Continental Report

CONTINENTAL REPORT

THE RECORD REMAINS INTACT. No one country has yet won both the Moto Cross des Nations and Trophée des Nations in the same season, for although the British team won the first event as reported last month, they met their match and were beaten by the Swedish riders in this year’s Trophée held at Brands Hatch. This gave three wins in a row to Sweden and for the British team it meant “never the blushing bride,” as it was their third second place in succession. Last year’s event was declared no contest when rained off in Switzerland. At the reception in the evening the Swedes were immaculately dressed, a compliment to the hosts which all other riders would do well to follow. Even when presented to the crowd at the end of racing, all wore clean Husqvarna tee-shirts. It was a proud day, too, for the Husqvarna factory, for not only were all the Swedish team so mounted, but so was British rider Bryan Goss, who won both races with great ease.

With Norway and Russia failing to turn up. teams from Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, Great Britain, Holland. Ireland, Sweden and Switzerland were left to do battle with the winners expected from Belgium, Czechoslovakia. Sweden or Britain. Teams for this event are

allowed to comprise five riders with three to score in two races of 40 minutes plus two laps. Brilliant winner of both races, as already mentioned. was British team man Bryan Goss on his Husqvarna. In the first leg he as well hacked up by Dave Bick ers. C.Z.. in second place, hut then came three Swedes riding in close company -Torsten Hallrnan, Olle Pettersson and Ake Tornhlom. They were ahead of Belgian Joel Robert, sixth place. With the British team's next rider Freddie Mayes, Greeves. down in 12th spot, the Swedes led on the first leg by 12 points to 15, followed by Belgium, 26: Czechoslovakia, 35; France, S4: and Finland, 67. Robert made his mark in the second race fighting up to second and his countryman Marcel Wiertz rode well taking fifth place. But once again in third position was Sweden's 250cc world champion Torsten Hallman. With Pettersson fourth and Tornblom ninth, victory for Sweden as assured. Bickers was out of the reckoning, having stopped for a plug chop. Nlayes was also in trouble and Don Rickman dropped to 15th. Chris Hors field, CZ, who had retired after three sei zures in the first leg battled up to seventh in the second race, but it was not good enough: Czechoslovakia's best effort in both legs came from young Petr Dobry, (`Z, who finished eighth and sixth. So, the overall result was:

Also held at the Trophée meeting was the fourth round of the 750cc FIM Moto cross Cup and this was run over two races of 30 minutes plus two laps each. The nearest challenger to Derek Rickman was Eric Malmgren. but he could not run at Brands as he had to ride in Sweden. In the first race Mogens Rasmussen of Den mark on a 501cc Matchless Metisse raced into the lead, but by the half way stage Derek Rickman, 600cc Matchless (Typhoon Single) Metisse, had edged ahead and stayed there to win. In the second race Rasmussen led all the way with Rickman content after a fall to stay close enough to the Dane to ensure overall victory. The following week in the fifth round Dave Nicoll, 600cc Matchless, was the winner and this ensured the title going to Derek Rickman who was absent for family reasons.

B. R. NICHOLLS

Big mystery of the Brands meeting was the very poor crowd attendance, less than 6,000 to see the world’s best 250cc motocross men. This can only be put down to local prejudice, for Brands is essentially a road race circuit and cannot offer the same atmosphere as Hawkstone, Glastonbury or Farleigh Castle. It also seems pretty obvious that anywhere but the southeast corner of England is the right place for motocross.

It could well mean the last of big motocross at Brands, although the proprietors should make good any loss at the next big race meeting when we are due to see MV, Güera and MZ present to do battle, plus the possibility of Jawa/CZ. There is no doubt that it is the big names like Read. Hailwood and Agostini plus Yamaha, Honda and MV that attract the big crowds, and the end of season meetings are ensuring that the fans have something to remember throughout the winter.

At the first of these Read and Hailwood were the crowd pullers at Cadwell Park where over 20,000 people crowded the Lincolnshire circuit to see Dave Simmonds, Tohatsu, win the 125cc event as the prelude to the day's sport. In the 250cc class Hailwood on the Honda 6 tailed Read for 10 out of 12 laps before forging ahead to win, knocking five seconds off the lap record in the process. Dan Shorey. Norton, won the 350cc race, equalling the lap record set up by John Cooper who fell when leading on his Norton; Chris Conn and Dave Simmonds also fell but were not hurt. There was no 500cc class but instead an invitation which meant the 250s of Read and Hailwood against machinery up to 650cc.

From the start of this race Hailwood screamed into a convincing lead, followed at a distance by Read. A duel for third spot between Peter Williams, Arter Matchless, and Cooper, Norton, ended with Williams sliding down the road as did Rob Fitton, Norton. In two other spills Griff Jenkins, Dunstall Dominator, lost a couple of teeth and Billie Nelson broke a collar bone. Fritz Scheidegger and John Robinson. BMW. had no difficulty winning the 500cc sidecar race, while Chris Vincent, 654 BSA, won the l,300cc class after early leaders Charlie Freeman. Norton, and Owen Greenwood, Mini, had retired. Before Greenwood retired his Mini had touched Freeman’s Norton and sent it somersaulting off the track. As a result of this there was a stewards’ inquiry and Greenwood was fined $2.80. The day before Cadwell at a small meeting at Croft aerodrome. Phil Read turned out on a couple of Nortons and after a bad start in the 350cc race, finished third and was second in the 500 race to Rob Fitton.

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Then came the great news that Count Agusta had given permission for his new world champion Giacomo Agostini to ride at Mallory Park with 350cc and 500cc MV three-cylinder machines. In a brilliantly conceived piece of publicity some years ago. Clive Wormleighton. who then owned Mallory Park, promoted the "Race of the Year” with a $1400 first prize. Never had such money been offered before and the race has grown in prestige so well since that now' the first prize is almost $3000 for 30 laps of the tricky 1.35-mile Leicester circuit and is sponsored by a national newspaper. It was this glittering prize plus a heavy "start money” purse that enticed the brilliant 24-year-old Italian to come and do battle with Hailwood on the Honda 6. Ivy and Duff on Yamaha twins and all the British short circuit aces on somewhat slower machines. Heats and finals for the 250cc. 350cc and 500cc races were held before the big race and these were completely dominated by two men. Mike Hailwood waltzed the 250cc on his Honda and Giacomo Agostini won the 350ce and 500cc classes with equal ease.

But why the organizers hold all these races before the big scrap that the public comes to see is difficult to understand, as any mishap in one of them could take all the fire out of the "Race of the Year.” Another "booboo” this year was riders drawing lots for grid positions instead of using practice times.

This effectively stopped the chance of a wheel-to-w heel scrap between Mike and Ago (as he has naturally been dubbed by the fans), for the luckless Italian w'as drawn in the middle of the third row while Hailwood was right at the back but on the outside. When the flag dropped Hailwood hurtled up the outside of everyone and led the pack into the first bend! The brilliance of the move and acceleration of the Honda had given him the break so vital.

but for Agostini it was a miserable business. for he was not in the first dozen at the end of the first lap. But the Italian has great courage and the fighting qualities that mark a true champion, so by lap six he had battled to fourth place. But Hailwood was still some 12 seconds ahead and Bill Ivy, Yamaha, and Peter Williams, Arter Matchless, still had to be passed before second place could be claimed. That eventually came on lap 12. In the chase Ago equalled the absolute track record for solos of 91.70 mph set up by Hailwood on a 500ee MV-4 in 1962. But it was obvious that, barring trouble, it was Mike’s race. Then, six laps from the end. he retired with the valve torn from his rear tube. The fantastic 60 bhp that had given him the lead and most likely being REALLY used for the first time was probably responsible for this downfall, because the tire had "crept,” no doubt due to the heavy braking and violent acceleration at the hairpin occurring once every 56 seconds or so for 24 laps. The grooves on the inside of the rim had either worn or were not deep enough to hold the tire and so it moved until finally it tore the valve from its seating, sidelining Hailwood from the race. Agostini went on to win. Ivy was second and Mike Duff, in a late burst, took his Yamaha ahead of Peter Williams for third place. The handsome Italian got a great reception from the crowd, which started to leave before the last two races, in which Tommy Robb, Bultaco, took the 125cc class from Dave Simmonds, Tohatsu, and Scheidegger, BMW, had no difficulty with winning the sidecar final.

Lance Weil continues to do well, but disastrous starts at Mallory put him out of the running early. In the 500cc race he raced one of Paul Dunstall’s potent 500cc Dominator engines in the lightweight Lyster frame. This is the first time an American has had a sponsored ride in England and says much for Lance’s talent. As though to redeem himself, Lance turned in a brilliant performance at the Lydden cir~uit. near Kent. the following week with a win in the 1.000cc race on his Norton. La~~ce fought with Dave Degens and Charlie Sanby, "Lord of Lyddon." In the 10th lap of the 12-lap race, Degens, run iir~g second behind Weil, dropped out with mechanical trouble. Sanby then moved on Lance. pressing him so hard that Lance had to go flat out in the last lap to score the win. turning fastest time of the meet i;;g in the process. In the 350cc event at Lyddon, Lance was strongly in contention

until he fell while leading Kevin Cass and Degens.

It seems that Honda are adamant in their decision not to race at the Fisco (Fuji) circuit and will therefore hand the 50cc crown to Suzuki, provided that Anscheidt can finish first or second in that class. It must have been a difficult decision to make.

Suzuki have already pruned their team for next year, as both Frank Perris and Ernst Degner were told at the TI that they would not be required next year. They may well live to regret the decision, for Kawasaki are known to be interested in Degner both as a rider and technician, while Perris will be riding in the 350cc race at the Japanese Grand Prix on a BeneHi. Seems there will be quite a bit of activity at Fisco, for Bridgestone and Kawasaki are both entering the fray, the latter with a four-cylinder 125cc if rumor is true. Looks as if Tommy Robb will get a Bridgestone ride as well, which will give him something of a record, having already ridden works Honda. Yamaha and Suzuki machinery.

So with the last world classic of 1966 about to be contested, riders start the annual “who will be on what next year" game. Chris Horsfield on the motocross front has already said goodbye to C'Z and signed for Greeves. while the Hallmanand-Robert-for-Suzuki story has had another airing. But with another world championship under his belt and a proposed United States sales tour for Husqvarna. the Swede may take a lot of persuading to leave the Swedish concern.

One thing seems certain; next year it will be Agostini. MV. versus Hailwood. Honda, again for the 500cc title with both machines having engine improvements that could push the Honda over 100 bhp but it is the handling of that machine that needs the most attention.

It will be a four again, it being doubtful that there is an eight thought of, let alone in existence. And for my money, the much-rumored road-going four-cylinder is just as unlikely.

Good news for those with a preference for AMC machinery, the AJS, Norton and Matchless lovers principally, for they have been saved from extinction by Villiers — a member of the mighty Manganese Bronze Holdings group. An official press announcement states that the Villiers group have bought from the Official Receiver the business manufacture and distribution of Norton. Matchless, AJS, James, and Francis Barnett. A director has been quoted as saying that they “do not intend letting Norton die." To keep its name alive in racing a big pile of spares must be made available pretty soon. It is reasonable to expect more detailed announcement about London Show time.H