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/126419
the red flag stopped the race, the official lap score was taken from the lap before. The guy who put three other riders on the ground went on, got the transfer spot, and ended up in the Handicap Main Event where he took second place. Adding insult to injury was the way the same rule was interpreted a few races later when Gene Woods was scored last - the official said he made contact with a slower rider. That rider was already sliding out and on his way down when Gene gOt to him. Gene said, "He scared himself down. I never touched him." That was the way the flagmen in the comer saw it as well. But the official must go by what he Sees, not what he's told, which brings up the old argument that one referee can't work the entire race track. That's like asking one baseball umpire to cover the whole game from home plate. The whole night's racing was poor, with no one knowing just which way the rules would be laid out on them. About the most exciting happening all evening was Joe Donaldson's win in the Handicap Main Ev~nt. It's been a long time coming for the young man, who worked all the way up from Junior Speedway, through Third and Second Division, and into First Division without winning a Main Event. That's right, . Joe told me at the trophy presentation that he has never won any Main Event before tonight. The Junior Speedway exhibition was fun, but there is no Junior Speedway program in the southland because at least one-third of the bikes fail to run, another third of the riders fall in the fITSt lap and a two· man mini race is a bore. And as much as I love to see the kids run, their part of the show was not any better than the rest. Dave Sims scored an outstanding ride in the last evenr of the night, the Scratch Main Event. holding off his teammate Gene Woods for the win. If I sound bitter, I'm getting that way because the behind·the·scenes politics, favoritism and lack of equal treaunent have' gOllen way out of hand. Riders no longer feel that their complaints to management are heard. And even if they do get a chance to sound off, about the only thing they can be assured of achieving is being left off the program irt the future or having. the whole weight of a rule brought down on them for some lightweight error. Speedway is my personal favorite pan of the whole motprcycle racing scene and in It years of covering the spon, I have only missed two nights of racing. I've seen the riders come and go; some try a comeback, but this year some riders have tlimed their batks on Speedway and .walked away without a backwards glance. In every case, where I have run into them at other sponing events, I ask them a simple question: "Why did yo\' hang it up?" Answer: "Too much bullshit'" Results SAN BERNARDINO, JUlY. SCRATCH MAIN EVENT: 1. Shawn M"'Bn. 2. DlMl Sima, 3. Jim Fithboct<, •. Gono Woods. HANDICAP MAIN EVENT: 1. Mark M""",tt, DlMl Sims, 3. Jim Fishback, 4. Don McNoili. 5.. Gene Woods. 6. Sran FI8ndBf.. . DIVISION TWO: Shane Hawley. DIVISION THREE: Donni. Rolli. ASCOT. JULY 5 SCRATCH MAIN EVENT: 1. Tonv Briggs. 2. Fronk Adqmo 3. Shawn MOfln, 4. Brad Oxley. t'lANOICAP MAIN EVENT: 1. Loni F..., 2. Mike PeddicOfd, 3. Shewn Mar.,.., 4. Shawn McConnell. Larrv Kosta, 6. Bob Mclain. DIVISION TWO: Moose Konnedy. COSTAMESA,JULY6 . SCRATCH MA'N EVENT: 1. DBve Sims. 2. Gone Woods, 3. Bob Mclain, 4. Lony Kosta. HANDtCAP MAIN EVENT: 1. Joe Donaldson, 2. Brad Oxley, 3. DeTemple, 4. CrBig Schaefer, 5. a. oa... Louis Lindwall, 6. Kurt Sir"""""'. DIVISION lWO: Koith Chrisco. DIV1SlO1'I THREE: SlIM! Po.... • .J.C. Agajanian Presents: 18th Annual AMA National TT • Saturday, July 21-8:00 a.m. " Ascot Park Racewa~ Garqena, California For ticket intormatic;>n contact: Agojanian Enterprises PO Box 98. or T1CKETRON • Phone No.: (213) 323-1142 or (213) 321-1100 Warning: The Surgeon General Has Determined That Cigarette Smoking Is Dangerous to Your Health. 20 mg ",a"- 13 mg "rcotm, av per Cigarette. fTC Repon MAY '78. Red Cycle News Jacket Sizes S,--M, L. XL $25.95' Satin quilt·llned jacket with Cycle News patch. Knit collar, cuffs and waist in red, white and blue. FREE 1 each large & small Cycle __N_e.w_s.st_i.c.k.i.e.w_it_h_o.r.d.e.r--------1 ~"".,...._-------- City State_,,_---Zip---Please send me _ _Jacket(s)'in SiZ8_._ . Please send lI1e_ _ Hatlsl. Please 1U1 in your complete account number and expiration date. Credit card limit minimum .5.00 Hat $5.95 Red and white with a Cycle News patch. -=---__ Address LLLl L I l l l l JJ L L1J J Card expires----,,------~-Signature [II; - ••_......_ ... ..._ -'c:=:=::t~_£ .- --l-_ _ TI ,._ ..I'''''', .."t .. jop.. '.I_I ".,,,,..., ..P'..' , poo I., " , ..~ ......... " .. 1\" ,.,,, .. ' II· ,_ .... ".,~ , lI'TAI .. ""·".I~" :,~:~;'~;;;:.. ~.', ...,~; ... :.,~; ...':.::..~: Colif. resid,"" ;;~~';.";~';;:;';;;""'".•., .J -------------- 23