Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

I NSUNDAY -NOV. 1all ... MOTOCIIISS . . . . . . . L....S a t') 5th Annual GJ ..c o .... u o • OPEN PRO CLASS • PRO SIDECAR • SPORTSMAN • OlDTIMERS • D1NOSAUR/1WlN CLASS • SPECIAl. VINTAGE CLASS • SPECIAl. WOMEN'S CLASS COME JOIN THE '"HAPPENING" • HEAR THE SOUNDS OF • KSJ. "THUMPERS" • YAMNiA TTSOO's • KAWASAKI KLX 250'5 • SUZUKI DR's • HONDA XL's & XR's • CCM's • TRIUMPH's • BSA's • MATCHLESS • AJS • NORTONS • WASPS • HAGONS • HARLEYS • * SPECIAL OPEN PIO PIACTlCE AT 12:00 P.m. * CARUIAD RACEWAY • CARUIAD, CA (1-5 to Palomar ~ Rd.. East 10 hack) TICKETS AT GAlE • GAlES OPEN 700 AM. • 1st MOTO 10.30 AM. -- ..---------"" ....... I __-----Cl.-----bl... I FOIl NO .. ENTRe • (AU (7W) 452-VU Promoted bv. CAIlS.... IACEl--WRlIlIly. KNOIIY SHOP ~I- The conversation continues on a wide variety of topics and during the coune Eklund explains, unashamedly, that he never fmished high school. "I never felt 1 was really getting anything," he says. "I was working with my father doing carpentry on more days than 1 was going to school. One day he asked if 1 wanted to quit and go to work for him full time. 1 did. If you're working with your hands or things like that, school doesn't seem to teach you anything. I don't want that to sound like you should quit like I did. It worked for me, but everyone should try to finish. " Later that afternoon Castro!'s racing coordinator Walter von Schonfeld calls to invite Eklucd, his friend Ricky Robinson and me out to dinner. The place we go to features waiters in tuxedos, a view of San Jose and good food. Eklund calls the evening to a close with an authoritative, "I've got to get some sleep." ~ is it: Race day, title day, . • championship day, the chance to clinch the crown at the hometown track in front of family and friends. The sky is hazy - a good sign. If it stays that way the track will retain moisture and be tacky which should benefit Eklund's set up. Breakfast, fixed by Ann, is poached eggs on English muffins with bacon, orange juice and coffee. Eklund clears the dishes. rinses them off and gathers up his equipment. Work has continued on the bilr.e wcll into the night leaving load up until the ~omin~. Eklund docs not like this. Upon arrival at Zanotti's we meet Fillmer and Mario. Some grumbling is exchanged between Eklund and Fillmer, ending with a tene, "Hurry up." "I ace he's in his usual jOvial race day mood. That's a good sign," says Fillmer. The rest of the day is now history. Eklund fmds out that the new exhaust system does not cut the power as much as anticipated. To add to that, the sun is sucking the moisture out of the track and it is becoming slick. Rather than having too little power, Eklund has too much and is spinning the tire every time he gets the gas back on. He is disgusted when he docs not make it out of his heat. He is infuriated at having lost the transfer to the National from the semi by less than a bilr.e length. "There aren't any words to describe how mad I was at that time," he says later. It is the first time all year that he has not sat on the starting line for a National. Feeling he has let his family, friends, sponsor and everyone else down, Eklund retreats to the front of his van and vinually shuts himself in to be alone with his thoughts. Springsteen docs not win the race and the title passes to Eldund. It was not the way he wanted to win it. "I guess we'll have to have another pany," he says later. "Can you stay?" 1 decline with the excuse that one week away from the salt mine is all that I'm allowed. He smiles and for the first time it appears that a weight has been lifted from his shoulders, that he can breathe freely. • 11111 111, Ili'l 1,,1 1(,,,. I)" On a Canoga Park SUZUKI , \1 ", " 111, l\ I : II II , ., .1 O!)('!1 1).lill q-h ( I" l!( , I "I I . I !l( - ( ,III, .111":,,:.1 I ~ ..... j j: k ,. : II " ':1 "I' JI( II I '11 (.II1ll:.;.1 1'.11 - , I , , I, "ll/ll!--i \ .111(':';.1 1<. , . I. I (1",('r1 .... 1I1, 1'.11 k. ( \ q I :llh 1-1111; ;-."~ --------------------------------~ Cycle News Vest : Order yours today : Only $27.95 Cycle News Products Dept. . . . . P.O. Box 498, Long Beach. Ca. 9CBt1 DMIen ~ InvItM N ame Not bulletproof bu' lighlWllight & _m. Bright red with red & whit. embroid«ed Cycle News potch. Address ~ h I I Signature I I I I I I I • I I I State_ _ Zip_ _ ;1 T... _ _ ot .... PI.... fill in your complete account number encl .xpiration cIet•. Cerd .xpirea _ I II I ~I 1i _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ~I I _ City L I: I I II _ == • ~• CI .-..~on..... Size ~ ~~.-¥,...::,:= Smalt 0 ~ ~-=.. ':e::;.': Medium 0 - M'" ~_. ..... . - ............... - ~ of -eft cad. LMg. 0 Ex-'-O -- _ Cellf. residents add 6% ..... __ ~ ~ ... .J 15

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