Short Trackers—From Mundane To Bizarre

Short Trackersߞ| From Mundane To Bizarre

A RULE change allowing any engine up to 360cc displacement in short trackers sent a lot of builders back to the drawing board. And, what they brought to open the season at the Astrodome ranged from the mundane to the bizarre.

The most common rigs, and certainly the most successful, were Champion framed 360 Yamahas (Photo A). Clean up the ports, take out the omni-phase balancer, install it in the Champion package, and you have a winner.

Dave Aldana, among others, chose the 350 Kawasaki rotary valve unit (Photo B). The engine bulge is on the right where it doesn't matter, and with suitable modifications an abundance of power is on tap.

Others preferred the popular Bultaco—some favoring 250s, some the newer 325cc version (Photo C). Champion, Trackmaster, and Red Line

frames were all used. None had an obvious advantage.

Scott and Gene Romero again rode Rickmans, powered by 250cc Montesas (Photo D). Handling problems have been eliminated by the substitution of Boyd and Stellings frames with adjustable steering heads.

The remaining Triumph factory rider, Dick Mann, opted for the bizarre. He rode a true classic...a B40 BSA with side float Amal G.P. carb (Photo E). Suprisingly, it was both fast and quiet.

And then there were the Harley Sprints. All, both privateer and factory, were a bit down on power, but were interesting. Mert Lawwill's had a muffler ala '52 Chevy (Photo F) with forward facing outlet to fool the AMA soundmeter. Even though the AMA made him run the opposite direction during the sound test, it passed easily. |5>