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/126067
By Lane Campbell
.
&
'ti
Sk me if I remember Riverside? In
1961-62 it was shiny new; the West
Coast's primo road racing circuit.
Boy, do I . remember. I was
president of our junior college sports 'car club, but my
"sports car" was a 1940 Dodge that looked like a
haunt
house inside and boiled over every eight
miles.
Still, I'd nurse that turkey to Riverside every time
there was a race on. park it and hitchhike all over the
place; trying to be at th e corner where it was all
happening; perchance to get the d ynamite race shot
with my Old Man's Voigtlander.
I was on one of those hitching-hops when up
comes this yellow Cobra prototype, rough-idling
rump-rump-rump along the access road between turns
six and seven. And this Texan with a black floppy
hat. chomping a big cigar yells, "Hey kid, need-a
ride?" He was well loaded with hangers-on already, so
I found an empty space on the rear deck and
sc
or a handhold. Desperate to hang on, I
on'
ber much else, except that the ear rode
e
by buckboard and went "BAROOM,
R
"u der the floorboards, speaking to us
~ers. Up until then, I 'd not taken
ican
rid . too seriously. Or its
"'b~he
•
en Ken
first Riverside
Zipper's s
ey Ferrari SWB
ating a lot of cars t
re faster on
pVer) ; a
got my dynamite shot the inside
of Turn Six, Miles and
McDonal
ose-tail, the
. smooth and n
tra ' eering nder Mile s'
hand, the
ld
orvette crossed-up,
agging and go'
I III h
it tuc
in"
omewhere ..
t
been 1
.
s are gon
\ve forge tthaf
!Fad as ret' d,
14-60's.Da
Do
Miles
d
lest
'!
For
years der,
.
blood)
sitting
new, some.v.int go
I
~
super-telephoto lenses unless you just like lugging
plummet downhill, hard on the brakes. The fast guys
equipment around. You mayor may not want to do
will have to have been on the binders even before
some walking between view areas; if it's real dusty the
they see the turn. It's another place to run off if
track managerncn t may shu t down all ex traneous . you've :nissed your braking point. Luckily, here the
pitbike/minibike riding for the riders'safety. Blowing
result IS often more spectacular than painful;
dust can really screw up track visibility. General
humongous clouds of dust trail the unfortunate rider
courtesy rule: keep wheeled vehicles on the access
on the wide runoff apron, getting into his
roads.
unprotected carb intakes and generally ruining his
How much stuff you drag along with you depends
day, even if he manages to stay up and get back on
on what you arrive in (or on) and how long you're
the road.
There's neat shots to be had with a 200mm-and-up
staying. The '. two-day ticket allows free . overnight
parking, which isn't exactly "camping" but leaves
telephoto; and you don't need a press pass to get
them. Best sun is generally from the au tside of the
you pretty much on your own as long as you don't
try any open fires. Just a nice hibachi, a thick steak . entry to Turn Seven.
You'll see road going off to Turn Eight; which they
and about a gallon of wine ought to do it.
often used to use for cars. Going out to Eight and
For weather, expect anything. If you got room
back, as I remember, gave Riverside a bad rep as being
pack everything from bikini to wool sweater; for
hell on brakes, gearboxes and engine. It was scream
Riverside in early October can be hot: coldor both.
away from Seven, brake hard, turn forever (Eight was
With luck, it might be pe
low 70s w ·.
in
a ut a 210-degree roundhouse] then jog left and
Iigh tly c
high overcast or crystal
scre~ again, down a seemingly-endless back straight.
Daytime eats: R'
.g the Turn 7A shortcut makes a nice change-up
and no more au
au t of an otherwise dull comer. It is here
else. Tip. If it's h
e super-scratchers and the quick handlers can
tomato juice. Yeah,
miliate somebody if they choose to. The
Seven, swilling beer
urse also helps hold down straightaway
get thicker and my t
h . . a sense, a relief. As it is, I can
matter how much 1 d
y it must be like, looking down that
offers a swallow of
rtened straight at the banking and
swallow - instan
co barrier of Turn Nine approaching at
raisins and assorted
s; I'll
wa tch.
Seeing and shoot
you a view of, natu
the pitwall action
high in these stands
back straigh I, most
then watch the front
One. This was always
the cars, and I reme
ff-camber on th e exit.
is corner has a bloody
he Esses, Turns Two
their own stands nea
urn Six stands looking s
stands, like all the a
ao
,.>4~
ssy u:a.CtNPr aJ:S,.
, ..
a cn 11
r"ife