Racing Review
RACING REVIEW
THAT'S A PURSE!
A TRAIL SCOOTER race is a pretty unbelievable item, considering that one does not normally identify speed and racing with these ugly ducklings of the twowheeled world. So would you believe a scooter race with a $2,000 purse?
At Trinidad, Colo., the Trinidad Trail Riders and the Trinidad Junior Chamber of Commerce sponsored just such a meet — the 5th Annual Mountain Climbing Scooter Race.
The awards for 75 riders entered included 25 trophies, three Tote-Gotes, and, for the winner of the 90cc class, 50 percent of that class' entry fee.
The National Trail Scooter Association is awarding a trophy to the high point man at the end of the scooter racing season. Standings after the Trinidad meet gave William Sutton of Pueblo, Colo., the lead with 200 points. Paul Thorpe of El Cajon, Calif., is second with 190 points, and his son, Robert Thorpe, is third with 180 points.
SCOOTER RACE RESULTS: 4-HP MOUNTAIN CLASS 1. WILLIAM SUTTON. Pueblo, Colo. 2. ROBERT THORPE, El Cajon, Calif. 3. JEFF BOYD. Phoenix, Ariz. 6 HP MOUNTAIN CLASS 1. ROBERT SUTHERLAND, Redstone, Colo. 2. PAUL THORPE, El Cajon, Calif. 3. DICK KENNEY, Phoenix, Ariz. 90CC SPOKE WHEEL CLASS 1. PAUL MONTGOMERY, Pueblo, Colo. 2. HOWARD UTSEY, Denver, Colo. 3. JIM HARRIS, Westcliffe, Colo.
PEORIA 6-STAR TT
More than 8,000 fans were on hand at the Peoria Motorcycle Club grounds for the annual 6 Star T T. The June race, as well as the National in August, has been held for more than 20 years, making it one of the oldest events in the nation.
Because of threatening skies, the novices ran qualification heats to see which of the 42 would make the field.
In amateur time trials, Ben Breeding from Springfield, 111., on his trusty BSA, showed the quick way around the beautiful course with a time of 32.34. Expert James Corpe of Washington, 111., BSA, came within 60/100 of a second of the track record held by Eddie Mulder, National number 12 from Burbank, Calif., set last year at the national. Corpe's time was 30.96.
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Dale Harding, a novice rider who is really cleaning up, came home first in the novice final over H-D rider Punk Wells from Kalamazoo, Mich. In the amateur class, Breeding showed why we may have another Markel coming up in the Midwest, as he completely ran away with the amateur final. Keeping him in sight was Ricky Yeager, H-D, Sedalia, Mo., and H-D mounted Bill Davis of Battle Creek, Mich. Jimmy Corpe had a very easy time in the expert final and led all the way.
NOVICE FINAL 1. DALE HARDING, Pekin, III H-D 2. PUNK WELLS, Kalamazoo, Mich H-D 3. J. D. GILES, Decatur, III Bultaco AMATEUR FINAL 1. BEN BREEDING, Springfield, III BSA 2. RICKY YEAGER, Sedalia, Mo H-D 3. BILL DAVIS, Battle Creek, Mich H-D EXPERT FINAL 1. JIM CORPE, Washington, III BSA 2. BENNIE BOWDEN, Kalamazoo, Mich H-D 3. DON HOWELL, Canton, III Triumph
COTATI 250-MILE RACE
The American Federation of Motorcyclists' third annual 250-mile production race at Cotati Raceway was a two-wheeled war of attrition.
Of the 41 entrants, only 16 crossed the finish line under the influence of internal combustion, one made it across under foot power for an open class "win," and two of the three machines that led during the race never made it to the finish.
Overall winner was a Honda 450 ridden by Dick Kilgroe of Hayward and Art Bauman of San Francisco. In third place for most of the first half of the race, Kilgroe and Bauman were led by Jim Munroe and Rich Perkinson of San Francisco, on a Triumph and Dave Burchards and Fred Muhlberg of San Bruno and San Francisco respectively on another Honda. When the Triumph made a mid-point gas stop, the Hondas advanced to 1-2 position. Shortly thereafter a cam chain parted on Burchards' machine and the Kilgroe-Bauman Honda was in the lead. Munroe and Perkinson returned to the chase, but the Triumph's engine seized while on the 67th lap, leaving the field to the 450.
Second overall was Rick Shell of Walnut Creek on a Honda 305.
In the open class, victory was decided by a rule book quirk. The H-D Sportster of Tom Povey and Jeff Perkins broke down shortly after the start, but instead of just putting it on the trailer for the trip home, they parked the machine on the pit racing lane, not technically out of the race. When the checkered flag came out, they pushed the bike across the finish line for a legal victory. As the anthropologists say, brainwise, there ain't no substitute for cubic inches.
RESULTS: 500CC 1. DICK KILGROE-ART BAUMAN Honda 2. SCOTTY PARK-GEOF RYAN Honda 3. NO OTHER FINISHERS OPEN 1. TOM POVEY-JEFF PERKINS H-D 2. NO OTHER FINISHERS 350CC 1. RICK SCHELL-DALE TURNER Honda 2. JOE EINHORN-JIMMY PLAIN Honda 3. JIM WULZEN-ED MEAGOR Honda 250CC 1. TONY HERBOLD-HARRY WEBSTER Bultaco 2. ROBERT CAMBULL-RICHARD HIRD Yamaha 3. W. GUNTER-DON NYSWONGER Suzuki 175CC 1. TOM STEELE-CARROL SKOV Bridgestone 2. WILL DROWN-RICH ARIAN Honda 3. DAVE BOSTRAM PARRA SIOCHAIN Ossa UNDER 100CC 1. RICH PERKINSON Bridgestone 2. JOE BUTTE Yamaha 3. GEORGIANNE MUHLBERG Honda
RACING IN OREGON
The Rippers M.C., a Portland club, will sponsor a weekend of desert riding in the central Oregon desert area on Sept. 24 and 25. Saturday is play day, devoted to rabbit chasing, with teams of three or four bunny grabbers vying for trophies. Sunday, there will be a 100-mile Hare & Hound race with trophies in all classes. The meet is limed from New Boardman, Ore., 160 miles east of Portland. Questions and/or entry fee ($3 per day) may be addressed to Rippers M.C., c/o Jerry Chapman, 4012 S.E. 32nd, Portland, Oregon 97202.
INTER-AMERICAN TRAILS, MOTOCROSS SCHEDULED
Motorcycle competition between Western Hemisphere countries has slowly but surely been picking up steam. Two groups which have staged an annual motocross meeting under FIM sanction are the Pan American Racing Association (USA) and the Federación Mexicana de Motorciclismo (Mexico).
This year, the meeting will be a tworound championship, with one round to be held stateside, and the other in Mexico City or Acapulco. For the first time, other associations with FIM ties will be invited to compete. Several Latin nations have expressed interest.
The USA round will be in October, and the Mexican round is scheduled a month later. Saturday of each round will be a 100-mile observed trial, while the Sundays will feature motocross. Individual entries will be taken, but the emphasis will be on national trophy team competition. Further information is available from the PARA, Box 359, Sedan, Kansas.
BANZAI MULDER
While some of the hotter of Carlsbad Raceway's shoes were out East contesting Laconia (which is now held in London, N.H., to be absolutely correct), Eddie Mulder hustled down to the California road race course with one of the superfast 500cc Daytona-type Triumphs.
What opposition he didn't blow off by virtue of power, he shattered by virtue of verve, lifting the twin back on the rear wheel and singing (or was it hooting) merrily as he passed some slower moving souls. Dan Haaby, BSA, and Skip Van Leeuwen, Triumph, had a grand duel before finishing second and third.
In the 250cc bash, Ron Grant scored his first AMA win aboard a Suzuki X6. Walt Fulton Jr., Suzuki, was the novice winner of the day.
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LITTLE BURR ENDURO
John Young, BSA, finished as grand champion of the Little Burr national championship enduro held in Ohio. The Alsip, 111., native finished the 250-mile run with 987 points out of a possible 1,000, breaking a points tie with the wellknown John Penton by arriving at the emergency check right on the required second.
RESULTS: GRAND CHAMPION JOHN YOUNG, 987 . BSA HEAVYWEIGHT N0RRIS 0ELFKE, 963 Matchless MEDIUMWEIGHT ROBERT FUSAN, 985 Triumph LIGHT MEDIUMWEIGHT JOHN PENTON, 987 Husqvarna LIGHTWEIGHT DOUG WILF0RD, 971 Honda BANTAMWEIGHT DAVID FISHER, 964 Hodaka SENIOR CLASS BERNARD SLACK, 975 H-D POWDER PUFF KAROL NOSS, 921 Triumph
