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MOTORCY
Breakaway GP road r
plan big-money series
By Chris Carter
Forty of the top road racers intend to boycott next year's
World Championship events
and-compete instead in a new,
20
big-money series staged at FIM san·
ctioned international meetings. it was
announced in England during the
AuguR 11-12 British GP.
Breaking the news to the world's
press. !)OOCC World Champion Kenny
Roberts, spokesman for the group,
said that the riders. like him. were fed
up with risking their necks for next to
nothing.
Final details of the World Series are'
still being hammered out,' but the
riders Sli!y that several circuits have indicated that they are prepared to put
up the $200.000 purse to' stage a
round.
The'40 contracted riders. including
names like Roberts. Virginio Ferrari.
Barry Sheene. Wil Hanog, Frahco
Undni. Kork Ballington, Gregg Hansford and Boet van Dulmen, will compete in either the 500cc class. called
Fonnula One. or the 250cc event to be
known as Fonnula Two.
Ten non-contracted riders will be
invited to panicipate in each event,
with qualifying heats to decide the
finalists and supporting events at the
promoters' discretion filling up the rest
of the day's program.
First place prize money for the For·
mula One race would be wonh
$40,000. second place $20.000 and
third place $15,000. while a win in the
250cc class . Formula Two· would be
wonh $14.000.
So far none of the manufacturers
have been asked to supply factory
machines for the World Series, but
Roberts said that he anticipated that
they would be enthusiastic:
"They are in the business to sell
motorcycles and this _ series wiD be
the most professional and weD-
