Race Watch
RACE WATCH
Baker Goes for a World Title, Kenny Lays Plans, Springsteen Shoots Himself, Whaley Does It on a Honda and Team Harley '77
D. Randy Riggs
HARLEY HAS IT HANDLED
New Grand National Champion Jay Springsteen, with Corky Keener and rookie sensation Ted Boody will head up Harley-Davidson's official factory racing team for 1977. These three riders will have the benefit of full factory sponsorship at AMA National Class "C" events, including factory-prepared machines and mechanics. Greg Sassaman and Rex Beauchamp will be supported with bikes and parts, but will not be salaried or have factory mechanics. Steve Eklund will also receive help from the factory with his H-Ds, but Eklund will continue his long association with sponsor Mario Zanotti and mechanic Frank Nye. Eklund finished 4th in the National standings for "Rookie of the Year" honors. Boody was 6th. H-D Racing Manager Dick O'Brien will announce the motocross team members at a later date.
BAKER AND CECOTTO FOR GPs
Bellingham, Washington's Steve Baker and Venezuela's Johnny Cecotto will be official members of Yamaha's Factory Team in Europe for 1977. Cecotto, who won Daytona in 1976 but had a basically unhappy year from that point, will contest the 500cc class on the works machines and the 350cc class under the Venezmoto banner sponsorship.
Baker is planning to ride both 500 and 750cc GPs, with a chance that he’ll also ride the 250 class. Steve said he’d be at Daytona in March and Laguna Seca in September, since they carry 750 world championship status and points, but didn’t expect to make any other U.S. Nationals because of a heavy 26-event European schedule.
Baker’s entry into the world championship battle on works bikes from Japan will be a serious threat to all. Let’s hope the improved versions of Yamaha’s 500 GP bike will be competitive against the Suzuki RG 500 Square Fours, which dominated the class last season.
It would be nice to have an American as a world champion road racer. With both Baker and Pat Hennen in the picture this time around, it could happen.
HENNEN SIGNS
Twenty-three-year-old Pat Hennen has signed on as a full team member for Suzuki of Great Britain in 1977. Hennen became the first American ever to win a road race Grand Prix last season and wound up 3rd in the 500cc World Championship standings. Pat will no doubt contest the title once again, but appearances in the U.S. will probably be rare. Expect him to do well.
GP STATUS FOR FORMULA 750
Since the FIM has granted that the Formula 750 Series will carry full World Champion status in 1977, rumors are beginning to fly around about renewed factory interest in the division. One in particular raises the point that Suzuki may produce a “square-four” 750 along the same lines as their highly successful 500. Two rounds of the series will be held in the U.S. including the Daytona race on March 13th and Laguna Seca held in September.
GRITTI HAS GRIT
1976 overall ISDT winner Alessandro Gritti of Italy is some kind of a rider. It is quite an accomplishment to beat the best riders in the world in six grueling days of punishment. Gritti did it last year on a Farioli Team KTM GS 250. But he didn’t stop there. After the ISDT was over he went home to Italy and swept the fifth round of the Italian 250 MX Championship on a KTM, taking both motos. In addition, he finished 2nd in the Italian 125 MX title chase, took the European Two Day 125 overall championship, finished 2nd in the Italian 125 Two Day run off, won an international Open Class MX event and several One Day Trials. Is it any wonder he beat the Czechs and the West Germans at the game they usually play best?
Final Point Standings/A MA -NA TC National Trials Series
Final Point Standings/AMA National Enduro Series
KING RICHARD ONCE AGAIN
Dick Burleson captured his third straight AMA National Enduro Championship, clinched at the 100-mile Rattlesnake Enduro in northern California, despite the fact that he didn’t earn a single point in the event. His closest chaser was Skip Olsen from Wisconsin, who rides a Can-Am, but Olsen’s poor luck in the same event ruined his chances of catching Husqvarna rider Burleson. “King Richard’s” latest title is the icing on the cake for the year 1976. He was also 500cc class National champion of the U.S. TwoDay Trial Series and was the top finisher among 37 Americans who contested the 51st International Six Days Trial in Austria. This year’s event will be held in Czechoslovakia’s Povatska-Bystrica region in September.
WHALEY GETS THE CROWN
Riding Honda’s ultra-sanitary RTL 300 factory trialer, Marland Whaley edged out Montesa’s Don Sweet for the United States Trials Championship. Whaley found himself behind in points with only a few rounds left, then managed to put it all together to win the last three events and take the title from Sweet. Other riders who did well in the series included Lane Leavitt, Bernie Schrieber and Joe Guglielmelli.
SPRINGSTEEN GOES BANG
Avid hunter and fisherman Jay Springsteen, the new Number One, had some excitement recently in the woods. Seems his gun went off when it wasn’t supposed to, and the champ found himself with a hole in his leg. Fortunately it wasn’t serious. The bullet went through his calf and did no real damage. The Springer was unavailable for comment, however, because he was back out in the woods doing what he likes best . . . huntin’. R)
