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/126243
Production racing is big in N ew Zea land . They call it close. .. .. Pat Hennen ---------_._._._._._- _._._._._._-_ first of Newsecond in Zealand's I }» 7'1-RROWe~ ~ I Marlboro Series races - , , • ! • 3 tons, ! .4 We have 30 Chevy vans in stock now , -, , , ! half, tons, • short& , • long wheel , base , - ! Luv's... p'icku~s." and step vans 21,s-264-5...00 ext. 234 Eighth & Soto, Los Angeles, CA 90023 -, -, .. i ._._---_._---_._-_._-----_._._-_._._ i Bultaco Ma ico Ossa KTM ~L.e~ Call for 7 14-427-9 166 Super Low Prices 77 Ossa GP II Now in stock 720 Broadway. Chula Vista, C A 9201 0 Trl-mll Industries, Inc. 'Man occhi Magnesium ' ~ MX Forks 1285 ~. ~ Join the Noise Pollution Revolution. An,eI_., 27405. CompfonAve. CA 90011 _ _ _ _ 2J3-23...SO-U_............ l.o. IledJGnda Suodti Sales & Service 'i!' t:. Fast UPS Mail Orders Anywhere 829 W. Colton Ave. .. Redlands, CA 92373 71~- 793-2041 .Bertus JSWa-eZ ~ J340 Hacienda SIvd.'@ L.a Puente, CA 9J 744 21,t.33N171 ~~Jawa ,@ Sales - Service Headquarters for CZ Racing Motorcycles AUCKLAND . NEW ZEALAND. DEC. 19 T he an n ual $3 0, 000 Marl boro Road Race Series d rew a great fiel d of in tern a tion al rid ers to the hilly, m ountainous countryside of N ew Zeala nd . Great speculation surrounded the arrival . of American Pat Hennen -everyone wondered what kind of a Suzuki he would bring with him after his recent visit to Japan . ~ut it wasn 't a prototype RG700 or a vee four 750 , but instead.the trusty RG500 square four with which he won th e Finish GP. Local Christchurch rider . Stuart Avant entered a very fast Nikko Bakerframed 750 Yamaha tuned by Cecotto mechanic Vince French. who is in New Zealand on a vacation . Warren Willing from Austra lia rode the 750 Yamaha which Agostini used to finish fourth at Daytona in 1975. Isle of Man winner Charles Mortimer brought both a 350 and a 750 Yamaha . Belgian Phillippe Orban entered a TZ750 , and a whole flock of other Yamahas and RG500 Suzukis were in the hands of Australians and New Zealanders. the quickest including Ken Blake and last year's hero, John Woodley . The Series consists of two 15·lap heats at each of five circuits, starting in Auckland on December 19 and finishing in Christchurch on January 18th. First. meeting at Auckland had a large turnout of spectators on a very windy and overcast day. After two days of practice the riders lined up for (714) 645 -8008 2334 Newport Blvd ., Costa Mesa, CA 87G&. WI"• • DIG. By Ron Grant Pat Hennen and his RG500Suzuki, BAY AREA BULTACO ~~ ,- 0 0) ~ t) Sales - Service Accessories Portinq - Weldin; W. also 5606 W. Manchester Blvd. mall or der _ Westchester. CA 90045 21 3 -649- 17 00 754 for catalog I- CYCLE RIDER MOTORCYCLE D ISCOUNT STORES 6 LOW PRKEI-SPErnl BARGRlrlI DEALERS ATTENTION rMiJ ~o..~ . .",-tS w. "".. immedillte del w.y o n d,c!. .... NOW 11.~ . ,/C\.~ I' ORDER ." DIR ioI\O'tO",C (D EALERS ONECTI LV HERCULES DIST. LIST. 9827 Mason Ave. Chatsworth. Ca. 91311 • (213) 882·8272 \1 Z « a: o Z o a: > '" o (/) I- o :I: = = === = = ,-,,= l>. the first heat in order of qualifying times. Pole position was held by Willing at I minute 4 .8 seconds (I :04 .8) . Pat Hennen at I :05. 1 and Stu Avant at I :05 . 2 . After introductions of riders by former World Champ Mike Hailwood . the flag dropped for the first 15-lap race. The pack roared into turn one led by Willing . Avant and Hennen . Next were Orban, Mortimer and Graeme Crosby on a Geoff Perry 750 Suzuki . Willing pulled about a one-second lead from Avant with Pat in hot pursuit. These three riders pu lled a big lead on the rest of the field . Later in the race Stu started to get tired . Pat snuck by for second and the race ended in that order Willing, Hennen , Avant. Phillippe Orban and John Woodley . The second heat saw Hennen off the line first followed by Willing and Avant . On the long back straight. poor Warren went by Pat only to hit his right arm on a marker board. In tremendous pain he was unable to stop for the hairpin although he managed to stay upright. Hennen and Avant went through and staged .o ne of the finest races seen in New Zealand with the big 750 Yamaha passing on the straights and Pat using the superior handling and brakes of the RG500 Suzuki to repass . A back marker slowed Pat on the last lap while leading, allowing Stu to slip by and win the second leg by inches to the delight of the partisan crowd. The points system is20. 18 . 17. 16 , 15 - so Stu presently. leads t he Series by one point: 37 - 36 ove r Pat Hennen . In the mi no r races Ra nd y Ma mola managed a close second in the 250 • class on his new Yamaha. Results ARST lEG : t . Warren Willing (Yam). 2. Pat Hennen ISUll. 3. Stu Avant IVaml 4. Phillipe Orban IVaml. 5. . John Woodley ISUl) . SECOND LEG, 1. Avant. 2. Hennen. 3. Orban. 4. Chas. Mortimer (VarnI.5. Woodley. POINT STANDINGS as 01 Dec. 19: 1. Stu Avant 37. 2. Pat Hennen 36. 3. Philhpe Orban 33. 4. John Woodley 30.5. Chas. Mortimer 29.