Race Watch
RACE WATCH
Kenny Has Plans, Anaheim Stadium Agrees With Marty and More New Contracts
D. Randy Riggs
VILLA RETURNS
Walter Villa rides for Harley-Davidson in Europe and has won the 250-cc and 350-cc world titles more times than we can recount. But the only time he’s raced in the U.S. was at Ontario and he didn’t do well. Did poorly, in fact, maybe because he wasn’t used to American courses or riding on slicks or because U.S. riders are more aggressive than Europeans.
Villa’s poor showing must have rankled the Italian champ, because one clause in his 1977 contract with H-D requires the factory to send Villa and a factory-backed 250 to Daytona this year. At the least, it’ll make the 250 Lightweight race something more than a procession of Yamahas. At best, we’ll get to see a world champion demonstrating how champions ride.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON AND MOTOCROSS
Rex Staten will again ride the special factory H-D motocrossers in 1977, and will be joined by former Bultaco team member Marty Tripes. Tripes was the teenage sensation that swept the first two Superbowls of Motocross. Whether or not he can get it together again for H-D and boss Dick O’Brien remains to be seen.
HOWERTON SIGNS, LACKEY DECLINES, HEIKKI BIDS FAREWELL
Husqvarna’s racing team members have gone through a reshuffling period during the winter months. First eruptions occurred when Heikki Mikkola announced that he was about to forsake the brand that had won him the 1976 World 250 Championship and sign with Honda. But Yamaha came along with more loot and Heikki leaned their way, the first time the Finn has signed for any company other than Husky. Mikkola also took the 500-cc title in 1974. He'll ride a 400-cc Yamaha Monocross throughout 1977.
Another talent heading in a new direction will be Brad Lackey. The one-time Kawasaki team rider has been with Husky for a number of years and now leaves the concern for mighty Honda. Lackey will no doubt ride the 500-cc class, but it’s unclear at this time if he’ll put in the majority of his riding time on American or European soil.
Husky's 500-cc National Champ, Kent Howerton, seems to be the only team rider not flying the coop, and will ride the 250-cc and 500-cc Nationals, the Trans-AMA series, the Super Series and the U.S.G.P. at Carlsbad. Instead of participating in the Florida series, Kent will journey to Europe for a month of R & D Testing.
POMEROY ENDS THE LOVE AFFAIR
Hard as it seems to believe, Jim Pomeroy has finally severed his long time association with Bultaco. Where is he headed? To Honda, right along with Brad Lackey. Along with Marty Smith and Tommy Croft, Honda should be formidable competitors this season. We have no word on Rich Eierstedt at this writing, but Pierre Karsmakers is another of the riders changing the color of his leathers.
KARSMAKERS BACK TO YAMAHA
There were many people who got used to seeing the transplanted Dutchman, Pierre Karsmakers, in Yamaha colors. The switch to Honda came as a big shock. But once again, Yamaha fans will be able to watch the talented and personable rider on yellow and black motorcycles. Pierre has left Honda to return to Yamaha and has signed a two-year contract. Pierre will be riding the 500-cc GP World Championship series in Europe and the Trans-AMA and Super Series here. His effort will be closely geared to development work, helping to improve the motocrossers we’ll be buying in the not-too-distant future.
MORE ON ROBERTS
Look for Kenny Roberts to open the season at Houston on a very special monoshock 750 TT machine. The chassis is made by Ken’s own company, K-R Racing Frames, and is a design of Babe DeMay’s and Roberts’. Should be promising.
AMERICAN MX FINALS: BIRTH OR FUNERAL?
Question: Who won the race? A) Marty Smith B) All of the riders C) None of the riders D) The fans E) The promoters F) Any, all. or none of the above Partial answer: Smith finished in 1st place, but as to who won. . . .
On Saturday. December 4, 1976 at Anaheim Stadium in California, something unique happened—a new sport was born. Its conception began in 1972 with the Superbowl of Motocross, the first attempt to bring motocross indoors; essentially a scaled-down motocross with more motors of shorter length. It gained a name — Supercross, and began to develop its identity with the first all-indoor motocross race in 1974 at the Houston Astrodome. It expanded to five events in 1976—combining one semi-indoor-outdoor event at Daytona, three purely indoor affairs at Houston, Dallas, and Pontiac, Michigan, plus the Superbowl. It was given birth in Anaheim.
What is it? Basically, it is an expanded TT race, with the trophy being the almighty turnstile. The ideas is to meld the excitement of motocross with the simplicity of the TT format of heat races, semis, and main event. The philosophy behind it stems from the fact that the attention span of the human being is basically short. The action of motocross is spectacular, but the confusion of trying to determine the leaders after a 30-minute moto is boring. By the same token, the essentially oval nature of short track and TT is boring. Keeping the action and removing the confusion seems to be a logically brilliant idea.
From the promoter’s angle it sounds great. It is easy to follow, exciting, and since the last race, the Main, tells the story, the crowd will stay to the end, and that all adds up to money.
What about the rider's point of view? Motocross has always been run on wide, outdoor courses. The motorcycles have evolved to their current state of the art to accommodate this type of course. These indoor courses are very tight and very narrow. The jumps and bumps accentuate spectacular action for the crowds. At the same time they produce super stresses on the machines, which increase the danger of mechanical failure, crashes and injury.
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The courses are narrow, making it extremely difficult to pass. Rather than pacing and picking the time and place that is right, riders are pressured into forcing their moves before they are safe. The result is a dangerous situation.
With this format, heat races of 20 riders have a great disparity in riding talent. Many mediocre riders, whose moves on these courses are not easy and sometimes impossible to anticipate, increase the possibility of crashing. These indoor tracks are much more difficult to ride than outdoor courses, and if you are not great outdoors, you will be worse indoors. Altogether, it makes for a very scary situation and that opinion is almost unanimous.
In addition to the risk, the biggest fear is that if this really catches on, (and it maywitness 12 events on the calendar for 1977) true outdoor motocross may dwindle and fade because of the potentially larger crowds this new system may draw. Promoters go with the crowds. The name of their game is not sport, it is money.
On the plus side, riders of non-international caliber who are very good but do not have the stamina for the gruelling format of true motocross have good shots at winning good money if not 1st place. Also, international class riders who have gotten past their prime and can no longer keep up the grind, could have a new lease on life.
The riders in general don’t like it; this seems to be more because of the danger than from resistance to change. But, as much as they express dislike, when it comes to making a living they are professionals, and they like eating, just like everyone else. They ride where the money is.
There are many more questions, opinions, unknowns for this new sport; so as to who really won, only time will tell if this new format will work. Ask again next year. —Mike Brown
AMERICAN MX FINALS RESULTS
Rider Manufacturer 1 Marty Smith ......................HON 2 Pierre Karsmakers ............HON 3 Kent Howerton ..................HUS 4 Tony DiStefano ..................SUZ 5 Jim Weinert ......................KAW 6 Gaylon Mosier....................MAI 7 Mickey Boone......................SUZ 8 Rich Eierstadt....................HON 9 Steve Wise............................SUZ 10 Marty Moates....................OSSA
