Afm

AFM

AMERICAN FEDERATION OF MOTORCYCLISTS

JOE SCALZO

SOUTHERN California’s chapter of the American Federation of Motorcyclists began the new racing season recently with two races held almost on successive weekends. Both meets were good ones, emphasizing that no matter how close competition was last year in AFM races (and it was plenty close) things will be even more competitive this season.

The AFM, in case you haven’t heard, is an everexpanding U.S. club—affiliated with the United States Motorcycle Club—determined to bring European-style Grand Prix motorcycle racing and all its color to America. There are AFM chapters in So. California, San Francisco, Oregon, Washington, St. Louis, and Detroit. Work is now being carried out to start a chapter in the Phoenix-Tucson area. What we’ll deal with is the So. Calif, chapter, since this is where the AFM was first forged together.

That was in 1956, when about 12 enthusiasts got together and formed what was called the Grand Prix Riders Association. Their first event was a training session at Willow Springs (Calif.), in 1959, the name of the group was changed to the AFM.

In 1960, a contract was signed with the California Sports Car Club so that motorcycle events could be coupled with the sports car racing card. Not sure at first, the Cal Club” decided to give the AFM a chance. Santa Barbara was the first get-together of the groups and no less than 99 motorcycle entrants turned out. These days, the Cal Club calls the AFM an “important and integral” part of the racing program. Advancing into Northern California last season, an agreement was reached with the San Francisco Region of the Sports Car Club of America. And this, like the deal with the Cal Club, has worked out quite well.

One leading rider explained, “It’s really a good thing, being able to run with the two sports car clubs. The publicity and notice we get has brought our membership and entries way up.”

With increased entries, comes increasingly better equipment. A walk through an AFM pit area will reveal an excellent collection of gear. In California there are at least six Matchless G-50’s, and upwards of 200 ManxNortons. In the lightweight class, Honda of America, located in Los Angeles, has three of the famed 250cc four-cylinder units, including one of last year’s team bikes (the German GP winner). To ride these machines, the AFM has swept up some of the best road racers in this country.

To name just a few, there’s 36-year-old John McLaughlin, one of the club’s founders, last year’s number one rated rider, and holder of track records all over the state. The rider who impressed Mike Hailwood the most when he was in this country, John rides a Norton-Manx and a G-50 Matchless.

AÍ Krupa is a younger competitor who lives in the San Diego area, lean and tall, he uses Norton equipment. He’s ridden in Europe, plans to go back soon, and is recognized by the “$” insignia on his helmet.

Ron Grant, 22 a Norton-Manx — mounted Britisher just over from England, now lives in Sherman Oaks. Although this is his first year here, he has been impressed by the AFM riders.

Don Vesco, a crew-cut San Diego area rider, has ridden a wide variety of machines, including one of the Honda fours, with which he scored an upset win at Santa Barbara last year. Formerly a Norton rider, he now uses a G-50 Matchless.

Buddy Parriott, a real veteran of motorcycle competition, uses a black-faired Norton-Manx in AFM go’s.

In the lightweight classes, which are made up mostly of basically stock Parillas, Ducatis, Hondas, and Bultacos, there is plenty of rider talent. Writzel Morgan, Salvadore (Salva) Soto, Frank Scurria, Jim Dey, Richard Swaim, Gene Wise, and one of the few women racing motorcycles, Mary McGee.

Opening race of ’62 for the AFM was on the Riverside course at a Cal Club meet. Buddy Parriott won the feature after a wide-open flight with John McLaughlin. The single lap record was repeatedly lowered, finally being beaten by almost five seconds by McLaughlin.

Two weeks after this one, on a cloudy and rainswept day, a batch of AFM’ers were again at the 3.3 mile Riverside track. Between the two heats of a United States Auto Club late-model stock car race, the riders put on an exhibition contest, won by Ron Grant on his yellow-faired Norton.

Actually, this race was a major break-through for the AFM, since there is now the possibility of the club running with US AC in the future—getting both appearance money and prize money.

Plans this year call for the AFM to have their busiest season yet. Recent signing of the road course at Laguna Seca, near Monterey, California, gives them another track to play with, one they’ve been trying to get for quite awhile. Narrow, uphill and down, a course where skill really plays a major part, it’s just possible the bikes will lap it faster than the cars one day .

And then won’t interest really go up in Grand Prix motorcycle racing. •