Race Watch
RACE WATCH
San Jose's Fast Mile, Motocross from Everywhere and a Camel with Bad Breath
D. Randy Riggs
THE SAN JOSE MILE
Never dull, never a parade, the springtime San Jose Mile at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds once again lived up to its solid and fixed reputation of being one of the top events in American racing circles. Because almost all of the top 10 qualifiers clocked in under the previous astronomically fast record lap, the afternoon promised to be the usual thriller.
Heat races started the ball rolling, putting two top favorites out of action almost immediately. Ken Roberts, who had gotten out of bed that morning with a severe case of flu, qualified rather dismally, then dropped out of his heat race when he began suffering from flu-induced double vision. Exit the national points leader.
But he wasn’t alone. Jay Springsteen, the rider holding on to 2nd place in the standings, led his heat just half a lap when his motor went south, eliminating him from the national. It was an extremely rare case of mechanical failure for the Springer and his mechanic. Bill Werner.
Though it was a bit of a bummer to have two favorites gone from the lineup so soon, it didn’t dent the excitement much when it came time for the 16-rider national. Even the fastest qualifier, semi-retired Mert Lawwill, was absent from the money and points paying biggie, making it all the easier for those in the final lineup.
With wind gusts blowing across the track as the 25-lap national was flagged under way, riders were understandably concerned about what effect the breezes would have on handling as the machines hurtled down the straights at 125 mph. The wind died down, but not the fury on the race track.
Chuck Palmgren grabbed a good chunk of clay with his H-D at the start, but both Mike Kidd and Corky Keener led him onto the back straight as the elbow knocking began in earnest. Kidd had power to spare on his Mert Lawwill-tuned and sponsored Harley and went into a comfortable lead almost from the beginning. Behind, a real wrangler was developing between a group consisting of Keener, Palmgren, Steve Eklund, Gary Scott, Ted Boody and Steve Morehead, with another tight group following.
Garth Brow dropped out with brake troubles and Morehead ripped the toe of his left boot out, leaving his naked toes exposed on top of his skid shoe. He later stated that “it was like riding with sandals on.”
At the half way flag it was still Kidd, Keener. Eklund, Palmgren and Scott, with only Kidd in a position of having some breathing space. But around lap 15, Kidd thought his engine was going sour; the power seemed to be going away. Scott had slipped by his little group, then displaced Kidd for the lead on lap 20. Eklund also crept past Kidd’s ailing machine, passing Scott’s Carl Patrick-tuned H-D a short time later.
Keener saw a brief puff of smoke come from Kidd’s bike as Kidd pulled off the track with a thrown chain. The reason the bike had seemed that it was losing power for five laps was because the chain had been binding on the sprockets. With two laps remaining Eklund slowly started putting distance on Scott, then lost it as his battery vibrated loose and damaged some wires, making the engine misfire in the corners. It was all Scott needed.
The pair exited the final turn side by side, Eklund’s engine sputtering just enough to give Gary about a four-bike advantage at the flag. Keener remained in 3rd, the young H-D team member Ted Boody was 4th, Palmgren 5th on his Dan Gurney-prepared Harley.
For Gary Scott, it was a dramatic change of luck from his hassles earlier in the season. Prior to San Jose, he had managed just one national point. In the winner’s circle he held a single finger up in the air and said it would be all downhill from this point with the bad luck behind him. Probably not all downhill, but one hell of a season is in store for him and the rest of the go-fast guys.
RESULTS
NATIONAL POINTS
THE SCOTTISH SIX-DAYS TRIAL
Top of the tree in the trials game is the International Scottish Six-Days Trial run each year during the first week in May. The event is held in the Fort William area of the Highlands of Scotland. Normally the trial starts and finishes at Edinburgh but tradition was broken this year because an international gathering of the clans took up all the Edinburgh accommodations, so the trial started and finished in Fort William. Although the organizers stoutly maintain the trial will revert to Edinburgh in 1978, the start and finish in Fort William found such favor that it could prove to be the beginning of a new era for the event.
The 1977 event was completely dominated from start to finish by last year’s winner, Martin Lampkin, riding a factory Bultaco. Lampkin rode in relentless fashion throughout the week and at no time dropped a five. There was just nobody who could match the Yorkshireman’s performance of brilliant consistency. He wound up with a total of 27 marks, no less than 31 ahead of runner up Malcolm Rathmell (Montesa) followed by Nigel Birkett (Suzuki, 60) Mick Andrews, (Yamaha, 62) and Rob Shepherd (Honda, 64). Five makes of machinery were represented in the first five and without Lampkin what a scrap it would have been!
Just off the leaderboard in 11th place with a 98 was American Bernie Schreiber, whose moment of glory came on the fourth day when he jointly put in best performance of the day with Lampkin, both losing five. Two places behind Bernie with 102 was another American, Marland Whaley whose glory moment came on day five when he and Spaniard Jaime Subira both lost two marks.
Schreiber took the Best Newcomer award with Whaley runner-up for that honor. The Montesa trio of Rathmell, Edwards and Karlsson took the manufacturers team prize.
CHECK OUT CHARLIE
Appropriately, a camel named Charlie was the official mascot for the Oklahoma City Camel Pro Series’ Half-Mile National, sponsored by Hugo’s HarleyDavidson in Wichita and Oklahoma City. Charlie was born in California and towed in a specially built trailer pulled by a Cadillac pickup all the way to the Midwest. Rumor has it Charlie has bad breath. . . .
RELIABILITY TRIALS SERIES AT HALFWAY POINT
With three of seven events completed, the 1977 AMA U.S. Reliability Trials National Championship is well underway in six engine classes. Riders in the series are not only going for individual championships in their respective divisions, but are also seeking starting positions on the American Team competing in the 52nd ISDT to take place in September in Czechoslovakia.
Each rider’s top four rides will count toward the National Championships while > the best three scores will be the determin ing factor to decide who will be selected for the 35-member ISDT squad. Following are the leading riders in the various engine classifications.
125-cc Class Standings
175-cc Class Standings
250-cc Class Standings
350-cc Class Standings
Open Class Standings
BAKER'S AGV SERIES
AGV Helmets, sponsor of the World Cup Trophy Series (which included three major Formula 750 road races) paid the winners a nice chunk of change when it came time to tabulate the scores. American riders Steve Baker and Ken Roberts ended up in a tie with 345 points each for the win, but Baker was given the nod (and the healthiest paycheck) because he had two wins in the series compared to Roberts’ one. Steve wound up with $12,500; Roberts collected $8,500. The Daytona 200, Imola 200 and Paul Ricard 200 were the events included in the series. Finishing 3rd was Philippe Coulon of France. AGV Helmets are very popular in Europe, but are still somewhat uncommon in the U.S. And, no, the riders didn’t have to be wearing an AGV to collect the loot, although many did.
SHEENE ON THE MOVE
The 500-cc Road Racing World Championship series has so far been the property of Englishman Barry Sheene, who managed to win round one in Venezuela. He then joined other riders in a strike during the Austrian round after a bad accident marred the 350-cc race.
Reports indicate Swiss rider Hans Stadelmann was killed in the accident, which also seriously injured Dieter Braun of West Germany and Venezuelan Johnny Cecotto, a former Daytona winner. Cecotto’s injury leaves American Steve Baker as the lone challenger from the Yamaha camp to challenge the thus far superior Suzuki RG500s.
After Austria, Sheene went on to win the third event at Hockenheim in West Germany, ahead of Americans Pat Hennen on yet another Suzuki and Baker, who finished 3rd on the factory Yamaha. Sheene now has 30 points to 22 points each for Hennen and Baker. Jack Findlay, winner of the strike-plagued Austrian round, sits in 4th place with 15 points.
MIKKOLA TAKES THE DUTCH AND SERIES LEAD
Riding his first season for Yamaha, Finland’s Heikki Mikkola took the point lead in the 500-cc World Championship Motocross Series away from Suzuki’s Roger DeCoster with a stunning victory in the Holland round. His point lead is very slim, 46-45 over DeCoster, who has won the Championship every year since 1971.
American Brad Lackey finished 3rd in Holland, moving into 5th place in the standings just ahead of Pierre Karsmakers. It looks as though Roger D. may have one of his toughest years to maintain that title of World Champion.
500-cc World MX Championship Standings
RAHIER LEADS 125s, WATANABE INJURED
On the right road to defending his World 125-cc Motocross Championship, Gaston Rahier of Belgium swept both motos in his home nation’s event, netting him a substantial point lead for this season.
The Suzuki team, however, wasn’t all smiles after the event, since Rahier’s teammate, Akira Watanabe of Japan, broke his leg in a hard getoff. The injury will probably keep the star from competing the rest of the season—most dissappointing since his hold on 2nd place in the standings seemed secure.
Rahier leads with 75 points, Watanabe has 54 and 3rd place is in the hands of Andre Massant who has 34 points.
TONY D. BACK IN THE LIMELIGHT WITH MARTY
The 250-cc National Motocross Series has been a hard fought battle from Moto One on this season, with a number of brands and riders going tooth and nail at every round.
The event in Axton, Virginia marked the return of Kawasaki’s Jim Weinert to action, after a shoulder injury in the Hangtown classic sidelined him for a spell. Weinert’s return was a strong one, as he parlayed a 1-4 finish into a 2nd overall in Virginia.
Yamaha teamster Bob Hannah had yet another round of bad luck with his ultrafast works machine, which seems to eat chains almost as fast as they can be replaced. The problems have kept him well behind in the overall standings and out of contention for the title for this season.
Marty Smith from Honda and Tony DiStefano from Suzuki were the ones with most of the pressure on in Virginia, however. Marty had only three points over the Big D going into the event, and afterward they were locked in a tie! Marty’s 5-1 moto finishes gave him 3rd overall, creditable to be sure, but not as good as DiStefano’s consistent 2-2 which earned him the victory.
With two rounds left, it is going to be a tight finish and no one is putting all their money on anyone in particular.
AMA 250-cc NATIONAL MX STANDINGS
