1966 Motorcycle Racing Champion All Stars - 3-Page Vintage Article

Description

1966 Motorcycle Racing Champion All Stars - 3-Page Vintage Article
Original, Vintage Magazine article
Page Size: Approx. 8" x 11" (21 cm x 28 cm) each page
Condition: Good
MILE TRACK RIDER:
MERT LAWWILL
HARLEY-DAVIDSON
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
Lawwill was last year’s selection as short
track rider on the team. Once again, he was
great in the 250cc events, but his ability
ROAD RACING:
DICK MANN
MATCHLESS AND YAMAHA
CROCKETT, CALIFORNIA
The 12-year veteran again proved that he
is the master on the road race courses that
hold the national events. His two wins on
the big bike and his national lightweight
win on the 250cc job rate him as the only
rider to ever win both types in one season.
Add to this his runaway win on the light-
weight at Daytona from the back of the
pack, and you have the best in America on
the pavement. The only question yet un-
answered. regarding Dick’s road racing
ability, is just how good he would be
against the European riders who make road
races a full-time habit.
Again Mann was the only self-tuned
rider in the national winner’s circle this
year. He did receive assistance in the 250cc
category, but was on his own in other
events.
on the mile tracks shot him to the top this
year.
In the two national mile track events, he
met and either defeated or led the best in
the entire nation. His from-last-to-first heat
race ride at Springfield, Illinois against the
majority of the best gave first indications
of things to happen. It was all Lawwill in
the feature until he was forced to the pits
with oil pump problems. In his last appear-
ance across the line, he was still widening
the gap.
Mert won the first national of his career
at Sacramento where he reversed his plan,
and rode behind the leaders until late in
the race. He went on to take the lead and
win with the same ease that he displayed
earlier at Springfield.
Lawwill had his finest year in competi-
tion, winning half-miles, short tracks and
mile events. He also scored high in many
road races to rank him as one of the best
all-around riders in America today. Staunch
backing from the Milwaukee factory and
coaching from his sponsor Dud Perkins
rate this rider high on the list for ’66.
OUTSTANDING FIRST YEAR EXPERT:
DAN HAABY
BSA and MATCHLESS
TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA
Last year Dan took the amateur award
going away. He does the same this year as
a first-time rider on the national scene and
a weekly competitor on the half mile at
Ascot Park.
His tie for 8th place in the final national
standings rate him far above the next best
first-time wearer of a white number plate.
He is a comprehensive rider who rode well
and finished high in every type of event
offered this year, national or not.
He did not win a national title in his first
attempt, but came close enough to give his
two sponsors, Bob Hansen and Gary Bray,
added effort next season. Haaby should
greatly improve his 8th place finish in the
national bracket next season, and win a
couple of nationals along the way.
RIDER OF THE YEAR: HARLEY-DAVIDSON
BART MARKEL FLINT, MICHIGAN
Bart was also the selection for this honor
CYCLE M AGAZINE
NATIONAL ALL-STARS
7th Annual Racing
by Roxy Rockwood
Editorial Staff....
Team Selection
j and the Cycle
Another season—perhaps the best ever—
has come to a close, Eighteen national
events and dozens of non-national races
were held all over the nation this past year.
Eleven riders will find their names in
racing history books, which is one of the
highest tributes that can be paid to a cham-
pion. Four of the country’s top riders won
national events on more than just one type
of track. Four more won races in events
where they are classed as specialists.
Once again in selecting the National Rac-
ing Team, prime consideration was given to
the national- events as this is where the best
riders continue to meet and match ability
and equipment. Though those races con-
tinue to share much of the national spot-
light and newspaper space, not to be for-
gotten are the many riders who, for one
reason or another, cannot take or find the
time to compete on the national trail that
in 1962 when he won his first Grand Na-
tional AMA title. His efforts in 1965 far
surpass anything he has done in previous
years. After deciding to retire at the end
of the 1964 season, Markel pushed himself
to new heights in racing. He won three
national events in ’65, and lost three more
on the final lap in national racing.
Bart has developed into one of the great-
est all-around riders in AMA history. He
won two half-mile nationals and one TT
national. He finished in the top five places
no less than a record-breaking twelve times.
He is considered the best in dirt track
racing in the Midwest and the East where
he is near unbeatable on any given day at
any track.
Bart’s three-way winning combination of
his ability, his mechanic and his sponsor
rate him as the best there is for 1965. Much
credit goes to his tuner Eddie Warren who
entered race after race with no mechanical
failures of any type—a record in itself.
Behind the scenes is sponsor Bert Cum-
mings whose strong faith in Markel has to
be a factor in Bart’s climb to the top.
1
F
leads to nationwide fame. Non-national
competition is the backbone of the racing
structure. Here is where the various cham-
pions learn their trade, experiment with
their equipment and develop their “name.”
The National Racing Team continues to
be the only post-season honors the various
champions receive each vear. Once again it
will be the pleasure of Floyd Clymer and
Cycle Magazine to present National Rac-
ing Team jacket awards at the Daytona
Beach, Florida national championship road
race in March of 1966 to the various riders
who make up the ’65 team.
For all-around ability, the 1965 team far
surpasses any we have selected in the past,
and could well be the strongest ever picked.
The riders who were first across the finish
line had many potential winners behind
them in every big event. The choices were
not easy to make by any means.
(Photos of some riders unavailable)
HALF MILE RIDERS:
SAMMY TANNER
BSA
LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA
More half-mile events are run each year
than any other type of racing. To select
even two riders is narrowing the field to a
great extent. We feel that this year’s selec-
tion comes as close as possible with two
of the finest to ever turn a throttle.
Sammy Tanner once again enjoyed a
great season with well over 40 wins on the
half-mile and his third 8-mile national title.
The colorful “Flying Flea” completed his
10th year of racing again at the top of the
list. All of his victories came at the highly
competitive Ascot Park half-mile where
competition was rated the strongest ever
this season. In ten years of racing. Tanner
now has just under 300 wins on half mile
tracks. Only one other active rider is any-
SHORT-TRACK RACING:
GARY NIXON
TRIUMPH
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND
The riders with similar names grab the
spotlight in this year’s selections as the two
best on the small bikes for dirt track ovals.
Nixon, the former Oklahoman, and Nix,
the present Oklahoman, give the Sooner
State the title all the way.
Gary won many short-track events this
year at many little known tracks. His big
effort came against all of the best when
he won the national short-track title at
Santa Fe Park near Chicago in August. It
was Nixon all the way in this one for a
GEORGE ROEDER
HARLEY-DAVIDSON
MONROEVILLE, OHIO
where close to that output.
George Roeder joins the team this year
as the other half-miler. He ended his 12th
season of competition this past year and, as
previously, it was an outstanding one. Early
season mechanical troubles were overcome.
George went on to win the 10-mile na-
tional plus a host of non-national events to
give him the award this year. Actually, this
rider could make the team on personality
alone. They threw the mold away on this
rider.
As before. George was backed by one
of America’s outstanding tuners, Ralph
Berndt. This is another of the successful
three-way combinations that help take cycle
racing out of the backyard category.
FRED NIX
HARLEY-DAVIDSON
LAWTON, OKLAHOMA
decisive win.
Fred Nix. a comparative newcomer to
bigtime racing, joins the team for the first
year largely on the basis of taking the high
point title at Santa Fe for weekly racing
for the entire season.
Fred is a new face with versatile talent
that may find him being selected many
more times in different brackets on the
National Racing Team. Besides being a
top short-tracker, he has also shown flashes
of greatness on the miles and half-miles...
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