Anglo-American Match Races
THE “US VERSUS THEM” concept of racing to determine the best group of riders is certainly not new. Crowds favor these match races and, from this standpoint alone, the AngloAmerican Series must be called a success.
Whether or not this series settled the question of whether or not U.S. or British racers are “better,” though, is debatable. There are too many variables. Knowledge of the courses involved, gained in competition, gave British racers a tremendous advantage. And, even though both teams rode either BSA or Triumph Threes, with the exception of 2nd-place finisher Dick Mann, the English team rode newer, slimmer versions with redesigned cylinder heads and concentric carburetors.
What can be said is that British team riders were consistently quicker in all six 15-mile or so races. At each location, Brands Hatch, Mallory Park, and Oulton Park, two heats were run. The winner of each was awarded 10 points; 2nd place, 9 points; on down to 1 point for 10th or last place. The highest number of cumulative points decided both the team and individual winners.
SHORT CIRCUITS, 15-MILE RACES
ANGLO-AMERICAN MATCH RACES
BECAUSE PETER THORNTON of BSA / Triumph was involved in promoting the series, the U.S. team consisted of seven members of the BSA/Triumph team: Gary Nixon, Dick Mann, Jim Rice, Dave Aldana, Don Castro, Don Emde, and Gene Romero.
Bad luck came early. Nixon, who recently road raced on some of the English circuits, hit an oil slick while practicing at Brands, high sided, and broke his wrist.
Nixon’s crash put the pressure on Mann. Although Mann’s machine failed to shift properly throughout the series, he never finished worse than 4th. He set fastest lap time in the first heat at Mallory and was the highest finishing American with a 2nd to Paul Smart in the final heat at Oulton Park. His individual score of 46 was only two points down on series winners Smart and Pickrell.
Don Castro was impressive as well. He began the series with a respectable 3rd in the second heat at Brands, but a blown engine at Mallory and a crash at Oulton Park kept him from being 2nd highest American on the scoreboard. As it was, a smooth Don Emde edged him out for this honor. Romero did not contest the series.
THE AMERICAN TEAM
WHILE THE American team was composed of both dirt and road W w racing specialists, the British relied on five of their best short circuit experts: John Cooper, Ray Pickrell, Paul Smart, Tony Jefferies, and Percy Tait.
Pickrell, who tied Smart for the series win, rides with a conventional style. He leans his Three over hard and keeps his body behind the fairing. Smart, on the other hand, prefers to keep his mount as vertical as possible. He compensates by leaning to the inside of a turn; one knee hooked over the edge of the seat, the other just inches from the ground.
Cooper bailed on a 350 Yamaha just before the series opener at Brands Hatch, and could manage no better than 10th in both heats. At Mallory Park, though, Cooper was superb. He equalled the absolute lap record set in 1967 by Mike Hailwood on the 350 Honda Six for the fastest lap of the series.
THE BRITISH TEAM
RESULTS
