I believe that flag man is Bouncing Bob Malley. Used to love watching him doing cartwheels and flips with the flag a foot away from the riders as they zoomed by. San Jose Mile was my favorite, climbing up the trees (olive I think) along the first turn to get above the fence for better pictures. Gene "the Burrito" Romero, a genuinely decent man who loved racing and will be missed.
Nixon, Lawwill, Burrito, Mann, Brelsford were the champs from 68 to 72. 73 marked a changing of the guard as these guys phased out and Roberts, Scott, Springer took over. Harley was always looking over their shoulders at Triumph and Yamaha until straightening out the OHV motor in the mid 70’s. Competition was at its peak in the 60’s-70’s. On any given year at least 3-4 guys were capable of taking the title. Far different from the 90’s.
My stepdad worked with mark brelsfords dad and one day we went to their house in san bruno. Mark and Scott Brelsford could not have been more friendly. I asked them if I could ride the #87 XR750 harley they both laughed. I was 10. They gave me a gang of harley and bell helmet stickers. They say never meet your heroes but mark and scott were the real deal!
I was at this race and many others also. I lived close to San Jose, CA. 1971 was when I became a fan of Dirt Track and Motocross at Carnegie in Livermore, Ca.
Larry Lee Johnson in Miami Florida. I 2as born and raised in San Jose California. Raced 1/2 mile San Jose and Gerden (Ascot Park) In the 60s and 70s on a Bultaco and Ossa.
memories of m'cycle racing on ABC's Wide World of Sports in late '60s and early '70s. And vague memory of magazine article about these wild men. "As he was passing another rider, he would reach out and hit other fellow's kill switch." Or "reach over and turn his throttle off." I remember Jim Rice, Gary Nixon, Gene Romero, Dave Aldana, Dick Mann, Skip Van Leeuwen and others. Thanks gentlemen for all the thrills.
1971 was the year that AMA really dropped the ball. Instead of Veteran Racers being able to keep their long time established National Numbers that both Fans and other racers were use to seeing for years. They assigned numbers in accordance to how the rider finished points wise during the 1970 season. Racers like Gary Nixon who had #9 for years and likewise Neil Keen who had #10;had each others numbers. Racers who Fans identified by their long time owned National Numbers had to adjust to the new numbering system which was both strongly objected by Fan and Rider alike. AMA must have gotten the message because the following year they went back to the original format and veteran riders got back their old long time established Numbers.. Sometimes things are well enough left alone.This was one of those decisions by misinformed AMA Higher-ups that really came back to bite them....
Great names from the past. Flint Michigan is famous for more than automobiles and bad water...... Bart Markel.....Cycle Magazine named him the "Most ferocious dirt tracker in history".
I go back even further. Late 50's/early 60's at the Ascot 1/2 mile in Gardena with Al Gunner, Don Holley, Sammy Tanner 'the Flying Flea' and 'Bullet' Bob Shirey.
James McCandless nice to see some of the guys we use to race with. Awesome that you could save those videos. I raced Ama district 36 back in the late 60's and early 70's. Started out on a honda 160 scrambler, levis and a patched up old helmet. Back then the hot shoes in the 250 class where Jim Foley, Johny Hlebo wo later became black plate 1 ,Pat McCal geesh so many age 64 now and still go to the Hollister tt track. Loved Hayward speedway would sure like to see some video of Hayward! Thanks for saving and hunting down these awesome videos!
LIke a previous reply by James McCandless I myself (Ricky Vassallo) contested District 36 in the 70's my era was from 75-79 I really liked San Jose, Fremont was a challenge and my first trophy was at the 1/2 mile in Orland California. I only made it to amateur Junior riding a home brew champion framed 360 Yamaha. We all loved to watch the pros go at it in the expert classes. Randy Mammola, The Delacy Brothers, The Farias, Don Bailey, Roger Slack, Jimbo Felice, Danny Chandler. Always gave us and the fans a great show. once in a while Alex Jorgenson or Rick Hocking would show em how it's done. I often wonder why the riders of today slide so little? Not much passing either. Seems a lot less exciting these days. Any one else notice that?
Too good to be true, Phillip! Any video of these guys from back in the day is great but this was even better. The San Jose Half-Mile and the San Jose Mile, two of the greatest venues ever, are now long gone. It was great seeing Gene Romero, smoking the cig and getting some tips from his Dad! But the best part of back then was hearing Roxy on the microphone!
Thanks for the video! I raced there in 1971 as a novice in a 125cc class race. Only half mile I ever got the chance to do; all the other tracks we went to were 1/8th mile or 1/4 mile at Hayward or Vallejo. The SJ half mile was the most fun!
There are many San Jose half mile videos in my collection here on RU-vid..... My brother and I (17 & 16 yrs old) sat in the grandstands in 1971, sat next to an old man, whom had a cool ice chest with many Motorcycle decals all over it,(thems-were the days when you could bring your own ice chest into the grandstands).... He saw us looking at the cooler and struck up a conversation with us. He said his son was racing that day and that his son was probably going to win the Novice Class (Class C) that day because he was really fast... I didn't find out until 20 years later that the old man was Buster Roberts..... So tell me, who is Buster Robert's son?? He did win that day, over Gary Scott.
Bret Coleman, back then there was Professional "Class "C" racing" with classes of Novice, Junior, and Expert. These Class "C" racers would race for money and all three classes would be considered Expert classes, just divided by rank. So you are right (in a way) that Kenny was an Expert.... He was an expert (a Professional) when compared to the Amateur ranks. In Amateur racing, the classes of Novice, Junior, and Expert, are the class ranks where beginner racers start and move up through the "Amature" ranks, there is no money to be earned by winning amature races.... So for Kenny Roberts, in 1971 it is proper to say he was a Class "C" Novice.
So many familiar names. Love this vid. One thing though, the bikes look so slow- I know they were doing 100+ down the straights, but they still look slow compared to to days bikes.
I guess 2nd place didn't mean much because it was #16 Dick hammer a great racer who was riding a Harley. He had an entire house full of over sized trophies and boxes full of them in the rafters of the garage. He has also been gone for many years , Sammy tanner ( the flying flea ) is still Kicking in Artesia ca one of the last greats of that era .
My grandfather raced flat track in SoCal in the 60s before he packed up and moved out east and started a bike shop, I’d have loved to have been around back then
Sorry MR. Reyes you were correct , I was 5 YO at that time and Dick was laying on the couch with half his body covered in terrible road rash He earned racing . Very traumatic for a young child to watch a grown man in agony . Not sure how the numbers were assigned but that was Definitely Dave Sehl # 16 and not Dick Hammer who was # 16 at an earlier date . I stand corrected guys, Both men great racers indeed .
I think it's a rasp..., the cutting blade is a slightly flexible, thin steel surface about the size of a hand plane, that looks and cuts like a (fine-cut) cheese grater. It's for refreshing the tire's edge and surface (it's done a lot when the bikes take to the Indoors Racing on concrete). I know that rider, local hero 88y Alan Kenyon... Here's an Al Kenyon short video... He's got his hand up ! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-9uClQMQSD7U.html
Is surprising to see how flat track races are ran at USA and how in Europe. Notoriously in USA is used heaviest and biggest bikes. I started to watch expecting the classic (at least for us at Argentina) highly slant style of dirt track races like speeway and what i found is higly thrilling, bikes slant just a bit and then drifts quite vertical. One thing surprise me, how often pilot didn´t gets up after a fall and have to be supported by paramedics or track personel. But i know this is YT and blood do big sales.
LIke a previous reply by James McCandless I myself contested District 36 in the 70's my era was from 75-79 I really liked San Jose, Fremont was a challenge and my first trophy was at the 1/2 mile in Orland California. I only made it to amateur Junior riding a home brew champion framed 360 Yamaha. We all loved to watch the pros go at it in the expert classes. Randy Mammola, The Delacy Brothers, The Farias, Don Bailey, Roger Slack, Jimbo Felice, Danny Chandler. Always gave us and the fans a great show. once in a while Alex Jorgenson or Rick Hocking would show em how it's done. I often wonder why the riders of today slide so little? Not much passing either. Seems a lot less exciting these days. Any one else notice that?
@@phillybeef211 Doable at San Jose, but not so much at Ascot! In addition to gloves, hand guards and shin guards many of us put a layer of foam rubber under our leathers. Thanks for the upload, those were the days...
Thanks for the vids! My history includes building XR750's for Mert at Terry Knights shop in Hayward along with hundreds of TT's, Shorts and recumbent bikes. It was my first welding gig out of trade school, Terry knew all the racers and they would often come in when the San Jose and Sacramento Miles were running. Good times!
Thanks been looking at flat track Arizona and mixture of bikes i would of thought it would of been same model and same cc.But just different makes some must have had a advantage over others
@@alanheath7056 Back then, in the top class there were 500cc 2 stroke twins and triples and 500cc 4-stroke overhead cam singles, but it was the 750cc pushrod twins that dominated.
Thanks last few years been trying to buy a Bultaco Astro to convert for road use and just been informed that the reason nobody done it that they wear built to race and no good for road.Love to use a flat track for local run around on.
Hi on Ebay uk there is a Yamaha xt500 flat tracker with frame 1e6 can not get much on it just Yamaha TT500 do know if bike any good and was it used in USA.Says shipped over from US thanks if can help
They race these in my home town ,across the street from my house on a unused 1/2 mile horse racing track. Thanks to a ex Mich. Governer who stopped funding harnis horse racing. Thanks for ruining that.
Would that be Snyder that ruined Swartz Creek? He ruined a lot of other things, like Flints drinking water, consequently the kids future, taxed seniors pensions for the 1st time in Mi. history, told everybody who bought one of his Gateway computers they had the best ever warranty and trade in value, before he filed bankruptcy. Whatta Fucking loser. Glad to see he ruined his political future.......
@@milojanis4901 - Jennifer Granholm cut funding for Michigans fairs. Thats why small town fairs do not get the state funds they used to. They raced horses in my town for 125 yrs untill that bitch came along. The motorcycle racse don't even come arround anymore. But yeah Schnider screwed seiniors on bennifets, and liquidated Gateway to the Chineese "BEFORE" he was voted Gov. of Mich. Also his name is spelled SCHNIDER, not SNYDER. Most German people who came to America changed the spelling of their name Schnider, to Snyder to sound more American and distance themselves from Germany. Those who didn't were proude to be Germans who started 2 world wars.
