Continental Report
CONTINENTAL REPORT
B. R. NICHOLLS
NIKOLAYEV and Popovich are two Russian names that by now are quite familiar to you but take note of another of their countrymen whose name to you and me means far more, Nikolai Sevastjanov. He is the first Russian to race a motorcycle in a World Championship road race and did so at the East German Grand Prix, held on the 18th and 19th of August. This meeting was probably the most significant held this year, for the M.Z. East German two-stroke came within a gnat's whisker of beating the allconquering Honda machines in the 250cc class and with a good rider on board would have done the same in the 125 event;
Such excitement makes it all the more deplorable that politics should cloud the racing scene in that it prevents the East German concern getting visas to race at meetings held in N.A.T.O. countries. Such was the scrap in that 250 race between Redman on the Honda and Hailwood on the M.Z. that Hailwood's record lap of 100.77 mph beat Redman's record for the 350 class. Water cooling seems to have cured the M.Z. problem of over-heating, a point which will doubtless be noted by Suzuki when developing their model this winter. The Russian raced on a machine similar to the twin cylinder Jawa; it was termed C-350. He finished sixth in the 350 race and it is worth noting that behind him were racers of the calibre of van Leeuwen, Driver, Shepherd and Schneider.
No championship titles were decided at this meeting, the 50cc race being won by Huberts on the Kreidler — Degner could not compete as he fled the East German sector last year. This in one way could be an advantage as it will give his leg, injured in the Ulster Grand Prix, more chance to heal before the Italian round on September the ninth. Redman's three fifty win puts him well in line for a second world title, his two-fifty crown having been assured in the Ulster Grand Prix where Taveri gained the 125cc title.
Only tragically bad luck could deprive Hailwood of the most treasured championship of the lot — the 500 class. But, sadly, the realization of ambition in winning this title will probably speed his decision to go car racing next season. In this field it will feel just like old times for now in the car ranks are such well known motorcycle racers as John Surtees, Bob Anderson and Gary Hocking — who caused such a stir when he retired halfway through this season. As a matter of interest Surtees won the Senior T.T. in 1958, '59 and '60, Hailwood in 1961 and Hocking in 1962, whilst Anderson was second to Surtees in 1958.
They would probably have been joined by Bob Mclntyre but for his fatal crash at Oulton Park in the pouring rain during the British Championship meeting on August 6th. Without doubt the idol of thousands of race fans everywhere, his death a week after the accident stunned the motorcycle fraternity in Europe, for wherever he rode
his determined riding manner and skill earned the praise of rider and spectator alike. His death sparked off another round in the anti-racing and motorcycles-aredangerous battle. It is a terrible thing that a man should lose his life when at the height of his career but it would be even worse to stop men competing against each other in sport even where the danger element is high for, as a columnist over here wrote at the time of Bob's death, it would breed a "soggy" nation.
The British Championship meeting was a personal triumph for Derek Minier who won the 250, 350 and 500cc titles in dazzling fashion, the 350 race being the best of the day as he was chased from start to finish by Mike Hailwood. Colin Seeley won the sidecar title on his Matchless, being the first British rider home behind Scheidegger (B.M.W.) and world champion Max Deubel, who was lucky to be racing at all after a spectacular crash during practice when he looped the B.M.W. outfit. New Zealander Hugh Anderson had no trouble in winning the 50cc championship the first time that this capacity had figured in the meeting.
Dan Shorey (Bultaco) won the 125 crown for the second year running and also claimed a lap record for this little Spanish two-stroke which, although lacking the top speed of other raceware, always seems to be winning somewhere these days. There was a terrific scrap for second place in this race between Tommy Robb also on a Bultaco and Alastair King (Ducati). Robb finally got the edge and took second place whilst King took third in what was to be his last complete race. King and Mclntyre started their racing careers together and were the closest of friends. Alastair pulled out of the big race after Bob's crash, withdrew from the Ulster Grand Prix to be at his injured friend's bedside and announced his retirement soon after Bob's death.
It seemed obvious at the beginning of the season that the 500cc World Moto Cross title would go to Sweden — it was just a question of which rider would pull it off. Now we know and Rolf Tibblin, the works Husqvarna rider, with a total of 45 out of a possible 48 points is a well proven title holder. Back in 1959 he won the 250cc crown riding the Husqvarna two-stroke so he becomes the first man to have gained both championships. A superb athlete in every sense of the word, Rolf has been dedicated to winning the title. The fact that it was ensured at the Luxemborg round where he spent the second race in the pits watching Bill Nilsson beat his nearest rival, Gunnar Johansson, would have appealed to his great sense of humor. But at the previous round came the biggest upset of form so far — the winner was an Englishman! Yes, the persevering John Burton of the B.S.A. works team finally got his reward. Dogged by machine troubles and bad luck throughout the season, John finally got the better of the whole of the Swedish contingent to take a maximum eight points. If that was not enough to shake the moto cross world and the Swedes in particular, Jeff Smith, whose main occupation this season has been the 250cc title, went to Haelsingborg and trounced the Swedes in their own backyard. Swedish enthusiasts must have had a very rude shock to see all their aces blown into the dust in the first race won by Smith with Danish Mogens Rasmussen second. Smith was third in the second leg to Sten Lundin and Bill Nilsson but won the round on aggregate. This was the final round of the Championship which has consisted of ten rounds with a rider's best six performances to count. The first six are as follows: —
previous title i'inners If Swedish supporters were downhearted after the honrc defeat of their riders in the individual title they could take heart
at the prospect of the Moto Cross des Nations team event for here was a chance to make amends for that lapse. It was a chance the riders did not miss. Two heats were held to decide the riders for the race which would decide the winners. Never has there been such a devastating massacre of the opposition. Off went the Swedes and with only three to count they had had four in front. Such was their superiority that on the final lap they closed together and took the winning flag in line abreast all being given the same time by the timekeepers who could not separate them. The riders were Rolf Tibblin, Gunnar Johansson. Bill Nilsson and Ove Lundell. Following the triumphant Swedish team came Britain, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy and France. A week later Sweden's triumph was complete when Torsten Hallman on home ground at Enkoping won the Swedish round of the 250cc World Moto Cross championship and with it the 1962 title. So we have the remarkable situation of the little Husqvarna factory having only one rider contesting each world title and both of them winning. Final positions in the 250cc title table will not be known until after the final round in East Germany has taken place. So the season draws slowly to a close with but a month left of road racing and the winter trials season almost with us. •
