Racing Review
RACING REVIEW
CAROL A. SIMS
BILL NEWROCK. PHOTO
WHAT IS THE AAMRR?
Upon noting the success of two recent AAMRR-sponsored road races in the east, our curiousity was aroused concerning this new organization— how it began, what its aims are, what progress is being made, etc. We contacted AAMRR executive Walt von Schonfeld for clarification and following, in its entirely, is his reply.
“The announcement that Laconia, N.H. would not run in 1964, and the apparent lack of interest on the part of the AMA in motorcycle road racing in an area embracing the entire east coast, prompted a group of road racing enthusiasts to get together.
“Both Louis Otto and myself felt that the best manner in which to evaluate the interest in road racing was to make arrangements to rent a racing circuit and announce that a “practice session” would be held. Our first such session attracted sixty riders; we discussed the formation of a club, and all present agreed to participate in a second “practice session.”
“I contacted and discussed our plans with Lin Kuchler, executive secretary of the AMA, at Laconia. He seemed interested and suggested we run a ‘club’ event, and apply to the AMA for a club sanction. I kept Lin informed as to our progress and had yet another meeting with him, this time at the “Southern 500” at Fayetteville, N.C. Then at Meadowdale, I related to both Lin and Jules Horky the great deal of interest this new club had created among motorcycle road racers, and on that date felt that the AAMRR (Association of American Motorcycle Road Racers) and the AMA would be able to work together. I found out differently.
“Lin sent me a letter a few days before our first Vineland race telling me that the “rule book would be enforced” and that our event would be classified as an outlaw race. I mentioned all this at the rider’s meeting before our first race and not a single competition rider withdrew his entry because of the threatened action of the AMA. I gave Lin a report of the success of our first race, and I am certain that there were many more people who told him what a splendid race it was.
“We then became an affiliate of the USMC. Their staff volunteered to assist our officials and at our second race on September 21-22 we had over 137 entries. Lin Kuchler was there to observe activities. We obtained trade support from Castrol and Butler & Smith, while the Philadelphia and Trenton press, as well as numerous weekly and monthly papers and magazines gave Us excellent coverage both before and after the race.
“Some of the east coast Class ‘C’ riders participated, and to date the AMA has not “dropped the boom” on any of the approximately 150 AMA riders who participated in the non-AMA sanctioned race. AMA district 5 held a meeting, and there was an overwhelming number of riders and AMA club members who voted in favor of supporting the AAMRR. A petition was drawn up, over 150 riders signed this, and it was mailed to the AMA headquarters.
“The AAMRR operates under existing international rules, inch for inch. No equipment is barred, providing it passes a rigid technical inspection. We have run sidecar races in both of our events (the AMA does not permit sidecar racing on road circuits). We have permitted experienced girl riders to race (the AMA does not permit women to participate in road racing). We inaugurated a “road” class, limited to stock road bikes which have had their headlight lenses and taillights removed, center stands and jiffy stands taken off, etc.
“Our club is designed to satisfy the rider and we didn’t plan at any time to “fight” the AMA; on the contrary, we had hoped to augment the AMA program and run the type of road races that the AMA has relegated to oblivion. In 1963, an owner of a 250cc lightweight racer from this area, could travel a thousand miles to Daytona, then in June he could travel 500 miles to Laconia, in August he could travel 850 miles to Meadowdale, 111. and then Marlboro, Maryland — 4 races, three of them so distant that the average owner of a lightweight could not afford to participate.
“We have contracted with interested individuals to build our own road race circuit, paved and banked, with adequate safety fences and grandstands some sixty miles north of New York City. To date we have over 250 members who hold AÁMRR competition licenses, and a special committee will shortly separate the Seniors from the Juniors.”
NIXON WINS TOBACCO TRAIL
In the 75 Mile Tobacco Trail Classic Road Race held at Marlboro, Md., it was a knock-down and drag-out, nip and tucker between Gary Nixon riding a Triumph Tiger and George Roeder on a Harley Sprint. The first few laps were NixonRoeder, with Roeder finally coming out on top when Nixon dropped in the hairpin turn at about the third lap. It looked like Gary was practically out of the race in 7th spot but an inspired recovery ride picked up 6th, 5th, 4th, 3rd and finally second spot ten seconds behind Roeder in the next several laps. From then on it was 30 laps of Nixon dogging Roeder at a 10 second interval, neither giving or taking a deep breath. Along about the 33rd lap, when the race was nearing its climatic finish, Roeder dropped a chain and it was all Nixon from there on in, never to be really threatened by Donald Twigg on a BSA, Ralph White on a Harley, Bill Haast, H-D, or Larry Shafer, H-D, who finished in that order.
(Continued on Page 52)
Nixon never let up including the last few laps when he was the outstanding leader, pouring it on over the jumps and into the final lap past the grandstand on the back wheel for 15 yards at a time every lap. A real crowd-pleaser, he was a most popular winner and the spectators were enthusiastically in favor of his stellar performance.
In the 50 Mile Amateur event, Triumph had no problem, with Bill LJoyd in the saddle on a hot bike tuned by Herb Reiber and his able mechanic Smitty, all of whom hail from Washington, D.C. Lloyd broke into the winner’s circle with what was seemingly an effortless ride on his part, out in front of the pack at least a half lap and going away strong from his nearest competitors, Howard Utsey from Denver, Colorado on a BSA and William Werner of Bethlehem, Pa. on a Harley.
In the Saturday afternoon races consisting of a Combined 250cc and general Lightweight Professional race, Jess Thomas on a Bultaco (containing what apparently was some supersonic ingredient) finished so far ahead of the pack that no one else could even seen him.
FREEPORT 5-MILE TO ROEDER
One of the last Nationals on the AMA schedule this season was the Freeport, Illinois 5-Miler, and George Roeder romped to victory over the well-prepared half-mile dirt track, temporarily taking over the point lead in scoring his second National win of the year. Dick Mann, unable to compete because of injuries sustained the week before at the same race track, trailed Harley mounted Roeder by three points at the end of the Saturday night festivities, but came back strong to take the Ascot T.T. (reported elsewhere in this issue) and sew up the Grand National Championship.
In snatching the 5-Miler, Roeder joined Jody Nicholas, Gary Nixon and Ronnie Rail as only two-time National winners in 1963. Nixon hung on for second ahead of Dick Hammer, with Darrel Dovel running fourth. Neil Keen wound up fifth, Ralph White was sixth, Bart Markel seventh.
Two Illinois riders, Bill Taylor and Babe De May, ran eighth and ninth with Iowa’s Duane Shadley finishing tenth. Allen Smith from Springfield was eleventh and Ronnie Rail, in his first ride since sustaining a shoulder injury before Springfield, wound up last.
SANDY LANE TO BAIRD
South Central New Jersey, just inland from Atlantic City, contains one of the largest and most desolate areas in the Northeast, the greatest part of which is confined within the “Wharton Tract,” an area of scrub pine and endless sand lanes — thus the Sandy Lane Enduro.
Sand is the downfall of many a competent rider; however, this year it was no problem as plenty of precipitation not only wet down the sand, it made mud of hard ground and virtual lakes out of woods trails. As the first rider took off from the Pic-A-Lil Inn at Atsion, New Jersey, it was still teeming down and continued in a steady downpour until everyone had been on the trail for over two hours. Partial clearing came as riders approached the Chatsworth gas check on the other side of Wharton Tract, some 35 sand trail miles later. From there, they went across Route 72 into Lebanon State Forest, still on the same sand trails in the same desolate type of terrain.
(Continued on Page 62)
At Manahawkin, just north of Atlantic City, came the noon check and a well needed hour's rest under clearing skies, but the heavens poured forth again as the low numbered boys got back in the saddle again. Back on the sand trails once more and then a little rotten board bridge over a creek produced an amazing change in conditions. Mud!
Lying in this mud and water were a mass of fallen trees and logs, not very troublesome to early riders, but a dark nightmare to those who followed. Angled trees under the water sent riders sprawl ing, and then came the problem of trying to restart the wet engines. Few had gone this far without drowning out the fire at least once; with many it was a repeated Droblem.
An excellent morning score had Sal Scirpo at the top of the heap but, with no breaks, he began to lose points rapidly. Spectators were divided between Eugene Esposito and Bill Baird as possible win ners. Both were on Triumph Twins which seem to take well to wet conditions, and Baird came out on top to beat Espo sito by a three point margin.
CYCLE DRAG MEET SCHEDULED
The Lions Drag Strip in Long Beach, California, scene of many CYCLE WORLD road tests, will soon be the scene of an organized drag meet for motor cycles. Sponsored by the Playboy Motor cycle Club in Long Beach, to be run De cember 8, 1963, the drags will run all classes and two trophies will be awarded in each class. Located at 223rd and Ala meda Streets, the Lions strip will open at 8:00 AM and eliminations begin at 1:00 PM. Admission will be $1.50, with chil dren under 12 admitted free with adult. A qualifying system, similar to that used in boat drag races, will be employed. Regardless of engine displacement, modifi cations or fuel, every participant will qual ify and run against machines in his par ticular speed class. The speed classes will be in 5 mph increments and, to prevent "sand-bagging," a contestant advances to the next category if he exceeds the limita tion at any time, and the rider eliminated will be reinstated. This should put an end to argument or confusion in categorizing machines as in the past, since speed is the determining factor.
SELMA CHAMPIONSHIP TO SID PAYNE
Close on the heels of his sparkling Na tional T.T. victories at Peoria and Ascot, Sid Payne made it three in a row with a wire-to-wire win in the Season Champion ship T.T. race at Selma, California (near Fresno).
Skip Van Leeuwen applied some pres sure in the early rounds, but retired on lap 19 of the 25-lap event. Dave Palmer, after moving up through the pack, then took over second spot and was closing in on Payne as the checkered flag fell. Ama teur rider Paul Bostrom, younger brother of well-known Dave Bostrom, wound up third ahead of novice Jim McCracken and amateur Bob Bailey.
Palmer won the Trophy Dash after early leader Van Leeuwen unloaded on lap 3 while in the lead; McCracken was second, Wayne Sumner third. All dash riders had won their heat races as well. Since this was the final race of the year at the popular AMA District 36A track, Payne was additionally awarded the season high point expert trophy. Bostrom took home the high point amateur award, McCracken was declared high point green plate novice and Dusty Coppage garnered high point red plate, or first year, novice honors.
Promoter Harold Murrell and Referee Hank Gendusa stated that plans are al ready underway for 1964 as a result of this year's highly successful season.
PHOTOGRAPHER ON WHEELS
One can imagine the difficulties in volved when attempting to get a variety of action shots from the infield of a one-mile race track. Unless resigned to a single corner position (and the resultant similar ity of pictures), the footsore photog spends most of his day trudging around, equipment in tow, and winds up as weary as the racers themselves by checkered flag time.
Not so CYCLE WORLD's Walt Ma hony. Here he is, fresh as a daisy, aboard a new Yamaha 80 loaned to him for pur poses of zipping around the vast Sacra mento infield in compiling this month's 20-Mile National coverage. .
