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/126501
TEN YEARS AGO Featured in the fmal 1970 issue of Cycle News was a prediction on the future of motorcycling and a look at a 1985 bike.. The concept they came up with was a 800cc three·cylinder twostroke running on alcohol. with torque converter and belt drive. Air/oil suspension, extensive use of titanium and streamlined body work also were included in the package. A review of the 1970 AMA Grand National Championship showed that a dozen riders scored wins on the 25-race season. New Champ Gene Romero posted two wins, both late in the season, while Jim Rice was the winningest rider with six. With 10 wins scored via road race, mile, half mile and TT competition, BSA was the winningest machine and HarleyDavidson was the runner-up. Easily the Rookie of the Year was Dave Aldana. It was announced that Yvon DuHamel had signed with Kawasaki to ride the HIR road racer in AMA National road races. It was also speculated that if DuHamel was successful with the road racing effort, they might take the machine and make a dirt tracker out of it. Northern California riders trooped on down to southern California to compete with SoCal riders in an indoor short track event at the Long Beach Arena. and Jim Odom topped the main event. Joe Henry and Dave Hansen finished 2-3. CASTROL_ THE NO 1i M rLEOIL_ ~ - ~ . AMA/Wlnston Pro Grand Nat10nal AMA/Castrol Formula 1. 750 c.c. 1. RANDY GOSS 2. HANK scon 4. GARY scon 6. BILLY LABRIE 1. RlCHARD SCHLACHTER 2. BRUCE HAMMER 3. NICK RICHICHl 6. RICHARD CHAMBERS 7. JOHN BETIENCOURT 8. MARK JONES 9. CORY RUPPELT 10. HARRY KLlNZMANN 7. STEVE MOREHEAD 8. scon PEARSON 9. scon PARKER 10. TED BOODY AMA/Castrol Novtce 2SO C.c.IJgbt\mght 1. THAD WOLFF 2. MARK BOUGAS 3. KEITH KIYOTA 4. NOBUHlRO NAKAMURA 5. DAVID REED '6. JIM FILICE 7. BOBBY BEHEL 8. [GARY MACDONALD GARY MASLANKA 10. RICKY ARNAlZ AMA/Castrol Expert 250 C.C. Llgbtwdght 2. DAN CHlVlNGTON 3. BRUCE MAUS 4. CRAIG MORRIS 5. RUSTY SHARP 6. DAVE BUSBY 7. DOUG BRAUNECK 8. GARY PENFIELD 9. JAN JOLLES ., 00 0) .-4 AMA/Castrol SUperbtke 2. EDDIE LAWSON 4. DAVE ALDANA 5. CHUCK PARME 7. JIMMY ADAMO 10. HARRY KLlNZMANN AMA/castrol S Sidecar Challenge 1. ESSAFF-HARROLD-BRYANT 2. LIND-HART 3. F1SHER-NOWICKI 4. COLEMAN-BEVANS 5. DAVIDSON-DUNN 6. HIPP-ALSTON 7. RICH-McKENNA 8. F1LLERY-QUlNN 9. DUPRE-HEGELE 10 [KNOLL.PIERCE . DOBBS-DOBBS This year, 50 of the top 60 ran on Castrol. We congratulate them. J.N. Roberu (Hus) was the winner of the Jackrabbits M.C. Big Hare D-37 hare 'n' hound, but runner-up Whitey Martino got very close to the points lead when leader Rich Thorwaldaon DNF with a flat tire. Bill Friant finished third in the race, first 250cc. At the age of 37, Sammy Miller, the trials great from Northern Ireland, announced his retirement. Miller said, "I made up my mind at the Scottish Six Days in 1969. I knew then that I was not riding as well as I should, but the lack of serious opposition pursuaded me to continue." John McGillivray took both Heavyweight Production and Open GP wins on his BSA at an ACA road race at Carlsbad Raceway. Pat Evans was the 200cc GP winner. The Jones brothers, Gary and DeWayne, struck at a "Moto-Xmas" at Oak Creek Park near Mojave, CA, with Gary taking the 250cc Senior win and DeWayne doing the deed in the 125cc Senior' ranks. The 1970 National Motocross Champ as far as the AMA was concerned in 1970, was a 22-year-old bachelor and mechanical engineering student named Dick Burleson. Burleson averaged $70-$80 a week in prize money as he earned his title on the. Trans-AMA circuit. In an interview Burleson said, "I knew that the point standings were geared to consistency, so I knew that I would be right in there if_l_didn~t~~~ a~y !ro~}>lc;s;" _. _ ••••• .. ...Zl