Continental Report
CONTINENTAL REPORT
B. R. NICHOLLS
WITH PUBLIC HOLIDAYS On the Friday before and the Monday following Easter Sunday, the weekend is an absolute festival of sport, especially for the road race fans. But tragedy struck at the International Sidecar Race of the Year meeting on the Sunday at Mallory Park: in the big race Fritz Scheidegger and John Robinson, the world champions, crashed at the hairpin. Having set the fastest lap of the race they were challenging for second place when the brake anchor bracket broke and the outfit crashed into a safety barrier. Fritz died of his injuries and his passenger sustained a skull fracture, broken leg and other injuries. World champion for the past two years, 36-year-old Scheidegger lived for the sport and was respected by all who knew him both on and off the track.
His love of engines and building specials was a byword in the sport and he practiced on the day of the crash with a new 700cc BMW car-engined machine with chaindriven overhead camshafts which he had built specially for the big capacity races held at British meetings. This was a measure of the enthusiasm that he put into the sport and it will be the poorer for his passing.
The weekend opened with the national meeting at Brands Hatch on Good Friday where the first race was for the 350s. In the early laps Dan Shorey, Norton, and Peter Williams, Arter AJS, were having a scrap for the lead ahead of a tight bunch for third consisting of Derek Minier, Norton; Dave Croxford, AJS; Ron Chandler, AJS; Pat Mahoney, Kirby Metisse, and John Blanchard, Seeley AJS. Williams retired on the last lap with a split megaphone and Shorey lost a couple of hundred revs with a split in the h-t lead touching the fairing. It was the break Blanchard had been waiting for and in a perfectly timed move he pulled out of Shorey's slipstream to lead him over the line by half a length with Minter third. Sidecars up to 650cc followed, and Pip Harris, BMW was the winner from ex-grasstrack champion Nigel Mead, 650 Triumph.
Ray Pickrell then set fastest lap in the 250 race on Geoff Monty's Bultaco, but piston failure put him out when in the lead and Reg Everett went on to win with the Ted Broad-tuned Yamaha. The 500 race followed. Blanchard on the Seeley Matchless led from start to finish to score his second win of the day. Then came the King of Brands events, the big race of the day for machines between 175 and 750cc. Blanchard soon took the lead from John Cooper, Norton, but lost it to Chandler, Matchless, after four of the 15 laps. Then Rex Butcher, 750 Dunstall Domiracer, took over second spot. Toward the end it was clearly between Blanchard and Chandler and though the Seeley Matchless seemed to have the edge in speed a heartstopping slide on the famous Paddock Bend slowed Blanchard. Chandler went on to win.
In the 125 class Fred Curry, Honda, won from similarly mounted Paul Smart to eclipse the Bultacos for a change. Then in the l,000cc three-wheeler race,the biggest cheer of the day went up when Owen Greenwood's 970cc Mini Special came to a stop just after it had taken the lead from Christ Vincent, 654 BSA, who went on to win. Nothing gets the crowd going more than this Greenwood character in his carengined special and even the lowering of capacity to stop him using the l,071cc engines does not seem to have made too much difference: it just takes a little longer to get into the lead-as he has to start from the back of the grid. Car engines are becoming quite popular for the sidecar class as a power unit and the latest on the scene is an Imp-engined special designed by Ray Pollard which follows orthodox sidecar design. To achieve this the engine is mounted in line and a BMW gearbox has been grafted to the end. Pollard worked all through the previous night to race at Brands and the handling left a lot to be desired, but as can be seen from the photo it is a business-like tool. The gas tank, by the way, is concealed in the sidecar wheel mudguard.
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In the final race of the day at Brands, another 175 to 750 event, Chandler had another win. For Colin Seeley, whose BMW failed on the first lap of his race, came satisfaction in seeing his own machines ridden by Blanchard win two races and the Seeley-prepared engines of Chandler win two more — proof enough that the spares he is turning out are doing the job they are made for.
From Brands the scene shifted to Mallory on the Sunday for an international meeting run on the most weird lines it has ever been the crowd's misfortune to witness. For solos the big race was the Master of Mallory final into which 12 riders had been seeded; the other 13 finalists were decided on a time basis from four heats, a ridiculously unfair method,because for one heat the track was wet while dry for the others. No attempt was made to even out the riders in the heats, one of which was for 250s only. The final saw John Cooper quickly in the lead and Chandler chasing him. Mike Hailwood on a 350 Honda four, though initially with the leaders, was soon dropping down the field. The Honda handling, to use his own expression, "like a three legged cow in loose sand," was subsequently found to be due to an oil-less rear suspension unit.
Behind the two leaders came Tom Kirby's men Alan Barnett and Pat Mahoney. With Barnett moving into second spot the sun gave way to snow (yes it could only happen in England). There really was a brief blizzard of the stuff sufficient to soak the track. It was frightening to watch the four leaders battling it out in such conditions that caused the downfall at the hairpin of John Blanchard, who sustained a broken collarbone and Stuart Morin, the Canadian, who was unhurt. After 20 of the 30 laps we had the unusual sight of Hailwood being lapped by the leaders. Then when it looked as if Mahoney was going to take the lead he lost fourth gear and Cooper went on to win from Chandler, a mere two lengths away, cursing a pit signal that led him to believe there was another lap to go.
At the start of the Sidecar Race of the Year, Chris Vincent shot into a commanding lead on his 654 BSA.chased by similarly mounted Mick Boddice and Peter Brown. Scheidegger had a bad start,but by lap nine had fought through to fifth behind Seeley, BMW. Then came the fatal 10th lap when Fritz crashed and the race was stopped on the 17th lap for the ambulance to go on the track. Vincent was declared the winner with Brown second. Boddice having retired, Seeley took third. A vintage race was won by Chris Williams on his 625cc Scott and a handicap race won with comparative ease by Joe Dunphy, Norton.
The international riders then moved to Oulton Park where Hailwood filled his oilless spring unit and won the 350 race with ease. Derek Minter, Norton, finally got the better of Cooper after a race-long scrap for second place. In fourth spot came Peter Williams on a Paton. Seems we shall be seeing more of Patons this year as Bill Hannah, a dealer from the Beatle country (Liverpool, to the squares), is to sponsor Fred Stevens and the Italian Angelo Bergamonti in the classics. Stevens will have 350 and 500 models and the Italian 250 and 350. Bill has already bought the 350 that Mike Duff owned and it was this that Williams was riding.
Racing had opened with a 750 class race and John Hartle gained his first comeback victory after an exciting race-long tussle with Rex Butcher on the 750 Domiracer. With the 500 race came the shock of the day for on the second lap Percy Tait on the works Triumph came through in the lead but the excitement was short lived for a couple of laps later the primary chain broke: "Too much power," he grinned. Then it developed into another MinterCooper duel which ended when John tried living up to his nick name Coop-the-Loop. He was leading Minter into the steeply banked Esso bend in his usual knee-out style when the back end stepped out. Minter's view from immediately behind was of Cooper brought off the machine but still holding the bars running like crazy by the side of it until he disappeared over the edge, fortunately without injury. Minter went on to win from Williams with Steve Spencer, Lancefield Norton, getting the better of Griff Jenkins, Norton, and Barry Randle, Norton, after a race-long tussle. It was good to see the Lancefield machinery back in the hunt again for it was a year ago that both bikes went out of action because of crashes — seems the double Steve partnership of Spencer and Lancefield will be one to watch in 1967.
After the 500s it was the turn of the 250s, and Mike Hailwood hanging around on the Honda six with Peter Inchley, Villiers, for half the race until Mike emulated Cooper and dropped it on Esso bend. Neither he nor the bike was damaged so Mike got cracking again putting up the fastest lap of the day in the course of winning from Inchley.
The sidecar class was decided over two races with Colin Seeley winning both from Pip Harris. Nobody could get anywhere near this pair of BMWs though Peter Brown motored steadily into third place with his BSA when Otto Kolle, BMW, retired in the second race, the pair having tied for third in the first race. To complete the day's racing came the 125 class with Derek Woodman, MZ, having his first race in England since crashing last year at the Belgian Grand Prix. He won after Sweden's Bo Granath, MZ, lost a 15-second lead on the last lap through engine failure, eventually pushing home to finish fifth.
So much for the big road races. They were marked by the success of the comeback men Hartle, Minter and Woodman and also by the first appearance in England of American Andy Lascoutx who at Mallory finished well up in his heat but could hardly have been expected to qualify for the final against 350s and 500s. He then went on to Oulton and finished eighth on his Yamaha, a position which he gained earlier at Alicante in Spain in his first-ever European road race. This for a 20-year-old is good going and the quiet dedication of the yoLingster from Boston suggests that a couple of seasons over here could see him well on the way to the top. Another Yank who has made the headlines is Lance Weil for he plans to use the latest Bell helmet and has also found himself a sponsor in 42-year-old ex-racer Bill Chuck, a name well known to Sports Motors of Cincinnati as he supplies some very catching Chuck Customizing goodies. Bill is providing a 350 and 500 Triumph and also financing a big 883cc Harley-Davidson for use on the British circuits. Both Andy and Lance hope to compete in the TT though Andy will spend most of his time racing on the continent as will American Marty Lunde, back in Europe and looking very impressive recently when practicing at Brands Hatch.
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The upsurge in disc brakes was probably the most outstanding feature of 1966 and the trend is continuing in 1967 for Mike Hailwood's 350 Honda four has had one fitted and the MZs of Derek Woodman have also joined the disc brigade, both riders using the Colin Lyster type. Incidentally, this is a field where Lascoutx is sticking to home products as he has the Airheart disc on his Yamaha and uses a Bell helmet. One wonders how long it will be before the majority of riders over here realize the advantages of the full-coverage American style over the European pudding basins.
Both Phil Read and Bill Ivy were missing from the Easter meetings as they had been called to Japan for testing. Hailwood also missed Brands for the same reason reporting that the new six-cylinder 350 is very good and that the 500 has a bit more power, but while the Japanese might be geniuses getting power, the handling is still diabolical, and it is in this department that drastic action will have to be taken very quickly if Mike is to stand a chance of regaining that 500cc title this year.
So much for road racing. Such is the way of success that nowadays Sammy Miller has to be beaten to make news and that is just what has happened. After three months without defeat in national trials, Sammy had a late number in the Cotswold, which definitely favored the early runners. Taking every advantage of his luck, Gordon Farley, Triumph, won with a loss of 34 marks to the 39 of runner up Derek Adsett, Greeves, who just kept in front of the Bultaco-mounted Miller man who lost 40. Alan Morewood was a clearcut sidecar winner by 12 marks from Ken Kendall, Ariel. At Easter in the Beggars Roost event two men scored their first national wins when Lawrence Telling, Bultaco, took the solo award and Roy Bradley, Ariel, was best of the sidecars. The following day up in the north saw Bill Wilkinson, Greeves, the winner of the Cleveland trial, losing 18 marks. Similarly mounted brother Mick was three points behind in second place, gained on the special test from Rob Edwards, Cotton. That was a solos-only trial and while it was taking place Sammy Miller, Bultaco, was continuing the winning form in the Lomax trial that he regained in the Kickham trial the previous week when he won by three marks from Tony Davis, Cotton, who lost 24 with Farley third on the same total. Kendall was best sidecar. Miller won the Lomax easily with 18 to the 31 of Farley, but here the sidecars provided a surprise. Phil Mountfield, BSA, having his first good ride this year, won with a loss of 64 to Morewood's 77. And now absolutely bang on press date I hear that Miller has won the Traders trial from Scott Ellis, BSA, by the very narrow margin of 12 to 14 with Morewood sidecar winner.
Motocross event of the month was the big international on Good Friday, the annual classic Hants Grand National, and it was Torsten Hallman who was the star of the day. Results were based on performances in three legs of 10 laps each and the flying Swede on a 360 Husqvarna, wearing his Bell helmet, a souvenir of his American campaign, won the first and second and then settled for second place in the third behind a very determined Jeff Smith, 494 BSA. Second overall behind the Swede was Smith with Don Rickman, Matchless Metisse, third. Machine troubles accounted for the fourth spot of Joel Robert and caused the retirement of such aces as Bickers, Banks, Eastwood and Johansson. A new lease of life has come to Alan Clough with his Husqvarnas and he is riding to such good effect that he has won the opening rounds of both 250 and 500 Brittish Championships. He and Goss have been promised works 250 engines for the coming season.
Following his victory in England on Good Friday, Torsten Hallman, together with many international stars, went to race in Belgium and for the Swede there was another good victory in the 500 class over local ace Josef Teuwissen, CZ, who was second. Teuwissen was the most successful rider of the day for he was also third in the 250, making it a sweeping 1-2-3 for CZ as Joel Robert had won with Bickers in second place. But now the carnival is over and the riders get down to the really serious business of hitting the championship trail.
Veteran and vintage enthusiasts are busy all year round, but once every 12 months they come into the public eye with the run from Epsom to Brighton. This year was no exception and a bright sunny day after a dull start ensured that plenty of spectators were along the route to watch the pre1915 models chugging their way to the coast. Star attraction was world speedway champion Barry Briggs who rode a 490cc 1912 Norton known as "Old Miracle" that set the 80 mph lap record at Brooklands. Another interesting machine was the 118cc 1914 Wall Auto Wheel ridden by rising sidecar trials ace Keith Whipp who believes in three wheels for safety. ■
