Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

moved up from last to take third. Joe Leonard had been "disqualified for illegal procedures." Daytona 200 winner Bobby Hill was entered but a highway accident en route kept him out of the race. Eggars won $1,550 of the $5,500 purse which drew 6.500 spectators. Results Kenny EtiJgors IBSAl; 2. Ed KlelZ CT,i); 3. Johnny Giboon CTri); 4. Al Gunter IBSAl; 5. Gene Tl1ei-. IBSAl; 6. HerTy _ IT,; 7. _ Belin ITri); 8. Roy Tonner IH-DI; 9. T.. W ... IH·DI; 10. Jimmy Philips CTri). ~ 00 C') ~ Richmond 6-Mile Ha" Mile May 30, 19!)4 Dick Klamfoth led the Virginia race from wire-to-wire on a BSA twin. holding off early bids by Paul Goldsmith until Goldsmith pitted with plug trouble. Goldsmith had been fast qualifier, turning in a lap at 27.59 seconds. Pennsylvania's Eddie Fisher out-dueled Bill Tuman for second. Klamfoth took home the winner's share of $3,100 purse. Bobby Hili I' land Joe Leonard 1981l1dmlre '953 Indy winner Everett BrlI.... trophy. In '954 Leonerd won Indy, r·. Results 1. Dick KIImfoIh IBSAl; 2. Eddie R-. ITrit; 3. Bill Tumon lind); 4. R1_ Ctork IT,; 5. Don Hutchinson IH-D); 6. Rod aur-dt IT,ll; 7. Pall ~ith IH-D); 8. Ilobbv H1llllndl. Columbus 100Mlle Half Mile • • e InnlO By Russ Whittinghill Results 1. Paul Goldsmitl1 IH·DI; 2. The AMA Grand NatioTl41 Championship Sen'es got its start back in 19'4. Now, ,JO NatioTl4ls wter we call the events "Winston PTo Sen'es races, " but for the fiTSt 20 years they weu ufeTTed to as "Grand Nationals. " Each race has its own importance to a n(JeT and in recent years the double 1ndiaTl4polis Mile Nationals have become strategic in the making or buaking of a championship contender. What was it like 2ft 19'4' As grand as the events are now, theu are many, including author Russ Wht'ttinght'll, who feel the races were as grand if not grandeT in 19'4 -- 2ft the beginning... Ed2tor. What follows is a race-by-race recap of the 1954 Grand National Championship Series. Prior to 1954 the AMA's Number One plate was awarded to the winner of the annual Springfield (Illinois) Mile race, an August event that attracted upwards of 25,000 fans each year. Indian riders Bobby Hill and Bill Tuman had dominated the Springfield race the previous three years with Tuman carrying the Number One plate into the 1954 season. Tuman had won that prestigious plate when he narrowly edged out the BSA twin of the late AI Gunter at Springfield in 1953_ If a Grand National Championship point system had existed through 1951·52·53, the Number One plates would have been awarded to Ohio's Dick Klamfoth, Indiana's Bobby Hill and California's Joe Leonard, in that order. But we're focusing our attention on 1954 and the beginning of that grand series that is now called the Winston Pro Series -- the Grand National Championship Series. Daytona 200 Mile Road Race March 7, 1954 1953 Daytona winner Joe Leonard, Paul Goldsmith and 42-year-old Ed Kretz went head-to-head for the lead in the early going until Leonard dropped out when his Harley· Davidson came up with a flat tire and C44smida'l5. Hasley spl.it a. • ""lve.... June 12, 19!)4 Buckeye State racing fans saw Bobby Hill post fast time with a lap of the Ohio State Fairgrounds in 29.4 seconds aboard his immaculate 3speed, hand shift 1947 Indian. Hill roared to the front but was overhauled by Michigan's Ernie Beckman, also aboard an Indian. Hill fought back and retook the lead, but then slipped the groove and was passed by Paul Goldsmith, who had started last. Goldsmith held on to win the bulk of the 53,500 purse in front of an estimated 20,000 spectators. The Junior class race was won by Babe Demay. Triumph mounted Kretz continued to lead until lap II when he started to slow from a primary chain case oil leak. Bobby Hill, riding a swingarm equipped BSA twin for the first time. moved into first for II laps. pitted. losing the lead to Dick Klamfoth, who was riding a rigid BSA twin. (Both Hill and Klamfoth had switched from Norton to BSA because the new short stroke Nortons failed to meet AMA requirements). Hill took over from Klamfoth on lap 30, pulling out a 29second advantage at the finish. Tommy McDermott, riding a BSA Gold Star. finished third. over a lap down. Results 1. Ilobbv HiIlI8SAl; 2. [);(:k Klamf01l1 IBSAI; 3. Tommy McDeo-mott IBSAl; 4. Al Gunt.. IBSAl; 5. Kenny Eggars IBSA); 6. Alvin Shafter CT,i); 7. Mike Donley CT,il; 8. W...... Sherwood IBSAl; 9. Jimmy Hale CT,il; 10. Don Hutchi""", IH-D). Willow Springs 125-Mile Road Race April 4, 1954 Ed Kretz, aboard an open megaphone equipped, rigid frame 500cc Triumph dirt tracker, was the early pace setter in this California road race, heading up the 24-man field for four laps. Kenny Eggars moved his BSA into first for 21 laps before pitting for gas. Don Tindall took his Harley to the front for four laps only to have his bike's engine blow up. Eggars then led to the finish, almost lapping the fourth place rider. Ed Kretz finished second despite having crashed once during the race. Tlw..mpb. mQUoDted o;I9hnnv ib Ilobbv Hm lind); 3. Emie Beckman IIndl; 4. George _ IH·DI; 5. Dick Klamlotl1 IBSAl; 6. Don Hutchinson (H·D); 7. Bill Petri IH-D); 8. Bill Tuman IIndl. Laconia 1QO-Mile Road Race June 20. 1954 New England fans nocked to the New Hampshire road course and witnessed San Jose, California's Joe Leonard score a decisive win, lapping the field before a quarter of the race had been scored. Oregon's Don Tindal hung on to second for 57 miles only to crash avoiding a downed rider. Leonard pitted and then returned to win by 2 minutes. 12 seconds ahead of New York's Warren Sherwood. The Laconia Classic's purse in 1954 was 54.000. Results 1. Joe Leona'd IH-D); 2. Warren Sherwood IBSAI; 3. John Hood IH-D); 4. Peul Goidsmitl1IH-DI; 5. Sid Swen IH-D); 6. Rod Burkhardt CTril; 7. Bobby Hill IBSAl; 8. Ted Boyd CTrii; 9. Stan Myers IBMW); 10. Earl Widman IH-D). Wilmot 75-Mile Road Race Windber 5O-Mile Road Race June 25,1954 On the same day the Bay Meadows (California) 20-Mile Mile was running, making it impossible for any rider to attend all the races in this the first Grand National Championship Series. Dick Klamfoth set fast time over the short Pennsylvania course which wound its way through a wooded park. Klamfoth ran second in the race for 15 laps, but DNF due to brake trouble. Harry Feary of Pekin, Illinois, crashed but still won by three seconds over Illinois' Roger Soderstrom. The pair conducted a side- by-side duel for over 20 laps. The event paid a $2,000 purse. Results 1. Herry F-v IH·D); 2. Rag.. Soderstrom IH-DI; 3. Don Hutchi""'" IH·DI; 4. Stlermon Cooper CT,i); 5. Don HomeIT'i); 6. Eddie Fisher CT,i); 7. Claude Mook lNor); 8. Don Goukoz (H·D); 9. John Hood IH·DI; 10. L..oy Peyne IH-DI. Bay Meadows 2O-Mile Mile July 25, 1954 Run the same day as the Windber Road Race, the 20-Mile Mile was held at Bay Meadows horse racing track on the south side of San Francisco. California. Joe Leonard repeated his I9!)3 Bay Meadows performance as he zoomed from last to first in five laps and took the win. Early leader Bobby Hill's Indian slowed and Leonard beat out Paul Goldsmith by thr~-feet. San Jose's Charlie West and Kenny Eggars fought over third with West getting the upper hand at the line. 16,000 spectators watchffi the 55.000 purse race. Results 1. Joe Leonord IH 01; 2. Poul Goldomitl1lH D). 3. Charlie West IH-DI; 4. Kenny Eggars IBSAl; 5. Ilobbv Hilt IIndl; 6. Al Gunt.. IBSAI; 7. Johnny Gibson CTri); 8. Chuck 8asney IH-D); 9. Gene Thiesen IBSAl; 10. Jimmy Phi.ips ITri). Portland 5-Mile Mile August 1. 1954 Oregon's Eugene Thiessen made history on his home state's mile track by recording the first win on a mile oval by a British bike. Tl1iessen rode his 500cc BSA Gold Star in the trophy dash distance race. Joe Leonard recorded the fastest qualifying lap at 43.94 seconds. But the story goes that his extra long dyno-tuned reverse cone megaphone exhaust pipes were beyond the legal length and had to be altered before the National started. Bobby Hill sped ahead for four laps, but a fouled plug dropped Hill off the pace. Thiessen won by two lengths over San Jose's Charlie West. The event which was watched by 5,000 spectators paid a purse of $2.500. The accompanying Junior class race was won by Brad Andres. Dick Mann finished third. Results 1. E~ -rrn-, IBSAl; 2. C,,",lie West IH-D); 3. Paul GoIdomith IH-D); 4. Bobby Hill IIndl; 5. Kenny EtiJgors 18SAl; 6. Joe Leonord IH-D); 7. Al Gunter IBSAl; 8. Don TIndoll CH-DI;9. Hugh MeAleeCT,i); 10. K _ Fielding CTri). Williams Grove 8-Mile Ha" Mile June 27. 1954 Joe Leonard and Don Tindal outrode everyone with their briUiant form over the one-mile sports car racing course in Wisconsin, while Dick Klamfoth and Eddie Fisher dueled over third place until Klamfoth's BSA magneto packed up. Goldsmith caught Fisher when Eddie fell in the hairpin turn. Fisher, though, got back up and pipped the hard riding Goldsmith by inches at the line for third. Leonard shared the front spot with Tindal for most of the race, scooting ahead in the closing laps and won with a 16-second advantage. Fisher was 49-seconds back, almost a lap down on Leonard. 5,000 watched the race which saw the field share a $3,000 purse. Re.ults August I, 1954 The first weekend in August saw yet another double National weekend, again with events in distant pans of the country. Charles "Chub" Carey of Rockford, llIinois, won his first National by shutting out three-time Williams Grove winner Ernie Beckman by one· half a bike's length over the fast Pennsylvania half mile oval. Bill Tuman held the lead for three laps, but a slide dropped him third as Carey moved into first. Beckman cut into Carey's 50-yard advantage but time ran out for the closing Beckman. Jerry Callen set fast time with a 29.38 second lap in qualifying. A $3.300 purse was paid to the fast guys who were watched by 12,000 fans_ P 1. ChIrteI Corey IH-D); 2. Ernie Beckmon lind); 3_ Bill Tumon l1ndl; 4. ~ Mol. IH-DI; 5. BucJ< IIrigonce IH-D)• .,..,. . . . II'11ii. ~ ~ ) ; 8.J 1. Joe Leonord IH·DI; 2. Don Tindal (H·DI; 3. Eddie _CTri); 4. Paul Goldlmith (H-D); 5. Don Hutchi""'" 1H-D); 6. HerTy _ey IH-DI; 7. Roy Mehood CT,i); 8. ChIrteI Corey IH-Dt; 9. Tommy ThomI>oon IBSAl; 10. hfJ iIlI."...fl; 11 U'""Jif)· I' Results

• Cover