Racing Review
RACING REVIEW
DIRTDIGGERS GRAND PRIX
The Dirtdiggers Grand Prix is something of a grand tradition in California, and in recent years lays claim to being one of the biggest dirt bike events in the United States.
It’s a fun race to ride, partly because of its setting at Hopetown/ex-Corriganville, an old movie ranch, and partly because of combining fast TT and bumpy motocross conditions over a 2.8-mile course. Nowadays, they run bikes off the trail, rather than stagecoaches.
This year’s version had more than 950 entries, including some foreign talent, a sidehack Santa Claus racer, and such AMA professionals as Dusty Coppage.
Coppage looked like a good bet for the Open Expert/Amateur feature until his chain broke, leaving the win to Mike Haney who had been pushing him.
In the popular 500 Expert class, Jim Wilson, on a Greeves Griffon, battled with Preston Petty (Maico). Wilson got the better of Petty in the rough sections and emerged the winner. Of special interest in this race was the prototype 500-cc Husqvarna Twin-winner of the Baja bike class-ridden by Gunnar Nilsson of Sweden. Nilsson brought the wild sounding ring-ding into 3rd place. Wilson also won the Sweepstakes race.
In the 250 Expert race, the nation’s hottest “Class C” Amateur, Dave Aldana, rode an Ossa to a flashing victory, ahead of Petty, again on a Maico, and Nilsson.
A two-stroke, running against the big bores in the sidehack race, proved that cubic inches aren’t everything. It was the Greeves hack of Ken and Darrell Meter, beating out the Triumph rig of John Palfreyman and Steve Foss. Another Triumph, ridden by Mike Parti and Jim Moffitt, came in 3rd.
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AMA PARADOX NO. 75
“AMA Competition Bulletin, No. 75, October 22, 1969. To all AMA referees. From 'fom Clark, director of professional racing.
“Subject: Vehicles in Pit Area.
“File: Tax XII, Miscellaneous.
“Effective immediately no motorcycles or minibikes will be allowed in the pits or garage area at future AMA events. Any rider or member of his pit crew found riding his motorcycle in the pits or garage area other than the motorcycle entered in the race will be disqualified from the day’s activities.”
FLORIDA INDOOR SET
Indoor racing goes to the Southeast for the first time with a March 9 racing date at the plush Jacksonville, Florida, Memorial Coliseum.
Don Brymer, president of Trojan Enterprizes and the man most responsible for starting the indoor racing trend a few years ago at Long Beach, Calif., has obtained an official AMA sanction for the event.
The races will be held on Monday night, March 9, which is also the first day of the official Daytona Speedweek. The annual 200-mile National at the Speedway will be run the Sunday after the indoor events in Jacksonville.
A guaranteed purse of $1200 has been posted by Brymer for the new first time event.
The all-concrete track will be designed after the now famous Long Beach oval that drew as high as 200 entries per race two years ago.
No advance entry is required from riders. Official practice will get underway at 4 p.m. on March 9, with racing at 8:30 p.m. There will be an unofficial practice at 8 a.m. that morning.
Interested parties may contact Trojan Enterprizes at 1540 W. 9th St., Long Beach, CA 90813.
