Santa Barbara Afm Road Races

SANTA BARBARA AFM ROAD RACES

JOE SCALZO

CASUAL, easy going Santa Barbara, California really packed in the AFM (American Federation of Motorcyclists) road racers, with the pits containing what looked like a record entry. The occasion was the running of the annual California Sports Car Club's Labor Day weekend of sports car racing at the Goleta airport and the bikes are becoming increasingly prominent.

Saturday’s preliminary race for 350cc and 500cc machines, running together on the 1.6 mile course, saw Ron Grant riding a 350cc Manx. Norton the winner with his boss, John McLaughlin on an older 500cc Norton coming in second. Rich Arian, riding a 305 Honda was second into the first turn and ran with the 500’s for a short while until his second gear jammed.

Things warmed up for Sunday’s races and when the first event, for 350cc and 500cc running together again, got away Tony Murphy’s Norton Manx led the first three laps. On the tenth lap McLaughlin’s 500 Norton was first with Ron Grant’s Manx right behind. Don Vesco,' also on a Norton Manx, got a bad start but began to make up for it right away and turned a 1:10 lap while passing the leaders, eventually winning at 77.4 mph for 12 laps (20 miles). He beat McLaughlin by one second, Grant by two; Murphy was fourth, and fifth place went to Writzel Morgan’s Honda 305. Morgan was followed in by two AJS 7R’s ridden by Ivan Wagar and Dave Buising.

Showing how big the AFM turnouts are becoming, the CSCC ran the 250-andunder classes separately. Undisputed winner was Norris Rancourt’s rapid 250 Parilia. David Hamilton on a 175cc Ducati won that class, and Writzel Morgan took the 125cc class on a Honda. Santa Barbara is a good course for beginners with lots of room for mistakes. •