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/126345
California. It's rumored that the children, who regard the King with mingled fear, respeet and admiration, simply refer to the royal perents as mom and dad. Dennis McKay is the new Team Honda racing manager. Terry Mulligan , formerly in charge of the racing effort , has been named National Service Manager for the Power Products division, Honda's outboard motor, electrical generator, etc. department. The motocross team for '79 has been final ized . They're keeping Marty Smith, Marty Tripes, Jimmy Ellis, Steve Wise and Warren Reid; new to team red is Gary Semics . The Dec. 3 California Racing Club de.ert race near California City was won by Bob Balentlna IKTMI, but marred by the death of Larry Spaeth, 20, of Monrovia. Spaeth wa. apparantly killed instantly In a high-.peed cr..h shortly after the .tart. It was the first racer fatality in CRC history. Our profound sorrow goes to the Spaeth family. _ Colorado State BLM Director Dale Andrus has officially opened the initial wilderness inventory of Colorado's 8.5 million acres of public lands. "While there is no statewide public involve ment in this initial phase of determining roadless areas of 5,000 acres or more, people are encouraged to contact the District Managers if they have information that would be beneficial in identifying the wilderness inventory units," Andrus stated in a letter mailed to some 1,000 interested parties. Colorado BLM District offices are located at Canon City, Craig, Montrose and Grand Junction. A Wilderness Inventory Handbook is available from BLM , Wilderness, Room · 700, Colorado State Bank Building, 1600 Broadway, Denver, CO 80202 or by phoning 303/837· 4481. Let's let them know how we feel about it . Ever ccnslder going to one of tho.e European motocro•• training camp.7 Several Champion International Training Camp. are available, all coached by Roland Arrehn and various motocro•• riders. The ninth international camp in Alfta, Sweden will be held Jan. 21-27 and will include cross country skiing, circuit training, .nowmoblle riding. swimming. sauna and extremely hard exercisa. de.igned for motocrossars. Six camps will be held in Belgium on Feb. 4-10, Feb. 11-17, Feb. 25-Mar. 3, Mar. 4-10, Mar. 18-24 and Mar. 25-31. A••i.ting Arrehn will be Bjorn Gustafsson; Sylvain Geboers will help coech the Belgian camps, :Applications and info available from Arrehn at Faktorigatan 32 A. 5-661 00 Hu.kvarna, Sweden. Cia.... are 6mited to 30, so if yOu're Intetested. movefa.tl San Diego's Laurie Williams, a Bank of America clerk, won Redbook Magazine's Be Beautiful contest for her clarity, originality and aptness of thought in describing in 25 words or less (here it comes -the motorcycling part) why she wanted to win the prize. a Honda Express. .2 The move to slow down 750cc Junior class dirt track machine. i. all but finalized. It appears now that the ·move will be to 28mm carburetors rather than restrictor plate.. The use of a uniform carburetor .Ize rather than restrlctor plate. I. ba.ed on economics and availability of perts. "1979 wl1l be a te.t year:' accord· Ing to AMA professional racing comml••ioner Mike DIPrete. "Although the usa of a restrictor plate would probably .erve u. bettar, the change In carburetlon should provide similar re.ults and is easier to lnspeet," Thinking on the ban of thesoft rubber Goodyear DT·II on all but mile events has also changed. "Trying to police who was using a soft compound and who wasn't could become a headache, " said DiPrete, "so we will limit rim width to 3.5 inches and allow all types of tire compounds to be run . Next year the rim width will drop again. Our aim is to limit the amount of rubber a tire puts on the track thereby, hopefully, improving the racing." Would you like to see Suzuki's 600cc square four race at Daytona7 It's a di.tinct possibility. Only approval of the AMA board of directors is necessary, and that Is almoat certain. The proposal before the board Is to drop the homologation rule in the 250cc and 750cc c....es 125units available for sale in the U.S.I which would allow 500cc bikes to run again.t restricted 750cc class mounts. This would open the door to Suzuki to run their 500cc bike or their punched out 651cc version. It would also allow Kawasaki to bring In a one-off version of their 750cc bike - po.sibly a four cylinder - for Mike Baldwin. The rule would apply to all AMA . National roed race. in the coming year. The claiming rule has been dropped for Daytona. To gas or not to gas , that is the question facing the entrants in the Mar. 9 100 mile Superbike Production road race in Daytona Cycle Week. . You can bet" that more than a few tuners are overworking their slide rules for calculations of mileage down to the' last drop . Welcome Kurtis, born November 17,1978, to the royal court of 600cc World Champion Road Recer, King Kenny Roberts.and hi. lovely wife, Pat. Baby Kurtis joins the royal family which include. brother Kenny Lee and .ister Kristy Lee, at the family eastle In northern Tommy Croft. formerly of Team Honda, has slgnad with Kawasaki; he and Gaylon Mosler will ride the 500cc AMA/Mr. PIBB National Champlon.hip MX Series. Jimmy Weinert will centest the 250cc class for Kawasaki, perhaps along with II"Uckey Boone if the "Carolina Hillbilly" and Kawasaki can come to terms In contract negotiation•. Team green is still looking around for a 125cc class rider or three, depending on how far the budget .tretche.. Jim Pomeroy Is talking with them about .ome kind of ride, but nothing'. been sattled. Corrections Dept: Concepts Unlimited , Penny Nicholai and Melissa McLaughlin's PR firm that came up with the S&W Super Contest that's running in Cycle News, phoned Papa the other day to correct an error in their ad concerning the Pittsburgh, PA Supercross date. The ad had it listed as June 15-16; the correct date is July 6-7 . Melissa mumbled something about "too much ouzo . .. " If you've been tearing your hair and burning out brain cell. trying to come up to an an.wer for question 15 in the S&W Super Conte.t, relax. Relief i. just a Latest Poop item away. The Concept. Unlimited ladies have released the correct an.wer: 238cc. Presently leading the Cycle NewslWest Rider of the Year Contest is none other than that feathered BLM hassler The Phantom Duck of the Desert. Other top contenders are 500cc Road Race World Champ Kenny Roberts, AMA Athlete of the Year Bob Hannah and privateer Camel Pro Series near-winner, National Number 1I. Steve Eklund. Winning the American Motocro.s Enterprise. 125, 250 or 600cc Pro MX class championship next saeson will be worth more than a 11 plate. The top rider In each category will also pick up a 1980 Yamaha yz model IG modem for his .ea.on victory. Member.hlp info available at 2131881-5778. Dates have been finalized for the 1979 Continental Moto-sport Club's $24,000 Suzuki Golden State Series. The whole thing kicks off at Saddleback Park on Jan. 6-7 . then on following weekends goes to Dunlap Cycle Park, Indian Dunes, Carlsbad Raceway, Prairie City OHV Park, Clovis Lakes and Huron Cycle Park. The series also boasts $8,000 worth of awards for Junior and Intermediate series winners. More info at CMC , 714/557·3523. New owners at EI.inore Raceway are offering overnight camping along with their Dec. 9 motocross debut. They al.o offer a newly prepared scramble• . course for Saturday night racing, Wednesday night Speedway practice, racing and practice on Sunday plus miles of trails to play on. Far out. Last week Papa told you that California Racing Club had cancelled an enduro tha t it had tentatively scheduled for Jan . 14. This week CRC told Papa that it's back on again . So mark it in your calendar a nd stay tuned for further details. Seventy-seven motorcycle team. drew for their .tart po.ition. for the Feb. 10-12 SCORE Parker 400 on Dec. 2. Phil Bird will be the first rider out. carrying 1640. Right behind him though, are Jeck Johnson 16421 and Bob Balentina 16431. SCORE also announced a new motorcycle class, as yet unnamed, which will be similar to the present Class 38, but for riders between the ages of !lO·37. Class 38 has no motorcycle displacement limits; neither will this one, It looks like there will be a separate drawing for this class on Jan. 26. In the meantime. if you're interested or want more information, contact 'SCO RE at 213 /999-2250. Give 'em a call if you have any ideas about what the class should be labeled. DeHrt racing atar Mitch PRytor-.. Injured In a crash about a year ago, has purchased his own HU8qV8rM shop. It'. the old Anaheim Sportcycle Shop, Ioceted at 2810 E. Uncoln, Anaheim, CA. 71418308622. Mitch and his family took over the bual".., to be named AnaheIm Hu..".".. on Nov. 27. Mitch, who broke hi. beck in a crash. has regained feeling In both leg. down to his toe., while muscle control Is being regained at . a aIowar rate, but Mitch'. famHy I. optimistic. AI Eames, AMA Amateur competition manager for non-speed events , has resigned his position with the AMA effective Jan. I , 1979. Eames. known to many as "Mr. ISDT" for his work on behalf of the American effort since 1973, will return to Dalton, MA ana his former employer Crane and Company who manufacture paper stock that all U.S. currency is printed on . Pape noticed long ago that the CBS Morning News doe.n't pass an opportunity to .how motorcyclists in a que.tionable light. On Dec. 1 CBS expo.ed the Japenesa Hell'. Angel•. Their method of wreaking terror7 They gather in large groups and break the .peed limit. Hmmm. If you're a Yamaha 650cc bike owner. contrary to popular belief, you're not alone. For only $6.50, you can receive 10 issues of Yam4ha 6'0 News and membership in the Yamaha 650 Society. Write the society at Box I, Princeville. IL 61559 and join the crowd. Road racer Mike Baldwin will recelve full aupport from Kawasaki for the 1979 W1namn Pro SerIaa events, where he will race in the 260,75Occ and Suparblke Produc· tion cia..... Baldwin, contacted at hi. Darien, Connecticut home, noted that he wa. very happy to leave behind the years of meager earning. for a factory contract. "I feel very good about the deal that I worked out with Kawaaaki and the fact that they are retl#nlng to road racing with a factory program for the first time .Ince 1974. I'm proud to be a part of It. Although the .mall detail. .tlll have to be worked out." continued Baldwin.