The Invaders
THE INVADERS
Once Again, The International Motocross Stars Breach These Shores, This Time In Two Series Instead Of One
DAN HUNT
AS EUROPE ICES over and sends native racing buffs to their hearths, it has become an annual thing for motocross stars to come over here and cherrypick.
Most of our readers are by now familiar with the Inter-Am international motocross series. In a few short years it became an institution so strong that it reoriented the American taste for dirt racing, and turned the off-road motorcycle market upside down.
This year there were two motocross series running concurrently. The InterAm returned, as usual. The second series, the Trans-AMA, was created when the American Motorcycle Association decided, belatedly, to get on the motocross bandwagon.
Several things made it possible for the AMA to begin sanctioning motocross meetings involving American Class C professionals and international FIM riders.
One is the AMA's desire for FIM affiliation. The Trans-AMA is, in es sence, a pilot project. But the AMA wouldn't have been able to pioneer international motocross itself, and is fortunate that it can follow on the popularity of the competing Inter-Am. The AMA is venturing into an already awakened `~consumer market."
Another is the dissatisfaction of the companies who were socked by certain Inter-Am promoters-notably Edison Dye, the Husqvarna distributor-with large contract fees, should they desire to enter factory teams in the Inter-Am. The fact that such exorbitant entry money could be charged must be laid to the administrative weakness of MICUS-the FIM affiliate for the U.S. which sanctioned the Inter-Am.
BSA is one of those dissatisfied manufacturers. As the British firm has close ties to the AMA through its American distributor, an agreement was reached that the top-line BSA squad would support the Trans-AMA series, if the AMA created it. Which it did. So BSA, fielding a lovely brace of fourstroke machines in both the 250 and 500 classes, is the star attraction in the Trans-AMA series. The English part of the BSA team needs little introduction: Jeff `~Mr. Motocross" Smith, Dave Nicoll, Keith Hickman and Big John Banks. Dave Aldana-Talledaga winner and histrionic flat-track crasher-along with the affable Feets Minert, who dates back to Catalina GP days (gasp), make up the American part of the team.
The fabled Suzuki 250 squad. Joel Robert and Sylvain Gehoers, were div vied up between the two series. It's just as well, as these two teammates had a spat after crunching together in a Euro pean meeting. It's as if Alphonse and Gaston had gone haywire, each expect ing the other to bow first, although Sylvain made an attempt to apologize. But Robert, the Cassius Clay of motor cycling, was definitely not going to give one inch. So Joel was in the Trans AMA, along with third team member Olle Pettersson, and Sylvain, in the Inter-Am. Frankly, it was a toss-up which one you went to see.
As could be expected, the majority of the foreign Husqvarna riders were riding in the Inter-Am, with Arne Kring, Bengt Aberg, Chris Hammargren and Torsten Haliman heading the factory line-up. Transplanted Swedish Yank Gunnar Lindstrom (Husky) divided his attentions between the two series. En glishman Dave Bickers, Czech Miroslav Haim, and Belgian Roger DeCoster stayed with the Inter-Am on CZs. Maico factory support also remained wjth the Inter-Am, in the form of Ake Jonsson and Willie Bauer, and AJS fielded Amer ican Jim West and Englishman Andy Roberton.
Thus the Trans-AMA amounted to an easy go for the BSA quartet from overseas, although Suzuki's Robert, be ginning the series in mid-stream, promptly dealt them mud in the eye. This may explain in part why the attendance was less than shattering at the AMA events. The Inter-Am, simply, had more of the best. Such comparisons will be unnecessary next year, as the Federation Internationale Motocicliste voted in the Fall Congress to make the AMA the sole representative and affili ate of the FIM in the United States beginning January 1, 1971-thus dealing the ultimate death blow to MICUS. Presumably, the Inter-Am has had its last year, and all its entrants will have to ride one, big AMA series in the coming fall.
Having had a chance to see how the AMA operates, we can see both advan tages and disadvantages as the AMA takes over the complete international motocross operation in the coming sea son. The presence of AMA officials at the events is a matter of course, while the same cannot be said for all Inter-Am meetings.
On the one hand, the AMA has a well developed central administration. In terms of paperwork required for en trants. there will be fewer foul-ups involving license, insurance and entry forms, as well as less hocus-pocus on the part of promoters.
The AM A system of scoring moto cross, borrowed from the checking system used at big, confusing races like Daytona, seems cumbersome, but in fact is nearly foolproof. For each racer, there is a checker who reads a digital seconds clock when his rider passes by and notes the time on a card which is turned in at the end of the race. Consequently, the system makes it difficult for a checker to fiddle the lime and it also takes account of possible laps lost if a rider crashes or makes a pit stop. This is superior to the scoring systems in the Inter-Am, which are not well standardized. But it is rather annoying for riders to have to supply the checkers, who have been known to be guilty of such miscreances as wandering off in mid-race if they got bored, thus shafting the rider royally.
At most Trans-AMA races, the AMA was able to post overall results and pay off riders an hour or two after the race. Conversely, several Inter-Am races were marred by confusion in scoring and interminable waits into the night for payoffs.
On the other hand, the AMA has one of the weirdest points systems for scoring a motocross series we have ever seen. At each event, there are two half-hour motos, each paying 300 points for a win. But second in a moto nets you 295, only 5 points less! The placings, as they descend, award points down to 20th place in 5-point jumps.
If a rider were to calculate the mathematics of an AMA motocross event, he would find ample reason to race very slowly, indeed. The reason is that every race in the Trans-AMA series counts for the AMA National Motocross Championship title. So a rider can crash in only one race, finishing lower than 20th, win every other race, and still not win the series.
Even in the hoary old FIM, the world motocross championship contenders are allowed a few throwout races, to allow for broken bones, bent machinery and other mishaps. So GP racing is close, and the riders go fast as the dickens to place well in those “best” events which will be counted towards the championship win.
Joel Robert, for example, had to miss two races of the eight-race TransAMA series. Even if he won the remaining six races, he would be lucky to be listed in the top 10.
Gunnar Lindstrom, who retired at Unadilla, is in a similar fix, and has no chance to do well.
Bryan Kenney, top scoring American at the halfway point in the Trans-AMA series, modestly remarked that the American national motocross champion this year (the overseas fellows may win overall but don’t get that title) will be the guy who rides slow enough to avoid not crashing without riding too slow. Kenney, who rides much faster when campaigning in France, his usual stomping ground, acknowledges that the Trans-AMA points system is making him more turtle than hare. “Trying to hold top position is like riding around with a plate glass window on your back,” he says.
Of course, this is nothing new to AMA “National Trail” riders, \Vho zigzag across the country each year, risking poverty and truck breakdown, all because every stinking race is counted.
TRANS-AMA RUNDOWN
The Trans-AMA series opened at LaRue, Ohio, signalled with appropriate pomp by a race-eve bash in Marion. The feature race was for 250-cc machines, and what would be remarkable was that the four-stroke Singles ridden by the BSA squad actually had a good chance of winning, due to concerted factory racing development on the home sod. Opposing Smith, Nicoll, Hickman, Banks and American mates Aldana and Minert in the 50-rider event were: Lindstrom, Ronnie Rail (CZ), Bob Thompson' (Ossa), Jim Weinert (CZ), Dick Mann (Ossa), Tom Rapp (Bultaco) and Kenney (Husqvarna).
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Smith, the 35-year-old former world champion, won both 30-minute heats. Lindstrom prevented BSA from making a 1-2-3 sweep by forcing up from bad starts in both heats to place 2nd overall, ahead of Nicoll (BSA), Banks (BSA) and the Americans Thompson, Weinert, Kenney, Richard Burleson (Husqvarna), Wyman Priddy (Bultaco) and Rail.
The supporting big-bore race was won by a newcomer from Pinole, Calif., long-tressed Brad Lackey (CZ).»
UNADILLA
Only 3000 spectators were on hand at Unadilla, N.Y., to see Jeff Smith continue Part 11 of the BSA benefit, winning a 2nd in one heat and a 1st in the other. The 250 Beesas nailed the door shut quite nicely with a 1-2-3-4 overall sweep of the event, the order being Smith, Hickman, Banks, and Nicoll.
In the 2nd heat, the aforementioned CZ rider Brad Lackey had given them all fright, leading the fray for 20 minutes before his gearbox failed. First American home, in 5th place overall, was Mon tesa rider Peter Lamppu, who, along with Thompson and Weinert, is one of New England’s best riders.
Thompson, 6th, was followed by Kenney, Burleson, Weinert and Montrealer Ron Keyes (CZ). Lindstrom, Husky’s hope, retired with gearbox failure.
DELTA, OHIO
At this point the Belgian Bomb, Robert, joined the fray along with his teammate Pettersson, and suddenly the Trans-AM A series became more interesting. Robert’s appearance also ruined what would have been an easy win for the rapid factory 500 BSA Singles in their U.S. debut.
BSA’s Dave Nicoll won the first heat, with Joel 2nd. Joel won the second heat with Nicoll 2nd, to tie, and then was declared the overall winner, having won the final moto (unlike European rules, which use the fastest moto to break the tie). Overall, from 3rd place down, the order was Smith, Banks Hickman, Lindstrom, Pettersson. First American, in 8th place, was Brad Lackey, followed by Kenney and CZ rider Doug Rodriquez. Ossa rider Barry Higgins retired with a broken primary chain, a repeat of his fortunes at Unadilla.
The series standings now had Smith leading with 1765 points, then Nicoll (1755), and Banks (1705). Fourth, and top American, was Bryan Kenney, whose consistency gave him 1540 points, narrowly edging out Bob Thompson (1530). Sixth through 10th in the standings: Burleson ( 1 500), Weinert (1490), Jim O'Neal (1235), Brad Lackey (1200) and Carl Berggren (1180).
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FRANKLIN, GA.
At Franklin, another heavyweight feature, Joel Robert’s 370-cc Suzuki again romped in front of the BSA four-strokes. He won both heats for a perfect 600 score, followed in the overall results by Banks (BSA) and Nicoll (BSA), and the other Suzuki rider, Pettersson. Then came Hickman, Smith, Weinert, Sonny DeFeo (CZ) and the two Ohio Husqvarna riders, Kenney and Burleson. Dave Aldana, flashy but hardly a seasoned motocross rider, brought one of the 500 BSAs home to 11th overall, while Feets managed a decent 16th. Barry Higgins, fastest American in the 1969 Inter-Am, bailed off in practice and broke his right collarbone in three places, a bad blow for Ossa.
The standings, at half-way point in the eight-race series:
INTER-AM OPENERS
The Inter-Am series was not losing anything in the way of possible confusion with Trans-AM A. Its opening event at Elkhorn, Wise., drew more than 12,000 spectators. Swedish Husqvarna strongman Bengt Aberg won overall, after Ake Johnson’s front forks collapsed while he was leading the first moto. Ake recouped to score 2nd overall. John Desoto, an excellent 5th overall, was the highest scoring American rider, ahead of his compatriots Billy Silverthorn, Mike Runyard, Tim Hart and Steve Mobbs.
Meanwhile, on the same day at Copetown, Ontario, Canadians saw Torsten Hallman, the former world champion from Sweden who was the vanguard of the international invasion in 1967, give a consistent show in three motos to win overall. Arne Kring, somewhat younger and fresher to it all, was definitely the faster rider, but suffered from spark plug problems in the second moto. Another Husqvarna rider, Gunnar Lind strom, took 2nd overall, followed by Germany's Willie Bauer. First North American in was Canadian Norm Rit chens, taking 5th overall.
12,000 AT PEPPERELL
In the beautiful autumnal surround ings of Pepperell, Mass., Husky team mates Aberg and Kring again dominated the proceedings. Kring won two of three motos and won overall. Aberg was 2nd, followed by Jonnson (Maico), Christer Hammargren (Husqvarna), Hallman, and Dave Bickers (CZ). Strongest American was local ace Peter Lamppu (Montesa 360), in 7th spot. Last year's high point American, Barry Higgins, who was rid ing a bored out 250-to-30 1-cc Ossa with a Yankee-style prototype frame dueled all day with John Desoto, and lucked out when Desoto's CZ went sour in the last moto. Joe Bolger, the 42-year-old wizard, had his eyes set on a good overall placing when he bailed from his 250 Bultaco in the final moto and broke some ribs.
LINNVI LLE
In Ohio, the Linnville Inter-Am seemed to offer one of the few chances to race in the mud, or at least through a mudhole, the spatter of which contrib uted to a scoring debacle. The winner was Ake Johnson (Maico). Aberg was again the faster rider, winning two motos, but lost on overall scoring after crashing in one of the heats. He was 2nd overall, ahead of Hammargren, Bauer, Bickers, Englishman Rob Taylor, John Desoto and Russ Darnell. Torsten Hall man was out of action, after being knocked grotty in an eight-bike pileup. Fortunately, he woke up, and walked away under his own steam.
ATLANTA & TULSA
The Inter-Am split into two meets the next weekend. The Tulsa, Okia., meeting was sparsely attended, the crowd estimate being in the 3000s. It was a showoff event for Kring and Hammargren, 1st and 2nd, with Dave Bickers in 3rd.
John Desoto had the ride of his lite in the 3rd moto, which he led for a time, swapping leads with Bickers. Then came Hammargren and Kring to take over the show. Meanwhile, Montesa rider Mike Runyard scored consistently in each moto, to take an impressive 4th overall, ahead of Desoto.
At Atlanta, a good muddy race, Suzuki team rider Sylvain Geboers wailed on everyone in the first two motos. Engine trouble put him out in the final event, eliminating him from the final results. Bengt Aberg was the overall winner, although there was some question of whether he had received help in being extricated from a mudhole and therefore should have been dis qualified. Second was Ake Johnson, followed by Torsten Haliman, Otkar Toman (CZ) and first Yank home, Bob Grossi (Husqvarna).
ASCOT PARK
Yes, indeed, a motocross at Ascot Park and rather laughable for an InterAm, let alone any real motocross. No matter how you dig up the turf on the infield of this circuit-normally used for half-mile and professional TT races-you can't get a change in elevation of more than 20 feet. As any European rider will tell you, change in elevation, getting into holes and shooting up and out fast, is what motocross is all about. Maico factory rider Willie Bauer won the event, with his teammate Ake Johnson 2nd. Americans placed high in this meeting, 3rd going to Rick Thorwaldson (Rickman), and 4th to AJS-mounted Jim West. Then came Andy Roberton (AJS), Roger DeCoster (CZ), Miroslav Haim (CZ), Torsten Hallman (Husq varna), etc.
BAY MARE
More impressive was the Inter-Am held at Bay Mare, near Moorpark, Calif. Ake Jonnson's consistency won him first place overall, while 500-cc World Champion Aberg was faster but bailed end over end on the straight, providing excellent camera fodder for the ABC "Wide World of Sports" crew. Overall, the scoring gave Jonsson the win, fol lowed by Arne Kring, Geboers, Haim, Bauer, Hailman, DeCoster, Aberg, and first American, Jim West, who ended up a place ahead of AJS teammate Roberton.
WHO WILL WIN?
In the Trans-AMA series, it's no guess at all to say that one of the BSA riders will win, thanks to the above mentioned scoring system. At the moment, it's a toss-up between Nicoll and Smith.
In tile Inter-Am, too, au tne races are counted in determining the series win ner. Thus, a non-finish can effectively kill a rider's chances. On the basis of concerted factory support, a Husqvarna rider is likely to win, probably Arne Kring. But Ake Jonnson's consistency on Maico makes him a possible dark horse contender for the series title.
When the AMA takes over the whole show next fall, we'd like to see the series scored on best 8 out of 1 0, or best 9 of 12, and so on, and revise the scoring to give more significance to a 1st-place win, and to high placings in general. And while they're at it, they might consider revising the non-moto cross championship scoring along the same lines.
Bryan Kenney, back from three years of European motocross, was top American in the Trans-AMA series after four races.
