Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

.World Championship Observed Trials Series: Round 9 Coutard wins; Schreiber's second good for poi"t lead NORTHERN ITALY,JULY 15 Frenchman Charles Coutard turned in a score of 88.4 at the end of the Italian round of the World Championship Observed "Bionic Bernie" Schreiber took (Ale photo). the series lead, 81 over Vesterinen'. eo If your bike is a Suzuki, you should know that the spark plugs we recommend for you have been around the test track a time or . tWo. And then some. The track is Califomia's.Oritario Motor Speedwa}T. Here, every year, .our engineers equip new Suzukis ,with exotic test 10 Trials Series and that was good enough for the win. The trial was tough, too tough for many competitors who battled their way over granite boulders which claimed an enormous number of marks. SWM mounted Coutard, scoring his first win of the year, had to battle all day against Bultaco's Bernie Schreiber. The y.oung Californian, who had set his .heart on ending the three'year reign of Finland's Yrjo Vesterinen, snapped at Coutard's heels throughout the eight-hour event and finished JUSt 1.6 marks behind the Frenchman. . Although Schreiber was forced to concede victory, the 12 title points for his second place were enough to put him on tOP of the world for the first time. Honda's Rob Sheperd, despite an indifferent opening lap which cost him 57 marks, took third when on his second tour of the ~o-mile course he accumulated JUSt !H more marks. Spaniard Manuel Soler took fourth just ahead of Bultaco teammate and defending World Champion Vesterinen. British riders Martin Lampkin and Malcolm Rathmell had disastrous days. Lampkin lost 119 marks on the 50-section course and finished in an unaccustomed unlucky thirteenth place, and with no title points his chances of taking the World Championship now seem remote. Rathmell, who arrived in Italy from Spain where he had signed a ~ ~ year contract with Montesa, suffered almost as much as Lampkin and had to be content with eighth place. • Results t. C. Coumrd 15WMI •.4; 2. B. ~ lBuQ 90; 3. R. ~d CHonI 91.6; 4. M. S - IIIull 98.3; 5. Y. V......i...., lBuIl99; 6. UIf ~ lManll00.2. World Chompionohip Point _ : 1. _ _1n; 1811; 2. V_non lBOl; 3. 4. LMrclIdn (63); 5. K8rlson 1541; 6.lhophord 1541; 7. Coumrd 1441; B. (Tlel WhoIevILejoune1241; 10. Bi ." ": .:, "'i,' ' ;" .. '" Ontario isn't orily track· sUZUki 'pfuSs·· ~~:.;' : have been around, either~ The-SuZuki ,'-':.'. > .' . factory racing' tearn"for example,.has· been. using them for years": . . . ' . . . ',." . Matter of fact~ bikers everywhere are '.' . sWitching to Champions for outStand,ihg perfonnance-.:-prove:n·on·the·test track. and on the race track, Which also makes a pretty fair reason for you to start going' . around with Champions. The very next time you need plugs. the' our Champion Spark Plug Company 'Thledo, OH 43661

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