Race Watch
RACE WATCH
Camel Pro Series Opens with Astrodome Upset; Shakeup in World Trials Scene; Kawasaki, Kreidler, BMW Set Speed Marks
EKLUND DOUBLES AT HOUSTON
The AMA national pro season, otherwise known as the Camel Pro Series, began in Houston’s Astrodome with a record for Steve Eklund, who won both the TT and short track events. First time in the history of Houston’s double bill anyone has done that.
Two-time national champion Jay Springsteen w'as 2nd on points for the meet and thus 2nd in national standings, with Gary Scott 3rd, John Gennai 4th and Terry Poovey 5th.
Houston is a small TT track and Eklund’s Yamaha 500 Single was just right for it. He ran away with his heat, the fastest of four, which got him a good start in the final. Eklund and Gennai battled for the first half and then Steve motored off into the distance.
Springsteen had it harder, with his H-D 750 being over-powerful for the track. He led his heat for two laps, fell when his front wheel washed out and got back up in last place. The Springer fought back into 4th. He edged Bruce Hanlon in the semi-final and thus qualified for the main event, in the back. From there he wrestled his Harley past everybody except Eklund and Gennai, who was riding a Triumph Twin.
Others in the final were John Hateley, (Tri); Mike Caves, (Yam); Chuck Palmgren, (BSA): Billy Oliver, (Yam), and Ted Boody, (H-D).
Lots of shoving and start-jumping in the short track. Heat winners were Hank Scott, Eklund, Caves, Poovey and Eddie Lawson.
When the flag fell. Eklund ran off from Springsteen, who ran off from everybody else. Great cut-and-thrust w'ork in the pack, though, and at the finish the leaders were followed by Gary Scott, Dan Bailey and Skip Aksiand, who showed as much hunger on the dirt as he does on pavement, which is to say a lot.
Houston is too small to be a crystal ball, but for what it's worth, Eklund, the Scotts and Aksiand will be as good as their equipment, wh-ile nobody who watched Springer go from last in his heat to 2nd in the final w'ould bet against him for his third straight No. 1 plate. —Allan Girdler
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RECORDS DEPT.
Kawasaki may not have the hottest quarter-mile production bike anymore —that honor now belongs to Honda's wild new CBX—but the Kawasaki Zl-R is still able to roll some good times, notably a new record stock production class run at the Bonneville National Speed Trials. Ridden by Mike Bruso, the Zl-R turned a top average (derived from running the course in both directions) of 147.8 mph. On one leg the bike actually topped 150. The record marks the first time a bike in this category—up to 1300cc—has been able to crack 120 mph. The salt bike was set up by tuner Jack Murphy.
While Kawasaki was cracking one Bonneville record, another salt flat mark was being erased in Europe, where Kreidler was busy adding miles per hour to its own 50cc land-speed standard. With Dutchman Henk van Kessel up, the mini-rocket turned a top speed of 137.38 mph on a track outside Amsterdam, Holland. The effort eclipses Kreidler’s previous world mark of 133.10 mph, set in 1965 at Bonneville.
While these two factory-backed record efforts were being mounted, an Italian enthusiasts’ club. Premio Varone, was busy making an assault on some long-distance speed records. Using a BMW R100RS supplied by the factory and modified by the removal of its stock mufflers, a sw itch to a taller final drive ratio, use of Metzeler racing tires and certain frame changes, the Milanese club came home with four records, to wit: fastest 10 kilometers (131.52 mph); fastest 100 kilometers (137.15 mph); fastest six-hour average (119.10 mph); and fastest 12-hour average ( 118.61 mph). The record assault was run on Fiat’s Nardo test circuit, near Brindisi in southern Italy.
WHO’S WHO IN ROAD RACING
Opinions vary of course but an opinion that’s anticipated each year on this topic is that of Chris Carter, editor of Motocourse, the authoritative pavement racing annual.
In Carter’s opinion, expressed in the recently released 1977—’78 edition of the book, England’s Barry Sheene, basking in the glow of his second straight world 500cc title, is clearly the best in the business. Carter ranks 350cc champ Takazumi Katayama 2nd, with American Formula 750 champ Steve Baker 3rd. Kenny Roberts, regarded at home as the best there is, is Carter’s No. 4, ahead of Aussie Gregg Hansford, Britain’s Mick Grant, Venezuelan Johnny Cecotto, South African Kork Ballington, American Pat Hennen and Italy’s Marco Lucchinelli.
Carter's second 10: Philippe Coulon, Mario Lega, Jon Ekerold, Alan North, Tom Herron, Christian Sarron, Steve Parrish, Franco Uncini, Patrick Fernandez, and Bernard Fau.
BUT NOT THAT SUZUKI
In our wrap-up of the 1977 Supercross series (February, 1978) we had Broc Glover working for Suzuki. This came as something of a surprise to both Suzuki, which would undoubtedly like to list the 125cc national champion on its roster, and to Yamaha, which does. Glover continues to be employed by Yamaha and wfill defend his title in this season’s MX wars.
VANCE SIGNS WITH SUZUKI
Drag racing ace Terry Vance, wfflo has added some impressive chapters to the Kawasaki legend in the past couple years, will be wearing new colors this season. After a short but beneficial bidding war, Vance has signed with Suzuki to run the 1978 International Drag Bike Association and National Hot Rod Association nationals. Four new GS 1000s will be the heart of the effort. Vance will continue to operate out of Russ Collins’ R.C. Engineering shops in Gardena, California.
SUPERCROSS SUPERBUCKS
Toyota has jumped on the Supercross bandwagon with a $50,000 point fund for the 1978 stadium series. The contingency is one of the easiest to satisfy in racing; all a rider has to do is wear a Toyota patch on his jersey or leathers. Toyota’s deal includes a new? name for the series, of course. This year it’s the Toyota Supercross Series.
The company is also looking into sponsorship and/or participation in AMA outdoor motocross nationals and the Camel Pro Series as well.
BULTACO SUPPORT PROGRAM
Following the example set by Maico earlier in the year, Bultaco has elected to drop any factory-supported racing effort in the U.S. this year, offering instead a $277.000 contingency plan for Bultacomounted privateers. The fund is set up for payoffs in motocross, enduro, short track and observed trials events, with the total pot split more or less evenly among the four kinds of competition. The biggest chunks are set aside for motocross. Winning a race in either the Supercross series, the 250cc nationals or Open class nationals is worth $1000 to a Bultaco rider. Winning a season title in any of the above is worth $10.000. Winning either the 250cc or 500cc U.S. Grands Prix pays $5000 per event, and a District 37 desert championship is worth $3000 in either the 250 or 500 class. Other major payoffs for Bultaco privateers: $4000 for being declared national enduro champion by the AMA; qualifying tops on the 1978 ISDT list, $3000; 1978 regional novice championships are worth $2000 each; the North American trials title carries a $3000 contingency, and wanning one of the AMA Camel Pro Series short track events is worth $1500.
Complete details are available through Bultaco dealers.
WHERE WILL IT ALL END? DEPT.
If you’ve decided that the 11.46-sec. e.t. turned by Honda’s new CBX is quite enough, thank you, then the Jim Bernard/ Ronnie Tesón “Giant Killer” Honda may not be your cup of tea. With consistent sub-seven-second quarter-mile capability, it’s the fastest drag bike going today. With Bernard riding, the Giant Killer turned a new national record e.t. of 7.65 sec., backing it up with another pass at 7.73 sec. The runs were made at the recent NHRA World Finals at Ontario Motor Speedway in California. The Giant Killer is unusual in drag bike circles not only for its record times but because it’s a single engine number. The R.C. Engineering-equipped bike uses a single 970cc Honda Four. It’s supercharged and runs on nitro.
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WORLD TRIALS SCENE
There has been quite a shuffle among the works teams for the world trials championship of 1978.
French ace Charles Coutard has forsaken Bultaco to join the Italian SWM concern whose machinery is well known to followers of the ISDT. The money must be good as Charles will be riding what to all intents and purposes is an untried bike in competition so part of his job will be development work. Another on the SWM will be the young British rider John Reynolds who was Ossa-mounted in 1977.
Felix Krahnstover, the popular 6-ft. 5-in. West German will be riding Austrian KTM instead of Montesa but the biggest blow' to that Spanish factory is the defection of their number one ace Malcolm Rathmell who has gone to Suzuki for a fee that has even made Rathmell think he is
too highly paid! He has been hired by Suzuki to win the world title in 1978 and in his first competitive ride, the British championship trial of 1978, he finished 2nd to Martin Lampkin (Bultaco). Rathmell was three years with Montesa, moving over from Bultaco with the object of w inning the world title for Montesa. However, in each of those years the title went to Bultaco, first to Martin Lampkin and then twice in succession to Yrjo Vesterinen who has signed again for Bultaco in 1978.
Nigel Birkett, who rode Suzuki in 1977, has gone to Montesa but the deepest intrigue lies in the Honda situation. As soon as Rob Shepherd w'on the 1977 British title, Honda announced its withdrawal from trials leaving Sammy Miller, w'ho had done the development w'ork, out of a job along w ith Shepherd and Nick Jefferies, the two
solo riders. Adrian Clarke, who won the British Experts' trial sidecar class also lost his engine with everything apparently destined to be returned to Japan. A bitterly disappointed Miller has since joined the SWM concern as team manager in the U.K. That left Shepherd on the market but seemingly unwilling to make any hasty decision in signing himself away for 1978. Montesa made an offer but was refused, and the obvious course seemed to be the KTM factory, which is taking more interest in trials, but nothing came of that either. Finally, just when all previously involved with Honda—except Shepherdhad found other homes, Honda U.K. announced that Shepherd would be supported by them for the British title in 1978. All very mysterious. —B.R. Nicholls
FIM LOOKS TO LIMIT PAVEMENT TITLES
This isn’t cast in concrete yet but if the Federation Internationale Motorcycliste (FIM, sanctioning body for the various world championships) goes ahead with some recently aired plans, a lot of guys are going to be out of rides when the 1980 season opens.
The FIM, meeting to consider the future of road racing in the Eighties, leaned strongly toward the possibility of eliminating the 50cc and 350cc machines as world championship classes. The group is also studying the possibility of dropping Formula 750, since the class produced disappointing crowds last year, its second as a world championship category.
ENDANGERED SPECIES DEPT.
We’re willing to bet you won’t see many of these beasties on the Superbike Production circuit this summer. In fact, this may be the only race-prepared Harley-Davidson XLCR Cafe Racer you’re likely to see anywhere. This is the XLCR entered privately by Daytona Harley dealer Joe Robison for the Daytona races last March. According to the press release, the bike was “only six seconds off the class record” in early tests. Draw your own conclusions. The rider is AMA road-racing regular Dale Singleton.
