Racing Review
RACING REVIEW
CAROL SIMS
OPEN LETTER TO MICUS
To: Motorcycle International Committee of the U.S. (MICUS) From: Club Union Motociclista, Jose A. Cabrera 4027bis, Montevideo, Uruguay. After having tried in 1964 to enter our riders in the Grand Prix of USA, sending four (4) different letters to MICUS without receiving any reply, for this year 1965 we have: 1. Written to MICUS with address at Daytona Beach, Florida, USA. 2. Asked the Cultural Attache of the USA Embassy in Montevideo to con tact MICUS. 3. Written this Open Letter to CYCLE WORLD asking them to publish it.
We hereby again officially notify MICUS that we enter for the Grand Prix of USA at Daytona Beach Raceway, March 20th and 21st, 1965 the. following riders, holders of International Road Rac ing Licenses of the FIM, extended by the Centro Motociclista del Uruguay (FMNR):
Aldobrando Tassoni, in class 125cc with Tohatsu LR, in class 50cc with Tohatsu CA-2R. Mr. Tassoni is Cham pion of the River Plate (Argentina and Uruguay) 1964 in classes 175cc and 125cc. He has raced in many international events and twice in the Grand Prix of Argentina (1962 and 1963), World Championship Meeting.
Gaston Biscia, in class 125cc with Zanella RK, in class 50cc with Suzuki MDR. Mr. Biscia has raced in many inter national events and is Champion of the River Plate (Argentina and Uruguay) 1964 in the class 50cc. He has raced twice in the Grand Prix of Argentina (1962 and 1963), World Championship Meet ing, and has also raced 125cc and 50cc factory racers for Suzuki with Masuda and M. Itoh.
Both riders and their racers will arrive at Miami Airport Thursday the 18th of March, 1965, and they will leave again on Monday the 22nd. They will fly by Aerolineas Peruanas S.A. on flights EP-602 and EP-601. They will be con ducted by our secretary, Mr. Rudolph Dietrich, who will act as their Team Manager.
We request from MICUS: 1. To send us rules, circuit drawing, official entrance papers, etc. of the Grand Prix of USA. 2. Their offer for our starting money and pay of travel expenses and facilities at Daytona Beach Raceway.
It is our sincere wish to be able finally this year 1965 to race the Grand Prix of USA and by this establish the first contact between the motorcycle sport of USA and Uruguay.
Awaiting an urgent reply from MICUS we send them and the motorcycle sport of USA our best wishes and beg to re main,
Yours Truly, CLUB UNION MOTOCICLISTA Jose A. Cabrera 4027bis Montevideo, Uruguay
Carlos Barragan President Rudolph Dietrich Secretary
A RIGHTEOUS SCRAMBLES
Countless western movie gun battles have been filmed in the rugged California mountains around Corriganville Ranch. Once a year, however, motorcycles replace the heroes' "shootin' irons" and, with the false-front western town as a background, some very real scrambles racing takes place.
The 2½-mile Corriganville Grand Prix course is demanding in the extreme. It winds sharply uphill and down, over loose dirt, hard dirt, sand and dust; fast straightaways, tight turns, esses and high speed sweepers furnish a true test of skill and versatility.
Largest AMA entry list of the year, over 500 riders, competed in 12 races during the 5th Annual two-day event. Outclass ing the Open Expert field for the fifth straight year, Eddie Mulder left no doubts as to his fantastic ability. Triumph-mount ed, he charged over the narrow mountain roads in seemingly effortless fashion, lapping all but second place Bill Riley in 14 laps. With one to go, Riley's ma chine blew. He rolled into the pits, giv ing runnerup position to Bud Ekins, 40 seconds behind. Had Riley stopped on the course, waited for Mulder to lap him, and then pushed his BSA across the line, he would have taken second spot, since the race is officially ended when the leader receives the checkered flag. But . . he'll know next time.
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International Six Days Trial gold medal winner Cliff Coleman wound up third, ahead of Buck Smith, Steve Lydecker, Arvil Sparks -and Max Switzer, all aboard Triumphs.
Saturday morning's little bike action began with the up-to-lOOcc race, and first to visit the winner's circle was Expert flattracker Eddie Wirth. Riding a 98cc Gilera, he beat out Mike Tiliman (Honda), John Hateley (Yamaha), Skip Kawell (Yamaha) and Denby Dailey (Honda).
then came the 175cc/200cc event, and Jim Nicholson (Greeves) found a high speed path all his own. In a SO-man field he lapped everyone but second place finisher Doug Yerkes (Bultaco). Next was Chuck Petty (Montesa), followed by Bultaco riders Wayne Kizziar, Craig Cox, Lyle Larson and Steve Scott.
Novice 250cc honors went to Montesa mounted Everett Creach. He beat out Steve Cole, Don Shore (both Greeves), Dan Guinn (Honda) and Ron Root (Greeves).
The day's main attraction was the Amateur/Expert 250cc race, and no less a personage than Grand National Cham pion Dick Mann was on hand, Greeves mounted. Into an early lead went Russ Darnell, also riding Greeves, and he was never headed. Mann, concerned with hold ing back Jim Nicholson until the latter's bike blew, couldn't make up the lost dis tance and finished second ahead of fellow Greeves riders Gary Conrad and Lonny Walter. Dave Ekins was fifth on a Maico.
The Sweepstakes Race, for winners of all classes, went to Jim Nicholson on a borrowed Greeves. He beat out Darnell, defending champ Preston Petty, Creach and Wirth in the sizzling 3-lapper.
Opening event on Sunday was the 350cc Amateur/Expert, and Dave Ekins' 250cc Maico outdistanced the entire field by a wide margin. Later, however, he was disqualified (for riding a bike other than his original entry, a Honda that blew on the line), giving the win to John Rice (Honda), ahead of Red McKeen and Ed Fuibright, both on BSAs.
Bill Fraint and his AJS took the 500cc Novice win ahead of BSA riders Jim Kincaid and Randy Thomas. Open Nov ice honors went to Bob Berro ahead of Jack Ross and Vito Amodio; all were rid ing Triumphs.
Jim Hunter's persistence paid Ott lfl tfle 500cc Expert race. With three thirds and a second to his credit in the last four years, he finally nailed down a win on his BSA. In the early going, Dusty Coppage and Don Nelson tussled for the lead, but the frantic pace eliminated cal ailments. Hunter Frank Harlan and Matchless-mounted), (TriumDhL both with mechani. was followed b) Jack Byers (botF and Dick Lytel
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The sidehack outfits really had their work cut out for them. Just staying on the narrow course was somewhat of a job, especially on the downhill portions. But, to their credit, all nine outfits finished the five laps, one signalling its approach to blind corners with an ear-splitting siren that gave the crowd a chuckle. Don Kemp piloted the winning BSA sidehack, pas sengered by Joe Gardner.
Closing event was the Big Bike Sweep stakes. Mulder didn't enter due to mechan ical problems, but the others put on a fierce fight for the huge perpetual trophy. Defending champion Ron Nelson won the right to keep the gold for another year, finishing ahead of Hunter, Ferro and Rice.
5TH ANNUAL TEXAS ROAD RACES
Ninety-four riders from nine midwest states and Mexico turned out for the Fifth Annual International Sportsman Road Races held recently in San Angelo, Texas, and a 16-year-old was the star of the day. After a brief challenge from Doyne Bruner of Colorado Springs, Colorado, young Bentley Hardwicke of Duncanville, Texas pushed his Harley into the lead on lap two of the 30-mile Open Grand Final, and stretched his advantage to a stunning 28 seconds over second place J.C. Klus meyer of Odessa, Texas, at the finish. Hardwicke had earlier taken his heat race as well.
The 250cc Grand Final developed into a cut and thrust battle for 30 miles be tween Honda-mounted John Walker and Yamaha rider Allen Jackson, both from San Angelo. Walker finally pulled away to win with seconds to spare.
Putting his sporting road race experience to work for him, Mike Bonnell (Honda), of Fort Worth, took novice class honors, though Abilene's Larry Beall (Yamaha) was in close cdntention until forced to the pits with mechanical difficulties. Bonnell, former class winner at Laconia, N.H. and Vineland, N.J., held a half a lap margin over the field at the checker. had broken the same leg again.
DORRESTEYN WINS NORTHERN CALIF. T.T. CHAMPIONSHIP
Dick Dorresteyn of San Pablo, Califor nia, displaying the riding ability and flaw less style that made him a two-time Na tional T.T. Champion, scored a triumphant return to action by winning the Northern California T.T. Championship at Cham nion Sneedwav in Brisbane.
Dick suffered a broken leg at Hayward in July, 1963 and upon his recovery com peted in only one race - a flattrack event at Champion in March of 1964. Running fourth in the main event, he was involved in a frightening eight-man pileup. Every one walked away but Dorresteyn - he
Only a true champion could come back and win his first race in a year and a half. Dick did; and there had been bets that he wouldn't even make the main.
Track conditions were far from ideal on race day. Rain had turned the course into a sea of mud, and riders pitched in to wheelpack the surface with their trucks (several of which had to be towed out of the extra-sticky first turn). Two and a half hours past race time, after much pumping of water and a re-routing of the course at one point, the track was raceable.
Novice honors went to Phil Cancilla Jr. He took the 6-lap Novice main in 6:07.2, followed by Gene Romero and Rick Vetter.
Everyone got a good start in the Main Event. Dave Bostrom was first off the line but Dorresteyn led into the first turn with Dick Mann inches behind. At every opportunity Mann tried hard for the lead but Dorresteyn held his ground. Going into the switchback on the fourth lap Mann made his bid a successful one, but he fell on the following turn, giving the lead back to Dorresteyn. Third place Tommy Clark saw his chance to nab second but Mann was down and up too quickly for Clark to get around.
On the sixth lap Mann caught up with Dick once more and, in the same turn as before, got under him to take over first place - but only briefly. Attesting to the ferocity of the battle, Mann fell again in the turn after the jump. This time Clark did manage to snare second place before Mann remounted. As they entered the half-mile turn, however, Dick was back in runner-up position. Bostrom, running fourth, went out with chain trouble and moving up to take his place was Darrell Triber of Spokane, Washington.
With two la;s to go Dorresteyn held an unassailable lead. The rest of the field stretched out behind him, and Mann finished second, Clark third, Triber fourth, Joe Plain fifth and Bob Bailey sixth.
Dorresteyn, riding the (Iary Kobison tuned Harman & Collins Triumph on which he will compete throughout `65, covered the ten-lap distance in 9:44.81. An astounding comeback performance to be sure, but only further proof of the talent and ability of the man generally regarded as the greatest T.T. rider in the nation today. ®
