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/126411
The AMA · Grand Nation al Championship /Winston Pro Series more or less comes up with an experiment in May with two first time National half mile races running back to back. Has it ever . happened before? On Saturday night , May 19, the world 's best flat trackers move into Topeka, Kansas, for the first time and the following Saturday night, May 26, it's again under the lights at Laurel, Maryland. Both tracks have been around for some time and both have run motorcycle races in the past, albeit on a smaller level. Syracuse Mile promoter Don Brymer hosts the Topeka event, The facility -h as newer and larger grandstands with a roof. The surface is good old Midwest clay and should be fast. With the addition of the Topeka race, which also has a couple of pro short track events running nearby before and after the 19th,- this gives the Midwest two National half miles this year - the other taking place at Des Moines, Iowa , th ree months later. These two events more or less have filled the gap left open with the departure of the Okla homa City half mile and the night half mile that was run in the Denver area last year. Louisville and Middletown run after the Laurel event , and Ascot runs before Topeka to give the pro circuit Expens five straight half mile events in a row. That also may be another first in AMA Grand National Champion, ship racing in recent years . . While Brym er is a veteran promoter of AMA races such as Madison Square Garden, Atlanta, Long Beach and three loca tions in the Denver area . The Laurel promoters are getting their feet wet for the first time in the cycle race promotion game. Taylor White, who is best known as the sponsor of Daytona 200 winner Dale Singleton. is one half of the Maryland effort with former AMA Expert flat - tracker turned cycle products salesman Denny Palmgren the other half. The Laurel race more or less replaces the annual Harrington, Delaware event , which is supposed to return to the slate in 1980. White and Pa lmgren got some ripples rolling in the promoter ranks when they came up with an offe r to the AMA to pay a $25 ,000 pun;e for starters , making the Laurel race the highest first time dirt track purse ever offered! Only the Columbus half mile pun;e is higher this year. It would a ppear that these two first time rookie promoters really have their respective necks out a ways . But Laurel is reputed to be a first class racing plant with a fine grandstand that includes several restaurants and more than ample standing room for those that wait too long to get a seat under the roof. Laurel is also fairly close to Harrington, which found the crowds getting larger each year, So those that were accustomed to going to Harrington will cenainly not find it difficult to head for Laurel, which sits between two giant metropolitan areas - Baltimore and Washington, DC. At this point in time Topeka is also hosting a Junior Invitational with the yellow plate riders being selected from those residing in the general surrounding area . Brymer did not come by the Topeka track with ease. Everything went smoothly as far as date, purse, track rent, etc . , but an old skeleton that has haunted more than one promoter cropped up in April. It seems that somebody remem bered a pro race that was held in nearby Hutchinson, Kansas. several years back. The bad boys showed up for that race and there were prob lems of the type that we are all familiar with. The panic button was hit in Topeka and it took a special meeting to insure that there would be a good race and insurance that no unwashed would create any problems. Therefore, it is only fair to report to any street riders who plan on riding to the Topeka event . be sure your machine is legall Safe, q uiet riding and beverage consumption only in the proper places will be a password to the hilt, so I am told. The police in the area are still sen sitive about the Hutchinson affair. and most recently of a happening in Wichita that was not related to motorcycles, but bad press nonetheless. By the time the riders get to Topeka and Laurel. fans can stan getting a fairly strong indication of exactly who is going to be involved in the late going to be the high point half miler once again. Both events carry a next day rain date should nature not cooperate, Official race headquarters in both places is the Holiday Inn. In Topeka it's the · Holiday Inn South; in Laurel it's the Inn on Route 1.98. From what I have seen so far this year we have more riders of equal talent and racing machinery than ever before. Close racing is assured at both Topeka and Laurel. Roxy Rockwood UKI FlGIITI G A LOS UftU There isn't a dirt rider who likes changing tires. It's a hassle . Metzelers. Yokohamas, Goodyears, Dunlops, they're a ll tough. That's why I'll never forget the da y I found lubri-Tech Tire Mounting l ubrica nt. DON'T PINCH A IV 1 Ispray plenty of Lubri-Tech Ti re Mounting lu be on the tire beads and that knobby slips onto the rim without da mag ing the tube or the tire. And when you're racing - punishing those tires - the tire lubricant stops tube pinching along the rim. HOLD THI HUSUal DOWN I found an other reason why lubri-Tech Tire Mounting lubricant belongs in a dirt rider 's van. It sets up a seal between the tire and the rim greatly reducing slippage of the tire on the rim. So I race at lower tire pressures. Any way you look at it, tire performance is important to dirt rac ing. And tire core is a key'step in the lubri-Tech rac e prep. I follow the 12 step prep and then I know I'm ready for the weekend - from the rubber on up. SERIOUS NO. 1 T-Shirt. Send $5 and size S, M, L or XL Serious No. 1 cap, one adjustable size, $5. Lubri-Tech Products, 1251 N. Kilbourne Rd. Gurnee, III. 60031 Always follow the recommendations of motorcycle and equipment monvfocturen. Always use lubri.Tech lubricants and pe rformance chem ica ls OS recommended. Lubr ;'T.ch Products 1251 N. Kilborne Rd., Gurnee.IL60031. , 5