Racing Review

RACING REVIEW

CAROL A. SIMS

IT Is INEVITABLE, when the competition is rough and the pressure great, that an occasional behind-the-scenes rhubarb will take place. Most of these wrangles go unnoticed by the casual observer in the stands, but on a recent Friday evening at Ascot Park in Gardena, California, such was not the case. Nearly a dozen top riders expressed their displeasure at track conditions after qualifying, and chose not to run. Such well-known competitors as Al Gunter, Don Hawley, Dick Aurandt, Elliott Schultz, Blackie Bruce, Red McKeen, Jack O’Brien, Homer Stapps, Roger Reinl and Dick Hammer were among the missing, and the stands buzzed with unanswered questions throughout the evening.

The following week, all concerned were back and hard at it, after being fined. $25 each by the AMA and placed on probation for six months. Responsibility for payment of fines was assumed by Motorcycle Racers Inc., an active West Coast AMA riders’ group, which also plans to appeal the case.

Assuming that there are always two sides to every story, and in this multifaceted case, numerous sides, we decided to round up versions and opinions from as many interested parties as possible, to create a comprehensive overall picture. It all boils down to this. Shortly before the night in question, duplicate letters from the Board of Directors of Motorcycle Racers Inc. were received by the AMA, Dist. 37 AMA Referee Bert Brundage, Promoter J. C. Agajanian and track owner Harry Schooler, stating that unless track conditions were remedied before June 21st, M.R.I. members would not compete. In stressing the dangerous track conditions, mention was made that MRI President Neil Keen had suffered a broken collarbone in a spill the week before.

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Then on June 14th, the previously named riders decided against competing, in what appeared to be an MRI-organized walkout. Heated words flew, threats were made, and generally chaotic conditions existed throughout the evening, but extensive treatment of the track under the direction of Referee Brundage proved helpful to some degree, and no riders were injured (on or off the track). Going by the rule book, it would seem that the non-competing riders had indeed goofed. A quote from the AMA’s letter to all suspended riders reads: “It is a rider’s privilege to withdraw from an event if he is not satisfied with the track or performance of his equipment after practicing, but when a rider qualifies for an event he indicates that he plans to compete in the scheduled program if he is physically able and if his equipment is in operation.” Hence the fine and suspension.

However, let’s hear Neil Keen’s side of it. He feels that, rule or no, an expert rider’s judgment of a safe track should be sufficient to justify his withdrawal from competition at will. Referring to the tragically dusty track at Lincoln, Illinois where Jack Gholson received fatal injuries and champion Carroll Resweber was seriously injured last year, he noted that no riders were fined or suspended for failing to ride that day. Further, he emphatically denied that the MRI had in any way influenced the individual decisions of those who declined to ride, adding that some who didn’t ride were not MRI members, while most who did ride, are. “A big purse was. ensured by the size of the crowd,” said Keen, “and 10 of the best pro riders in the country don’t arbitrarily turn down a chance to make money. Had this been an organized boycott, there would have been NO races.”

Why did the MRI pay the fines? According to Keen, the organization’s sole intent is the promotion and propagation of motorcycling with the riders’ interests of prime consideration. Feeling that the fines would impose a financial hardship on those concerned, the MRI paid the entire amount in lieu of an appeal, admitting no guilt by this actidn.

The outcome? Although the appeal is still pending, some progress has been made. Keen and other involved parties feel that the promoter and track owners are making a sincere effort to upgrade the facilities, and this has been apparent in a better track surface the past few weeks. An additional tractor has been pressed into service, a new drag built, weeds cut down, and infield sanitation facilities vastly improved. No matter whose side you take, things have gotten better. And there’s still red-hot racing every Friday night. •