Continental Report
CONTINENTAL REPORT
B. R. NICHOLLS
PERHAPS THE HEADING is a misnomer this month and the title should read inter-continental ballistic missile as comment has to be made first and foremost on the United States Grand Prix held at Daytona. Perhaps by now you will have fully recovered from the chaos and confusion of being invaded by the F.I.M. and you could be forgiven if after this meeting you decided that you wanted nothing to do with the F.I.M. again. My own impression was that your officials were only too keen to do the right thing and this policy led to outside interference in a manner which I cannot help feeling would not have been tolerated in Europe. However all credit to you for keeping your heads and please do not judge all Englishmen by the odd one you may have met head on at Daytona. The party's over...Never has one week gone so quickly as that spent at the United States Grand Prix at Daytona. Given world championship status for the first time it attracted a plane load of over one hundred visitors from England and the charter flight included all aspects of the sport from world champion Mike Hailwood to plain spectators. You really made us feel at home, especially as it was pouring with rain when we arrived at our motel, but it was fitting that the week should gradually reach a climax both weather and race-wise to that fabulous 500cc race on the Sunday when in glorious sunshine the diminutive Argentinian • Benedicto Caldarella showed that the Gilera could prove a match for the M.V., giving Mike Hailwood his hardest race for many a long day. With a good start there is no reason why any machine should not lead the M.V. for a few laps but to regain the lead as Caldarella did after losing it was a great achievement. However, it must be looked at logically and we must remember that it was the Argentinian's first ride outside his home country and on a circuit that gave little opportunity for a rider to display true ability, but it may have been sufficient to persuade Gilera to have a go at the T.T. again this year. If it is Caldarella's ambition to become a champion he would be well advised to tackle the championship rounds this year to get to know the circuits, for a works rider with no knowledge of grands prix courses is at a distinct disadvantage both actually and psychologically. The 1963 Gilera team manager Geoff Duke was at Daytona and must have been impressed with the style and ability of the Argentinian for such a hard rider is difficult to find nowadays and must come into reckoning for any Gilera plans in 1965.
The Daytona course is very akin to our own airfield circuits and gives little opportunity to sort the men from the boys and it is perhaps because of this that I got the impression that the American riders seemed unable to gain ground on their opponents by outbraking, going into corners or to gain ground on the bend itself. This must be a generalisation and notable exceptions to this were Tony Murphy during his all Greeves battle with Joe Dunphy, Buddy Parriott, Ron Grant and John McLaughlin. In the 2.50 race J. Edward Teehan was riding extremely well but spoilt everything by trying to throw his Yamaha at a spectator. This must have been a bitter disappointment to the Yamaha crowd who lost Don Vesco during training and then Ito and Read before the race had a chance to warm up. But that is typical of the racing game and Dame Fortune smiled for once on Alan Shepherd, who had more than his share of trouble up to the start. He had to drive nine hundred and fifty miles from his home to collect the M.Z. at the Marianburg gate and then drive back to get it on an aircraft in London. During practice he broke a piston ring and had to change engines and qualified for the race with a speed of 92.384, over four miles an hour slower than the fastest man Bert Schneider on the Suzuki four. Grinning and very happy with his change of fortune Alan said after the race that it had never run worse. "The others were so far ahead after one lap that I decided to take it easy and see what happened." Eight points toward a championship is the right way to start the season and will be a good incentive to M.Z. to try even harder for the title. Jim Redman must be cursing the fact that he did not ride, for the chances are that he would have won the 250 class.
Indeed it is difficult to understand the Honda concern's attitude in not supporting the U.S. Grand Prix; they have an excellent U.S. organization and based on the Suzuki results must have won the 50cc class and probably the 125 as well. There is no doubt that they intend to continue racing for they have signed the brilliant young Irish rider Ralph Bryans, who at twenty-one is one of the youngest ever post-war works men. He had originally planned to ride for Bultaco in the 125 and 250 classes in 1964 but this change will mean the possibility of works machinery in four solo classes. Ralph will be remembered for his brilliant ride in last year's 350cc Ulster Grand Prix when he took third place on his Norton from Luigi Taveri on the Honda twin and was drawing away when he had to retire as his gear change mechanism was grounding on right handers and putting the bike out of gear.
With four-cylinder machines almost becoming the rule rather than the exception in the solo classes it might be thought that the sidecar class would become dull, especially now that BMW have withdrawn their support from road racing. But that appears to be far from the truth as work progresses on the Adler watercooled four that is the brain child of Fritz Scheidegger. Fritz is no stranger to CYCLE WORLD readers for his ultra low BMW outfit was the subject of a special article not so long ago but the name of Alan Young will not be familiar to many — not yet anyway. However, if Alan's surprise packet proves itself then he will be a familiar figure by the end of the 1964 season. He has not been seen around the circuits for a couple of years but has not been wasting time as he built a 500cc four-cylinder sidecar outfit from a couple of single overhead camshaft Honda sports twins. First outing for this exciting special is due to take place at the end of March and if successful will be the feature of a special article at a later date.
But the road racing notes seem to have drifted away from the Daytona meeting with one or two points still not covered. Firstly that record hour run under near perfect conditions when Mike Hailwood wrote a new figure in the book at 144.82. This broke the old record set by Bob McIntyre back in 1957 on a 350 Gilera by 3.55 miles per hour and was accomplished with ease, for Mike was quite fit though a little tired at the end of the run. McIntyre had to be lifted from the Gilera and used the smaller machine because it was not possible to handle the bigger bike around the bumpy Monza circuit. I think Gilera will regain the record by the end of 1965 with a speed of 150 mph, especially if Daytona has world championship status again next year. Finally may I take this opportunity of thanking everyone for their hospitality as I was not able to say goodbye personally in the rush after racing. It was great fun and we hope to come again.
On the moto cross front comes the news that John Burton has left the BSA works team and will compete in the 500cc world championship on a Matchless-engined Metisse. John, who is in the two hundred and fifty pound weight class is not the ideal rider for the lightweight 420cc BSA with which the works will challenge for world honors and has in fact nearly always ridden a Gold Star for the factory.
Latest news on Frank Perris, who broke a leg at the United States Grand Prix, is that the British doctors are pleased with his progress, the Halifax hospital at Daytona having made a first class job of pinning it for him. Frank optimistically hopes to be fit for the Spanish Grand Prix but will certainly be ready for racing again by the beginning of June for the T.T.
