Competition Eto
COMPETITION ETO
D. RANDY RIGGS
LIKELY CANDIDATES FOR THE TOP TEN IN 1975 or, Go Ahead Guys, And Make A Liar Out Of Me Again.
Each year I make a game out of picking the winners...not in horses, for sure, but in Grand National Championship competition in motorcycling. It’s a rough game; the odds are often altered by unforeseen circumstances like injuries, mechanical problems and the like. But it’s still fun to stick my neck out and lay down my bold predictions in print. Let’s take a look at how I faired last season; then, because I didn’t learn my lesson, I’ll lay a few more on you this year. Here are the riders in the order that they actually finished and a few of my last-season quotes.
HOW THEY PLACED
1. KEN ROBERTS: “The most likely champion to repeat the performance in AMA history.” (Thanks Ken, I needed that).
2. GARY SCOTT: “Look for Gary to be one of the toughest in the dirt.” (Scott wound up only a few points shy of Roberts in the dirt, despite missing a couple of events due to injuries). “This might be Scott’s year to quit playing the Avis boy.” (It wasn’t).
3. GENE ROMERO: “Romero can be hell on a fast mile.” (Gene took a decisive win at Indianapolis). “He will have the benefit of the 700cc road racer to back his pavement talent.” (The record: 6th at Daytona, 2nd-best American at the Match races in England, 2nd at Road Atlanta, 2nd at Loudon, 3rd at Laguna Seca, a crash at Talladega and a prestigious win at Ontario). “Look for him to wind up in the top five.” (That he did).
4. REX BEAUCHAMP: “Could possibly equal his 6th-place standing of last year. If he makes the Top Ten it will be a squeaker.” (Boy, was I ever wrong. Rex scored all his points in the dirt, a tribute to his riding ability and the strength of a Harley tracker).
5. MIKE KIDD: “Mike Kidd will make the Top Ten if his factory Triumph stays together.” (I really underestimated Mike and his machinery. His Triumph was super-quick and he rode hard. Mike could have really pressured for the top slot if he hadn’t been hurt at the Santa Fe Short Track. That put him out for the season).
6. CHUCK PALMGREN: Here is a remarkable rider I didn’t consider for the Top Ten because I was under the impression that he was phasing out of racing. Palmgren has finished in the upper bracket more times than most people ever dream of. Sorry Chuck.
7. CORKY KEENER: I left Corky out, not realizing he was going to trek to most of the dirt Nationals. Wins at Louisville and Terre Haute, plus a few high placings elsewhere, sneaked him in on me.
8. HANK SCOTT: Don’t ask me what got into Gary’s little brother, but he really got with the program and won himself a National. These are the kind of guys that make us oddsmakers pull our hair out.
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9. RICK HOCKING: “Hocking has talent, but lacks experience and time on the pavement.” (I pegged Rick as a possible, and he looked shakey early in the season. Suddenly, however, he put some of his new-found experience to work and carted off the last two dirt Nationals of the year. What some guys won’t do to get attention). 10. DAVID ALDANA: “Aldana will make it if his luck holds out.” (The luck held and he made it).
WHO I SAID WOULD AND DIDN'T
MERT LAWWILL: Mert was plagued with an incredible series of injuries and plain old rotten luck. It even prompted me to do a story about him, which appeared in the February ‘75 issue of CW.
DON CASTRO: Donny was off to a good start at Daytona, but was badly injured at a non-National benefit race, which kept him away for a time.
GARY NIXON: Another victim of severe injuries, Gary was hurt in Japan and didn’t ride from late June on.
MARK BRELSFORD: Mark just wasn’t in the best of shape as the season began, but was working hard towards getting back the old form. A crash at Columbus was the final blow and Mark has since retired from racing. We miss him.
JOHN GENNAI. Here’s the guy I tagged as top rookie, but Gennai just couldn’t get on to his new H-D and was shocked at the ferocity of the Expert-class riders. He wound up in 20th spot.
AND HERE WE GO AGAIN
FOR TOP ROOKIE: If you want to keep your eye out for some fast rising talent, watch out for Skip Aksland. Skip is versatile and is turning into a fine pavement racer (he is presently ranked as a Junior in road racing), and knows how to get around a tough half-mile. In his favor are several things. His brother Bud is one of the top tuners on the circuit. Ken Roberts is his tutor. He will ride all the Nationals. If he can stay calmed down enough and becomes a thinking racer, you are looking at a future Number One. For now, he’ll have to be satisfied with top rookie. What about it Skip?
FOR THE TOP TEN
A. MERT LAWWILL: I truly believe Mert has shaken his jinx of last season and will be doubly tough this year. His Harley will be fast and his experience will give him the upper hand at many tracks. Mert has all the professionalism in the world, and savvy to boot. Keep your eye on No. 7. He’s good for the Top Five.
B. RICK HOCKING: Hocking is ballsy and strong and won’t wear down when track surfaces go to pot. He’s got strong equipment and learned plenty last season. I wouldn’t want to be in his way. See how close he comes to 7th.
C. MARK WILLIAMS: Williams has always been smooth and steady and deserves his new factory Norton/Triumph ride. His Astrodome finishes got him started in the right direction with the National points lead, always a boost. We just hope the Norton Twins will be able to work well where they haven’t before, and that adds up to a lot of tracks. He’ll have to work hard to make the magic 10 bracket.
D. REX BEAUCHAMP: The man who doesn’t like road racing just concentrates harder in the dirt. That’s why with a fast Harley-Davidson a man like this can put himself into the Top Ten with room to spare. Look for No. 31.
E. GENE ROMERO: Gene fell victim to Yamaha’s budgetary cutback and lost factory support for his dirt track escapades. But he’s built a C&J-framed Yamaha tracker and promises it’ll get with the program when he makes his traditional late-season charge. With only four road races paying points, it’ll be harder to make number three again, though he probably will just to spite me.
F. DAVID ALDANA: With support for machinery coming out of his own pocket, Aldana will probably stay on two wheels more often. He’s past being a possible Number One, but he can make the Top Ten one-handed if his new H-D works out. And if the AMA stays off his back.
G. CHUCK PALMGREN: Palmgren is another dirt tracker who has forgotten more than some younger riders know about how to get around a race track. His Yamahas are Dan Gurney-prepared and Chuck is steady. He can duplicate his 6th-place finish of last year without too much sweat.
H. CORKY KEENER: It’s neat to watch Corky work on the half-mile tracks, and that’s where he’ll be scoring most of his points. There’s lots on his side this year and that’s why he’ll make our top bracket.
I. GARY SCOTT: Gary still needs a road racer, and when he gets one he’ll be Number One. Until that time, he’ll have to work harder than ever to make the elusive slot, unless Roberts has a change of luck.
J. KEN ROBERTS: If everything goes his way (and in racing things have a way of happening), Ken will be on top again. He can ride it all superbly, has the biggest factory in racing behind him and still wants to be Number One. That is a rough combination to beat. Now we can all sit back and see what happens. gl
