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/126250
$3000 Pro Purse $2000 in Products SportsmIn & U4 Three-time champ: MOTO·CROSS - No "coDleback" for Markel etre APRIL 3 When Bart Markel , 39, posted entries for the opening races of the Camel Pro season in Houston recently, he probably stirred sentimental thoughts of a comeback in the minds of his many admirers. " No , it wasn't a co me bac k." says the three -time America n Motorcycle Association Grand Na tional ch am pio n, who se spa rkling ca reer spanned 20 years on th e circ uit. " I went d own to Hou ston to enjoy m yself , to be around the people, a nd tohave som e fun. I would never try to m ake a comeback against these young kids ." Semi-retired for the past cou ple of years, Markel won th e last of his record -sett ing 28 national victor ies in 1971 a nd co nt in ued to rid e until 1975 when he felt he "cou ldn't compete with th e kids ." There's no to ne of rese nt m ent in Markel' s voice as he ta lks about you nger but mor e experience d riders taking over t he ci rc ui t in recent years. " Kids racin g ou t th er e tod ay are 18 and 19 a nd have been ra ci ng for 10 yea rs ," says. Ma rk el. "T ake J ay Camel Pro (Spri ngs tee n. 1976 cha mpion) . He's bee n ra cing since he was 10. When I sta rt ed racing in 1956, I was 18 years old : ' Mot orcycle racing itself. according to th e former Ha rley-Davi dson star. has changed . "T he int roduction of th e Japanese bikes ha s made the grea test impact not on ly on ra cing but on ridi ng for leisure as well : ' no tes Markel. "T ha t forced Ameri can manufacturers to make better bikes a t lower prices to com pe te . "That brought better equipment to motorcycle racing and it exposed a lot of th ese kids to bikes earlier. Fathers would back their sons who decided to start racing and it became a family thing:' Another d ifference? "We used to ride 12 races a year with the biggest crowd being 15,000 at Sp ringfield. 111. ,.. recalls the bespectacled Michigan native. "Now the series runs almost 30 ra ces a yea r and you'll see crowds like the 60 .000 th a t showed up at th e Astrodome. " While m any rid ers today race for a living, Markel points out that he held down a full-rime job as a tool and di e maker for AC Sp ark Plugs while racing. " It' s ch anged a lot over 20 years, ju st like a nyth ing else ," he says. " Mostly for th e better , I feel like if I was 18 or 19 now I'd ha ve a chance to m ake $100.000 a yea r . . . if I was as good as I used to be ." With that rem ark , Ma rkel glances off into th e d istance . lIis though ts probably turn to h is first national ·victo ry at Peoria , Ill. . in 1960 , a 14lap TT race whi ch starred him on his rec ord -setting journey. Eleven years lat er he WO Il his 28 th race at Colu m bus. O hio . to become t he win ni ngest rider in AMA histo ry. Of a ctive riders . Kenn y Rob erts ( 1973-74 Ca mel Pro cha m p io n) has the best chance of' brea king Markel' s victory record. Roberts has cha lked up 20 na tional triumphs since 1972 . , ''I'm no t pu lling fo r Ken ny to tak e a way m y record:' says Ma rkel , who ca p tured AMA championships in 1962 . 1965 and 1966. " b ut if he ca n go for another yea r or so I d on't see how he ca n m iss. Kenny's some kind of rider: ' At Hou ston, Markel fa iled to qu alify in eithe r event (TT a nd sho rt track). " I've slowed down som e and m y eyes aren't as good as th ey used to be ," he says. "T hose kid s out th ere showed up to win and every one of th e 25 who makes it to the finals (of each event) knows he can win the race:' While he didn't experience the thrill of racing to the enthusiastic roar of th e Astrodome crowd in th e na tiona l events, Ba rt Ma rkel ma y have derived more pleasure fro m ta lking to the ma ny motorcycle racing fans who dropped by his motor home in the pit area . "They remember you were No. One at one time and they admire you for that and having been around so long," says Markel. " I enjoy talking to them ." There is no doubt that the feeling is mutual. • Entry Fee: Sportsman Pro $15.00 $35.00 $10.00 mail $25.00 mail post post Mail Deadline M arch 15 CRC , 24518 Island Ave. Carson , Ca. 90745 Phone : 213 /830-7519 80SCH 8.8 BOIVVS Obfain a bib on the day of the event. Winners with BOSCH Plugs receive: All Brand New t st $100.00 $75.00 $25.00 2nd 3rd Course claCk CDinthe ;gOlf ~ mmI[LUBE] Be ll Helmets to every sportsman class winner ... compliments of - BELL ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ""t:UT ALONG L INE AND MAIL TO,- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ......_----- - - - - - ... -Dot,,· Rldl"9 Number _ ........_---- - - - - - - - - - CllY ZiP CCKM esc CALIfORNIA RACING CLUB PLEAS E PR INT C LEARLY ' ! ! S llte Prlo""' - _ M.1 ke of CydL' CC's CLASSES (Please Ct.«k! VETE RANS (+30) . . ••. • . . •. •..•. Jr . MINI : ••• ••• • • . E*J. 0 .. .New. 0 0 ... 'nt. 0 Sr. 0 ExPo 0 WOMANS DIV . . • • • • . •.• • • . .• • . • . • . .. .. . . .. . ••. • . . . 0 BEGIN NE R • .• • ••• • . • • • • • • .• . •• . .• • • •. . • . • • • • • • • • • 0 _ Sponww (i' I "YI MEMBER SO _ _ NOVICE • • • • • • • •• • • • • •• • • • ••• • • • • •• •• ••• • • • •• • •• • • • D INTER MEDIAT E.•• • • ••• • .•. . .. • . • . •• . . .~ • • ••.• • . •. EXPERT• . . .. • . . . . . • .. • . . • . . . • •. •• • • • •. . . . • .• • . .• .. 0 0 R AC IN G IS A DANGEROU S SPORT ''III The undM shjlned e nt ra nt, by .1"111109 silil na hl re beloW, ack now led p s ttll t he nlUmel t he risk of a ny loss from Injury or pro~ty damage to h jm~f or 10 o thers, due to his ~ rtlc.lpa hon in th is rae., a nd ne her_itn spec lflc. lly hol ds harmlns th e C Re and It!. o " k als from Iny said Io n. If entrant il und .r 18. his parent o r guardIan mu st sign below. ac k nowl-etlJlni conwnt to the terms of e ntry. It II und .n.tDOd and agr-.d th l t if fl. i\ injured rrom whatWle¥ef ca uw duritlljl t.... racll1\l event . ht h....wlt h co ns.ents to Ind aut hor lzn fint l Id Ind I mbull nce w v..:es I I provided Dy C Re Ind further hol ds III par1i", Illrmlen from I ny co nseq uences or 'lKh lid. He Igt " , to con for m to Ind comply wit h ttl . tul ," IJOWltninlJ th l, cont,"t. Sign.at ur. of Entrl l'lt 1 " Plr .nt or Gu.ardlan or under 18. Signltur. RACING WORLD TRABUCO CANYON , '. 714-581-6400 29