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/126063
Guennady Moisseev and his factory KTM uke the lead at the start of the fint moto. MoineeY won the battle, but Mikkola (inset) won the wer. Mikkola World Champion; Moisseev scores double By David and Margery Maltais ULRICEHAMN, SWEDEN, AUGUST 15 Thirty-one year old Heikki Mikkola, Husqvarna's Flying Finn, fought back the attack from 1974 250cc World Champion Guennady Moisseev of the KTM factory to snatch the 1976 title by a one point margin -- the closest racing m any class in recent years. Heikki also made motocross history by becoming the first rider to win World Championship titles in two different displacement classes, adding this year's 250cc crown to his 1974 500cc, title when he beat Roger DeCoster. The Bogebanan circuit was the site of the final round and the Ulricehamn Motorklub did an excellent job preparing the track and all of the facilities for this important final event of the 250cc series. The course, 2057 meters in length, was made up of deep loamy sand with twenty-cight bermy curves, a huge drop-off and several natural and man-made jumps. The course circulated through the natural . .terrain of the surrounding woods and the infield area was beautifully laid out for the six thousand spectators who sat in the warming sun on the grassy slopes to watch the hot action in this final event of the season. Several competitors were missing from the Swedish round even though they were listed in the program . The entire CZ factory team never showed for the raced Puch factory rider, six -time World Champion Joel Robert didn't Moi_ turned in a 1-1 day, but Heikki's 2-DNF was enough to clinch the 25Occ: World Qlampionship. 14 make i t along with Hans Maisch, Jaroslav Falla, Antonin Baborovsky and Miroslav J irka. Uno Palm, Ulricehamn's local hero and former 250cc GP competitor posted fastes qualifying time aboard a Husqvarna that will be seen as Husqvarna's 1977 Production racing machine. Improved handling will be the main improvement by means of a new frame similar to the ones used by Heikki and Brad, new front forks and new Girlings that will be 200mm longer with dual rate springs. Second fastest in qualifying was Jim. Pomeroy aboard the factory Bultaco. Featuring a new aluminum swing arm made by Bay Area Bultaco, Third was Montesa's Hakan Andersson, former World Champion in '73 who was riding in Sweden with a broken rib and a broken thumb. Torleif Hansen had fourth fastest time on his factory Kawasaki using Kent Ohlin shocks and a new aluminum _ swing arm. Tomas Pettersson was fifth fastest on his KTM and next were Moisseev, Mikkola, Gerard Rond from Holland on a Yamaha, Anatoly Outchinikov of the Russian KTM team and Andre Malherbe of Belgium on a private KTM. Harry Everts was down in eleventh, Daniel Pean in twelfth and Vladimir Kavinov was in thirteenth . The week before in Holland it almost looked like Mikkola would clinch it when he won the first race and Moisseev retired. But in the second round , Heikki crashed when Kavinov dropped his bike in front of Mikkola's Husqvarna and Moisseev went on for the win. Heikki walked away from the crash with a bruised right eye and two front teeth knocked out. Heikki had the upper teeth replaced in Holland before leaving for Sweden. Those that were knocked out weren't his to begin with anyway. The stage was set for the race that would decide whether Mikkola or Moisseev would walk away with the crown. Moisseev had to win both races but Mikkola only had to place second in one to keep the lead that Moisseev had so furiously chopped away in the last half of the season. As they lined up for the start of the first race Moisseev took the outside with Mikkola next to him. Rond moved in next to Heikki and prevented Moisseev's America's 250cc GP pride and joy Jim Pomeroy "flat tracks" his Bultaco. Jim ended up fourth in the World Championship point sUndings.