Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

the strikers, dissension still exists a mong the, riders who are presently riding. But Lewotski says that t ere isn 't any dissension at all. "I haven't heard anything for it ," he said, According to Lewotski , riders have formed a Riders Control Board (RCB) to enforce rules and handle any grievences that might . come up . "T hey have been very strict and have been enforcing the rules, and most of the riders have been sticking with the RCB and Harry. There have been no ill feelings against Harry that ' , I know or." According to Lewotski, there are a few riders, however, who haven't taken a side in the controversy which has ripped the speedway scene from top to bottom . "There are a few riders who are sitting in the middle - don't know what they want to do - and try to wait it ou t , Bu t I don't think that there's a nything to wait out , I think the' SRA is pretty m uch dead ," As the situation stands , those riders associated with O xley are apparently satisfied with their rela tionship , said Lewotski. "Well, I'm happy with it ," he said. "I've heard a few grumbles that Harry could possibly be paying some more m oney; but as far as I know, it's pretty much 100% with Harry." Even though striking riders have made several allegations a bout Oxley'S character and fairness , Lewotski personally attested to his own relationship with Oxley. "Harry Oxley's never screwed me. He's always been fair to me ever since I've been in speedway. The SRA has never really done anything for me except charge me money to ride. And as far as I'm concerned, Harry's been the fairest promoter on the circuit. O ver the last nine years, there've been 12 promoters, and Harry O xley's the only one who's made it . So he's got to be doing something right ." On the other hand, striking First Division rider Tom Morely has his own opinion as to why he was participating in the strike. "It's the right thing to do. It's wha t I plan on doing for the next 10 years, maybe. I'd like to make a l living of it r-« it's called p rofessiona l racing. And that's the way to do it ." o Morely admitted, however, tha t the t1 number of st riking riders are few (,ind eed , "There are not a whole lot of guys - not enough, I think. Bu t , they're all First Division riders, They've been in it a few years, and they know wh at it's like." Morely also believes that the threats denied by Oxley are real. "I think that there've been some threats. I won't mention by who. Bu t a lot of guys just want the money, so they go out there and ride." c Those riders who have been running with Oxley contend that the strikers are "over the hill" riders , who were never able to cut it on the track in the 1 first place. "T hey still want to ride," said Morely in disagreement . " Maybe some of them have been around, but -s they're in there to win just like anybody else ," Another SRA member, who wished not to have his identity disclosed, thought that "it's ridiculous to say that anybody at 30 , or 28, 31 or 32 years old" could be considered over the hill . .~" If they have a problem , it's a mental 8Jlrob lem because they've been beaten n So much. They've been cheated , 8lthey've been browbeaten for eight or 2' n ine years - mentally, they're down . o,l t's hard to be enthusiastic, to be t;,com pe titive , when' you're mentally just ,. b eing whipped all the time." rr He elaborated u po n the alleged threats th at Mo rely all uded to , "There have been so many guys b lack balled by n our p ro moters for one reason or ~ another, mainly beca use they wouldn't (Continued on page Jl) OJ THE 1977 KZ400 SERIES." THREE OFTHE BEST VALUES .IN MOTORCYCLING. Kawasaki motorcycles have always given you more for your money. And now, with the medium weight KZ400 se ries,you have , three more ways to go, The KZ400 Special does everything efficiently and economically. It's powered by the same four-stroke engine as the others, tuned for maximum gas mileage. A kickstarter and drum brakes -keep it simple. 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