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/126326
00 r-.. 0') Left to right: SuzukI's Keith Van Hamt, Capt. B.J. 8nIese and CN's CharIeJ' Morey pose just prior to Breese's Multiple Sclerosis benefit ride to Pocono. Heiklti Mikkola marched onward toward his second consecutive 300CC World Championship MX Series title, not clinching it but making it nearly impossible for second placer Brad Lackey to catch him, in the Aug. 6 Beglian round on the famous Citadel Circuit at Namur. Mikkola chalked up a perfect 1·1 win on his works Yamaha as Lackey, on his factory Honda, scored a solid 2·2. Lackey is now an unchallenged second In the final World Championship standings - it's impossible for third place holder, Suzuki's. Rogt"r DeCoster who has 129 points, to catch "Bad Brad's" 214 total. Mikkola has 232. Maico's Herben Schmitz had closed on DeCoster with 127 points to hound the former World Champion for third in the two remaining rounds of the '78 series. KMfty Roberta won the disputed &OOcc Wortd Chempionshlp ROad Race SerIes event at Silverstone (Engiendt In the Aug. 6 BrIti8h GP over Suzuki riders Steve Menshlp and Berry Sheene. Roberta complated the event In 1&:56.93 at an average speed of mph d. .pIte pouring rein which forced the competitors to make unscheduled tire cheng. . mld-nK:e and ceused a coIossel scoring heedeche. In the one-hour protest period following the race, no feWer then six riders cIelrnecl the victory that WIIS eventually 8W8rded to Roberts. WIth one race remeIning. Roberta . . . . Sheene In the Wortd Chemplonshlp point stendings. 100 to 92. King Kenny must piece fourth 01' better In the final round (should Sheena wint to take the tide. KewesekI's Kork Bellington won the 360cc race. 87.. Papa's copy of the July 7 Federal Register containing the BLM's proposed regulations for off· road vehicles finally arrived, just a few days before the Aug. 1 public meeting in Sacramento - tOO late to print anything that you could read befoTe attending the meeting. Somehow it took the letter, dated July 14, something like 13 days to get from Sact'o to Long Beach. Strange. After reading some of the regs, perhaps it's not so difficult to figure out why. 2 Among the proposed regs was this: "No person, except one who Is certified by an ag.ncy of State governm.nt as competent to drive an off-road vehicle as a result of successfuHy completing a Statesponsored or endorsed operator's training program. may operate an off-road v.hicle on public lands without a valid Stat. operator's license or learner's permit unless under the direct supervision of an Individual 18 years of age 01' older who has a velid operator's Hcense and who Is responslbl. for the acts of that person, .xcept In areas of Alaska ... ate." Also listed in the propsed ORV regs was this gem:' "No person shall operate an off-road vehicle on public lands (1) In a reckless, careless or negligent manner; (2) In excess of established . speed limits ... etc." Speed limits? It got worse after that, dealing with land-use permits, designation of trails and areas by an "authorized officer" (who, according to the proposed regs has a lot of horsepower), and equipment required on ORVs, including complete lighting systems. Contact the State Director, BLM, 2-800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 93823 for a copy of the proposed regs, then write down your comments and send them to Director (210), Bureau of land Management, 1800 CSt. NW, Washington, DC 20246. Your congressman should also receive a copy of your comments letter. (See the Rob Rasor interview on p. 16) Severel major motorcycle lntereats . . Involvec:l in the 20th Annu" CoonIDIrt DIggers' Grand Prix In September at Racing World. Kawasaki Is giving the "Pion.. Trophy" . . well es supplying team riders. Yamaha Is also supplying prlzes and rec:en. Preston Petty, Hi-PoInt. Robert Bosch, Scott USA. Electro Helmets and Works Performance heve doIlated c:ontIngency prizes for the sportsman races. On three consecutive weekends, beginning witll the Aug. 19-20 Racing World event, Bridlle5tone TIres will present the $20,000 Yamaha AMA Pro-Am Summer Series. The program continues at Saddleback on Aug. 2627, then wraps up at Carlsbad on Sept. 2-3. It's the fiTSt of the new AMA Amateur/Progressive Professional program events in SoCal; more info at Tri-Cross, Inc. 213/864-3214. AMA's AmerIcu IIotoreJCIIst magazine editor Bill Amick. Leglslatlv. Analyst Gary Wlnn, and AMA Amateur AetivIties Manager Hugh fleming spearheaded a Utter futility Racing Team ....ult on the 24 Hours of Nelson Ledg.s endurance rece. ultimately finishing 18th overall fourth In the 2IiOcc class. They completed 1,. miles to earn $2.800 from AMA m.mber pledges which pushed the AMA Leglslativ. Supporter Program fund over the $30,000 mark. The Laguna Sea road racing course, in prepaTation for the Sept. 10 F730 World Championship Series round, is being completely repaved, according to the AMA's Bill Boyce. secram.nto County's Prairie City Off-Hlghway Vehicle Park WIIS c:IosecI Aug. 6 to faclitate bleating on the old rockat test stand within the perk. PCP will also be closed on Sept. ~10, Oct. 7-8 and Nov. 46 to complete the project. For further info on closure dates, contact the park at 91613614271. Rumor has it that Kawasaki has a 1286cc' in line, transverse· mounted six cylinder shaftdrive KZ 1500 in the works. When it may be introduced, nobody knows. Over 1.200 h1gtKanklng mlnlcycle racers from 4Z states will compete in the Mlnlc:ycle Grend National Championship reces August 10-13, In Ponca CIty, OK. This event will climax e 46-event mlnlcycle racing seri.s that has been sponsored throughout the country this year by Yamaha Motor Cotpoiation. USA. KIcking off the weekend activities will be an Aug. 10 National Chempionshlp perede led by Broc Glover, the AMA 121icc National Motocross ChMIpIon who came up through the racing ranks of the NMA. and J.ff Ward, reigning NMA National Champion. The Champion of each class will receive the Yamaha Gold Cup award and win.., .,. In five selected claes.. wII rec:etn brand new Yamahe Yl80E motorcycles. . Working through Ohio Senator John Glenn, a member of the U.S. Senate Government Affairs Committee, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has mounted an effon to kill or amend a Senate Bill that proposes severe restrictions on grass roo~ lobbying. S-2971 , sponsored by Abraham Ribic:,off of Connecticut, has drawn fire from a diverse range of citizen's groups, including the AMA and the Sierra Club. S-2971, AMA Government Relations Director Ed Youngblood says, could absolutely cripple AMA's government relations, depanment and countless other responsible citizen's organizations. It is a violation of the freedom to petition Congress, and a government 'Catch 22' which would penalize organizations who want to contribute to better government. It apparently ignores the fact that the President himself has recently called for greater citizen involvement in federal regulatory process. " A mlstak. In last week's Calender section had the Aug. 12-13 Oasis Raceway event listed .. a 100% Pro payback race. It isn't. Instead it's a minimum $2000 purse rece, with Sportsman going on both Saturday and Sunday while Pros rid. Sunday only. The phone number WIIS also Incorrect; the right one Is 70719M4175. Subaru has just signed as the major sponsor of the Sept. 17 second annual International Motorcycle Olympiad, hencefonh to be called the Subaru International Motorcycle Olympiad II. In addition to doing advenising and promotional WOI"lr. for the event, Subaru will also donate a Subaru Brat to be awarded to the overall winner at the Saddlebaclr. Park event. Harley-Davidson has won. The U.S. Treasury has ruled that Honda, Yamaha and Kawasaki were seilIng ("dumping") their bikes at unreasonably low prices. The result? ........ motorcycle prices will rise clue to tariffs impoucl by the Treasury. Jerry McNeal President of California Racing Club haa announced the 3th Annual Roadrunner Enduro. It will be held Sept. 10 in California City. The course will consist of 5·50 mile loops with enough varied terrain to challenge everyone. Minibike riden, B Women and C riden under 16 yeaTS old will go one loop. All C riden -and A Women will go two loops. The A and B riders will go the full 90 miles. For more info, Contact CRC headquaners at 714/689-6114. Don't ml.. the Yoshimura Speed Center's Grand Opening Party. All va gotta do Is show up at 1958 Placentia in Coste M.... CA on Saturday, Aug. 12 and help Mike Velasco and crew celebrate with a couple kegs of beer. Dialing 7141642-7094 will fill in any mining details. Speedway promoter Harry pxJey and four· time speedway World Champion Barry Briggs are planning to enter the Nov. 9-12 Baja 1000. They'll ride a Yamaha, either a YZ400 if Oxley ~ts his way or a TT300 if Briggs gets his. They plan to spend three weeks prior to the event living in Mexico, riding up to 300 miles a day and eating Mexican food in preparation for the event. •