Racing Review
RACING REVIEW
NEW MOTOCROSS TEAM
A new, independent racing team will mount a serious challenge to the East Coast’s established motocross stars in the coming professional racing season. The Cycle Sports Center, a retail motorcycle shop and mail order business in Binghamton, N.Y. has contracted the services of two riders and a team manager/tuner to form a highly organized effort to compete in the professional motocross circuit to date.
The Cycle Sports Center Racing Team began the 1970 motocross season with a loose organization of rookie riders and management. The team competed in every event of last year’s Can-Am Series and contested five International events including the Inter-Ams of Copetown, Ont. and Peppered, Mass., and the Unadilla, N.Y. Trans-AMA event. Two outstanding results from last season’s efforts were an overall win in the Open support class at the July international event at Unadilla, N.Y., and a win in the 250cc Expert class at the Gold Cup Championship at the Central Pennsylvania Motocross Park in State College, Pa., by team rider Bob Harris. Three trucks used by the team last season covered more than 45,000 miles in New York, New England, Pennsylvania, and Canada.
Last year’s team star, 18-year-old Bob Harris of Windsor, N.Y., has been signed to a two-year contract on Cycle Sports Center machines. Harris has a good background in motorcycle competition, having won his local season championship in Amateur sportsman scrambles at 15, and the Expert class championship at age 16. Switching to motocross only last season, Harris made steady progress through the ranks till he won the Open Expert class at last year’s Summer International at Unadilla, N.Y. Since that time, Harris has rated as a threat to the established professional stars. His biggest asset is his conservative consistency. Although he is capable of flashy, continental-style showmanship, his performances in important races are aimed strictly at maximum results. Many veteran riders have marveled at his coolness under pressure.
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Harris’ teammate will be 22-year-old John Scales of Binghamton, N.Y. Scales was a fast rising amateur motocrosser in the 1969 season and made the decision to challenge the professional class during 1970. That season was spent gathering experience in the rough and tumble motocross world. With only two years’ racing experience to draw on, it is Scales’ determination and excellent physical condition rather than his background that marks him as a dark horse contender in the coming season.
Mike Kane, also of Binghamton, N.Y., has been signed to act as team manager in charge of this effort. Kane feels that his role is what creates a true team of this group, freeing the riders of many petty chores and allowing them to concentrate 100 percent on their riding. Kane will be responsible for the preparation of the Bultaco motorcycles that the team will use in 250cc events.
“The great majority of the ‘professionals’ in motocross today are simply Amateurs racing for money rather than trophies,” he says. “What we are trying to do here is to build an organization that will allow us to make a living from our competitive efforts. In doing this, we intend to apply every technique of team effort and management to assist our riders in their job."
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YAMAHA SIGNS HALLMAN
As expected, Torsten Hallman has signed a contract with Yamaha. Serious competition is not expected until 1972, however, as I97l is planned for a year of prototype testing and development. The Yamaha team will consist of two riders; No. 2 has not yet been disclosed.
Due to the rather late planning, Hallman will not be able to count on top money for all events leading to the championship. As a result, he will more than likely abstain from competing in a few of them.
BONNEVILLE SPEED WEEK
August 22 to 28 are the dates for this year's Bonneville Speed Week according to the AMA, SCTA, and Bonneville Nationals Inc.
Competition at Bonneville is open to anyone. Further information can be obtained by writing Earl Flanders, the AMA referee for motorcycles, at Box 2297d, Pasadena, C'A 91 105. If you send the details of your bike with the inquiry, he will tell you the class in which it will fall and all the safety requirements that must be met.
MUFFLER CONTINGENCY
In an effort to encourage quieter racing, Norton Villiers C'orp. is offering a muffler contingency program.
Any rider of an AJS Stornier in the states of Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, or California winning his class at a motocross, TT, or enduro event will receive a voucher for S25 worth of parts, irrespective of whether he is novice, junior, or expert.
The award will continue until further notice and is subject to the following conditions:
The machine must be fitted with an AJS muffler, part number 0700054. These are available from all AJS dealers. It should be noted that this muffler was developed on a dynamometer and no power loss is claimed.
The win must be published in Cycle News or in Motor Cycle Weekly, and riders are not eligible to win more than one S25 voucher per event.
Voucher application forms are available at all AJS Dealers. When completed, they must be sent to Norton Villers C'orp. together with the news clipping from one of the weekly papers mentioned above.
HUSQVARNA ENDS ISDT SUPPORT
Husqvarna will not support the ISDT in the future, as they are concentrating all resources on motocross. For quite a long time, the ISDT has been considered by Husqvarna as an occasion for showing a philanthropic spirit, but they have obviously not been able to profit from their rather successful performances.
The Swedish ISDT trophy team for 1971 will ride MC'Bs in either 175or 125-cc displacements. MC'Bs did very well in Spain last year.
Knowing that the task of providing ISDT mounts is in good hands, Husqvarna can concentrate on defeating Suzuki in motocross events without any hard feelings from anyone.
