Continental Report
CONTINENTAL REPORT
B.R. NICHOLLS
EASTER TRIALS
The four-day Easter holiday in England provides the motorcycle enthusiast with a gourmet’s menu of sporting fare. Sand racing, grasstrack and hillclimbs join the more common trials, motocross and road racing—in addition to the more specialized art of speedway.
There were two big bog wheel events, the Traders Cup and Lomax trials, and the Miller man made his mark in both. In the Traders, he totaled 29 marks to lead Lawrence Telling (Montesa) by 6. Five marks behind was Greeves ace Derek Adsett. Gordon Farley (Montesa) was 4th. A day later, at the poorly supported Beggars Roost, Farley scored a convincing win that must have given him some confidence for the Lomax, but he could not match Sam’s 6. With 16 marks lost, he was level-pegging with Jim Sandiford (Bultaco) but took 2nd place with more sections clean. Sidecars competed at Lomax, and Phil Mountfield (Ariel) had a magnificent ride. He defeated the current champion, Alan Morewood (Ariel), by 35 lost to 49.
A week later, the various ACU administrative areas competed against each other in the inter-center team trial. Mick Andrews (Ossa), riding the rocks and streams of his native Derbyshire, demolished the other aces with a score of 9. Farley was 2nd with 13, followed by Dennis Jones (Suzuki) with 16.
Miller had a bad day with 20 lost, but with the Scottish International Six Days Trial the next big event, Sam can be likened to the show jumper rapping the gate on a practice jump before a clear round. Barring machine trouble, he seems to be the classic reason for making the highland holiday a handicap event. Ninety percent of the entry will lose more marks before lunch on the first day than Miller will all week—to give some idea of the measure of his superiority.
ROAD RACING
Rod Gould (Yamaha) showed the same type of superiority in the 250 and 350 classes at Brands Hatch, Mallory and Oulton Park. In four days, he pulled off class doubles at all three meets with the machines he brought back to Europe from Daytona.
The Brands meeting was the second round in the 350and 500-cc British road race championships. No doubt Alan Barnett and Pat Mahoney were happy to learn that Gould does not intend to contest the series. Even with incorrect gearing, the TR2, with something like 50 percent more horsepower, had no trouble in staying in front of Barnett (Kirby Métissé) and Mahoney (Aermacchi H-D). These two now lead the 350 title with 22 points each. In the 500 class, Barnett has a maximum 30 points and a lead of 8 over 2nd place man Dave Croxford (Seeley).
But it was a hard fight for the 500 race at Brands with Peter Williams (Arter Matchless) hard pushed by Barnett and Croxford until Barnett slipped ahead on the last lap. Earlier, Dave Simmonds (Kawasaki) had won the 125 race and Gould of course took the 250. Chris Vincent (654 BSA) in characteristic fashion had demolished the sidecar opposition.
The big race of the day, for solos up to 1300 cc, was to decide who would be King of Brands, a title based on points in the 350, 500 and 1300 races. Favorite was Alan Barnett, who already had a win and a 2nd under his belt and only needed a 6th place to cinch it. After a poor start, he came up behind Rod Gould too fast and touched his back wheel. Gould did not notice it, but the spill put Barnett out. Williams was ahead until the last lap, when his streamlining came loose and he was forced to let Ray Pickrell (745 Dunst all) through to win. But the crown went to Williams, who did not win a race, but gained due reward for consistency. It could mark the return to form for Williams, who, in his own words, “rode like an old woman” in 1968. He has the style, and the ability is reflected in his 101.33-mph lap at the Senior TT in 1967.
MASTER OF MALLORY
From Brands the road racers went to Mallory to do battle in 250, 350 and 750 solo classes for the Master of Mallory title. With heat and final wins in the two smaller capacities, it was Rod Gould all the way. This was an international meeting, and Sweden’s Borge Jansson showed a fine style and turn of speed on his 250 Kawasaki, but retired from 2nd place with a seized engine. Later he figured in a fine scrap with fellow countryman Kent Andersson (both were Maico mounted) in the 125 final, where the speed of their machines surprised the spectators. They finished 5th and 6th behind the more sophisticated racing machinery of Stuart Graham (Suzuki), Dave Simmonds (Kawasaki), Vic Chatterton (Villa) and Bo Granath (MZ).
As Gould did a wheelie away from the line in the 350 final, it was emphasized what a cow the 250 is to start. It had taken him four laps to gain the lead in the 250, but the 350 shot ahead, leaving the crowd to wonder who would be 2nd. The old firm of Barnett and Mahoney really gave the crowd its moneys worth until two laps from the end, when Barnett’s gearbox seized and pitched him off. With Gould the winner, Mahoney finished 2nd, well ahead of Dave Croxford (Seeley).
In the big race of the day, Barnett rode despite his earlier fall. Percy Tait was out on a new Triumph with an all-welded duplex frame built by Reynolds specialist Ken Sprayson in 531 tubing. It was powered by a 490-cc Triumph engine with modified valve clearance adjustment. Ray Pickrell rode the 745 Dunstall, for the first time with the new Dunstall spine frame. In the early stages of the race, these three were led by Brian Kemp (745 Curley Norton), who eventually dropped back to 4th as the pace increased. With Tait leading, and one lap to go, it looked as if Pickrell might just do it, but at the
hairpin he was surprisingly outbraked by Barnett and fluffed a gear. It was enough to give the victory to Tait and drop Pickrell to 3rd, and it proved that the new frame handled well.
Final race of the day was for sidecars, with the honors going to Chris Vincent (654 BSA). But the man who had the crowd wide-eyed with wonder was world champion Helmut Fath, first time out with his 748-cc URS. He hurtled into the lead from the grid with fantastic acceleration, but was handicapped by the right-hand sidecar. Revving quite happily to 12,000, the wheelspin induced could pose a problem for Dunlops, particularly in a long race. However, the unit was built primarily for use on British short circuits.
Perhaps the most interesting machine at Mallory was one that did not figure in the results at all. It was a 250-cc Honda, raced by Ron Pladdys. Nothing unusual until (1) you hear it, and (2) you see three exhaust pipes. Yes, a three-cylinder racer. It is all quite simple really— just take a CR93 and stick another cylinder on the side, a specially cast, one-off job. CR93 heads with an increased bore and stroke and a Honda five-speed box are used. Clutch slip prevented proper testing of this interesting exercise in engineering that has kept Ron and his helpers busy for over a year.
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Swiss ace Hanspeter Hubacher had a 5 00-cc MV four-cylinder sidecar at Mallory; it sounded great for the short while it was running. With a sleeveddown roadster engine, it is big and cumbersome. Much time and effort will be needed to make it competitive.
The last day of the holiday, the international at Oulton Park, traditionally the meeting of the day, was held. Rod Gould took both 250 and 350 events, then almost got the 750 on a 745 Norton Metisse. Brian Kemp (Curly Norton) was the victor. The other surprise of the day was in the 500 class, where Derek Woodman (Seeley) was the winner. Fath took the sidecar class and Graham the 125.
Many of the aces were at the Crystal Palace for the second round of the 125, 250 and sidecar championships. The dry, sunny day drew a good crowd, who saw keen racing and a crop of new records.
John Ringwood (MZ) set the ball rolling with lap and race records in the 125 event, his first championship points. He won from Barry Sheene and Charles Mortimer (both on Bultacos), then went out on a Broad Yamaha to demolish the 250-cc race record and, in winning, took the lead in the championships. In the sidecar race, no one saw which way Chris Vincent went, as he broke his own lap and race figures to lead the class with a six-point lead over Peter Brown who has followed him home in both races.
Mick Andrew (Seeley) was a surprise winner in the 350. Ray Pickrell (Aerimacchi H-D) and Paul Smart (Ducati) finished behind him, but it was a hard tussle among the three of them. Andrew will be one to watch over the coming season. He made a name for himself riding in production racing during the past couple of seasons and now is very fast and safe.
NEW DUNSTALL VICTORY
Ray Pickrell’s moment of triumph came in the 1000-cc solo event. He took the new spine-framed 745 Dunstall to victory, with lap and race records for good measure. Six days later, he went to Thruxton and, in winning the class there, equaled the lap record. This was a fine achievement in treacherous conditions. Gale-force winds caused numerous minor crashes and sidelined Alan Barnett, who missed a gear when leaning into the wind.
Pat Mahoney (Aermacchi H-D) won the 350 from Dave Croxford (Seeley). Croxford also had to be content with 2nd in the 500, when Percy Tait (Triumph) got the better of him. Tait has reached the stage of elder statesman; younger riders treat him with the utmost respect, as his ability is unquestioned. The crowd loves the underdog— they do not accept the Triumph as a racer—and journalists liken his ability to a fine wine that improves with age.
The lightweight and sidecar classes at Thruxton formed the third round of the British championships. Dave Simmonds scored his first points by winning the 125 on his Kawasaki, but Mortimer’s 2nd place puts him firmly in the title lead with 37 points, 19 more than Sheene and Browning. Rod Gould, on last season’s TD1, won the 250, but Browning’s 3rd place gives him the class lead with 25 points to the 21 of Ringwood. In the sidecar race, Peter Brown set the fastest lap, but could not stop Vincent, who maintained his unbeaten run in the series. He has not lost so far this season.
BELGIAN MOTOCROSS
The motocross season now is in full swing, and the first rounds of both 250 and 500 world championships have been held. Before these events, the Belgians held a non-title 250 grand prix. As the host nation for the Trophée des Nations team event this year, Belgium does not hold a championship round, but the Belgians are motocross crazy—some of the greatest enthusiasts for the sport in the world. Practically all the 250 title contenders were there, with the exception of the AJS duo, who stayed at home, only to lose the British title lead to Alan Clough (Husqvarna) and Vic Allan (Greeves), who now jointly lead with 16 points after two rounds.
The Belgian event was held at Borgloon on a demanding switchback course that annihilated the accepted stars except Roger de Coster (CZ), the overall winner. In the first leg, Adolf Weil (Maico) led until passed on the last lap by de Coster. Torsten Hallman (Husqvarna) was 3rd. Joel Robert retired early with carburetion troubles on his new lightweight CZ. But the factory efforts to cut weight with titanium have been more than offset by the fat that Joel gained as a result of American hospitality during the Inter-Am series. But it won’t be long before he is back to championship weight. Rain fell before and during the second leg and, with most of the acknowledged stars retiring, it became a home riders benefit. Robert won, and de Coster was content to take 2nd, assured of overall victory ahead of fellow countrymen Jos Vermeeren and Jacques Van Velthoven (both Husqvarna mounted).
Tragedy befell Haakan Andersson, the Husqvarna teamster, who was about to start the world series again after almost a year out of the saddle. A broken leg retired him from 2nd place standing in the championship chase last year. After the meeting, he learned the same leg had broken again, a couple of inches above the old break, yet he did not crash or feel it when riding. Then, a week later, Torleif Hansen suffered a broken leg in Belgium, leaving Hallman a lone wolf for the works in the 250 battle.
HANTS HOSTS THE YANKS
The final international motocross meeting before the title rounds was the Easter Hants Grand International, where the British public had its first opportunity to see Americans Ron Nelson and John DeSoto (Montesas) fight it out in the company of such men as Weil, Banks, Hallman, Robert, Rickman, Smith and Clough. DeSoto was slowed by carburetion troubles, but pressed on to watch and learn from the aces. Nelson gave up arguing with a machine that seemed determined to startle him.
The Hants was a race for men. Three half-hour races, each worth about $600 to the winner, encouraged a rider who retired in one race to ride again, even though he would not figure in the overall result.
In the first race, John Banks (BSA) came through the field, but, when leading, stopped to tighten loose handlebars. Sylvain Geboers (CZ) took advantage and seized the lead, but Banks fought back and Geboers dropped to 3rd when pipped on the line by Alan Clough (Husqvarna). Almost unnoticed, Jef Teuwissen (Husqvarna) came in 4th, ahead of Jeff Smith (BSA) and Dave Bickers (CZ).
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In the second race, Teuwissen, the Belgian ex-coalminer, really gave the crowd something to think about as he fought from 4th to 2nd, and then moved into the lead when Robert, not having a good day, retired with a seized engine. Banks fought through to 2nd but could not catch the flying Teuwissen, who has the reputation of being the world’s best on sand and was showing great form on the loose, stony circuit. Geboers again was 3rd.
In the final leg, Olle Pettersson, out on a 400-cc Husqvarna instead of the works 250 Suzuki, took the lead after a few laps and held off Teuwissen until Lap 11. Then the Belgian fought past, but the delay had been decisive. Both he and Banks were level on points and, with time the deciding factor, his margin in the first race gave Banks overall victory by a mere 10.8 sec.
MOTOCROSS TITLE CHASE
A week later, the 250-cc Spanish Grand Prix began the harsh world of the title chase. It is difficult enough for the riders when things go smoothly, but, when the organization falls down, bitterness and frustration make a competitor wonder why he bothers.
Only one thing is certain about the Spanish meeting—Robert displayed championship form in winning the first race and finishing 4th in the second to gain overall victory. Nobody has disputed Robert’s win, but that is the only position in the results that is not in dispute! The chaos of the results stems from the lap scoring situation. Two mud holes smothered riders and obliterated numbers, and the hopelessness of it all is best summed up by the fact that it took over nine hours to produce results down to 10th place (required under the new points scoring system).
The official results place Marcel Wiertz of Belgium (Bultaco) 2nd, similarly mounted Don Rickman 3rd and Hallman 4th, followed by Geboers and Andy Roberton (AJS). However, Olle Pettersson (Suzuki) is protesting the result and with good reason. He won the second race, but the official lap scorers did not list him as a finisher in the first, despite the fact that many present saw him complete the race about 7th. This position would give him 2nd place overall. Roberton also suffered in a similar manner. Consequently, the AJS team manager and Swedish Federation have said they will protest to the FIM.
Both Ron Nelson and John DeSoto rode in the Spanish but failed, not surprisingly, to get their names on the result sheets.
The Austrian, the first 500 round, certainly had its share of incidents. The day before, in unofficial practice, Jef Teuwissen had what seemed a simple fall at slow speed from his Husqvarna, only to find that he injured his wrist and was out of the meeting. Then, in the first leg, Hammargren crashed when in 2nd place behind teammate Bengt Aberg (Husqvarna); fortunately, what was thought to be a broken leg was only severe bruising.
Adolf Weil (Maico) led the pack into the first bend at the start of the first race. Hot in pursuit were Aberg and Hammargren. Weil retired with a broken chain after five laps, and Friedrichs packed up with suspension trouble. Banks had made a bad start and had taken a fall but was forcing through the field. With Hammargren out, two Czechs on CZs, Miroslav Lisy and Vaclav Svastal, chased the flying Aberg. They, in turn, were being harassed by Jan Johansson (Husqvarna). With a seemingly safe 3rd spot, Johansson dropped it, letting in BSA teamsters Dave Nicoll and Keith Hickman. So the first six were Aberg, Lisy, Svastal, Nicoll, Hickman and Johansson, with Banks fighting up to 7th.
The second leg ran much more to form, though neither Banks nor Friedrichsmade good starts. The crowd had the thrill of seeing them both battle through until Banks took the lead from Aberg. Then Friedrichs bested them both. Weil came through to take 3rd but, with overall victory assured if he finished in the first seven, Aberg settled for 4th. Surprise of the meeting was the form of Lisy and also that of his young compatriot, Otakar Toman. Lisy was 3rd overall, while Toman was 6th in the second leg after crashing in the first. Originally it seemed Toman was to be Valek’s successor, but after such a spirited ride, CZ will surely keep him as a works riders.
Ron Nelson was hampered by lack of sprockets to change gearing. In the first leg, when rushing down one of the many hills, his rear brake arm snapped off—and so did he. Ake Jonsson was singing the praises of his Maico and the way it handled, but Jeff Smith provided a simple answer, “It’s not as fast as your Husky was—that’s why.”
On the same day as the Austrian, the 250s were fighting it out in Switzerland. Once again, Robert had little difficulty in winning. Having taken the first race from his countryman, Sylvain Geboers (CZ), he was content to wait behind Kalevi Vehkonen (Husqvarna), the Finnish rider who had stormed ahead in the second race. When it became obvious that Vehkonen would finish 2nd overall, Robert dropped back to let in Geboers and ensure a Belgian 1-2. After two rounds, Robert holds an impressive lead with 30 points. With the 18 of Geboers and 13 of Wiertz, Belgium has the first three places in the championship.
Vehkonen was the surprise winner of the Finnish 250 GP last year, so obviously is one to look out for this year. The season has been disastrous for AJS thus far. Davis was leading the first leg of the Spanish when a misfire sidelined him. His teammate Roberton was officially placed 6th overall when some thought he should have been 3rd. Then, in Switzerland, Davis had a plug break in the first leg, and the rear chain broke in the second. There is no excuse for the plug trouble, as it has happened before, but the “Land of Hope and Glory” Englishman will say the chain broke because of too much power.
Could be that next year will see two more motocross titles? The Swedish Federation is anxious for a 500-750 sidecar class, and the Poles have donated a cup for a 125-cc series for under-21year-old riders. Both would require at least three rounds to get official sanction. Sidecar events are crowd-pullers, but the economics of a lad under 21 swanning around Europe suggest that dad will have to fall off his wallet. The next stage would likely be a 50-cc championship for the under 18s.
Another plan presented to the FIM concerns the International Six Days Trial trophy team format. It proposes that the six riders be allowed to use any make of machine rather than be restricted to machinery made in the country represented. This would mean that any country could enter the trophy contest, and it could bring about the end of the Vase competition. This, in itself, would not be a bad thing. With only the trophy competition to follow, public interest could be more easily aroused in the contest. But from the rider’s point of view, there would no longer be the Vase stepping stone to representing one’s country in the trophy team.
