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/126324
THE LATEST you can go back to riding your regular Amateur class next week. Then. when you think you've got it together. try again. More info is available through the AMA Pro MX Manager. AMA, P.O . Box 141. Westerville, OH 43081 . 614/891 -2425. Torco Oil Co. Racing Promoter and Advertising Director Dave Holeman and ' top 0-37 woman enduro rider Diane Blauer have set the date. They'll team up (that's racing talk for married) on July 29. . District 37 riders get a price break on post-entry fees for the Aug . 5-6 Hill toppers' Grand Prix. Set at $15 by mail and $20 'post . D-37 entrants can post -enter for only $15 , according to the Hilltoppers' Peter Brown. At the July 23 Karlskoga . Sweden round of the World Championship Road Racing Series, Team Suzuki 's Barry Sheene topped the 500cc class while Kawasaki rider Gregg Hansford won the 250 and 350cc events. Sheene's win gives him a total of 82 series points and leaves him a scant three points behind series leader "King Kenny" Roberts. Roberts crashed in a Fr iday practice session, knocking himself out and sustaining a thumb injury. He elected not to run in the .250cc race, then placed seventh in the 500cc event. Following Sheene in the 500cc meet were Suzuki -mounted Wil Hartog , Yamaha ace Takazumi Katayama , Steve Baker (Suz), Ferrari (Suz) . Johnny Cecotto (Yam) and Roberts. In the 250cc series. Kork BaB ington (Kaw) leads Gregg Hansford , 69 to 67. In the 350cc World Championship points race, Ballington has clinched the title with 77 points; Hansford is second wfth 49. only four points ahead of Katayama's 45-point total. Promoter Bill King has picked up the vacant Sept. 17 date to run an AMA Grand National Champion· ship/Camel' Pro Series half mile near Pittsburg. Though the AMA hasn't received a sanction application, they do ' have a verbal promise and telegram of commitment from King. AMA Commissioner of Pro Racing Doug Mockettwas very enthusiastic about the traCk - The Meadows, in Meadow Lands, PA. about 20 miles south of Pittsburg. The American ' Motorcyclist Association plans to assign National MX numbers to the top 20 in each class - 125, 250. and 500cc - for the 1979 season . Then, the next 10 numbers, 21 through 30, will be assigned to riders in the top 20 who may wish to change classes in '79 . Finally. the numbers from 31 up will be assigned to the remaining Pro MXers. For '79, 'MX number plates will see a color change. Plates of 125cc machines will be black with white numbers; the 250cc plates will be green with white numbers; 500cc classers will be yellow with black numbers. 2 Don't miss the public meeting at . Sacramento, Tues. Aug. 1 to ' discuss proposed rulemaking for management of off-rced ' vehicle use of public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management. It's in the Yuba Room of the Sacramento Community Center, 14th and K St.. in Sact'o. Copies of the proposed rules will be available; questions and comments are invited. You can contact the State Director, BlM, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825 if you'd like to get a copy of the rules ' be for. the meeting. Once again , Doug Richmond extends a cordial invitation to all long -haul back -country riders to accompany him on the Annual Thanksgiving Ride . The first half of the trip will be from Ensenada to La Paz. BCS, Mexico via San Borja . La Purisima , both Comondus, and San Javier. The second part will begin at Mazatlan after ferrying across the Sea of Cortez, and will go to Parral via Badriaguato; then from Chihuahua to the coast .via La Junta and Yecora. If possible . Because'the route will encompass some of the roughest terrain in North America, it is vital that a lightweight combination street-trail bike . or a straight dirt bike be used . -It is very definitely not a trip for the man - or woman - with a huge , overweight street machine! Those interested send two stamped and self-addressed envelopes plus two $1 bills to Doug Richmond. 583 .Mira Vista Ave. , Oakland. CA 94610. The folks at Saddleback Park have finally had the time to reshape the Matterhorn hillclimb. It was damaged by last winter's rain but is now ready to climb or attempt to climb, A new American Motorcyclist Association program - Amateur/Progressive Professional MX - is now reality. according to AMA Pro MX Manager Mike DrPrete. Amateur and Mini classers continue to ride the same classes and follow the same schedule as stipulated in the current AMA Amateur rule book paying a maximum $8 entry fee for each class entered. The Progressive Professional part of the plan, however. allows experienced . (Expert-ranked) Amateurs to make a gradual transition into the AMA Professional MX pro · gram. Eligible riders include Expert Pros. Novice Pros. and AMA Progressive Professional license holders, 15-years or older, The AMA Pro Progressive license is available either at the track or' through the AMA for ' $10 with your AMA membership plus proof of age . One-quarter advancement points will be awarded. Money. a minimum $400 per class. ' will be paid per moto, not overall. Perhaps the neatest part about it is that if you try racing with the Pros in a , Progressive Professional event and then decide you 'r e not quite read y, ' The '1978 Women's National Moto· cross/Grand Prix event is on for October 28·29 at Carlsbad . Raceway in southern California. Racer Vicki Haag will be promoting the event with sponsorship provided by Kawasaki. which will include a grand prix ,on Saturday and a motocross on Sunday. Vicki's also looking for contingency sponsors, so anybody that can help or needs more information on the event is urged to contact her at 2167 Eldora, lemon Grove, CA 92045, 714/462·9395. The Dirt Diggers North M.C . is putting together a northern California Inter-Club Olympiad. which is slated for January. 1979. It'll be a single day event at Prairie City OHV Park, and will include four events . For more information, contact Jim Deitrich. 5517 Helen Way . Sacramento. CA 95822. Reg Pridmore, riding the Vetter· sponsored Kawasaki, is leading the Superbike Production point standings with 45 points. Second place is currently held by BMW· riding John long with 36. Coors Pioneer Town is Sept. 9·10, not in November as celebrated in the past. This Amateur/Pro grand prix and motocross is the main Dirt Diggers M.C. production of the year , the 20th running of what once , was known as Hopetown (in it's second year at Racing World). A special 3l-2 mile grand prix course is being built at Racing World under Dirt Diggers' supervisio~. ( Dirt Diggers Racing Director Jim Connolly has announced that Yamaha's Mike Bell and Broc Glover, and Kawasaki's Jim Weinert and Gaylon Mosier will race in the Sept. 10 $10,000 Coors Cup professional motocross at Racing World, The AMA Government Relations Department has published a book entitled "A Biker's Political Action Handbook." which will assist motorcyclists in getting pro motorcyclist candidates into office in November. The handbook includes information on how to select a candidate, how to manage a campaign and how to become involved with an existing political organization. With 435 House of Representatives. 33 Senate and 37 Governors seats up for grabs this November. it's important. The handbook is ' free to AMA members. though 50' for postage is required with each request. The cost to non -member motorcyclists is 'I. For a copy. write Government Relations, P.O . Box 141, Westerville, OH43081. The summary results of a survey conducted by the U.S . Forest Service in conjunction with their RARE II wilderness review program revealed that those surveyed consider the production of timber, minerals and energy resources to be the most important use of Forest Service land. Ranked second in importance is' the need to provide areas within ,the forest system "for motorized or intensive recreational uses." T he MV Augusta 750 S America has arrived from Italy in limit ed numbers. Dealers .ca n get inform ation from Cosmopolitan Motors , Inc.. Hatboro. PA 19040, 215/ 672·9 100. Don't forget. The Pacific Northwest Recreational Trailbike Workshop will be held on Aug. 9·10 in Olympia. WA, and it's imperative that those planning to attend contract the Greenwood Inn at 206/943-4000 for reservations now. Additional info is available from Joe Wernex at 2061753·2400, Greg Lovelady at 206/753·7140 or Dave McCraney at 206/442-4706. After nearly two years of working with Mexician government · official s, th e California Racing Club has finall y managed to schedule th e Rosarito Grand Prix for Sept. 17. Rosarito is located 15 miles south , of Tijuan a . CRC will run the race 80-100 miles total. More info? Call Jerry at 714/689 ·6114. Team Suzuki's ace 125cc National class rider Mark Barnett dislocated his shoulder in a crash during the opening moto of the July 16 Atlanta International Raceway event. He was taken to Doctor's Memorial Hospital where Atlanta Falcons doctor Fred Allman diagnosed the problem. On Tuesday, July 18, Mark was reo examined by Chicago Blackhawks doctor Luke Klob who recommended an operation to place a pin in the shoulder, Barnett is expected to return to action in the Trans-AMA MX Series. Santa Ana Speedway has changed dates to Tuesday nights. Ventura Speedway has begun the '78 season , also running on Tuesdays, starting July 25. Amateur entries will open Aug. 1 and close Aug. 25th for the 20th Coors Pioneer Town Dirt Diggers GP according to Don Pettric and Nate Sciacqua of the Dirt Diggers. The entry form will appear in Cycl. News three times. A rush of entries is expected, since starting position is . determined by postmark, as in the "Hopetown" days. Senator S.1. Hayakawa's office has reported that the Senator-will introduce a bill into the U.S. Senate early this week to keep Rolf Tibblin in this country. So that means ' that telegrams and letters of support and character reference should be directed to Sen. James Eastland. Chairman, Judicial Sub-Committee on Immigration. 2226 Dirksen Building, Washington , DC 20510 . In the July 12 Grand National Championship Superbowl Amateur National coverage at the Coliseum, a few names were , . mixed up in the story. Following super-Scott Burnworth in the 125cc Intermediate final were the Suzukis of Greg Taylor, Reid King, Dave McClain and Pete langley. The others were 125cc Novices. Sorry guys, but geeze, with all them there 125s flying around ... •