Racing Review
RACING REVIEW
RICE WINS READING
BSA-mounted Jim Rice, of Palo Alto, Calif., fought his way to 1st in the 20-lap half-mile dirt track National at Reading. Larry Palmgren, Freehold, N.J., on a Triumph, filled in the Number 2 spot. Dick Mann’s BSA was 3rd.
Bill Lloyd, Langley Park, Md., grabbed an early lead on the first lap. But, on Lap 2, Gary Nixon, Phoenix, Md., had grabbed the lead from Lloyd. Nixon held the lead until Lap 9. Rice was able to inch by when Nixon lost the groove. Although pressured throughout the remainder of the race, Rice was able to maintain his position until the checkered flag.
Heat races were won by Don Castro, Ken Pressgrove, Larry Palmgren, and Cal Rayborn respectively.
Californian Tod Sloan won the 14lap Amateur final. Second place went to D ennis Palmgren, Freehold, N.J., brother of Larry Palmgren.
AMA/FIM LICENSES
Shortly after our article on Wes Cooley and the AMA/MICUS/FIM affiliation business (July 1970 issue) hit the newsstands, we received the following news release from the American Motorcycle Association. In other words, it’s official:
“With the AMA affiliation to the FIM comes the issuance of international licenses. Applications for international licenses are available from AMA upon request.
“AMA has requested entry blanks for the 1970 International Six Day Trials and will mail them to any interested parties on request (after they are received by AMA). It would be necessary to have a current 1970 international license to participate in the International Six Day Trials or any other events sanctioned by the FIM.”
Although the internal strife besetting MICUS (Motorcycle International Committee of the United States) caused momentary confusion in the FIM (Federation Internationale Motocycliste), the FIM now has chosen to recognize both John McLaughlin and Wes Cooley in MICUS dealings until the suit between these two men is resolved. For those doing business with MICUS, the decision means that they may get licenses or sanctions either through Cooley or McLaughlin.
INTER AM SCHEDULE
The 1970 Inter-Am international motocross series begins its exciting trek across North America in October. Once again overseas champions like Joel Robert, Roger DeCoster, Arne Kring, Bengt Aberg, Torsten Hallman and Dave Bickers will vie with our best Americans in heated 500-cc class competition.
The schedule follows:
CANADIANS WIN LOUISVILLE
Dave Sehl of Ontario, Canada, won the 10-mile AMA National Championship motorcycle race at Louisville, Ky., held at Louisville Downs. He rode a Harley-Davidson.
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Sehl covered the distance in a winning time of 9 min., 9.98 sec. for an average speed of 65.454 mph during the 20-lap race. He collected $1200 for the winner’s share of the $7000 purse, and in addition picked up $ 110 in lap money and another $85 in heat race money.
Calvin Rayborn, San Diego, Calif., was 2nd, riding a H-D. Triumphmounted Larry Palmgren, Freehold, N.J., finished 3rd.
The heat race winners were: Dick Mann, Richmond, Calif., riding a BSA; Mark Breisford, San Bruno, Calif., H-D; and Mert Lawwill, San Francisco, Calif., aboard a Harley. Triumph rider Don Castro, Hollister, Calif., won the semi.
Rayborn came off the line in the lead on the first lap with Dick Mann in 2nd and Sehl in the 3rd position. Sehl moved to 2nd on Lap 3 and took the lead on the seventh lap to hold it throughout the race. Mann held 3rd place until a broken primary chain on the final lap resulted in a 9th place finish for the veteran racer.
Triumph-mounted Maurice Fraser, Hamilton, Canada, won the Amateur final in a time of 6:33.14 for the 14-lap race.
RESUL TS 10 MILE NA TIO NAL
7-MILE AMA TEUR
AMA COMPETITION CONGRESS
Professional motorcycle racers licensed by the AMA have elected six of their members to serve one year terms as members of AMA’s Competition Congress.
Elected in AMA’s Eastern Region were Bart Markel, Flint, Mich., and Gary Nixon, Phoenix, Md. The two men from the Central Region going to the Congress this year are Neil Keen, Decatur, 111., and Roger Reiman, Kewanee, 111. Mert Lawwill, San Francisco, Calif., and Richard Mann, Richmond, Calif., were elected for the Western Region.
Lawwill, Mann, Markel and Keen were incumbent congressmen re-elected to serve the second term. Gary Nixon and Roger Reiman will serve as newly elected members to the Congress.
At full strength the Competition Congress will have approximately 60 members who formulate rules and regulations pertaining to motorcycle competition for the 125,000-member sports association.
AMA members gain a seat on the congress through elections and by appointment to serve. Industry members of the association each send two men to serve their companies. Chartered motorcycle clubs elect 25 men (one from each AMA district in the U.S.) to serve two-year terms. The six racers were chosen from ballots containing 10 names from each of the three AMA regions. They earned a place on the ballot by being the top 10 finishers from their respective regions in the national champion point standings for 1969. Each licensed racer votes for two men from his region. [o]
