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/126330
~- ,- z (Clockwise from top left) Gregg Hansford leads Mike Baldwin (186), Steve Baker (J2) andJimmy Morales (48) at Laguna '77; Gene Romero battles with Phil McDonald;Johnny Cecotto enters Laguna '78 with the F7'O points lead; and in '76, winner Baker (J2) starts on the pole with Yvon DuHamel (17), Gary Nixon (9) and Kenny Roberts next to him. (Opp. page)Johnny Cecotto walked away from a fiery crash at Assen, Holland, in 1976. second number one plate in a row , No one could handle him and perhaps to drive the point home. The Grand National Champ sent his mighty TZ700 across the line at the finish riding the rear wheel! Roberts won again in 1975 ending a dry spell in the winner's circle on top position which had lasted since his Camel Pro Series win in Dallas, TX in April. This year Ken did not lead the event from stan to finish and was helped to the win by Yvon DuHamel. Duf-larnel led the opening laps of the race; Roberts moved by on the sixth lap then slowed 10 laps later with adhesion problems with the new compound tire. DuHamel seemed to have the race well in hand till he crashed at the famous "corkscrew" COTner for the third year in a rowl This time however the crash was caused by a mechanical failure. Roberts zipped back into the lead while at the same time Gene Romero passed Steve Baker for second. A lap later Romero dropped out with a seized engine. Roberts and Baker maintained the top spots till John Boote (Yam) from Australia ended his race- long charge through the pack from his next-to-last starting position on the grid by passing Baker for second on the last lap . 22 Roberts 'a lso won the Lightweight race the day prior and one high-light of the weekend was the performance of future National Champ Jay Springsteen, who was a rookie Expert dirt tracker but a Novice road racer. Springsteen took third in the Novice final on a Harley in his second-ever pavement race. The 1975 race was exciting enough that no one really missed the antics of the evil handling TZ700 which had been replaced by a smoother TZ750 . The 1975 race was unsponsored and titled the Monterey Superbike National since Kawasaki , now phasing out of road racing, decided to move on to other promotions. In 1976 the Laguna Seca race became the Champion Spark Plug Motorcycle Classics. Champion Plugs were happy enough with the event to keep sponsoring in 1977 and again this year. There was a small but very significant change in the title and format of the race in 1976. The race was not only an AMA National but also an FIM ยท sanctioned Formula 750 event. The winner was Steve Baker, who notched his second straight "double" victory in AMA road racing competition by taking both the 750cc and 250cc Lightweight races. The big race format also changed in that two 100km segments (or heats) were run. instead of the heat race. semi , final format of years past. Roberts finished second in both the Lightweight and F750 races behind Baker. The late Randy Cleek took third overall and Gary Scott. as defending National Champion. finished fourth overall. Gary Nixon finished second in the first heat but crashed and . was unable to continue in the second. It is also notable that Yvon DuHamel kept it all together finally and 'tu rn ed in the best finish on a Kawasaki, seventh overall. The years of the many brands in American "big bike" road racing were at an end - for the rime being at least - Yamaha has done their homework too well and untii something changes in the rules or another manufacturer decides they want to outdo Yamaha. we will be watching really good racing, but by just the riders and not the brands. In 1977 Laguna Seca became a World F750 Class road racing round only, with no American Camel Pro Series points. Its status remains the same in 1978. Rising road racing star Skip Aksland (Yam) won the 1977 race over defending Laguna champ and now holder of the F750 world crown, Steve Baker. Roberts did not compete as he was commited to riding a National race on the same day. Gregg Hansford of Australia finished third overall at the end of the two legs. while Gene Romero and Dave Aldana rounded out the top five. There is no doubt in anyone's mind that Roberts will be the man to beat this year as he aims for his second world title in the same year. a feat accomplished by only a fcw riders in history. Notables on that illustrious list include Mike Hallwood. Giacomo Agostini. Angel Nieto. Walter Villa . Geoff Duke . John Surtees, Brian Redman. Phil Read , Kent Anderson . and Carlos Ubaldi. Many, if not most of the spectators at Laguna this coming weekend, will be pulling for Roberts to win and add precious points to his total so that he may be the first American to accomplish this feat . Whether or not he succeeds in his excellent attempt. onc fact is sure -e American road racers have come a long way in the past ten years.