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/126396
- • • preview • erres the road to #1 the wire, just like last year." - Three-time Grand National Champion Jay Springsteen thorough - he built a bike with two complete ign itions, and to switch from one to the other takes only a flick of a handlebar -mounted switch . The possibility of a DNF due to ignition failure is practically nil. Possibly the only problem with the Harley factory bikes was that they were . down on power on the mile tracks compared to machinery prepped by Mert Lawwill , Carl Patrick and Doug Sehl. Certainly Harley can do the necessary speed work , but as' of this writing, it hasn't been a high priority item . But then. the first mile race is two months awa y. Springer's six-win tall y of '78 was broken down into one TT win. one mile win and four half mile victories. plus two second-place fin ishes on the short tracks. He can win on any type of • track. The final ace in Jay's hand is probably the most important. His brilliant ride at Ascot , where he rode the razor's edge between success and disaster for 20 laps to win is an outstanding example of his ability to pull whatever talent and desire he needs from with in himself and put it to work on the track . Jay says that '79 is "going to be tougher than last year ." Considering past performances, that means that Springer is going to be better than last year. ;,-- W ho can take #1 awa y? ~. Again, the two leading candidates to deny Springer his fourth title are Skip Aksland and Steve Eklund. Eklund, backed by Stanford mathematician Mario Zanotti , won six Nationals last year and ended up just five points and 20 feet short after 27 races. His program is basically the same as last year with a Yamaha short tracker , TT500 and 750cc twin Yamahas for the TTs, and HarleyDavidsons for the miles an d half miles . The only change is that tuner Tom Hasler, off to study engineering, will only handle the short tracker and possibly the TZ750 road racer. Harry Lillie , who tuned the only Yamaha to make a mile National last year (ridden by Don Bailey), will tune Eklund's TT500 Yamaha for the Houston TT, but a mechanic for the remainder of the season has not been found . Jim Belland will continue to build XR750 Harley engines in San Francisco and the engines will be air freighted to the races in the eastern half of the U.S. Eklund , who has a base of operations in Illinois to make things easier when he is back east . is probably the best short track and TT rider currently on the circuit. Nine of his 11 career National wins have come on the short track and TT circuits. Of course, Steve is no slouch on miles and half miles either. He rides in a very precise manner, picking his lines and making them..work ,for. him. He is capable of turning in point-scoring rides on the Jay Springsteen: at his best under pressure . 9