Racing Review
RACING REVIEW
CAROL A. SIMS
WHITE WINS 100-LAP ASCOT T.T.
Clark White, the Triumph riding Flying Farmer from Bakersfield, California, took over from 32 competitors in the early going and was never headed throughout the entire 4th Annual 100-Lap T.T. Steeplechase event held at Ascot Park in Gardena, Calif. Nearly 80 riders, both Experts and Amateurs, vied for starting positions in the J. C. Agajanian-promoted event, and White's payoff was $1,001 for the afternoon's toil out of a total purse of $4,500.
Preliminary events included a 20-man, 15-lap Novice Main Event, taken by Sprint-mounted Gene Romero in 13:18.81 ahead of Phil Cancilla Jr. (Bultaco) and Chuck Jones (Yamaha); also a 10-lap Expert/Amateur Semi-Main, with the first three finishers, Tom Clark (Triumph), Russ Robinson (Matchless) and Ralph White (H-D) moving to the back row of the 100-lapper. Clark's time was 8:29.07.
The track was in good shape despite a brisk wind which threatened to hamper the prooeedings but finally subsided. Fastest qualifier was Sid Payne (Triumph) whose 47.89 clocking in time trials stands as the daylight record, although Skip Van Leeuwen still holds the night record at 47.01 over the 5/8-mile, 8 turn, twist and jump course.
Payne, winner of both earlier T.T.'s at Ascot this season, jumped from pole position into the lead at the start of the 100lapper but was quickly swallowed up, first by Jack Simmons (BSA) and then by White. White gained the advantage on lap 3 and never relinquished it.
Meanwhile, all sorts of action was going on behind him. Simmons led Payne, Dave Palmer, Van Leeuwen and Eddie Mulder in the early laps, though positions farther back changed rapidly. By the third time around, Grand National Champion Dick Mann had roared from his 26th starting position to 11th, and moved into 6th on lap 10 (this on a 500cc machine in opposition to 40 and 55-inchers). Lapping began on the 14th lap, and from then on the race became a scorer's nightmare. Front runners remained the same, though Van Leeuwen, hampered by a split gas tank, had slipped to 6th and Mann was
challenging Palmer for 4th. Mulder was having his difficulties, too. His front forks froze in a "down" position upon alighting from the jump, and despite stopping in the pits on two occasions, nothing could be done to alleviate the matter.
Third place Payne dropped out on lap 32 with oil line problems; second place Simmons pulled in on the 43rd with engine sprocket trouble, was out for over 10 laps, then rejoined the fray. Near the halfway point, Mann's Matchless G-50 suffered a broken rear brake rod, but this hindrance didn't affect his smooth,'stylish performance until the machine ran out of gas on lap 62. He refueled, removed the rod and was soon back in the running. The long grind took its toll, for only 17 of the original 33 were still in the running at the end of the race, and some of those remaining were in pretty ragged shape. But White was lapping steadily at the end, and finished in record time of 1 hr., 24 min., 19 seconds to break Van Leeuwen's old mark of 1:26.47.
Finishing order was: 1. Clark White, Triumph 2. Dave Palmer, Triumph 3. Bob Bailey, Triumph 4. Harlan Bast, Triumph 5. Dick Mann, Matchless 6. Clyde Litch, Triumph 7. Jeff Sperry, Triumph 8. Dave Bostrom, Triumph 9. Jack O'Brien, Triumph 10. Ralph White, H-D 11. Joe Plain, Triumph 12. Skip Van Leeuwen, Triumph 13. Eddie Mulder, Triumph 14. Mike Haney, Triumph 15. Elliott Schultz, Enfield 16. Jack Simmons, BSA 17. Bruce Jackson, Velo 18. Tom Clark, Triumph 19. Dusty Coppage, Triumph 20. Dick Newel, Triumph
BIKES DRAW TOP MONEY TO ILLINOIS FAIR
Motorcycle races were the biggest money maker among grandstand attractions at the Illinois State Fair in 1963. Franklin H. Rust, general manager of the fair, released a "Report to the People" which revealed the income and expense figures for the grandstand attractions. He reported that the 50-Mile National Championship races on the one-mile oval were second highest in total receipts, grossing $45,444; this figure was second only to auto races, which grossed $50,509. Net profits to the fair on the motorcycle races amounted to $23,478, while auto races, with higher expenses incurred by a larger purse, netted only $21,619. Comparative figures for other shows include a $128 profit for the Castle Circus, $7,500 profit for the Ice Show, a loss of $836 for the Grand Ole Opry and a loss of $4,090 for the Andy Griffith Show.
Auto races came to the fair for a guaranteed purse against 40% of the gate, whichever was greater, while the 50-Mile motorcycle event was run on a flat purse basis. Thus, while the fair profited most from the motorcycle races (advance sales totaled more than the guarantee), the riders received substantially less in the payoff department than did the auto racers, a major discrepancy that should have been attended to by the A.M.A. long before now. However, this year's 50-Miler, slated for August 23, will again be run for a flat $13,000 purse instead of the more equitable percentage arrangement under which all National Championship car races are presented.
(Continued on Page 64)
KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY
Seated on her Parilla road racer is Carol Hall of North Sacramento, California, who placed sixth in 1963 AFM 125cc class point standings. Currently one of two women racing in the AFM, Carol's machine is tuned by her brother, Richard Hall. She began racing in 1963, is twenty years old and works as secretary/bookkeeper for the firm of Hall-Burdette, Western Parilla Parts Distributors. Her father, Orin Hall, tunes the hot Parillas ridden by Norris Rancourt and Ron Grant.
HEAVY MICHIGAN SCHEDULE
The Michigan 10-Mile State Championship race, normally held on the first Sunday in June, will be held on May 31 this year. The race, one of Michigan's top motorcycle events, is sponsored by the Michigan Harley-Davidson Dealers Association and held at the Ionia Fairgrounds track. Association President Bert Cummings of Flint said the dealers asked the American Motorcycle Association for the May 31 date to avoid conflicts with other events the following week-end.
At the same time, Cummings said, the race sponsors are hoping riders who participate in the National Five-Mile Dirt Track Championship at York, Pa., on Memorial Day (May 30) will enter the Michigan Championship event the next day. Other major motorcycle events in Michigan sanctioned by the AMA include:
June 7-Five-State Championship at the Detroit Race Course in suburban Livonia. Riders from Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin eligible.
June 21-Michigan State TT Championship at Bridgeton Motorcycle Park in Western Michigan.
Aug. 2-National Championship Hillclimb at Mt. Garfield near Muskegon.
Sept. 6-7-500-Mile Jack Pine Endurance Run. The two-day event, run over a course extending through 15 counties, starts and finishes at Lansing.
In all, the AMA sanctioned 187 different motorcycle events for Michigan during 1964. Fifty-four of the state's 81 motorcycle clubs had representatives at the sanction meeting held at the Lansing M.C. clubhouse.
ENDURO HAPPENINGS
Two big enduro events are on the agenda for lovers of the rough stuff, one in the east and one in the west. On April 26, the Polka Dots 150-Mile California State Championship enduro will be held; traversing some choice virgin country, the run starts and finishes at the Auburn (Calif.) Fairgrounds.
May 3 is the date for the 175-Mile National Championship enduro which will start and end at Illiana Speedway, located 5 miles east of Junction U.S. 30 & 41 on the south side of U.S. 30 near Schererville, Indiana (about 30 miles southeast of Chicago). First man takes off at 7:01 A.M.
HUBER MEMORIAL RACE
The 11th annual running of the Billy Huber Memorial will be held at the Reading (Pa.) Fairgrounds on April 12. Considered the longest running memorial tribute in the motorcycle world, the Huber Classic draws the finest field of riders of any race in the East, excluding Nationals. 1954-Bobby Hill 1959-Bates Molyneaux 1955-Paul Goldsmith 1960-Carroll Resweber 1956-Tommy McDermott 1961-Carroll Resweber 1957-;Bobby Hill 1962-George Roeder 1958-Everett Brashear 1963-George Roeder Raising the event to a 6 Star ($1500) meet for 1964 should offer added incentive to riders participating in this, the Eastern half-mile opener of the season.
RIDERS' ORGANIZATIONS AGAINST RULE CHANGES
Following is a letter sent by Motorcycle Racers Inc. and the Northern California Riders Association to hundreds of competition riders throughout the U.S., protesting recent A.M.A. rule changes. It is reprinted in its entirety:
"Fellow Rider: The Northern California Riders and Owners Association and the Motorcycle Racers Incorporated (Southern California) are organizations composed of professional A.M.A. riders, sponsors, and mechanics. These two organizations were started several years ago by riders who felt they could better their working conditions by uniting for a common cause. Since then we have succeeded in gaining many benefits for our members, such as: (1) Additional insurance coverage (this was later adopted by the A.M.A. and extended to the entire nation). (2) The use of modified tires (this resulted in lower death and injury rates). (3) The use of brakes on Novice machines at Ascot. (4) Inauguration of purses based on 40% of the gate receipts (this is fairer for riders and promoters). (5) The adoption of fairings and modified brakes for road racing, and many others too numerous to list, along with a continual striving for better track conditions, purses, and a general liberalization of the rules based on safety, practicality, and commensurate with common sense. Organizations such as ours throughout the country would certainly go a long way toward improving the lot of the professional rider in the United States, and a national organization of riders, with only the riders' interests at heart, working with the A.M.A., is long overdue.
The A.M.A., as you know, is a "front organization" for the manufacturers and importers of certain machines. Other brands of machines, however, are not represented at all. For instance, the G50 Matchless, which was allowed to compete for one season and then, after representatives from the Indian Company (Matchless Distributors) had been dismissed from the A.M.A. Rules Committee, the Matchless was ruled ineligible (and the A.M.A. even said the Matchless had never been approved). If we remember correctly the Boston Tea Party was about the same sort of thing, i.e., taxation without representation. This is the same thing we are up against.
(Ed. Note: At press time, news was received that the AMA Technical Committee had finally approved the Matchless G50 frame for road racing, by a margin of one vote.)
However, this letter is concerned with a more immediate and urgent problem. As you probably know, the A.M.A. Competition Committee held its annual meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada, October 27-30, 1963. Among many other new regulations for 1964, there were two which caused a great deal of disfavor among the riders in the MRI and the Northern California Riders and Owners Association. The first of these is that there will be no more 250cc class "A" short track races; instead these will be run as formula "C" lightweight events. The second is that Novices will be required to ride 250cc machines in all races, including TT's.
The only possible reason for going from class "A" to formula "C" short track racing is to force competition riders to buy a new motorcycle. Surely the formula "C" racing will be no safer than class "A". As it turns out, the fastest and most consistent class "A" winner, the HarleyDavidson Sprint, is also legal for class C racing, so the racing will not be slower or safer this year. Much time, money, and ingenuity have gone into other class "A" rigs now in existence, all of which will be wiped out by the new rule. Furthermore, many riders can afford to build a competitive short track racer but could never afford to buy one. This is another case of the A.M.A.'s disregard for the interests of the rider in preference to their own.
Requiring Novices to ride machines no bigger than 250cc is not a terribly important rule on the surface. However, a closer investigation of the minutes of the A.M.A. meeting will reveal that it is just a step toward eliminating all big bike and open class competition for Amateur and Expert riders also. A motion to require Amateur riders to ride 250cc machines in all events in 1964 was narrowly defeated, and two motions were made and passed to consider the possibility of reducing the displacement of machines used by Amateur and Expert riders in 1965. Here again the only motivation for this rule is to sell motorcycles to racers. A look at race records will reveal that there was no abnormally high injury rate among Novice TT riders. At most TT tracks it is necessary to run Novices in a progressive program in order to field a show. Under the new rule this will be impossible, and will put some tracks in a real bind. Again do not overlook the possibility that within two years all racing will be on 250cc machines.
Racing on 1/4 mile tracks was all but eliminated in 1958 when the limit was suddenly reduced to 250cc. Would the A.M.A. now lead us to believe that 1/2 miles, miles, and TT's could survive any better? Even though a lightweight motorcycle may turn in identical lap times to a big bike on a dirt track, few people will deny that the lightweight show is much less spectacular, and cannot compare with the big bikes for spectator appeal.
In view of the foregoing facts, we propose that: (1) The rule for Novice riders' equipment be the same as in 1963. (2) The rules governing 250cc short track be the same as in 1963.
Presently the men who form the A.M.A. competition committee are appointed by the manufacturers and distributors of these certain brands previously mentioned. To establish a more democratic control and prevent repetition of this type of act we feel it is necessary that these competition committee members be elected by the riders from their districts.
If you feel as we do and want to help your sport, write to Motorcycle Racers Inc., P.O. Box 454, Pasadena, California expressing your disapproval of the 250cc rule changes and offering your support in order that we may take the necessary action to have the rules changed."
Sincerely, Board of Directors, MRI: Neij Keen, AI Gunter, Bruce Wellbaum, Gary Bray, Dick Aurandt. Board of Directors, Northern California Riders and Owners Association: Dick Mann, Dick Dorresteyn, Dave Bostrom, Roy Moore.
AAM RR RACE DATES
The American Association of Motorcycle Road Racers are in the act of negotiating and confirming the 1964 AAMRR race dates, trying not to conflict with schedules set up by the A.M.A. and the C.M.A. Tentatively, their schedule (and that of the Canadian Motorcycle Assn.) follows: April 19-Vineland, N. J. May 18-Harewood, Can. (CMA) May 30-Harewood, Can. (CMA) June 14-Vineland, N.J. July 4-Mosport, Can. (CMA) July 26-Forestburg, N.Y. Aug. 1-Harewood, Can. (CMA) Aug. 23-Forestburg, N.Y. Sept. 5-Harewood, Can. (CMA) Sept. 20-Vineland, N.J. Sept. 26-Harewood, Can. (CMA) Additional road race circuits in western New York, Connecticut and Vermont are under consideration.
F.I.M. 1964 CALENDAR
Following is a list of international road racing events of championship status, as furnished by the F.I.M. : May 3 - Grand Prix of Spain; Barcelona May 17 - Grand Prix of France; d'Auvergne June 8, 10, 12 - Tourist Trophy Races; Isle of Man June 27 - Dutch Tourist Trophy; Circuit van Drente July 5 - Grand Prix of Belgium; Spa Francorchamps July 19 - Grand Prix of Germany; Solitude July 26 - Grand Prix of East Germany; Sachsenring Aug. 8 - Ulster Grand Prix; Ulster, Ireland Aug. 30 - Finnish Grand Prix; Imatra Sept. 13 - Grand Prix des Nations; Monza, Italy Oct. 5 - Grand Prix of Argentina; Buenos Aires •
