Continental Report
CONTINENTAL REPORT
B. R. NICHOLLS
WORLD 250 MOTOCROSS
When Jim Pomeroy won the first race of the 1973 world 250cc motocross series on the hot, dusty Tarassa circuit near Barcelona in Spain, he set the pattern for the most open and exciting series in a long time. Just as sensational as that win on a Bultaco is the fact that now, after seven of the eleven qualifying meetings the might of the Suzuki factory has been laid low and they do not figure in the top ten. Competitors now take a 7-week break before the home run of four meetings to decide the 1973 champion.
Incredible though it may seem, eight different makes of bikes occupy the first eight places in the championship, headed by the Swede Hakan Andersson (Yamaha). The scoring system for this year has changed so that a rider now scores points in both races at each meeting. They are 15 for a win, 12 for 2nd, 10 for 3rd, 8 for 4th, 6 for 5th, down to 1 for 10th place. Under the old system a rider had to finish in both races to gain any points at all. In other words, if he retired in the first race, there was little point in contesting the second except for money. Now each race is fought on its own merit and there can be no tactical riding.
Andersson has opened up a 45-point lead over the German Adolf Weil (Maico) and this leads to another interesting fact—the first six men in the championship came from different countries. The next four are the Finn Heikki Mikkola, Russian Gennedy Moisseiev, Czech Jaroslav Falta and “Pride of the Yankees” Jim Pomeroy. If all that does not make the flavor international enough, the machinery comes from Japan, Germany, Sweden, Austria, Czechoslovakia and Spain.
“YEAR OF SUSPENSION”
Andersson’s Yamaha has the new cantilever rear suspension, which at first sight gives the impression that the rear springing units have been removed. The single unit is mounted under the gas tank with a froth pot under the saddle to take care of the hard work it has to do. Opinions vary on its efficiency, but it is certainly no worse than the conventional system and is said that the system is more easily modified to suit individual rider requirements.
Maico’s answer to this was to move the spring units closer to the engine and this certainly has not hampered the rider.
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All this points to 1973 as being “suspension year,” for which Sylvain Geboers could be forgiven a wry smile when hearing of the constant suspension problems suffered by reigning champion Joel Robert; Suzuki was offered the Yamaha system, but turned it down.
The Yamaha system was designed by Belgian Lucien Tilkens and Geboers did a lot of test riding to perfect the idea. It seems Suzuki thought motocross riders cheaper than new suspension ideas, whereas Yamaha is developing it with a view to using it on road machines. Geboers does not figure in the present championship, as he is only just back in the saddle after breaking a leg. His Suzuki teammate Joel Robert has obviously lost all hope of retaining his title this year as he has constantly been bedeviled with knee trouble and machine failures.
Suzuki is not the only factory that has been dealt a demoralizing blow. The Swedish Husqvarna concern can hardly enjoy the fact that it is represented by Finland’s Mikkola and Britain’s Andy Roberton when the title leader is a Yamaha mounted Swede.
Gone are the days when the title was a battle between the Husqvarna and CZ factories. It is now on a far greater scale, and with engines putting out much the same power, results depend on handling, reliability and having the best rider.
CHAMPIONSHIP LULL
When Yamaha got Andersson it was the break he deserved, though some may have doubted the wisdom of signing him because he has been so injury prone in the past. It would be nothing short of total injustice if he were now to lose the title on that score and it can all too easily happen during the championship lull when riders are contesting smaller international meetings to keep the bank balance healthy. Many doing well in the championship can get good start money, which is one very good reason for riding; the other is the fact that like any other sportsman they must keep “match fit.” They must ensure that they do not get stale either by racing too much or by losing that vital edge by not racing.
The greatest advantage of the lull is that factories can sort out any serious problems that have arisen, as in the case of Jim Pomeroy, whose Bultaco has lost the reliability of the early meetings. It could be that he is so vastly improved chat the machine is just not matched to his exceptional talent. Perhaps he would be getting better results if allowed to ride a near standard model as he did at the beginning of the season?
Jim now has 56 points in the championship, 23 of which were scored in that historic first round in Spain and an additional 12 a week later in Italy. Then at the third meeting in Belgium a special engine was flown in for him and he was sidelined in the first race with problems. He gained two more points the second time out, using the old engine.
The next three rounds were in Switzerland, Poland and Yugoslavia. Jim had problems in each, failing to score in one race but picking up points in the other. Then his luck finally deserted him in France, when he got sidelined with engine problems in both races. That failure will have come at a bad time psychologically, followed as it was with trouble at Carlsbad. The onus now is with Bultaco. It must come up with a fast and reliable machine for the last four meetings of 1973. As 1974 is not that far away, if I were the Suzuki team manager, I would be casting envious glances in the direction of young Jim Pomeroy. He surely is potential championship winning material and that’s the right market label for selling bikes in the States.
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Suzuki has a real rider problem. Robert seems unable to shake off that knee problem and Geboers seems destined to be one of the unlucky riders in sustaining injuries. That leads us to another surprising fact about the first ten in the championship —there is no Belgian there! It is a situation that will probably be remedied by the end of the season, for another youngster doing very well at the moment is Belgium’s Jean-Claude Laquaye (Yamaha), who has scored in the last four races.
While on the subject of youth, Hans Maisch (Maico) is running 9th in the championship and could well be higher by the end of the season.
FRENCH MOTOCROSS ROUND
The best Japanese motocross rider yet seen in Europe might be said to have an unfortunate name. Torao Suzuki, you see, rides a works Yamaha. He finished 4th in the first race of the French round, but after his second crash in the second race he finally gave in to the enthusiastic first aiders.
The French round was a battle between the title leaders and really underlined the fact that Andersson, Weil and Mikkola are the big three of the 250 class.
In the first race Andersson got a poor start, made worse by a broadside going up one of the steep climbs. But the misfortune only seemed to inspire his riding, as he hurtled in pursuit of the leaders. Out front was his fellow countryman Torleif Hansen (Kawasaki), ahead of Weil, but injury forced Hansen to the sidelines and Weil took over.
The Maico man was soon joined up front by his teammate Maisch, but thoughts of a Maico 1-2 were dashed when Maisch had his rear suspension pack up and Mikkola took a very unsecure 2nd spot. Andersson was still in hot pursuit. On a hectic last lap, Andersson did all he could to catch the German, including a heart stopping downhill jump. But he had to settle for 2nd, a mere ten yards from the winner at the flag.
Pomeroy had retired while lying 6th. He suspected a broken crankshaft and in the second race seized his spare engine when well in the running. That race was won by Andersson, who took the lead when the KTM of Russian Gennedy Moisseiev stopped to admire the view from the top of the hill. Weil in 2nd place could make no impression on the Swede, but was safe from 3rd place Mikkola. Maisch finished 4th, ahead of Russian Leonid Shinkarenko (CZ), who also finished 5th in the first race.
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BELGIAN MX ROUND
The season so far has shown that to stand a chance of winning the title a manufacturer must have the best rider. Although they are nowhere in the title table, Suzuki did, in fact, win the Belgian round of the championship with Roger DeCoster taking a 1st and 2nd place in the two races. But he was unable to claim the points, because under FIM rules he is committed to the 500 class and so cannot score in the 250 even if he rides. He was obviously persuaded to ride in front of his home crowd by the start money and the chance to prove he is the best in the world at the moment.
Unless Geboers can attain 100 percent fitness in the next three months, Suzuki will have to dig into the wallet and buy a rider. That could be expensive.
The championship points table presently stands as follows:
Andersson (Yam)
Weil (Mai)......
Mikkola (Hus) . . Moisseiev (KTM)
Falta (CZ) .....
Pomeroy (Bul) . . Hansen (Kaw) . . . Vehkonen (Mon) Maisch (Mai) .... Ribaltchenko (CZ)
161
116
112
69
61
56
50
41
39
29
While Andersson seems a fairly safe bet for the title, it is still going to be a scrap for 2nd between Weil and Mikkola. It should go to the younger Mikkola, but the toughness and experience of 38-year-old Weil can never be ignored.
It is virtually anybody’s guess who will take 4th, but the remaining rounds will be held in Finland, Russia, Sweden and Austria, so Moisseiev, Hansen and Vehkonen all will have a round in front of their home crowd.
Doubtless Bultaco is anxious for Pomeroy to beat Vehkonen on grounds of national pride. For Jim Pomeroy that 4th place would be a tremendous achievement in his first season of world motocross.
Jim has done the United States proud in Europe, but perhaps the greatest compliments paid to him are silent ones—simply that there have been no mutterings about wild riding because he is fast and safe. Also, he is always a threat to be reckoned with, which in simpler terms means he could be taking some of the prize money. ra
