Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Over the yean, a lot of non-factory riden have been able to stay in contention for the fint 100 miles. But for many reasons it changes during the last 100, the 100, that really counts. Spencer will have a proven Yamaha for the 200. So will Skip Aksland; so will Dale Singleton. The [lISt 100 can and will be very interesting. Comparing Spencer and Roberts at the same stage, Spencer is way ahead in road racing experience and winning performances. But Kenny has gone on to perhaps become the best of all time. What kind of race will these two put on in a couple of yean? Kenny finds himself in much the same situation as he did at Houston. He is the guy to point to. He is the guy to beat. He is the rabbit, so to speak. How will the "production" bikes do against the GP 750s? Some will finish in the standings fairly high but will not be front spot contenden. We have watched them every year down the chutes, running from 15 to 20 miles an hour slower than what it takes to win. A long time road race backer pointed something out to me at Houston that bean looking for when they combine the two types of machines on the fast high banks of Daytona. When a 750cc two-stroke has engine trouble it pulls off or stops without too much hassle. But when a big four stroker lets go it drops oil and parts onto the track. More than one will let go on March 9, and oil has long been the most feared problem for any fast road racer. Roberts to win his second 200 miler, Spencer to win his lightweight 100 miler and Spencer to give Roberts a run in the 200 - early. Superbike winner? Suzuki comes in with a tried and proven formula, and Honda is always willing to spend more than the rest to do it right to be a winner. Words do not a winner make. Both teams are loaded and a fast Kawasaki may be lurking in the backgro"und to solve the debate. You pick this one. • Roxy Rockwood WRmN' AROUND ! E o 00 He lost it at the movies C') ..... Last year a bunch of us HoUywoodland din bikers pitched in to help make a movie called Do it in the Dirt. My share of the dream of. Needless to say, these guys are hot. The rider list reads like a who's-who of road racing. Superstars from eight countries include names like Freddie Spencer, Steve McLaughlin, Dave Aldana, Wes Cooley, and last year's winner Ron Pierce. The Bell Superbike 100. Friday, ,March 7th at 2:30 p.m. Come see the thunder. Bell H~lmets Inc., 1S301 Shoemaker Ave., Norwalk, CA 90650/A Subsidiary of Wynn's International.@ 100. deal was supposed to be 10% of the television sale, if any. Producer Matt Cimber signed the contract with such alacrity that I should have known I could have asked 50%. Fifty percent of zero is nothing to a movie producer. Making the movie is everything, as I learned in my six·month stretch on location. Everybody has a job, they can say they are working. One thing can lead to another; you never know. Cimber and his asIIOciates exploited this hope to the hilt. Few of us got, or ever will get paid. What is wane, as far as all of us are concerned, is that the picture will probably never be shown around these parts. At this very moment Do it in the Dirl, or A cer en el polvo or whatever they call it in Arabie, is probably showing in some foreign country, where there is a hunger for American movies that makes our local B picture market look anemic. My job was "wrangler." I wrangled the 10 motorcycles provided by Ammex, Maico, Husqvama, Kawasaki and Yamaha - hauled them back and fonh from set to safekeeping each morning and night, kept them running and tried to keep the cast and crew from killing themselves on them. This was supposed to have been a "quickie shoot," but it went on for six months. If I hadn't insisted on taking my toys home in time to ride to Daytona we might still be out on some dusty dirtpile, destroying motorcycles. A'few months later they showed me the [mal work print. All the scenes had been cut together and you could make out some of the dialogue. The sound quality didn't matter, since it would all be dubbed in later anyway. It turned out to be a pretty good movie - realistic, fast, dramatic and funny. All I asked was a print, or even a videotape of the finished picture so we could throw a party, my treat, and invite all the motorcycle folk who gave so generously of their time and equip· ment to make the movie. This would have been a pretty big pany, since hundreds of dirt riders and about a dozen motorcycle businesses had come through for the producers. But my calls went unreturned. Soon the number was no longer working and their office on Hollywood Boule· vard was bare, no forwarding address. A few weeks later, Cimber was being sought by reponers from the Los Angeles Times in regard to a book he was said to have published called "The Best Doctors in America." The Times couldn't find him either. By this time Cimber was probably in Hong Kong with our picture. So that is perphaps the last we will see of the movie Do it in t he Dirt, or our money. However, if you are traveling in China sometime and you happen to see a movie poster with Frank Sinatra, Jr. on a Husky 250 or catch a glimpse of a blue Ammex and Yamaha, a green Kawasaki or a red Maico Magnum, buy a ticket. You may see someone you know up there on the scratchy screen. Charles Clayton - • 29

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