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/126303
.» Ivan Mauger, five-time World C hampion and current title holder, is the racing captain of the World Team, an imposing squad with Bar ry rB r iggs , another five -time World Champ , 1977 World Champ Peter Collins , Terry Betts, Mitch Shirra and Martin Ashby. The hometown track advantage was with the United States. The small ovals always give the visitors a hard tirne .a and with all the rain , they did not get one lap of practice. Mike Bast, current U.S. title holder, turned in a prefect score for the night , winning every race he entered for a total score of 18 points. Bruce Penhall added 16 points to the victory total. Mike Faria , the top rider in Northern California, was the powerhouse of the night, pulling off wins in three events where they we re least expected. Mike added 13 points. Steve Bast, Mike's older brother, knows his way around the small oval. He won two U .S . titles a t Costa Mesa over the years' and won five California State Championships in his ca reer. He added eight points to the victory, showing long tim e speedway fans that the Bast Win Machine is back in full force. Alan Christian and Mi ke C uroso rounded o ut the American Team. Track employees worked 'round the clock to prepare the track for. racing, but there was still six inches of mud on the track just an hour before race time. Most of the slime was pushed to the infield , and a halfway decent race track was ready to go. There were many new things going on that night, all designed to make the city of Costa Mesa happier . The motorcycles must now have mufflers to keep the sound down; a new P .A . system was installed, with the speakers at the foot of each grandstand so that the sound would not carry out of the sta d iu m ; a 24 ·foot high wooden wall was installed around the stadium to keep in the noise. All worked outstandingly, and when all the sound tests were taken , they showed that the race was run well ' be low the very strict limits put down . by the city. About the only noise tha t ca me out of the place was the yelling ia nd screaming of the fans at the end of every race (so far , there has been no ...:=striction p ut on that) . SAN BER N ARDI NO , CA , MA R . I I The second night of the U.S . versus W orld program saw the whole show move to Sa n Ber na r dino . T he show started on tim e with Mike Bast winning the first event. 1977 World Champ Peter Collins came right back , winning the second race for the visitors. Steve Bast took the third race for the Americans and Terry Betts won event four for th e World . The back -and -forth wins really had the fans going. The next five events went to the Americans . With nine races down , nine to go and just a whisper of rain in the air , the decision to skip intermission and the two match races was made. At 9 p.m. sharp . j ust like an automatic sprinkler system was turned on in the sky, it opened up and started to pour. To make the race meet officia l, two more events were run in the downpour. Bo th went to the visitors , but the overall victory went to the United States team , 46 to 20. The last two events r un o n two inches of water were well worth the entire price of admission . Bruc e Penhall and Peter Collins we re throwing a muddy rooster ta il 15 feet into the a ir and loving every minute of it l • Kenny Roberts challenges the world on Goodyear racing tires. Roberts wins Daytona. USA has t o offer. So , this year Kenny is t raveling the world taking on the world's best riders and road courses, And, wherever Kenny races, Goodyear will be there. In 1978 the world is go ing to be hearing from Kenny Roberts. He 'll be racing and winning... on Goodyear t ires. Kenny Roberts, riding his Yamaha YZR 750 equipped w ith Goodyear racing tires, has won the Daytona 200. It's another chapter in the 1978 Goodyear world challenge. Goodyear motorcycle tires have helped Kenny win just about .every dirt track and road racing title the L--.-- -GO OD/yEA Il-:--- . FIRST NAME ON THE FINISH LINE. Suzuki of Van Nuys I978 Used Bike Sale ' 7 8 RM soC ' 7 8 RM 80C ' 7 8 RM IOOC 54S9 5499 5799 FROM MALCOLM SMITH RAC ING PRODUCTS SEE YOUR LOCAL DEALER ' 7 8 RM 1 2 5 C ' 7 8 RM 2S0C-2 ' 7 8 RM 400C S929 5129S 51395 Many to choose from Suzuki of Van Nuys West Coast .\'l Volume Dealer 16141 Sherman Way . Van Nuys. CA Holeshot? Samm y Tanner D istrtbunnq lUIRI-TECH 213-924·2111 213-994-2800 213-994-2882 3 B locks West of t he San Diego Freew ay FINISHER PINS WeMakeEmAsk Lenny for Samples Cal-Mart Platlne 601 s. Hili S1. Suhe 131 Los A ng e le s, CA 90014 21J.Q3.8987 I I ~ ~ Race & Serv ice them all • DMG~I We 1505 S . Pacific Ave .. Sa n Pedro. CA 213-832-68441833-1301 fillllttlllllllllllllllllllllllUlllIIllll"IIIIIIlIllIIIllIIIIl"''''''''''''''''''',,,"',,,,"',,,,,,"',,;; 21