Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

(Advertisement) ~a n the computer-designed 'A naheim course be beaten? '(T1£J Hannah, Tripes, Bell, Ellis and 76 other top pros battle it out in the Motocross Finals against each other, the odds and a revolutionary scientifically-designed torture track. U 2 Stadium Supercross tracks are unquesnably the mos t demanding courses that I tht AMA's top professional riders have to lco ntend with. According to many of the top riders, if you can do well on a stadium coarse, you can ride fast anywhere. One rider put it perfectly when he said: "Stad iu m tracks have become unbelievably b,cSome, We used to think that the natural terrain courses were hard. Then ~~ stadium tracks started riling. These promoters can take a nat field and tum it in 0 an incredible obstacle course, unmatched by anything found on natural oor terrain. If you're not in perfect shape one lap around a stadium track resldts in burning lungs, fatigued arms, wasted thigh muscles and a general thought of : How am I goin~ to make it around this monster all mght without dropping from fatigue? If you're not in perfect shape you can still slide by on natural terrain. depending on your bike to pull through. In a stadium race, the guys ho know how to ride, the guys in good -shape, and the ones who can conquer the .man ·m ade terrain successfully are going to Ii<' iIle winners." OJ The Coca ·Cola Bottler's Motocross ~nals at the Anaheim Stadium is a prime example of just how tough a stadium track can.get. This diabolical track design is the result of a scientific process developed by stadium Motorsports, the originators of stadium racing. Utilizing video tape replay ' ma chinery , track-side still photography. rider input and suggestions from factory ' t eam managers, the toughest and most demanding courses are constructed. The result is lots of work for the riders . good . specta ting for fans and an unquestionable l ~ening winner. To take the checkered nag I Anaheim a rider must be in perfect condition. The course demands it . o The stakes are high. Racing teams spend millions of dollars each year for works machinery and riding talent , Winning means everything - it's the ultimate goal. I\ccording to one factory spokesman: "The Supercross Series is vitally important to our company. W~ want to win , we need to win . With people like Stadium Motorsports dr;signing tracks, the sport has become extremely scientific. There is so much at ..stake here that many of the factories rent 'out' the track before the race for a full datagathering session. We bring our riders, mechanics, factory reps and others related to our racing efforts out to a track. We check frame geometry, suspension qualities, fiddle with different powerbands, tire tread patterns, gearing, c~rb jetting and even handlebar width to improve our lap times. ~ " And the Anaheim event is vitally ,im port a nt to everyone, not only in the final event , but in the Shotgun Showdown. With four riders on two different brands. you can't hide any shortcomings in machinery. We've got to be prepared, even to the extent of analyzing the soil! the content. -the consistency, the COntours. discussing a multitude of riding lines, anything and Jeveryt hing that can give us a second a lap advantage. With all the bu cks we've got invested in supercross racing, it would be foolish not to give it a IOO.perrent effort ." 'I n the final event the best riders on the best possible bikes are going all -out for 20 laps, With millions invested in them. you can' bet that the factory backed racers J w'!n't be slouching. On the incredibly tough Anaheim course. it would be immediately evident if a rider didn't give his all . 4 he n there is the Shotgun Showdown. T I Four lid ers, Bob Hannah, Marty Tripes, MiKe Bell and Jim Ellis have all won a ' Supercross events in the 1978 season . After . the' final, the track will be cleared. It will already be in brutal shape from the even ing's racing . It was tough before practice, Now it's seriously nasty. 'These four riders, and one more if one of the group doesn't win Anaheim. will engage in their own personal battle. For six laps the four previous winners will decide once and Itr for all who the best, fastest and most successful racer in Supercross history really is, Six la ps, four riders, and S~OOO up for grabs . Each of the four riders is ready to take home the money that Quaker State Oil put up for the Shotgun Showdown. It's also Important to each rider to win , because there are no excuses . no "if only . .. ." just wide-open, man-against-man battling for six screaming laps. The Coca-Cola Motocross Finals. as the name implies. is the last race of the season , Each of these riders wants to go out in style , yet only one will emerge victorious , On November II th the question of "Who is the fastest Supercross racer alive?" will be graphically answered. One of the multl-Hned computer designed Stadium com..... ...Who Will "The Mountain" Claim1... HONDA IN'N'OUT BURGER . --- SCOTT GOODj."iEAR ~ ~ ~" ~. ~OTOCI!OSS .. fiNALS ANAn[l~ C:~ ST AOIU~ SATURDAY NI(jnT NO~ 11 ~~ ...~ Q ~i~

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