Racing Review
RACING REVIEW
FLAT TRACK SCENE
Flat track at Ascot Park, Calif., has been in a slump for the last few years. The ultimate bottom came this Spring, when a rock concert took place on a Friday night, a time normally reserved for the exciting dirt oval contests. Such musical aggregations as the Glass Family and Them echoed their hollow electric meanderings across the Ascot clay, cluttered with groupies doing their thing. As much as we dig music (did you know that CW has its own resident jazz-rock band, the Harley-Davidson Mojo Co.?), it just wasn’t the equal of that greater symphony of Fanners, Seabournes, Lachers, Houchins, Hatelys, Lawwills, etc., elbowing their way into the first turn. Gloom.
Fhen our friends Bruce Cox and Gavin Frippe of Motor Cycle Weekly stepped in and decided to give race promoting a try. Fhey reinstituted FFs on Fhursday and, after some delay, a regular Friday night flattrack program. Fhe initial response would indicate that they will even make some money at it. Hope.
Fhe flattrack season opener at Ascot was an “artistic” success, too. AMA national champion Mert Lawwill and his sidekick Mark Brelsford made a debut on the dirt track versions of the new Harley-Davidson XR-750.
What a debut! Mert set fast qualifying time at 23.19, and Mark was right behind him at 23.24. Each won his heat race easily. The third heat was a rare tie for first between Dave Smith (Norton) and Paul Conserriere (Norton).
Then Lawwill won the trophy dash, with Brelsford right behind in 2nd, followed by Tom Rockwood (Triumph) and Mel Lacher (Harley KR).
The Expert main was a place-switching wonder. Brelsford led for 10 laps, as Lawwill, Rockwood, Seabourne, Smith, and Gene Romero kept the middle placings in constant doubt. Brelsford slowed briefly in the North turn to let Lawwill lead, and before he could get his drive up again, an inspired Rockwood had slipped into 2nd place. The finish order: Lawwill, Rockwood, Brelsford, Lacher, Romero, Smith, Seabourne (on a 500 Gold Star), Houchins, Terry Donaher and Conserriere.
It was quite obvious that the new ohv Harleys have gobs of usable horsepower for dirt track racing, giving away nothing to their competition. Winner
Lawwill found himself a bit strained to get his new machine properly squared off to drive out of the corner, but commented that he likes its handling qualities very much. Getting rid of the grunt-and-groan aspect of handling will involve only minor changes, he said.
With such encouraging beginnings, the Harley-Davidson duo, sponsored by Dudley Perkins of San Francisco, hurriedly began crating their machines for a flight to Palmetto, Ga., where the first half-mile championship was to be held that weekend.
But they missed their flight! Changing over to another airline, they arrived at the airport to find that they couldn’t get their bikes through the cargo door. Subsequent attempts to find a plane to get them and their machines to Palmetto failed. So they missed the national, and possible championship points— which they need very much after Harley’s bad luck at Daytona and Kent.
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PALMETTO NATIONAL
In the absence of Lawwill and Brels ford, two of the Harley factory team's strongest dirt riders, BSA was left to play its own game. It did so with a vengeance, winning the 10-mile National in 1-2 fashion.
Dick "Bugsy" Mann, who leads the AMA points chase after his fat win at Daytona, tried for a repeat at the windy, dusty Holiday Downs track. He led the Expert main initially, and then gave way to pressure from BSA team man Jim Rice. At the finish it was Rice and Mann. Jack Warren, riding a Nor ton, finished 3rd. Mann, sponsored pri vately by Hap Jones, might have been riding one of the new Harley-Davidson XR-750s, but it wasn't ready in time for the race.
One wonders whether Bugsy, always the rugged individualist, is a good candi date to steal away the national champi onship. Psychologically, and strategical ly, he just might be well primed. When he made No. 1 before, you'll remember, he did it with minimal factory support, riding four different brands of motor cycles. This year the picture looks the same, that is to say, no worse than it ever has been. In the first three na tionals he contested, he rode Ossa, Honda and BSA. Brand No. 4 will be that bellowing XR. Whatever you do, don't write off the "old man" yet.
"THE WIDOWMAKER"
Utah's 1970 Widowmaker Hillclimbs started on a bright sunny Sunday morning in April and ran again the following Sunday. in a snow storm.
The famous hiliclimb is held each spring at Point-of-the-Mountain, Utah, 1 5 miles south of Salt Lake City. For seven years hillclimb specialists have tried to reach the top of the Widowmaker, a long, steep hill free of large rocks and trenches. The hill is essentially a fairly smooth run with a short, flat starting area and is a superb test of motorcycle climbing ability.
For seven years the Sportsman riders have been narrowing the gap between the high-run marks and the crest, and this was the year it happened: Just at dusk, after a long, long day of constant assaults by more than 250 riders, Mike Gibbon of Grant's Pass, Ore., reached the top; the first rider in the history of this event to have ever crossed the 600-ft. hill-top line, thus winning nu merous prizes from intermountain dona tors and stealing the coveted 6-ft. "Hill Top" trophy that had been waiting to be claimed since 1964.
Mike was unsuccessful in reaching the top on his second run in the exhibition class, but was followed by two other riders who reached the top once only. They were Larry Huber of Indiana on his Harley and Larry Brisbin of Minn. who, like Mike Gibbon, rode a Triumph.
On the following snowy Sunday, Widowmaker was again conquered by one rider only, who astounded the crowd by performing the feat twice on both of his exhibition-class runs with chains and gasoline. He is Bob Kopp of Mica, Wash., who rode a 650 Triumph with a 4-in, frame extension. Bob also placed 1st in the 650 A class on the same machine with a run of 550 ft. and 1st in the 500 A class on a smaller Triumph with a distance of 341 ft., 1 in. His exhibition-class times were: 1st run, 19.5 sec; 2nd run, 18.6 sec, the latter being an all-time record.
Over 250 riders, 75 from other states, competed for eight hours before 4000 to 5000 spectators. The exhibition class didn't finish until dusk. The Bee's Motorcycle Club of Salt Lake City claim that the Widowmaker is the most ideal climbing hill in the West. The Club allows no practice runs and has the hill locked up except for the annual events. All cyclists are cordially invited to compete with the intermountain riders by contacting Jay D. Thurgood, Bee's Motorcycle Club, 4446 West 4630 South, Kearns (SLC) Utah, 84120.
PIKE'S PEAK TOUR
The popular Pike's Peak Motorcycle Tour is scheduled for August 4, 5 and 6. Started in 1966, it attracts mostly mar ried couples and "well-mannered, neatly dressed" riders who "are a credit to the sport," according to Bill Manning, tour promoter.
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Reservation deadline is July 25. Cost per adult is $35, although previous tour riders have to pay only $30 apiece. The fee includes a social mixer, two complete dinners, a western entertainment program, attendance at an old-timey olio show, tours to a gold mine, the Old Homestead Museum, Pike’s Peak Toll road and extra rides.
The three-day tour covers about 500 miles of Colorado scenic roads. Standard mufflers and safety helmets are required.
For more information and entry blanks write Betsy and Bill Manning, 630 Cook St., Denver, Colo. 80206.
AMDRA DRAGS
The American Motorcycle Drag Racing Association (AMDRA) has had a busy Spring season. It opened at Southland Dragway in Houma, La., with a $600 meeting, for about 100 machines.
The House of Wheels team from Houston, Texas, took home a good portion of the gold. Pat Miller piloted his screaming Yamaha double to runner-up position, but just couldn’t pass the team effort of Clovatre and Hardman from New Orleans, La., with Lee Kline at the controls. Pat’s best effort was a 10.68, while Lee, on an H-D fueler, went 9.77/146.10 to win Top Eliminator money, low e.t. and top mph all in one stride.
In the other brackets, the House of Wheels Team did much better. In the Competition Eliminator bracket, Frank Russell, aboard his 350-cc class F/D machine cornered the honors, while a partner on their No. 3 bike, a G/M Yamaha, took runner-up. The next all-bike event at Southland Raceway will be the Southern National Championships on June 14, 1970.
On April 12, the Ateo Dragway in Ateo, N.J. hosted its first bike event of the season with 100 competitors. Top Eliminator of the day was Harold Steele, AA/D Harley, with a strong run of 10.68 sec. at 138 mph over the H-D of Billy Smith, of Langhorne, Pa. Cook Neilson of [Beep-Beep] Magazine was shot down when his 9-second-rated H-D fueler hung a valve while starting on the rollers. Sonny Routt’s new single-engine Triumph had teething problems and couldn’t make the finals. Glenn Fodor of Clifton, N.J. took the Competition Eliminator honors on his new B/A Harley. Glenn, running out of Custom Cycle Engineering, turned a strong 11.64 sec. to defeat all comers in the handicap bracket. Then H-D did it again in the Street Eliminator category as Bob Mauriello of Sparta, N.J. went to the victory circle in 11.38 sec., beating out Jim Lombardo of Ateo, N.J.
If you're interested in finding out more about this group’s events, write AMDRA, 718 Haddon Ave., Collingswood, N.J. 08108.
24-HOUR ROAD RACE
A 750cc Triumph Trident has won the 1970 24-hour marathon endurance race at Harewood Acres, Ont. Canada.
Dan Sorenson, Bill Burke Jr., Harvey Manning and Pete Stacey shared the riding over 895 laps to complete the 2000-mile total race distance.
The production motorcycle-entered by Raymond Burke, Motors of Ontario-grabbed the lead with just 16 laps remaining and carried on to win by six laps over a Honda team which was subsequently disqualified for an illegal pit stop.
As a result of the ruling, BMW was officially named 2nd place finisher with five riders alternating during the 24hour period-and a Suzuki team placed 3rd.
