Racing Review
RACING REVIEW
GREAT LAKES RACES
Probably the first all-novice AMA race ever to have a $1,200 purse was held at the Detroit Race Course in Livonia, Michigan. Called the Great Lakes Novice Championship, the meet was attended by more than 7,500 fans.
The entry list topped 90, swelled by riders from Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Wisconsin and Ontario, Canada. Only 60 qualified in the time trials, however.
Fast man of the day was David Perkins from Toledo, Ohio, who ran the halfmile dirt oval in 29.16 seconds with his 250cc Harley-Davidson Sprint.
The 18-year-old Perkins then proceeded to win two heats and the five-mile final. Time for the latter was 5:19:92.
The fastest 15 qualifiers were allowed to run in a five-mile bonus race, the Novice Championship, which was won by Tom Morrison of Jacksonville, Ohio, also riding an H-D Sprint. His time was 5:17:98.
The races were promoted by the Detroit Area Associated Motorcycle Clubs and the Metropolitan Club of Livonia
(composed of firemen and policemen). Proceeds are donated to local charities.
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DU HAMEL LEADS
Montreal native Yvon du Hamel, who figured strongly in Canada’s victory over the U.S. team at Grafton, Vt., is the leader for the Canadian Motorcycle Association’s high point award, according to the latest CMA tally. Similar to the AMA national championship in that it involves several types of competition, the award is called the White Trophy. If Yvon continues the pattern of the first half year, it will be the second year in a row that he’s won it.
Second place at mid-year was JeanMarc Houde of Quebec City, followed by Toronto rider Bill Sharpless. Sharpless won the White Trophy four years in a row from 1958 to 1961.
The variety of events that are good for national points is quite impressive. Road racing, half-mile flat track, ice racing. regularity runs, motocross, observed trials, enduro, hillclimbing and drag racing are all points material. Du Hamel last year participated in ice races, half mile, road races, trials and motocross to win the No. 1 plate.
CMA No. 1, du Hamel
There are also championships for each type of event. Du Hamel, at mid-way point, was leading the half mile. Motocross leader was Zoltán Berenyi of Edmonton, ranked fifth in overall standings. Unionville’s Bill Brown is this year’s strong man in road racing competition.
AAMRR NELSON LEDGES
In a weekend of spectacular racing, 214 hard-core racing enthusiasts filled the Nelson Ledges, Ohio, circuit at the AAMRR championship contest this weekend. There were so many entries in the 125cc class that AAMRR had to run it as a separate event, with a special class for under-lOOcc machines running concurrently.
Grabbing an early lead, Pittsburg’s Beau Brinker ran away on a desmodromic Ducati as Long Island’s Laszlo Riesz pulled up second on his twin-cam Honda 125. The real battle followed, with Edward Utter coming out on top of the position swap on a 125 Honda and John Allen fighting to victory over Roger Hahn, both on Honda 90’s, for fourth and fifth overall and first and second in the lOOcc class.
The next class out, the 175 and 200cc classes were no less of a battle, although Larry Koup ran off from the group with Kurt Liebmann in hot pursuit, Larry on a Bultaco 200 and Kurt on a Benelli 200. Third place Steve Morse rode a Bultaco 200, and was never really contested. Next down the line came the Honda 160s of Dave Bloom and Elliott Jones, swapping all the way with Dave coming out in front at the end.
More exciting than any of the day was the 250cc junior contest which filled the grid as the 200s went to bed. Thirty riders had qualified out of 60 in two separate elimination heats earlier in the day. All 30 got off together and stayed that way for the length of the race. With great difficulty, Elvis Nicholson edged his Yamaha away from the Bultaco of Edward Kopp, as Kopp snaked through the bends, gaining little by little on Phil Crichton’s Yamaha, running third. In back of this follow-the-leader game, the Yamahas of Kurt Fischer, William Snaith, Matthew Murray and Robert Lusk battled in a vicious manner for fourth place. They finally finished that way, holding Ronald Muir’s Suzuki in eighth.
Andres Lascoutx managed to astonish the crowd in the 250cc senior class, which boarded the track after the juniors. Andres lapped in consistent fashion, equalling the lap record, time and time again. Somewhere behind him came Leon Cromer on a'fast Ducati who was running off from the Yamahas of James Murphy and Wendell Swegan as they held Kurt Liebmann’s Bultaco in fifth position.
The sidecar event was far from exciting, but it was a good example of the sportsmanship of AAMRR competitors. As the flag fell, Canadian Lou Herrmann blew the gearbox on his BMW rig. On their way around, Isle of Man veteran M. J. Candy with his BSA special and Canadian Klaus Grunning, Triumph, stopped to give Lou a chance at a restart. To no avail, as Lou was unable at the moment to even tell what had gone wrong inside.
On the restart, Candy fouled a plug, and for one full lap could not move very rapidly. Then he got going and began to gain on Grunning. However, one lap before the finish, he lost his clutch, leaving the victory to Grunning.
Lascoutx came back in the 350 contest next, and took first from Ducatimounted George Rockett on the second lap. On the eighth lap, George lost second to Ducati rider Leon Cromer. George settled for third after a real good go with Bultaco-mounted Kurt Liebmann. Wendell Swegan held fifth from start to finish.
Rockett came back in the 500 contest with his 350 Ducati and ran off from Ed LaBelle, Manx, and Canadian Albert Lynn, also Manx-mounted. This was one of the least exciting contests of the day. More interesting than the race itself were the BMWs of Tom Stewart and Ken Porter, which ran consistently and well. Both had good finishes, especially considering that this was Porter’s first time in competition.
The best ride of the weekend was in the open class as Alyn Carlson brought his 12-year-old Harley home in third spot after being the last one off the line. Alyn gained at least one position every lap until he pulled into third on the ninth and stayed there. Winner Elvis Nicholson rode a Triumph and second spot Ed LaBelle used his special Triton.
DEATH VALLEY TIME
The 12th Annual Death Valley Motorcycle Tour will take place the weekend of Oct. 29 and 30. This is THE big road event of the year and more than 5,000 motorcyclists from all over the U.S., plus the most extreme latitudes of the Western Hemisphere, can be expected.
There will be 100 custom trophies awarded to competitors in the various events. Highlights of the run include a field meet for all comers, motorcycle stunt riding by the Victor McLaglen Motor Corp Drill Team, and continuous motorcycle movies.
There will be a special parade for antique motorcycles this year and trophies will be awarded for their division.
Participants in the tour will receive a cigarette lighter with Death Valley Tour emblem, the official tour pin for 1966 and the AMA tour award patch. Entry blanks are available at motorcycle dealers or by writing Motorcycle Tours Incorporated, 12738 South Paramount Blvd., Downey, Calif. 90242. ■
