1970 Motorcycle Drag Racing Sprint Scene - 2-Page Vintage Article

Description

1970 Motorcycle Drag Racing Sprint Scene - 2-Page Vintage Article
Original, vintage magazine article
Page Size: Approx. 8" x 11" (21 cm x 28 cm) each page
Condition: Good
The author of this new feature column is one of the founders
and officers of M.A.M.A. (Middle Atlantic Motorcycle Association),
lie is also in charge of the regular motorcycle drags at Atco
in South Jersey. Besides these duties, Roy Strawn is an active
competitor himself. As a result, we feel quite lucky to be
able to count this “regular guy” as a regular contributor.
of fair in-class competition, with spe-
cial classes for special machines.
E/SS (superstock), was created for
the Saki Mk. III. The M.A.M.A
rules will be the format for a soon to
be organized national sanctioning
body for biKe drag racing, and here
are some reasons why.
On August 3, 1969, M.A.M.A.
sanctioned the first summer National
Meet at Atco. More than 180 en-
trants saw some real good racing,
many for the first time.
On top of them all was Nick Pal-
merone of Groton, Conn. Nick’s
only eight from each group would
make the final money runs. Some of
the qualifing attempts proved to be
the fastest in the country. Leo Payne
came up to the line and drew a large
round of applause, and an even big-
ger hand when he turned a 9.30 to
ensure him a spot in the top eight.
But Leo too had a rough day ahead.
Larry Welch, riding Sonny Routt’s
new Triumph double blasted a mind-
blowing 9.12 at 164 mph to lead
the qualifying field. Also among the
qualifiers was last year’s champion,
Bob Barker, running 9.37 on the
ET wasn’t quite enough. Under the
handicap system Glenn Fodor of Clif-
ton, N. J. came away winner. His
C/G Harley stopped the Chrondek
timers at 12.34 and earned him
0.
■ They come off of the rollers and
the air reeks of nitro fumes. The
slick spins as they heat up to get the
best possible bite. First, the yellow
stage light comes on, then at the start-
er’s command flash five yellow warn-
ing lights, and then the green. The
ground shakes, the clutch goes out
and the slick emite a cloud of blue
smoke as it fights for traction. At
the other end, 1,320 feet away, the
chrondek electric eye stands waiting.
A burst of power and in less than 10
seconds after the green light they
break the beam at better than 150
mph. This Is the big iron, the mon-
ster Harleys, the few remaining Vin-
cents, the Triumph and BSA teams
with single and double engines. The
nitro-guzzling, fire-breathing fuel
dragsters. Just about everyone knows'
of the big famous names in the sport;
people like Routt, Payne, Neilson,
Rudd, Welch, Raslowski, and Learn-
ing to name a few. Until recently these
people have been the heart of drag
racing, the only ones to command any
respect. Don’t get me wrong, they
deserve all they receive and more.
But what about the little guy?
The bulk of bikes on the street
are „the Stockers that go back and
forth to work every day. Sure, some
are modified, customized, and
stripped down, but they still ride on
the street. Most people don’t have
the time or money to invest in a bike
just for racing, but if they can go out
and run once a month and have a
good time they stay happy and get
more involved. This is the big attrac-
tion to drag racing both in the cars
and the bikes. One ties up a lot of
money for special machine to climb
hills, ride the flat track, or fly around
the road course. Not so with drags.
Almost any Stocker or modified safe
enough to ride on the street can find
a home in one of M.A.M.A.’s more
than 40 classes without competing
against the all-out drag bikes and get
a shot at a trophy or some dollars,
and a fun day of good competition.
People can do more than spectate,
they can get involved. Part of the
problem is that many riders are not
even . aware of the existence of or-
ganized Motorcycle Drag Racing.
This is what we are all about. Because
of the potential interest in the sport,
this column will be a feature in com-
ing issues. We will try to keep you
informed of current and future events,
and spread the good word about drag
racing in general.
Ask just about any rider who has
ever tried his bike on the quarter-
mile where the East Coast home of
the drag bikes is, and they will all
give the same answer. Atco Dragway.
This is one of the very few tracks in
the country that holds a regular
schedule of meets for bikes only.
Two Sundays a month the manage-
ment turns the track over to yours
truly and my very competent crew
of officials, and we let the two wheel-
ers do their thing. The season starts
in March and runs until October with
an average of 90 bikes in competi-
tion each meet, though we expect
more in the coming year. One of the
reasons for such turnouts every
month is this: the M.A.M.A. cares.
We believe that bike drags have
come a long way in the past few
years, and hope to see the sport earn
its rightful place in motorcycle his-
tory.
The M.A.M.A. rules have been
called by many the only decent rules
available anywhere. More than 40
classes allow competition by almost
any size or shape machine from a
90cc trail bike right up to the go-for-
broke fuelers. Safety is pushed to a
maximum in all classes to protect
riders and spectators alike. The close
grouping of classes assures everyone
AA/F Harley earned him Top Eli-
minator, with a time of 9.30 at
149.75 mph and showed a promise
of things to come. Guy Learning took
home Runer-Up money with a faster
time (9.26-149.00 mph). and learn-
ed the hard way that many races are
won or lost on the starting line. Tony
Parnisi on the Harold Steel, gas drag-
ster put down all comers in Gas Eli-
minator with a strong run of 10.40.
Street Eliminator action saw Jim
Lombardo astride his A ZS Duo Glide
victorious with consistent runs in the
low 14’s. Everyone, even the losers,
went very fast, and people said the
October National would be the one
to see. They were so right.
On that warm October Sunday
more than 5,000 people saw the big-
gest Motorcycle Drag Meet in the
history of the sport. 327 competi-
tors turned out to try for their chunk
of the ,500 purse, and they all
had their work cut out for them.
Many were champions in their own
right, consistent strong runners at
their home tracks all over the coun-
try, and had traveled long distances
for this event. Most of them felt it was
well worth the trip just to say they
were there, and saw motorcycle drag
racing come of age.
The dragsters went faster than
ever. The Stockers numbered more
than 100. And this is what they saw.
Time trials began at 8:00 a.m. Of
all the fuel and gas dragsters present,
Tom Riser H-D fueler.
The complete field of 8 qualified
with times lower than Barker’s win-
ning ET of 9.45 last year. The man in
the bump spot was Gary Ackerman
of Muskegan, Mich., holding on with
a 9.42, rounding out the fastest fuel-
ers in the country. In the first round
Welch did it again as Walter Yee of
Roxbury, Ma., fell victim to the fast-
est time of‘the meet. The long Routt-
equipped fueler ate up the tnile in
9.10 seconds and reached the other
end doing 165.70 mph for the quick-
est run on record. Leo Payne also
went home loser in the first round as
Baker’s hole shot and 9.38 did him
in. Cook Neilson riding Welch’s H-D
put away Ackerman. Last year’s run-
ner-up, Jim Disalvo, of Burlington,
Mass., couldn’t keep up with Learn-
ing’s 10.16 second run.
In the top gas ranks Routt again
cornered the #1 qualifing spot, fol-
lowed by John Neidengard on a 74
cu. in. Sportster. The rest of the gas
field was also manned by the Harleys
of Ron Fringer, Harold Steele, Louis
Melone, Marv Jorgensen, AHRA
Record Holder, Steve Sanderegger,
and the Minneapolis Digger from
E&J Drag Specialties.,
Gary B. Carnes of Columbus,
Ohio took on all comers in Street
Eliminator with his Modified Mach
III. But in the final round his 12.46
Ron Fringer fought his way
through the quickest qualifying field
he had ever seen. He put I ouis Me-
lone away in the first round and
Marv Jorgensen in the second, but
now he had to face the big Triumph
Double. Ron got anxious and drew
the big red eye. Welch let out the
clutch and the motors died 30 feet
out. Larry looked back and saw the
red light in the other lane and got
off and started pushing. His ET of
131.70 set a new official high record
for his class and earned him 0
in Top Gas Eliminator.
Nick Palmerone’s new motor
couldn't qualify in fuel, but he took
the Consolation Eliminator away
from Chuck Kennedys’ C/D Tri-
umph. In the hot and heavy stock
classes, road racer George Mont-
gomery ran 12.57 on his Commando
**S” to put down the BSA factory
Hornet “3.” Victor Force traveled all
the way from Adrian, Michigan, and
took home a trophy and a big smile
as his Bultaco destroyed the G/Stock
class. Lenny Gilzow, aboard the Cir-
cle Motors’ BSA won the D/SS class
while Steve Gilman’s Suzuki ran
rampant over the 450 Hondas for
a win in E/Stock. D/Stock was dis-
qualified when the final two bikes in
the class were found to be illegal.
When it came to final round in
Top Fuel, Guy Learning, had to face
last year’s champ, Barker. The Riser
built Harley made the final when
Welch fouled in the second round
Learning put to use his hard-leamed
lesson on hole shots and did a nasty
one on Barker. This time Barker had
a lower ET at 9.51, whle Learning’s
9.61 put him at the end first for the
0 prize money.
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