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/78287
~~~~gag~~~s.~;- Ago &Burrito, Yamaha teammates By Art Friedman LOS ANGELES, CAL., DEC. 10 At a press conference here today, Yamaha International Corporation introduced the newest members of their racing teams, foreign and domestic. The new star of the Yamaha racing team will be 13 times world road racing champion, Giacomo Agostini, who will contest three events on this side of the Atlantic, at Daytona, Talladega, and Ontario. The other new member of the- The second loop was designed to be a bit more...interesting. There is some question as to whether rocks are interesting. however. again and picked up the new 18 MPH average up the trail and took off down a sand wash. Some of the riders had noticed that there wasn't the usual endless whoop-de-doos that the area is famous for. CRC scouted new trails to avoid them and it was sure appreciated. There is a lot of unused terrain out there if the ~Iubs will take the time to do a little scouting. Through some sand, into a tight canyon into a check which turned out to ~ another tie breaker. Good idea, if something happens to one, you have the other, and you can use both if all goes well As it turned out it's a good thing they had two. One more speed change to 24 MPH for the last 13.2 miles as we enjoyed some fun and running, up over a hill in to the last secret check right on time. Every secret check was right on in mileage and time which is really hard to accomplish. Finally we made it into the finish to the end of a really good fun enduro and started comparing notes. 1 didn't hear any complaints; most of the comments I beard was how fun it was. Everyone seemed to have a really good time. While the second loop was fairly challenging there were quite a few zeros. My three man team all zeroed the course along with another three man team from our club (who shall remain nameless less they come down with swelled heads). Jerry Counts told me his Yamaha Racing Team, slated for th is side of the Atlantic, is former National Champ Gene Romero, the other half of Team Handsome. Romero, along with the other members of the American Team, Kenny Roberts, Don Castro, and Ke1 Carruthers, (note Gary Fisher's absence) is expected to contest several events in Europe including the team also zeroed it and I heard Bud Houseman did, too. I'm sure there were probably others so it will fall to the tie-breakers to decide the winner. It was funny as the guys were asking each other how many seconds they lost, not points. Honda rider Terry Swets looks to have a chance for 1st overall with only 8 seconds lost at the two tie breakers. He also rode the last 15 miles in on a flat rear tire. The course was marked so well that only a blind person could have gotten lost. Every tum had a whole bunch of easy-to-see turn arrows. I don't see how even a rank ~ginner could have gotten off the course. Anglo-American Match races, the Imola 200, and the Dutch IT at AlSen. Other mem~rs of the foreign contingent of Yamaha's teams expected to appear at Daytona include Teppe Lansivuori and Hideo Kanaya, who is expected to ~ riding a mono-shock 700cc four. Asked about his switch from a brand made in his home country, Italy, and th~ Italian fans' reaction, "Ago ft commented, "If I lose on MV they will boo me. If I win on Yamaha they will cheer me." Gene Romero's reaction to his Italian teammate was: "We can show him some things at Daytona. He can show us some things in Italy, both on and off the track." One thing is certain. Daytona is going to ~ a bigger deal than ever, mostly ~cause of Yamaha. They have the ~st riders in the world and what seem to be the fastest machines. A lot of people have already picked Agostini to win Daytona. # The only problem was getting the course swept. The combination of a big entry, short daylight hours, and a fairly long course had CRC scrambling to get the broken bikes in. I only heard of one injury, a possible broken leg so it was a. pretty safe course which is also important to the family riders. The top 10% in each class will receive 30" trophies in addition to the 12" finishing trophy. CRC is going to try their hand at a District 37 enduro January 6. If they apply the same qualiry and effort to that as they do to their family runs, it will be a good enduro, I plan to be there. .11 t == ~ - - 33-