Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

and that race will feature a $&00 Pro purse. The AMA has taken an active role in amending a bill. S-2972. sponsored by Sen. Abrham Ribicoff (D-Conn) that would place severe restrictions on the government relations activities .of voluntary membership organizations. AMA Government Relations Director Ed Youngblood says the Association's nationwide effort has been successful in calling the attention of Congress to questionable aspects of the bill, and that it has become sufficiently con troversial that it will probably not be reported out of committee. Contary to the entry forms issued for the AMA Amateur Road Race National Championships on Sept. 50· Oct. 1 at Ohio's Nelson Lodges Raceway. post entries will be accepted. Registration will open at the track at 7 p.m.. Sept. 29 and remain open all night. Cal Rayborn, Jr. has been competing at TT races held at the Chula Vista, CA Speedway 117 track. and on Sept. 1, scored a second overall in the 250cc class. Glad to see a great racing name carryon. Rick "Super Hunky" Siernan called Papa to announce that he will re o occupy the editor's chair at Dirt Bike magazine. Six-time MX World Champ Joel Robert helped out at the Trophee des Nations race. Report on p. 20. The 42nd Bol d 'Or 24-Hour road race was run over the Sept. 16-17 weekend at the Paul Ricard circuit in southern France. As expected, Honda dominated th e race . taking the first three finishing positions and eight out of th e top 10 spots. Endurance aces Christian Leon and jean-Claude Chernarin won the event aboard a Team France Honda with another Team France Honda taking second and the British team of Stan Woods and Charlie Williams taking third. Americans Dave Erode and Harry Klinzmann teamed up aboard a Honda ' and finished ninth while Americans Wes Cooley and Ron Pierce dropped out of the race with mechanical problems halting their Team Yoshimura (Suzuki GSI 000 ) effort. 2 Mike Baldwin (Yam I ran away with both legs of the Canadian round of the Formula 750 World Championship road race series at Mosport on Sept. 17 . Kenny Roberts (Yaml finished 2-2 for second overall ahead of Yvon DuHamel (Kawl. Skip Aksland (Yaml finished fourth, a spot ahead of Johnny Cecotto (Yaml, who clinched the F750 title. The event was marred by an accident that t ook the life of Avrum Gudelsky of Vi rginia and put Steve Baker in the hospital w ith a broken left leg. Complete coverage next week. The two-dlly women's GP/motocross event at Carlsbad on Oct. 2829 will now be known as the Kawasaki Women's Motocross Nationals sponsored by Russ Darnell MX Schools, after the MX· educator put up a .1,000 purse. There's an interesting newsletter covering nothing but the events on the AMA Camel Pro Series. Called "Fred on Everything," it's three or so pages of forecasts . reminiscences . assorted notes and brief race reports. Author Fred King doesn't intend to compete with Cycle News - in fact he recommends us. Six bucks will get you at least 12 issues with possibly more during the busy seasons. Defintely for the flat track fan who can't get enough. Write to Fred King at P.O . Box 6. Forest Knolls , CA 94955. Mike Doyle has taken over sole proprietorship of Professional Sports Promotion, lne., which may be more popularly known as Ventura Speedway. They'll be wrapping up their season Tuesday night. Sept. 26 with the track championship featuring the top 16 riders over the season at Ventura. For all the south T exas motocross fans who have anxiously awaited the grand opening of Harlingen's Rio Grande Motocross Park. Oct. I will be a big day . Call 5121423 ·5156 if you desire/ crave more info. Taking an idea from the National level. Gresham Toyota in Gresham, OR, is sponsoring the local Pros by .putting up money for what will be called the Gresham Toyota Pro Series. There will be six races in the series, all held at Woodland Winter ~ark. The opener is Oct. 14 The New York City Council is currently considering legislation that could ban the nighttime use of motorcycles on designated streets within the city. AMA's Ed Youngblood says, "There's been a significant letter writing response by motorcyclists across the nation, and our mail indicates that the New York City Council is getting comments amounting to 20% from NYC residents and 80% from out of the state: Keep up the good work. folks. Included in Suzuki's 1979 model lineup will be an 850cc shaft drive road machine, an enlarged 425cc version of the GS400. and some major revamping of the RM motocrossers. The RM 250/570 machines will have 12 inches of rear wheel travel with II" up front and. we hear, a weight of 211 Ibs. The RMI25 suspension travel figures are 11/11. DG Performance Specialties will be putting on a "Day After the Night Before" Pro/Mechanlc minlcycle race (glad It's not a hangover) at Saddleback Park in Orange, CA. on Nov. 12. the day after the AMAlToyota Supercross SerIes winds up at Anaheim St8dIum. Look for riders like Bob Hannah. Marty Tripes, Mike Bell, Marty Smith, Danny LaPorte, Jimmy Weinert,. Gaylon Mosier, etc. Along with these riders will be their mechanics to show them just how it's done. For more Information, contact Saddleback Park at 7141639·6832 or DG Performance Specialties at 7141630-5471. Team Suzuki's Brian Myerscough and Maico-mounted former privateer Darrell Shultz have been named the recipients of the $500 Nikon Rookie of the Year awards for their performance in the 125 and 500cc AMA /Mr . PiBB National MX Championship Series. respectively . Myerscough was a consistent finisher and his threestraight runner- up finishes in the final Nationals of the year boosted him to third in the final standings. Shultz had several strong finishes. including a second overall in North Carolina _to wind up seventh in the points. Myerscough and Shultz joined Maicoriding privateer Dennis Brand. who was named Rookie of the Year in the 250cc class earlier this year . :The month of October will feature the NMAlSuzukl Fall Nationals, a five-race series with .15,000 in awards and prizes, Including five Suzukis to be awarded in a drawing. The series oPens Oct. 1 at Barona Oaks near San Diego, then continues on in successive weekends to Saddleback Park, Racing World, Sunrise Vally Cycle Park (Adelanto, CAl and the series finale at Indian Dunes on Oct. 29. For all the gory details, contact the NMA at 213f3111fl-1m, or 21~12. Ten motorcyclists around the country hit the jackpot when they were named top prize winners in U.S . Suzuki's "1000" Sweepstakes. The grand prize winner is Steve Hershfield of Cornwall Heights, PA . and he gets the GSlOOO. The runner-up, James Dahlgren of Merced. CA. receives a GS750. The following people took third place honors and will receive a GS550 : Reed G. Olson. Simi Valley, CA; John R. Bucka, Chester. VA; and Ronald Cleveland, Horseheads, NY. Other top winners include John F. Nehring. Toledo, OH; Danny R . Lankford. Emmett. ID ; Mark Pollard. Atlanta. GA; Joseph L . Wayand, Ashtabula. OH ; and Marelene Thielman , Castroville. CA . Louis Fornier of Hawthorne, CA. is trying to set up a rider exchange . program. Fornler'. idea Is to set up a method of communication where a rider, in say Canada, could come to southern California or FlorIda during the winter to stay in shape and in turn, the host would be 'able to spend .some time racing motocross or whatever in Canac18 during the summer months. Fornler will conduct negotiations between both pertles and after a program has been successfully set up, he wlll charge a $26 fee. Contact him at P.O. Box 47, Hawthorne, CA 90260, 213/9731330, after 6 p.m. The Motorcycle Industry Council has recently published the "1978 Motorcycle Statistical Annual." the second edition of the new reference booklet which covers many aspects of the motorcycle industry in the United States. It may be ordered at a COlt of $5 per copy from the Motorcycle Industry Council. Research 0\ Statistics Department. 4100 Birch Street, Suite 101. Newport Beach. CA 92660,714/752-7855. A world final speedway race In the U.S.? That's what promoter twry Oxley is talking about. He's hoping that Scott Autrey's good showing in the September 2 world final at Wembly, England, will help rejuvenate interest In the States to the point where he could stage an event In a super-arena like the LA. Coliseum, or the Rose Bowi. Oxley also hopes to entice top Yankee riders to stay on this side of the ocean in the tuture to help keep Iocellm.rest up. In a move to make Winston cigarettes the number one motorsports brand in the country. R .J. Reynolds Tobacco Company has announced that in 1979 Winston will assume sponsorship of the professional motorsports series formerly sponsored by Camel Filters. The Camel Pro Series will become the Winston Pro Saries In 1979. There will be no raductlon in the amount of point fund money or the amount of support that the SerIes recieves from R. J. Reynolds. "In no way is the company disappointed with the performance of Camel Filters as a special events sponsor." said Ralph Seagraves, Reynolds Tobacco's manager of special events. "In fact , the simple phrase 'Camel Pro' has come to signify the best in pro· fessional motorcycle racing. We feel, that success can only be multiplied." continued Seagraves. "when Winston becomes the company's single brand sponsorfor professional motorsports." Remember that 500cc trail thumper that's been In the work. for so long at Honda? Well, we hear that a street version Is also in the (Continued to page 23)

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