Continental Report
CONTINENTAL REPORT
B. R. NICHOLLS
IT IS SELDOM that an international classic road race meeting can be dismissed in a few lines but such must be the case with the Argentine Grand Prix. As far as European riders were concerned it proved only one thing; it was a waste of time going. Several had personal belongings stolen, Suzuki did not bother to attend and the 250 class is still wide open with the final round at Suzuka being the deciding factor for world champion as will be the case in the 50cc class. By then Anscheidt should have fully recovered from his broken collarbone which he sustained at the Buenos Aires circuit during practice.
What will happen at Suzuka? Time alone will tell but the interesting feature of the meeting should be the 250cc race for it marks the debut of the much discussed Suzuki four-cylinder device lined up against Honda, Morini and Yamaha works machinery. It might well be that championship leaders Redman and Provini will not even finish in the first three. But Schneider is a doubtful starter for he is reported to have broken a collarbone during practice when he dropped one of the Suzuki fours. A last minute addition to the lineup is Phil Read who has been invited by Yamaha to go and race one of their works twin two-stroke machines — surely the first step to a contract for next year. Read is the man in form at the moment for he rounded off the British season with some brilliant riding to score double wins at Oulton Park and Brands Hatch. But his most brilliant effort came in the 250cc race at Brands where he diced all the way with Tommy Robb. Robb was on his works production twin whereas Read was on an Aermacchi.
It seems a feature of road racing that the European season is hardly over before rumours for the next season are rife. One bitter fact has already been established and that is that the Avon tire concern will no longer support a racing programme. This decision from a company who has shod every solo world champion since 1958 has been met with dismay as it leaves only Dunlop active in the competition field. Dunlop’s latest road racing tire is a world beater: we can only hope that all the additional work that will go their way will not dampen the enthusiasm to go racing. Gilera has not yet made up their mind whether to race or not next year but in any event it seems unlikely that either Minter or Read will ride those machines. The man Geoff Duke would most like to see on them is undoubtedly Alan Shepherd, in my opinion the only man capable of beating Mike Hailwood. He would be an excellent choice, too, for having been sacked by M.V. earlier this season the chance of beating them race-wise would be welcome indeed. It has been reported that Hailwood has already signed to ride M.V. Agusta in the 350 and 500 classes next season. The chances are that he will also test drive a car for them as a prelude to a full season in 1965.
What then of Derek Minter who some seem to have written off since his accident earlier this season? It is true that he did not race with all his old brilliance toward the end of this year but four months rest during the winter should see him back in form again and possibly riding for the Bianchi concern with whom he raced unsuccessfully back in 1960. Venturi, the Italian ace, provided the spur that was needed at Monza when he passed the Güeras of Read and Minter, so proving that Bianchi has a championship contender. So there seems little doubt that next year we shall see plenty of works road racing machinery with British riders not so dominant as they have been in the past history of the sport. In fact everything points to it being a truly international racing year. With solo aces being at a premium it could be that Chris Vincent will get a solo ride as well as challenging in the sidecar class with his B.M.W. He is an ideal weight for the 50cc class so might prove the sensation of 1964.
(Continued on Page 54)
With road racing all but confined to the gossip stage the bog wheelers have started the season with no new names yet hitting the headlines. The tough timed and observed Scott trial was won again by Sammy Miller on his 497cc Ariel but Sammy is not having things all his own way as other national trials winners lately include Don Smith (Greeves), Scott Ellis (Triumph Cub) and Alan Lampkin (250 B.S.A.), brother of Arthur Lampkin, winner of this year’s Scottish Six Days Trial and one of our finest moto cross men, so it looks as if eighteen-year-old Alan is going to follow in his brother’s wheel marks. All these riders have qualified for the British Experts’ trial to be held later this month and though Miller must start favourite he is by no means sure of gaining the title. Don Smith is a Greeves works rider but that does not stop him from making some very interesting modifications to his machinery and on his latest mount he has cut away the frame loop behind the saddle, replaced the footrests with lighter ones and also fitted a cable rear brake and modified moto-cross exhaust system.
The Henry Groutars trials trophy which was a team event during 1963 is to be held as a trophy for individuals in 1964. Earlier this column reported that Britain had won the Trophy but this was incorrect as the result was to be calculated on all the qualifying events and so the honour goes to Belgium. All credit to them for making a proper study of the rules concerning the competition. There seems little doubt that it will be an Englishman as the winner in 1964. However, there is no money to be gained from riding in the events as organizers may only offer “hospitality” to riders from other countries, no start money or prizes.
So to the moto-cross front where Dave Bickers has been having a good winning run on his Husqvarna now equipped with Italian Ceriani forks. With five events to count for the A-C.U., 250cc star Dave made a late run of three winning rides to take the award with Jeff Smith winning the five hundred class. It is amazing how good the 420cc BSA scrambler is in the hands of Jeff Smith for he is almost unbeatable despite giving away 80cc, and yet the 250cc BSA from which the 420 was developed seldom wins against top class opposition.
Now a little stop press road race news. Ducati, the famous Italian racing firm, is reported to be making a comeback in the 125cc class next year. Remember the famous 500cc AJS Porcupine racer? Well, it has just been given an airing by Mike Duff on practice day at Brands Hatch in a 1963 frame. Man behind the outing was Tom Arter but every question on the subject was tactfully evaded. Finally, our most successful ultra - lightweight rider Dave Simmonds with many 50 and 125cc wins on Tohatsu has been invited to Suzuka by the Japanese factory to race their latest models in the Japanese Grand Prix. •
