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/126423
-- -- ~- :.' Roeseler rides with "grass bowl" winners By Francois Bourret MONTHELIE, FRANCE,JULY 14-15 It all started last year when Marcel Seurat,. French importer for Husqvarna and Ossa, decided to create a 24-hour off-road race. With one motorcycle, four riders and a long track, the format would be a take-off of the famous Bol D'Or for road . racing. , .. The first Bol d Herbe ( Grass Bowl") was won by a french team of motocrossers on a 390cc Husky. This year's race was broadened to international standing with the participation of several factory tearns - Maico, SWM, Fantic, Caviga, Montesa and some strong importers such as KTM Italy, well-known for their ISDT riders. Husqvama France had even invited Larry Roeseler to come ride one of their machines for the second time this year. Larry's team included Carlson, a fast, young mot6crosser from Sweden, Patrick Drobeck, a French motocrosser, and Robinson, an American living in Sweden. One of the main attractions of this Bol d'Herbe was created by two Californians, Broc Glover and Donnie Cantaloupi. After innumerable problems and misunderstandings, the French Yamaha importers instead of using the fast California racers in their team. gave them a 400 YZ in a crate two days before the race. Along with the bike, they were also graciously donated two slow Fr.ench riders. Off to a great start. The sill-mile course looked like a long motocross track with an unusual one-mile straightaway. It crossed a forest and then developed into offcamber turns on the side of a hill. To . , - please the s~ctators three man· made jumps were added close to the start/ finish line. The whole track was rocky and dusty _which later created many problems, es~cially during the night. Practice began on Friday. During the afternoon, half an hour of practice was timed; the best rime receiving pole positions . .Broc and Donnie, still waiting for their YZ to be assembled, borrowed a 1977 IT 400 and turned in the best time - 18 seconds in front of the Italian KTMI Their wide-o~n style impressed everyone. On Saturday at 4 p.m. with a LeMans style start, the race was underway. Croci, KTM Italy, stole the start with Broc on his tail. During the first lap the nut holding Broc's flywheel loosened, and he had to push the bike for three miles. Twenty minutes later, Donnie was back on the course for what was going to be a fantastic comeback. From 7!lrd (last) place after the first hour, Broc and Donnie moved up to ninth position in three hours passing everyone on the track. The lead kept changing during that first hour between Mick Andrews (Husky 390) and the Italian KTM 340 team. The Italians ftnally got the lead and kept it until nightfall when one of the riders fell and broke the engine case, one of the few pa rts race regulations don't allow to be replaced. Finito forthe Italians. Andrew's team encountered some mechanical problems and left the lead to LarTY Roeseler and company. Running like clockwork and keeping pit stops to a minimum, Roseler's Husky 390 was one lap ahead of everyone at the 4 a.m. halfway mark. The final blow for the Glover/Can· taJoupi Team came with their disqualification. While still in the top 10, Broc's light went dead at the end of pit Larry Roeseler wes pert of the winning four-men teem. They rode e 390 Husky. row. Broc rode back to the pit, safely but against the traffic. An FIM marshall spotted him and decided to disqualify the Californians. • Results OVERALL: 1. ~na 390 IDroboclt. _ . ear!.:>n. RobinsonII22.; 2. Husqwrna 390 ICon-ay. -Andrews. Vernier. CoIIotl; 3. Huoqvomo 390 lSamolai. TheubeI. Mar..... Hug_); 4. Ylmllho 400 yz lIlocou. _ . Olivier. _ I ; 5. _ 360 IMeninyack, Bur.. Carnrtra, 00Jeudll. ~oechl; 6. SWM 280 IBriuoni. Morinoni, GulIIdi, ~I; 7. Fontic 125 !Signorelti. Morinoni. Benoni. Gogno); B. Huoqvomo 240 ICoIde. Cole. _ , ChBrlell; 9. MlIico 440 IB.... Sct>utz. Franau. Furl); 10. CI\/igI 250 IHamorIl. eon-oux. VlSlorky. GulIIdi). B.tlng some 01 the toughest odds In motocross, KTM had three ride,. tlnl'" In the top 100nrallstandlngs at the Un8d1l1a Unltad States 250 Grand Prix. And two 01 the three were box stock 250.. Three time World Champion GennadlJ Moiseev, riding a factory modified 250, finished third onrall.-F"",k Stacy was seventh and Juk Van Velthoven was eighth, both on stock 250 KTM's, making It three lor 10 for KTM. Su the kind 01 motorcycles that can help tum the odds against the competition at KTM· deale,.. KTM America, Inc. 21