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/126401
U.S. ra cing bo des well for the fu ture. All of their peo ple are getting tongue cramps denying rumors of their new 500cc racer , but with the with the suecess of their. twins in winning both 250cc and 350cc World Championships don't they have the right. nay the . obliga tion to be greedy? Wouldn't you be? Where is that 500? Don't make. us wait! The Yamaha squad may be supplemented by one or more Japanese riders, those frequently talented and always determined men who come here as part of testing and are then ordered back to Japan as soon as they show real drive. Wouldn't it be nice to see more of them get the full backing of their own factories? There is no shred of evidence that there will be factory entries from Suzuki or Honda even though both are stirring. Daytona gives factories that naked feeling. Honda, rumored ready to unlease nove l rotary valve fou r-stroke tec hnology on the 500 scene , m ust surely have the ir hands quite fu ll. If thei r eq uipment is a success in Europe th is yea r, we should see it here in 1980 when Daytona becomes a 500 ~ace . Who can wait? What will this strange mechan ical being sound like? Aside from the factory and nearfactory riders," there are many ex cellent privateers who can win this race - Dale Singleton sat on the front row here last year with every reason to feel confident. Then a blocked breather made it all into nonsense . If he can stand such black humor on the part of fate , he will be right back there again , ready to do it all right this time. Gene Ro m ero has won this race before , and his Vesco Yamaha is very fast and reliable . No time-server, Gene will race every mile. There is a host of foreign riders of more or less distinction . If they can live on hamburgers happily they may export their skills to our track. Pred ictions? We can't rely on surprises from Kawasaki to un leash the heavy talent they b ring to the grid in Baldwiri" an,1' Hansford , though it could I just' ha ppe n ,' Cecotto will be wt:lI·equipped and und er p ressu re . ' Can he ca rry the load the entire dis tance? If Aksland is very fas t and su re in p ractice this man will ha ve a lot to th ink about as he waits for the flag. Steve Bak er cou ld make the race , per haps with a wea k leg .. His Bob Work prepared factory Yamaha will be the right too l, but it may not be the rig ht time. This leaves Aks land on the Ken Roberts factory ride facing former winner Cecotto. My money is on Skip. IT DOESN'T JUST LOOK LIKE A WINNER. IT'S BUILT LIKE ONE. AND GOES LIKE ONE. AND STOPS LIKE ONE. AND TURNS LIKE ONE. AND STICKS LIKE ONE. AND WORKS LIKE ONE. IF YOU'D LIKE ONE " SEE YOUR NEAREST CARLISLE D6ALER. Carlisle TIre & Rubber Carl isle Tir e & Rubber Com pany DlvisIon of Carl isle Corporation P.O . 9lIICarlisle, PI. 17013 (717) 249-1000; Telex 84-2330 (Carli sle CLSL) Box Lightweight International The 250cc class will again be a real treat for the informed viewer. Out. wardly a rematch between 1978 winner Hansford on a Kawasaki and everyone else on a Ya maha , this race will get new life on both sides from the liberalized rules. Repo rt ed ly a secret Yamaha 250cc superrnotor has been brought to the U.S. by Ca rrut hers for Aksl a nd 's use . This _is said to contain special parts never before used in competition, althou gh they h ave existed for two years. Cou ld this be an applica tio n of the potent Powervalve device , developed for the successful YZR 500 ra ce r? This device would give the little Ya ma ha a great deal more punch dow n low, right whe re it needs it to co u nt er the accele ra tion o f t h e rot ary valv e Kaw asaki KR -250's. W at ch these two m ach ines as the accelerate out of tu rn two to find out who will be the d rag race kin g this year. Eac h Powerva lve exhaust port is equipped with a sort of eyelid which by opening and shutting, can control the flow resistance of the port. At low speeds , when a radically tall exha ust emnm Carlisle tires for street, track and trail. I Cycle News Want Ads do it -9- ~ FREE SAMPLEOF AMERICA 'S 'ONLY PUB LICATION DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY TO MOTORCYCLE ROADRACING REGIONAL. DIVISIONAL. NATI ONAL s INTERNATI ONAL NEWS The American Husqvarna ROADRflCIHG Sales, Service, Parts 250. 390 OR 125CR Now in Stock A few '78 OR's left at greatly reduced prices We heve one of the most complete lines of Husky parts and accessories in the country T&OYamaha 24020 Narbonne Ave . (Torra nce/ Re dondo area) Lomita , CA 90717 213-534-2311 Magazine SUBSCRIBE TODAY! P.O. BOX 513 Wayne, PA 19087 o Non·W ERA Members $12 .00 per year o WERA Membe rs '" $10 .00 per year (Free SU bscription for Competition members) o Fr•• Sample Copy Nam.' Addr••• City _ _ 5tal. Zi p - __ fIoft.' --. -.__._- - ._._ _._-"'----•••A'. Or......t Gr.,", • • Fl••' (Low Advertising rates ava ilable on request) 27