ot u . cast a lance to the yo un g riders still lying on the track, and got his Husqvarna b ack to life and back into the race in last place. Bengt -got up but retired. Pierre con tinued to lead with John Banks in second for three laps until he retired with mechanical problems. Roger..got off to a better start in fifth place but the race en ded for Gc:rrit at the starting line. This time his c1utch fried all the way and he had just got his Suzuki away from the gate when it stopped. Vic Allan was keeping a hot .p ace in second behind Pierre when Banks went out, but was passed by Roger on the ' second lap only to get by the Champion on the following lap. On lap six Weil came storming by Vic on his way after the leaders. Brad made it up to fifteenth on lap four b ut was forced to stop on .lap eight when his right hand grip came loose. He lost control on one of the ~orners and almost came off. lt looked like Pierre was going to collect fifteen points as he kept the lead without serious challenge from Weil. But on the thirteen th lap his footpcg came lose so that he was only using his righ t leg. The left side just hung down wi th no ~ur.portRoger col ected twelve points for his second place finish when he came across the flag thirty-three seconds behind Adolf. Vic Allan held on to third to the :Ieligh t of the British fans while Ake moved up to finish in fourth only two seconds down on Vic at the flag. Roger's margin is not what anyone would call the safest as all the GPriders now wait until the final tw o Grands Prix in August. Roger has eigh t wins to Gerrit's six, with four to six second places. Roger has a third fo r thirteen best finishes an d Gerrit must . take a fo urth for h is best th irt eeen finishes. ~esults 1 st Moto:- 1. Graham Noyce (Mal); 2. Gerrlt W olslnk (5uz); 3 . Roger DeCoster (5uz ) ; 4 . Herbert Schmitz (Puc) ; S. John Ban ks teeM) : 6. Brad Lackey (Hus) : 7. Raymond Herren (Mal) : 8 . Vladimir Khu djakov (e Z ) : 9 . Ake Jonsson (Mall : 10. Ivan Miller (Bul) 2nd Moto: 1. - A d ol f Well (Ma l) ; 2. Roger DeCoster (Suz) : 3 . V ic Allan (CCM); 4 . Ake Jonsson (Mal ) i ~ . Jaak Van Veith oven (KTM); 6. Herbert Schm itz (Puc) : 7 . Neil Hudson (Mal) ; 8. Willy Bauer (KTM): 9. Franz Slgmans (M.all : 10 . Bob Wrlaht (Mal) THE BIG BIKES ARE COMING! And along with the American Motorcycle Association 's high speed two wheelers-the c ircuit' s top and toughest riders. The record breakers. Th e big boys. See 'em eat up the tra ck wh ile they compete for cycling 's heavy pr ize money. You 'll want to catch all the act ion from the tirst flag on . So come on out-early! TICKET INFORMATION: Tickets may be purchased at all Ticketron location s, Macy's and BA SS in San Francisco, and selected Laguna Seca outlets. For further information call (408) 372- 1516 or (408) 372-1811 . CHAMPION \ · .IA : ,. -camel FIlters and Motorcycle Racing. One ofa Idnd: Warning : The S urgeon General H Determined as That Cigarette S okingIs Dangerous to Your Health. m 18 mg "tar", t2 mg, rico"n. av, per c;ga" ne. FTC Report APR. 76. 13