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
Experts needs improvement , but I also think the editors need to get credentials right before rewarding them to someone who they only think should be honored . . More recognition - it's only rea · sonable and of great importance that credit be awarded to the riders' sponsors. It 's difficult for a lower class rider to pick up a sponsor and it's hard for the sponsor to continue to help out the rider if he isn't recognized for helping promote the rider and racing. Sponsors are a big part of racing and they deserve recognition along with the well-deserved riders. I hope that recognition is given to all concerned in the fairness of racing. Hopefully there will be improvements. WBST . ~ America's No.1 Weekly Motorcycle Newspaper Sharon C layton. Puhl ishe-r T om C u lp . Ma rkr tin~ Oirc'nor SHARON MITCHELL Lubbock, TX Ca roline Gend rv . Sc·t' . to t he Publisher Marltie' Sour tu-rn . St"C W (he' M tk~ . Di r , Advertising Golden thoughts Thanks for the great coverage of the CMC/Suzuki Golden State Series Sportsman class races. It has literally been a thrill to not only be in the results but in the story as well . Your reponers are to be commended one and all , for being so informative and on top of the action. Jim Ryan , Sales Manager. Larry Little. Sales Manager. Skip Johnson. Sales Mana· ger, Chris KoIbct, Advertising Coordinator. Editorial Charle-s Murry. M an a ,.-;:inK Edi to r . O.. le Brow n . Ed ito r . Bob i 5('011. Ed itor . Graphics and Production Dav Paul i. Product ion ~1ana ~c· r. Ju dy Klin ~t· r . Produ ct inn Assisram . Ma rinn Hat aahir a . Karen Farha t. Ty pol( ra p hy . ZAPATA "ZAP:' ESPINOZA Hollywood , CA De-n nis G reen e. Lab or atory. Accounting M i ke Kli ng er , Hammond . j e a nne Receivable . Donna M a na ge-r , A HIS . B rv au , As st . t\ l·~ - l!'l . Re-ce-ivahh- . Ri ck G(~·ItM·h . Cn·tlil. Elli c·Cull c·.r. A !'l!'li!'ll a lH . Circulation Rheb a Smith . Manager . Barbara Taylor , Tammy Taylor, Assistants. Reader/Dealer Services Gi n Harper . W aDI Ad Sa les. Services and Support Pa r Ca rde na s . Pt"ltil . 5&5 . R e- ep ti o nis t . c Br u ce- West 2201 C hl'r ry Aw .. l.onK Be-a t-h . CA P .O . SO l( 498 . l.unK Be ach . C A 908 0 1 (21 5 )4 27 ·74 B : t.. A o l. hU'fi~fi ·8 8 44 0 East 41 90 Fin'l An' " "l'u ck e r , GA . P .O . Bo x 805 . "lu ek e-r . (;A j()()A4 . 1404) 9~ 4 · 785() . Cycle News /West (USPS 141·540) is published weekly except the firs t and last week of the cal endar yea r for $1 5 per year by Cycle News . In c . . 2201 Cherry Avenue. Long Beach. CA 90801. Second class postage paid at Long Beach , CA . POSTMASTER : Send form 3S79 to Cycle News, P.O. Box 498, Long Beech, CA 90801. • • Subscriplion rat es: One ~ a r. second class ma il, S15 ; two years , seco nd cla ss mail , $27; th ree year s, seco nd cla ss mail. $57 .50 . C ycl e News welcom es un solici t ed edit o ri al m a terial in cl u ding sto r ies . ca rtoons , ph ot os . et c. Su ch ma terial , if pub li sh ed , beco mes t he excl usive prop ert y of Cycle News. Suc h accepted m at eri al is su bject to revision as is necessa ry in the sole d iscr etion of Cycle News. Unsolicited material whic h is not used will be re turne d if accom pa nied by • a self-addressed sta m ped envelope . All unsoli cited m a teri al will be handled with reason abl e ca re. howeve r , Cycle News assu mes no responsibili ty for the sa fety , 10s5 or d a m a ge t tl suc h- m a ter ia l, Reprinting in whole or par t on ly by perm ission of the publisher s. Ad vert ising ra tes a nd ci rcu lation in form a tion will be sent upon request. S~ S.R.D.S. Copyright ~ Cycle News, Inc. 1979. Trademerk Cycle News registered U.S . Petent Office. All rIghts res.rved. 4 ON THE FRONT PAGE: Has Darth Vader traded his dark robes for road racing Ieathers7 Or is Steve Mclaughlin trying to become the Ferce at Daytona7 The answers to these questions and more inside, shadow on Roeseler's honesty. There is definitely another op inion in this case for whatever it is worth. Anyone can blow it and you did . No hard feelings ; we all love the sport or we wouldn't be supporting it with such enthusiasm. Thanks from the Rockwoods To all the people in motorcycling who took time out in so many different ways to express their thoughts about Tom Rockwood. His mother, father ana two brothers will never forget it . Thank you so much. LORETTA PIPKIN El Centro, CA ROXY ROCKWOOD Torrance, CA A differing opinion In response to Tom Burroughs' letter in the Feb. 21 issue of Cycle News, I too feel rules are made for Experts as well as Beginners, but must say something in defense of Larry Roeselerand Bob Balentine. My many years of experience in running checkpoints and timing for desert races, Baja events and other competition, I find that riders traveling at high speeds are concentrating on riding and course markers with signs or flags to stop them .a t designated places. Seeing people trying to stop them on the course without the benefit of these, the riders look for an accident or something blocking the' course. They have a split second to go around or drop it. . As you said , your flagman was caught off guard and failed to get the flag up for either rider. You were short of being run over further down the trail. Roeseler was ahead , if only a few feet , thus giving Balentine another second to realize what was going on . While Balentine was stopped, Roeseler glanced back. How many riders go past an acc ident seeing people there and another rider already stopping? A senseless acciden t could have occurred with people trying to . wave down riders improperly and for what ? A troph y, a few points and a couple lines of ink? A surprise check with no flag; -Roeseler probably didn't know what the deal was till after he finished. Both he and Balentine aTe 1'ros and more aware of the importance of a checkpoint than an unseasoned rider. (Note the big buck races- they have raced and won.) You had positive ID on both riders, you knew they were there. and ' on the course, Balentine suffered a time loss, frazzled nerves and perhaps the .win, but you cast a Aqua Fest request In an early August issue of Cycle N ews, last year, there was a repon of the Aqua Festival in Austin, Texas. It includes a road race through. the city of Austin. I am a local road racer and I ha ve family in Austin. Since I will be there this summer, could you please give me any information on the club who puts on this race? Anything would be helpful. . KEITH MILLER Simi Valley, CA Upp's integrity defended Kenny Upp was disqualified 'a t the Feb. 18 CRC hare scrambles for not stopping at the first check on the first loop . He went through the check and his number was taken, however, he did not see anyone attempting to stop him. At the finish he had a four- to fiveminute lead. I want it known that Kenny didn't intentionally not stop. He is not a cheater. I want to thank all the people in the desert who have pulled for him . Kenny turned 17 last month and he has never made excuses when he does not win nor has he ever lost his temper after a race . I am proud of his character and riding ability, which were shown in this race. He was the first to tell Jerry McNeal'at the finish line that he did not get a mark at the first check on the first loop. LARRYUPP Pearblossom, CA 0 0 0 More recognition for Novice, Junior riders All attention and recognition is rewarded only to Experts. I think it's a shame that there is so much discernment for the riders classified lower. The only distinction is experience; yet many times the Juniors and Novices outnumber the Experts and often perform a better show, but still ' the recognition goes only to the Experts. . Winning a race , no matter how classified, means as much to other riders who exert efforts as well as the Experts. The intentions, circumstances and pressure is all the same. They are all racers. The write-up on the Houston Astrodome was totally unfair." The limited recognition of the Junior Invitarionalwas very irrational. Never before has a Junior won both events as it happened this year, I fed more recognition was deserved. Not only do I feel recognition of riaers~er than Austin's A qua Festival is scheduled JOT August 3 through. 12, 1979. The Toad Tace will take place on Aug. , . There's also an Observed Trials scheduled to take p~ce ill one of the City Parks on July 29, . motocross on July 27-28·29, and the annual Hill Country MOtOTcycle TOUT Aug. 4-'. FaT information and entries JOT any of these events, contact MT. Larry Appleby, cia Austin Aqua Festival, P. O. Box 1967, Austin, TX 78767 . .. Ed. Gold Rush was pure gold Enduro riders who did not ride the Prospectors M.C. Gold Rush enduro really missed a fine enduro. The Prospectors put the word "endurance". back into enduros, instead of a hare and hound with checks. The speed averages matched the terrain, with the Great Prospector in the Sky adding a little snow for adversity. . I didn't SCOTe well, but that's be cause' I had my head (somewheTe else . . . Editor.). I am so used to riding hot and gambling on dropping time that I burnt four checks. I zeroed the first three checks and burnt the last four , all on the first loop . Who ever heard of seven field 'checks on one loop? Every time I gambled , they nail ed me. After th e first loop, I overheard someone say th a t he had figured out th e cou rse - a check every three miles. > In jest I' told Punk Wilson of the • Prospectors that the loop was too slow and that's why I burnt the checks. The rea l reason was that my brain was too slow. Bitchin' run, Prospectors. I hope I don't have to wait until next February for an enduro as good as yours. • DICK THOMAS Huntington Beach, CA