Racing Review
RACING REVIEW
FIM WORLD CALENDAR
As a service to those of our readers who may go abroad or may have a special interest in international competition, we have edited a calendar of FIM events. Not all are contested by international stars, nor are all of international significance. But we feel that spectating only at international FIM world points events does not give the full picture of what motorcycle competition is all about. For example, events just prior to or immediately after an international classic often hold just as much interest as the classic itself, due to frantic factory preparation or attendance by top riders. At any rate, this calendar will tip the enthusiast to about one top European or British event a week, except during the heart of winter, from which we will soon emerge.
MARCH 5, England: Chard Scramble, North Chard, Somerset; trade supported; dress warm and dry.
12-19, Austria: Vienna Fair
19,’ England: Fíawkstone Park Scrambles; trade supported.
24, England: King of Brands Road Races, Brands Hatch; home of the “scratchers.”
24, England: Hants Grand National Scramble, Matchams Park, Ringwood; trade supported.
26, Italy: Riccione Road Races.
APRIL 2, Spain: 250cc Motocross Grand Prix, Barcelona; world championship points. 2-9, Italy: Giro d’ltalia trial.
9, France: Le Mans Road Races, Le Mans.
9, Switzerland: 250cc Motocross GP, Payerne; world championship points.
15, England: Bemrose Trophy Trial, Derbyshire; trade supported.
15-25, Spain: Barcelona show.
16, France: 250cc Motocross GP, Vannes; world points.
16, Austria: 500cc Motocross GP, Wien/Sittendorf ; world points.
23, England: 500-Mile GP d’Endurance, Brands Hatch; a two-wheeled Indy on a scratcher’s course.
23, Italy: Imola Road Races; warm-up time for the international grand prix series. 23, Belgium: 250cc Motocross GP; world points.
23, England: Grass Track National, Wolston; spring-time look at a rare sport.
30, Spain: Grand Prix Road Races, Barcelona; first big clash of the factory-supported contenders for world points, privateers bringing up the rear.
MAY 1-6, Scotland: Scottish Six Days Trial; the king of observed trials.
7, West Germany: Grand Prix Road Races, Hockenheim; world points.
7, Italy: 500cc Motocross GP; world points.
14, West Germany: 250cc Motocross GP, Bielstein; world points.
15, Sweden: 500cc Motocross GP, Hedemora; world points.
17-19, Wales: Welsh 3-Day Trial; one of the important English team warm-up meets for the ISDT in Autumn.
21, France: Grand Prix Road Races, Clermont-Ferrand; world points.
21, Holland: 250cc Motocross GP, near Assen; world points.
28, West Germany: 750cc European Cup Motocross, Beuern; an example of the FIM’s effort to keep big-bore racing alive and thumping.
28, England: Grass Track National, Spofforth near Wetherby; the only way to mow a lawn.
29, England: Evening News Road Races, Brands Hatch; the ‘atchers’ scratchers are invaded by inters having no where else to be.
JUNE 4, Isle of Man: TT practice week begins, and sleep comes hard.
4, Luxembourg: Grand Prix Road Races; a big event in a small country, but no world points, and no one’s there, anyway.
11, Isle of Man: Black Sunday on the TT circuit; older and wiser riders stay off the roads.
11, East Germany: 500cc Motocross GP; world points.
11, Isle of Man: Black Sunday on the TT circuit; older and wiser riders stay off the roads.
12, Isle of Man: TT week, the apex, summit, pinnacle and be-all of the world championship road racing calendar, begins. The 250cc and sidecar classes open the proceedings today.
13, Isle of Man: Grand National Scramble at Douglas Head; a jouncing joust bebetween the acts.
14, Isle of Man: TT week resumes with the 125cc and 350cc classes.
15, Isle of Man: More interludes, including the Manx Motocross near Bride, drags at Ramsey, and the Vintage Rally in Douglas.
16, Isle of Man: TT week winds up with the biggest and the smallest world points spectaculars, the 50cc and 500cc.
18, England: post-TT bash at Mallory Park, so expect quite a few road racing stars.
18, Czechoslovakia: 500 Motocross GP; world points.
24, Holland: Dutch TT, Assen; one of the great Continental road racing classics; world points.
25, Russia: 500cc Motocross GP, Kishinev; world points.
JULY 2, Belgium: Grand Prix Road Races, Spa; world points.
8-9, England: National Rally (contact the ACU, 31 Belgrave Square, London, SW 1); something for the road rider.
8-9, Spain: 24-Hour Road Race at Montjuich; heavy factory support in this endurance classic.
9, France: 500cc Motocross GP, Niort; world points.
9, England: 250cc Motocross GP, Wakes Colne; world points.
12-13, Isle of Man: Southern 100 Road Races, Billown; it’s only national, but many an English ace got his start here.
16, East Germany: Grand Prix Road Races, Sachsenring; world points.
16, West Germany: 500cc Motocross GP, Beuern; world points.
19-21, Russia: FIM Rally, Moscow.
23, Czechoslovakia: Grand Prix Road Races, Brno; world points.
23, Sweden: 250cc Motocross GP, Halsingborg; world points.
30, Finland: 250cc Motocross GP, Hyvinkaa; world points.
(Continued on page 84)
30, England: 500cc Motocross GP, Farleigh Castle; world points.
AUGUST 6, Finland: Grand Prix Road Races, Imatra; world points.
6, Russia: 250cc Motocross GP, Belgorod; world points.
6, Belgium: 500cc Motocross GP; world points.
13, England: Hutchinson 100 Road Races, Brands Hatch; a favorite meeting at the “Ascot Park” of English road racing.
13, Poland: 250cc Motocross GP; world points.
13, Luxembourg: 500cc Motocross GP; they have trouble keeping the riders inside the national boundaries at times; world points.
19, Ireland: Ulster Grand Prix road races; world points fought for on the olde sod.
19, Switzerland: 500cc Motocross GP; world point..
20, Czechoslovakia: Trophée des Nations, Holice; teams from various nations vie for one of the most coveted trophies in motocross.
27, Greece: Corfou Road Races; a nice side trip if you’re there.
28, England: Crystal Palace Road Races, Crystal Palace; Bank Holiday Monday brings the crowds to this famous English short circuit.
SEPTEMBER 1, Sweden: World Speedway Team Championship; flat track FIM style.
3, Italy: Grand Prix Road Races, Monza; world points.
3, Holland: 500cc Motocross Des Nations; the Olympics of European style closed circuit scrambles competition.
3, England: National Grass-Track Championships.
5, Isle of Man: 250cc and 350cc Manx GP road races; non-professionals teeth themselves on the famous, harrowing TT circuit.
7, Isle of Man: Senior (500cc) Manx GP; more of the same but faster.
16, England: World Speedway Championship Final, Wembley Stadium; the hottest of the FIM “shoes” clash for the title.
1623, England: Earls Court Show, London.
1722, Poland: International Six Days Trial; the toughest of all endurotype events, and the most prestigious to win.
24, Canada: Grand Prix Road Races, Mosport; an international meet on our own continent.
28, Spain: Ayauntamiento Road Races; an international meet.
OCTOBER 8, England: Lincolnshire Grand National Scramble, Caldwell Park; trade supported.
14-15, Japan: Grand Prix Road Races; world points.
14-22, Italy: Milan Show.
22, England: Relay Road Races, Brands Hatch; all sorts of passing.
28, England: Scott Trial, Richmond; a fierce combination of out-and-out speed scrambles and observed trial; trade supported.
NOVEMBER 5-8, Japan: Tokyo Show. 11-12, United States: Dirtdiggers GP, Hope Town; a chance to see the hot international motocrossmen clash with the American shoes, we hope.
12, West Germany: Franken Trial; an important round in the Henri Groutars Trophy competition.
12, France: St. Cucufa Trial, near Paris; the toughest, best trial in France, attended by all the stars.
DECEMBER — New Zealand: Gold Leaf International; this important series of motocross meets pit European and American aces against local talent; through January.
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BLUE BARONS HILLCLIMB
From a spectator’s stand point, it was a “groovey” hillclimb. A new run had been cut the day before the contest, not to mention the week of rain to soften things up. The 200-foot hill had a six-foot gouge cut in the half-way mark, just to make it interesting. And being Tacoma, Washington, in winter, it had to rain the day of the contest (with a break now and then).
The starting line was very close to the hill; so close that they decided to move it back six feet after the 500cc class had run.
The Blue Barons, who sponsored the contest, ran five classes; lOOcc, 250cc, 500cc, 650cc and Open.
With mud ankle-deep, each rider jockeyed his bike into position against the startr ing log. Since the log was now moved back six feet, they now had a 12-foot run before starting the slippery ascent. It took a good machine, and an even better rider to power over the hill.
Getting across the gouge without losing momentum took real skill and a rabbit’s foot in your back pocket. Since the small bikes had no chance to make it to the top, they were judged on distance alone; best was 90 feet.
It’s no wonder the Northwest produces most of the nation’s best hillclimbers.
MANN RIDES FOR HAP
We are always glad to report good things about our favorite people. One of them is Dick Mann, 1963 AMA Grand National champion and three times number two rider. First of all, we hear that this personable, intelligent gentleman (and a darn good rough scrambles rider, according to
world 250cc motocross champion Torsten Hallman) will resume full-time professional activity on the national points circuit. Sponsoring Mann during the 1967 season will be the Hap Jones Distributing Co. of San Francisco, which is the second part of the good news.
Dick Mann is one of the most versatile riders in AMA history, and when he is “on,” he is a great road race stylist, as well as a fast, smooth TT and flat track rider. Since 1955, he has always been in the championship point standings and for six years was never lower than fifth. His
first major success came four years after he got his expert rating, when he took second place in the 1958 Daytona road race on a factory Harley-Davidson. The championship was his in 1963, decided at the 50-lap Ascot TT after an extremely close and hard fought season.
Mann moved to Hawaii a year ago and rode less than half of the events in 1966. He is now back in California and has opened up his own business in Richmond. It bears the name Dick Mann Frame Specialties and specializes in the design and manufacture of competition motorcycle frames. ®
