Round Up
ROUND·UP
JOE PARKHURST
THE SHOCKING news ffl that all of the leading road racers in Europe at the German Grand Prix refused to race at the Nurburgring has far reaching implications that will reverberate for some time to come. The riders refused on the grounds of safety, as too much of the armco barriers had no hay bales that would protect riders if they fell.
An additional hazard was the fact that the event was a mixed meeting of cars and bikes, which is against the FIM rules. But the Germans manage to get away with it each time they race at Nurburgring. The two types of vehicles are not compatible when it comes to racing. ^Bmco barriers are deadly to bikes and hay bales are a fire hazard for cars. Also, the oil and rubber deposited on the course by cars can make things very unpleasant for bikers.
All of the riders of the World Championship series refused to ride, showing a solidarity of purpose that was almost unbelievable. Their action will be one of the biggest problems with which the FIM has to deal, because the jury for the race agreed that the course was safe for racing. Will Agostini, Read, Sheene and Grassetti, to name just a few, be disciplined for their action, or will the national Tederations deal with the ^^oblem?
Most championship racing in Europe is run on the appearance money basis, with purses being absurdly low. This is one reason so many British and European riders come to the U.S. to ride in our events.
The famous TT on the Isle Of Man has been criticized for being too dangerous for riders. Both Phil Read and Agostini refused to ride it this year.
They were rumored to have been offered more than $14,000 just to start, but neither showed up. Both have been vitriolic critics of the TT, yet it has contributed in no small manner to their present brilliance in road racing.
The fantastic course that follows the public roads for 37 miles around the beautiful island is lined with such things as stone walls, cement curbs, stone buildings, steep drop offs, etc. It is one of the most incredible race courses in the world.
THE OTHER Six Days Trial is the Scottish. It primarily differs from the International Six Days Trial in that they have observed, as well as timed, sections.
It was Mick Andrews (Yamaha), and Malcolm Rathmell (Bultaco), again fighting it out all the way in the prestigious event. A strong American contingent, lead by Lane Leavitt, was chosen to ride the event this year. Lane retired the first day with bearing failure.
Bob Hopkins and Joe Guglielmelli both on Yamahas, fought a hard personal battle all week, with Joe just getting the edge with 193 marks against him to Bob’s 198.
UZUKI IS now racing a new 500cc, watercooled, four-cylinder bike in GP road racing in Europe.
Introduced to combat Agostini’s Yamaha and Phil Reads’ MV, the 497cc engine is claimed to produce 90hp @ 10,500 rpm. It weighs about 320 pounds.
Dubbed the RG500, it is a square Four two-stroke, using rotary disc valve. It is being ridden by Sheene and Smart.
I DECARS are enjoying as big a comeback in Italy as they are here. At the Milan show a firm called CID, for Italian Industrial Center of Design, showed two new rigs. A conventional model, called the T74, will soon be offered for sale in Italy.
The trick rig shown here, dubbed the S74, was built as an experiment, but they might produce it if a sufficient demand arises.
That difference of five marks gave Joe a special first class award and dropped Bob to the top of the first class awards. Both deserve credit and Guglielmelli’s 45th finisher spot in his first attempt at the Scottish—beating both Hopkins and Kirk Mayfield (Yamaha), both of whom rode last year—deserves special attention.
Kirk lost 202 marks and got a first class award. Second class winner Ray Hatfield (Ossa), had 376 marks, and Wiltz Wagner (Bultaco), had 352 marks against him.
Up front the battle raged all week between the top factory riders. Mick Andrews took top spot with a loss of only 41 marks and Rathmell 2nd with 51. Swedish rider Tore Evertsson (Ossa), put up a strong challenge but faded midway and finished 3rd behind Rathmell with four additional marks.
Bultaco teammates Martin and Alan Lampkin were 4th and 5th with 65 and 68, respectively.
Andrews has now won the Scottish four times in five years: a feat equalled only by Sammy Miller, who is now being seen riding his new 250 Honda four-stroke trialer. That’s a pair we can expect to hear a great deal more about later this year. He did not compete in the Scottish, as the bike was not finished in time.
▲ COUPLE of new books caught my attention this month. The first is a really handsome soft-bound book on the 1973 ISDT. Paul Webb is the publisher and the one responsible for the beautiful photography.
Al Eames, the man almost wholly responsible for the success of the trial, wrote the introduction. The editorial portion lists all of the riders and teams and their individual as well as team finishing positions.
The photos are all in full
color, and as a fellow pub^ lisher, I can comment professionally on the finished product: it is beautiful. It can be obtained from Paul Webb at RR 1, Box 196-A, Sunapee, NY 03712.
Curiously enough, the other book is on yet another subject I dearly love; Baja. It is called “The Baja Book,” not the most inventive title, but it covers the subject.
The most unusual feature of the book is the illustrations. The entire peninsula is covered with aerial photos taken from a satellite. The spacemaps add a dimension to Baja that I found extremely informative and very useful. Although it adds littl^k new knowledge to the roads and trails in Baja, other than the high-altitude photos that show areas like they have never been seen before, the book adds considerably to any Baja aficionado’s library. Write Baja Trail Publications, Box 15444, Santa Ana, CA 92705.
■ REALLY like what the New York State Ossa dealers are doing to promote their sport and business. A 1975 Ossa Pioneer, worth around $1300, will be given away to the New York Trail Riders’ Association member who submits landowner permission for the most miles of motoni cycle trails. Motorcycle indus^ try firms are being solicited now for prizes for the runners-up.
Entry forms and permission blanks for the contest, open until December 31, 1974, may be obtained by writing to John Cooper, 3 Bliss Terrace, Monroe NY 10950.
For years the New York State Trail Riders’ Association has been concerned about trails being ridden without permission of the owners. Since the group’s purpose is to make the sport a legitimate use of trails, John Cooper, head of the trail committee, has begun to establish an authorized Ne York State Trail System for bikes. Good show.
:S-
ALTHOUGH Rathmell
still holds a slim fourpoint lead over the charging Mick Andrews in the European Trials Championship, most followers agree that since Mick spends more time on his monoshocker and “tunes” the suspension to a finer degree, the gap between he and “Rastus” will dwindle, making for some fierce competition in the last two or three rounds.
Both of these competitors are comfortably into their private duel, since 3rd-place rider Yrjo Vesterinen is a good 20 points down. Not too far behind the Finn are
last year’s European Champion, Martin Lampkin, and Montesa’s newcomer Ulf Karlsson from Sweden.
Rob Edwards is still trying to accustom himself to the prototype 310 Montesa while being closely persued by French National Champion, Charles Coutard. With eight rounds already having been run, the leaders are as follows:
