San Jose: Organized Labor
San Jose: ORGANIZED LABOR
The Grievance Committee Takes Ascot Northward
DAN HUNT
THE MOST significant thing that may be said about the Ascot opener this year is that it didn’t take place at Ascot. America’s flat track Mecca was struck by riders of Motorcycle Racers, Inc., the hotshoe’s version of AEL-CIO. They pressed a claim for 40 percent of the gate. The AMA, still unsure whose side it is supposed to take after half a century, emerged as Villain in the dispute by giving the racers precious little support and nodding acquiescence to Ascot-Promoter J.C. Agajanian’s first counteroffer.
Just to make sure that the strike would be observed, a group of five influential men who service the flat track scene, headed by flow tester C. R. Ax tell, informed racers that scabs would have to look elsewhere for their goodies. As. racing is impossible without goodies, the Ascot flat track season opener was cancelled.
So, many riders traveled north to the California farming country and the sunny, rutted San Jose half mile to dice in front of 4000 fans for a S2110 purse.
Experts Dan Haaby and Gene Romero, who form the new Harley-Davidson West Coast racing team, along with tuner Gary Bray, were running factory engined flatheads, but with TT sportster swinging arm frames! The bikes were fitted with Ceriani road racing forks and rather soft Girling spring damper units at the rear.
It must have been the right solution, for Haaby won the main. Romero’s engine had been run only on a dynamometer, so it was still stiff. Even so, he managed a 7th place.
Haaby explained that the swinging arm setup gives him much better traction on rough surfaces. For smoother tracks such as Ascot, the H-D team will utilize Sonic Weld frames of more conventional rigid rear end design. Dan added that he is enjoying the switch from BSA back to H-D, as the Milwaukee-built engines have a very fat power band.
The lightweight, all-welded Sonic Weld frames, of 4130 chrome moly tubing, appeared on many Novice, Amateur and Expert bikes. A healthy looking Jimmy Nicholson had one on his Triumph Twin and received a psychological boost from it that equalled the benefit in handling it offered. “I love it,” he said. “Makes my bike look just like a factory racer.”
Also elated was Dewayne Keeter, who has switched from his trusty but slow Velocette to one of the standard framed Dick Keim Gold Stars. Keim is the tuner behind the meteoric Ascot specialist, Shorty Seabourne, who now carries National No. 8. Dewayne showed his gratitude by qualifying second fastest, at 29.26 sec., behind H-D rider Mert Lawwill’s time of 29.09 sec. Seabourne also qualified well at 29.47 but hit bad luck in his heat when, as he put it, “My bike quit cold on the line.”
The Kawasaki 250-cc Samurai engine has become popular with novices this season, and three bikes so equipped won heats. Larger two-strokes also are making inroads into the big bore classes; Suzuki 500s and Bultaco 360s started, although the results were less than spectacular. The Bultacos give away too much displacement, and a new bike such as the Suzuki needs a season’s development before it can be adapted to flat track demands. (Continued on page 88)
The racing itself was interesting for a season opener, especially in the Amateur class. But in most heats, the pack quickly spaced out. It is difficult to sustain wheel to wheel combat at San Jose because of the track’s long shape and sharp corners, which favor horsepower, and the rough surface and narrow groove.
There were relatively few crashes, although Expert Jimmy Odom had to pull out after crashing twice before the racing even began.
Racing became still more tricky when the narrow groove deteriorated as the heats were run off, and the track surface “swiftened up by about three teeth,” to quote old hand Neil Keen.
Tight lines and minimum broadsliding seemed to be the formula for fast time. Front runners who slid their rear wheels out too far at the apexes risked loss of the groove, which would result in slowing the drive onto the straight.
This happened to Eddie Mulder in the first Expert heat after he had led most of the way. Mert Lawwill slipped underneath him for the win. Mulder has improved his flat track style remarkably since falling out with Triumph and switching to H-D. He always starts well, but now is managing to stay with the front runners more often.
Jimmy Nicholson kept his Triumph sideways. yet won the second heat from Keeter and Romero. Dan Haaby efficiently disposed of heat three, heading Richard Hardmeyer (BSA) and Elliot Schultz (Royal Enfield).
So the front line of the Expert main included Keeter, Mulder, Hardmeyer, Nicholson, Lawwill and Haaby. The back row contained additional impressive names, with Gene Romero, new National No. 32 Dusty Coppage, Paul Conserriere, Phil Todd, Mike Yarn and Elliot Schultz.
Into the first turn of what was supposed to be a 15-lap final, Nicholson dropped his bike and Conserriere went down to avoid hitting him. The black flag was used and all riders were able to restart.
Lawwill put his rigid-framed H-D in front, and was closely stalked by Haaby’s springer. A lengthy gap separated them from Schultz’ Enfield and the Gold Stars of Keeter and Hardmeyer.
On Lap 5 Haaby slipped inside Lawwill when Mert momentarily slid sideways. The two continued to pull away from the field. Then, on Lap 10, an official got excited and waved the yellow flag.
One lap later, Haaby was still in front, and S500 richer, following him were Lawwill, Schultz, Hardmeyer, Keeter. Mulder, Romero, Nicholson, Coppage, Conserriere and Todd. Having run only 1 1 laps, the race was the shortest 15-lap main ever seen! ■
