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/1509771
D irt track racing has often been able to provide motorcycle racing fans with some- thing that motocross has struggled to match, and that's season-long close racing, with championship battles that would frequent- ly come down to the wire, and occasionally, that wire would be the checkered flag at the final race of the season! While motocross champs like Bob Hannah, Jeremy McGrath and Ricky Carmichael often had their number-one plates in hand well before their respective series would wrap up, dirt track racing and the AMA's old Grand National Champi- onship series gave fans their money's worth, with racing and points' battles that were good to the last (flag) drop! Such was the case in 1978 when two-time champion Jay Springsteen battled Steve Eklund in a series that wouldn't be decided until the final lap of the last race of the season. The 1978 season featured many of the top guns of the sport. Even though two-time Grand Na- tional Champion Kenny Rob- erts had emigrated to Europe (where he would win the 500cc World road racing crown), the field still consisted of other stars of the '70s, including former champs like Gary Scott and Gene Romero and future champs Mike Kidd, Ricky Graham and Eddie Law- son. Younger riders like Ted Boody and Garth Brow were making names for themselves, and veterans like Chuck Palmgren and Terry Dorsch were still slid - ing their steel shoes. It was a competitive field and, at least for the miles and half-miles, nearly every rider was on a Harley-David - son. Only Alex Jorgensen and his Ron Woods Norton were still trying to compete with the mighty XR 750. In June, Springsteen and his factory-sponsored Har - ley won the half-mile at the Delaware State Fairgrounds. It was his third straight victory in the series, and it helped him open up a com - manding 30-point lead. Spring- steen and his Bill Werner-tuned H-D looked to be on their way to a third consecutive title. But it was privateer Steve Eklund who would let the mighty H-D team know that there was still another gunfighter in town! At Hinsdale, Illinois, Eklund took the win, following it up with another first-place ride at the Char - ity Newsies half-mile at the Ohio State Fairgrounds. A week later, Eklund's victory at the Santa Clara half-mile gave him his own three-win streak. On July 1st at the Santa Fe Speedway T, one more victory allowed him to narrow the gap between himself and Springsteen to just eight points. When Eklund took yet another win at the Santa Fe short track in August, the privateer Harley (and Yamaha) rider also took over the points lead. CNIIARCHIVES P112 Terry Dorsch were still slid were still trying to compete with the mighty XR 750. victory in the series, and it BY KENT TAYLOR Jay Springsteen celebrates winning the GNC after the final race of the season in 1978. WHEN THE GNC TITLE CAME DOWN TO THE LAST ROUND, RACE AND LAP