Continental Report
CONTINENTAL REPORT
B.R. NICHOLLS
KING OF BRANDS TITLE
Somewhat overshadowed by the match race series held at the same meeting, the King of Brands title was disputed on the basis of a rider’s best performance in each of three races, 350, 500 and 1300cc. Despite opposition from Barry Sheene, Paul Smart, Tony Rutter and Charlie Sanby, victory went to Brian Kemp, an American-style racer with colorful leathers and a Bell Star helmet.
His chances did not look too good after the first 350 qualifying race, as he finished down in 11th place. It was a British championship round and was led at first by Barry Ditchburn (Yamaha). But, having set the pace, he fell at Druids, letting in Sheene, who went on to win.
Then came the 500 race and a surprise comeback victory for Dave Croxford (Seeley), who won a stirring battle with Sanby. Kemp took 3rd. To round off his title, Kemp took 4th in the 1300, which was won by Smart (Trident). Sanby (Kuhn Norton) was 2nd.
CURRENT TITLE LEADERS
As a result of the Brands meeting, the current title leaders are: 250cc, Sheene; 350cc, Rutter; 500cc, Kemp; and 750cc, Tait. Although Sheene is locked in a close struggle in the 250 class, he has a massive 20-point lead in the 125 sector, leading Machin by 57-37. He is, in fact, the man of the moment, as he has been invited by the Spanish Derbi concern to test their new 250. This apparently is not so much an invitation as a command, for they had him flying out to Spain on the day he should have been riding at Cadwell Park in the international meeting.
AGO BEATEN AT CADWELL PARK
In the 350 race, Agostini and the works MV took a mauling from the Yamahas of Smart, Rutter and Vic Chatterton, who set the crowd alight by finishing in that order in front of the world champion. That was also the order they finished behind him in the lOOOcc race, when he used the 500 MV against their 350 Yams. Smart also took the 250 race and Chatterton was first in the 1 25.
Sidecar man of the moment is Norman Hanks (BSA), who won at Cadwell and shared a lap record with Chris Vincent (BSA), 4th. The two of them are having some stirring battles with Hanks, the title leader at present, scoring 48 points to the 30 of Vincent and Peter Brown.
MORE MATCH RACES A MISTAKE
Now that all the dust has settled on the Anglo-American match race series, it is as well to look at it in perspective. As a publicity campaign for the BSA/Triumph organization, it was a success. As a racing spectacle, it was a success. As a crowd puller, it was a success. Therefore, it’s easy to get carried away on a wave of enthusiasm to repeat the dose next year. I think it would be a mistake. If another match race series is to take place in the U.K., then it must be with a true American road racing team and not done on a factory basis.
The hard fact of the matter is that one cannot expect three young riders like Dave Aldana, Don Castro and Jim Rice to out-race British short circuit scratchers with a mere half-dozen road races behind them before coming to England. No wonder they learned a lot and thought it wonderful experience. Gene Romero was the wise one, not risking his reputation as No. 1.
Team manager Danny Macias wants to see another series, but admitted that it would be best to have the top road racers, if there is to be any chance of America winning. But, a multi-factory team would require a sponsor, and the obvious answer to that is the circuit promoters, who will get the cash from crowd attendance. Unfortunately, this is a chancy business when one remembers how fickle English weather can be. At Brands Hatch, for example, cold and miserable weather cost the gate some 5000 spectators which, in monetary terms, meant around $8000.
There has been some mention of a return match in the States this fall, which would be a logical extension of the publicity side. If so, how about swapping machinery for the meeting? It would be interesting to see the American team perform on the sleek, smalltanked short circuit specials the English riders use, instead of the heavier largetanked Daytona bikes. It was an unfortunate aspect of the racing that although the Americans had the colorful and glamorous look, it was the stark. functional English bikes that won the day.
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Whatever criticism there may be of the series, one thing emerges quite clearly; the BSA organization has started something worthwhile. AngloAmerican races have the potential of developing into a superb spectacle, if the promotion is right on both sides of the pond.
HANTS INTERNATIONAL MX
The series overshadowed all else during the Easter weekend, but there was plenty else going on, with pride of place going to the big Hants Grand International motocross meeting. There home riders took a drubbing from visiting continentals in a day of mixed fortunes for all the top riders. Three races decided the overall winner, and this year it was Inter-Am star Ake Jonsson (Maico) who came out tops. Though he never won a race, his score was two 2nds and a 4th. Runner-up was Hakan Andersson (Husqvarna). In 3rd place, doing battle on his 250 Suzuki against 500-class machinery, was Roger DeCoster.
But, the star of the day was the flying Finn Heikki Mikkola, who hurtled his 400 works Husqvarna to victory in two of the races after engine troubles in the first leg.
The only bright spot from the British point of view was the 6th overall, taken by 22-year-old Alan Clarke (Husqvarna) in his first ever international meeting.
WORLD MX COMPETITION
If the BSA motocross boys were trying to console themselves that things could not get much worse, they were due for a shock when they traveled to Italy for the first round of the 500 world motocross series. A week later Vic Allan lay in the hospital with a broken thigh and John Banks could do no better than 8th on a circuit thought by many to be dangerous.
Jonsson (Maico) lost an early first race advantage when he buckled his front wheel, and DeCoster (Suzuki) took the lead, though he was pressed hard at the finish by Adolf Weil (Maico).
DeCoster was soon out front in the second race and held his lead to the end, pursued home by Weil and Jonsson. This was a first-time-ever victory for Suzuki in a 500cc world title round.
Japanese hearts must have been riding high that night, for on the same day in Spain, Joel Robert was taking the first step toward defending his 250 title when he won there for the second year running. The taste of victory was made even sweeter by Olle Pettersson, taking 2nd overall.
In the second round in Switzerland, Joel Robert again won both legs to score overall victory. Mikkola was 2nd overall on the latest six-speed Husqvarna. Mikkola, though, must have been a bit apprehensive after the first moto when he found that his teammates Bryan Wade and Torleif Hansen had both retired with fractured front downtubes.
Robert’s run came to a halt a week later in Poland, where the Finnish pair Kalevi Vehkonen and Heikki Mikkola made all the running. Mikkola won the first leg from his fellow countryman, while Robert was down in 4th place. Then in the second leg, after leading in the early stages, the Belgian retired with suspension trouble. Vehkonen won the second moto, followed home by Hakan Andersson (Husqvarna), with Mikkola 3rd. So overall victory went to Vehkonen, on his private Husqvarna.
The Russians have renewed their interest in the motocross scene and contested all three 250 rounds with some measure of success. It has been reported that they tried unsuccessfully to get Suzuki machinery for this season and had to settle for CZ machines. Gennadij Moiseev and Vladimir Kavinov have both ridden well but, like Bryan Wade (Husqvarna), have not succeeded in pacing themselves for the long championship races. Both have finished in the first three of a race more than once, but lack consistency. Nevertheless, Kavinov lies 5th in the championship table with 21 points, just behind Pettersson, who has 23. Leader is Robert with 30. Andersson and Mikkola are tied for 2nd place with 24.
In the 500 class, Weil is the title leader without yet scoring a victory. This is possible because DeCoster, after an initial victory, failed to score in the second round held in Austria. On the stoney cramped Sittendorf circuit, extriple-champion Paul Friedrichs (CZ) was the surprise winner, having won both qualifying races. In the first, he beat DeCoster, with Weil 3rd. In the second, DeCoster lost his chain and retired. Weil took 2nd, with John Banks (BSA), 3rd.
This gives Weil two 2nds, so he leads the title chase with 24 points. Friedrichs and DeCoster are tied for 2nd with 15.
VINTAGE ROAD RACING
Perhaps the most interesting road race meeting of the month was that staged by the Vintage Club at Mallory Park.
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It was a day for nostalgia as the water-cooled, two-stroke Scott machines diced it out with Inter Nortons, Rudges and Excelsiors. And, three wheeled Morgans tried to show the sidecars a thing or two about how to get around corners.
To add to the attraction of these old ’uns fighting it out, a parade of veteran and vintage machinery took place. This year saw Jock West, 2nd in the ’39 Senior TT on a blown BMW, riding round on a ’49 AJS Porcupine, Freddie Frith hammering a 500 Velo racer round 22 years after his last race, and Erie Oliver doing the same with a Norton sidecar outfit.
Perhaps the best performance of the day came from Chris Williams, who won the race for pre-1931 machines on a 1928 625-cc Scott at an average speed of 76.06 mph. It was a wonderful sight and a wonderful sound from that old Scott. Maybe the speed does not compare with a Yamaha of today, but the noise is certainly easier on the ear.
