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/126508
business around Eklund's San Jose home has slacked off considera bly leaving him little alternative but to park the truck in his driveway' since mid-December. "You'd be surprised how much money there is in something like that. I was making nearly $400 a day on some jobs. That's good money, but you have to make that to keep up with the truck Pilyments and overhead. With it sitting idle it's like having an extra house payment to make every mont~ and that's one thing I don't' need. Eklund doesn't like to make predictions on the outcome of the season. However, when informed that Springsteen was leading the point standings and he was five points behind in second (36-31) Eklund thought a moment and said, "It seems like old times." Jay Springsteen There were plenty of skeptics who thought Jay Springst'een couldn't come back from being, in effect, sick for the past two years. Many said the drive was gone or the edge was dulll;d. Having Harley-Davidson order him to sit out portions of last season on two occasions didn't make things look any better. However, Springsteen's win in the Houston short track and second place in the TT gave the skeptics and critics a bad case of indigestion. Judging by the response of his peers" Springsteen is, indeed, back. Mike Kidd summed it up when he said, "I think we better pull in our belts, guys; it's going to be a pretty tough year." For someone who has had to endure nearly two years of having to hear almost everyone ask about his health, Springsteen now enjoys telling how he feels, how he has come to grips with his own special case. "I haven't felt this good in two years and I am pumped about the rest of the season. I feel that I've got everything under control now and that takes a big load off my mind. I'm even getting a little fat. There was one point last year when I was down to 125 Ibs. and that was hell. "The key to staying healthy for me is eating ·the right foods at the right times. The doctors tell you what foods have sugar and what you can't eat. but that's about it and for me that wasn't any real help. Where I really began to make progress was when I met another diabetic -- he's on insulin -- who used to race. He knew what I was going through. Now I go over to his house every so often and we just sit around and talk. He makes up menus for me and gives me advice. "One funny thing is that I need to eat sugar on raceday. It's like a reward to go to a race because I get to eat a candy bar -- a Mr. Goodbar -- before 1 race. I also drink a lot of orange juice. It·s a little hard getting used to the fact that what's best for me is to get showered with champagne, not to drink it. In fact, if I do take a drink I spit it out." Ove.r the winter, Springsteen did what he likes to do best -- hunt and fish and fish and hunt plus a bit of snowmobile riding and some play bike riding on the ice. "Hey, I rode my two play bikes so much that I blew up both of them. Other than that, it was take it easy time and get ready for this year." One interested person in the stands watching Springsteen win the short track was Harley-Davidson's John Davidson and he, like the rest of the 25,000 present, was caught up in the drama. Later, Davidson called H-D team manager Dick O'Brien. "To say he was pumped would be an understatement," said O'Brien. "Being sick bothered me," said Springsteen, "but I never gave a thought to quitting or giving up. I knew I'd be back. I am." • YAMAHA PARTS DISTRIBUTORS, INC. 6555 KATELLA AVENUE· CYPRESS, CALIFORNIA 90630 MAIL ADDRESS: P.O. BOX 762, CYPRESS, CALIFORNIA 90630 PHONE: (714) 761-7300 • .....I1.....,ot "AtIIAItA .oTOfil COM"Ol'IA'ICMil, u.u. .ATrENTION ALL YAMAHA ROAD RACERS YAMAHA RACING PARTS - DAYTONA .As in the past, YP.nI. will again provide support to Ya.ma.b.a mounted. road racers in the form of our racing parts counter at the Daytona International Speedway. Our policy rega.rcling the sales of these parts will remain the same as last year and will be effective dur:i.ng Daytona Speed.Week only. (March 1-8, 1981). Racers and mechanics must present*author1za.t1on from a franchised US.Ya.ma.b.a dealer in order to purchase parts froID. us at Daytona International Speedway. All of these sales will be charged to the deaJ.er's yp.nI. parts account. Others :maor purchase a reasonable quantity ofYa.ma.b.a parts from US at the speed.wa¥, but these sales will be on a cash basis at our current published suggested. reta.1l price. This policy allows us to continue our parts support at the Daytona Speedway without deviating from our established d1str1butor procedures. Ya.ma.ha Parts Distributors, Inc. • •Authorization must be on dealer's stationery arid s1gned by the dealer/owner and!or manager. , Where the heck ;s Tucker, GA? KEN MAELY "The Shoe Man" Ask the racer that wean one _ _ _ ....00 str&p'1,50 super sl,ap $2.50 T·shirt $8.50 N~ _575.00 ~':l'\o saea 6 to , 3 D wtdfh ............. All PTees plus C.O.O. & P-.ge SlZ£S _21 @ METZElER Tire Sale ALL TIRES DISCOJ\lT ED SUGG. RETAil ,. ,..... MOIOfcycle covers ............ DIK brekea, wheels. Hubs. sprockll1S. & more .0,20 73.ID 410-1,1 (7141 736-0640 MAELY _BedfordENTS.. AT. 2. BOX 75B Mlr. Way, CA 91720 Corona, 11.• '1OtIO-1. ter~ It.n ~ 520 McGLlNCY LANE: CAMPBEll, CA 95008 I«l8J 371-1221 8 • ..... '7.3:1 F.E.T.1 .-- .0 (ptus ,.OOll!i'EAII --.wo-.uoA ... BAll! PlIICE .1. •.10 c;-. r=I ~. SC..£.,.TT•••,.......1 UPS SHIPPED DAILY I' sea. End. 'i1 MARCH II. 1511 A":.:~:~::'~;:.A. TIRE FACTORY 530 Sen Ramon V.hy 8tvd. Den"..... CA SMI52I 141'1 _ _ (EiJ Husqvarna 1980& 1981 MODELS AVAILABLE SEE US FORA DEAL! T&OYamaha 24020 Narbonne Ave. (Torrence/Redondo area) lomite. CA 90717 213-534-2311 13