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By MARY LOU JANECKA Leather-clad bodies astride two wheeled sputtering machines, gloved bands priming the hand gears, intent faces peering from behind shielded helmets— the light turned green and the motorcycle racers were off on the fifth annual New Mexico Championship Motorcycle Race. Motorcycle riding and racing is fun and exciting, say the riders and racers. “It's pure pleasure,” said Sid Strain, a director of the ideal cycle racing club, the Deming Dust Devils. “I've raced care, Tan. Gone sports, but I've never done anything that was pure excitement as motorcycle racing. Dust Dévil President Stanley Stevens said motorcycle riding and racing ‘‘is the most fun thing I’ve ever done. “I enjoy it,” said Wade Wagner, 1973 high point champion from El Paso. He said he races “for the sport.” Then there are American Motorcycle Association (AMA) Experts such as Stan Johnson and Bill Canfield of Albu querque, who said they raced for “fun” although both have been big money winners. Motorcycle racing is a sport of skill and speed. At times, the racers were hitting 7 raph on the straight-way, slowing down around the curves. In the Tourist Trophy (TT) race, it is possible to pass four cyclists on one jump and then fall back to fifth place on the next turn. The short-track race is by far more of a crowd pleaser. The cyclists wear a steel shoe, which they run along the track to give them balance on the curves of the one-quarter-mile-long track. They careen to the inside of the curve, hot foot, pivoting and sparks flying — creating a three-legged balance — and around the curve they go. There is much strategy involved to determine the best course of action, said Strain. “It's strictly a skill thing. You don't win by luck.” Strain described the sportsmen as ‘kind of like a brotherhood” because of the friendships among the racers. Once on the track, though, their camaraderie turns into intense but honest competition. AMA Expert Johnson, 22, who once earned his living by racing, said he thinks of “passing anyone that’s in front of me” when he is on the track. Other racers said much the same thing — they are aware of the race, the racers, and winning. Johnson made the “victory lap after winning the main event Sunday. As Sid Strath put it, he has “a lot of that thees’ behind him. Johnson as well as his traveling companion, Joe Wilson, Albuquerque, have been blind from birth in the left eye , the eye looking on the inside of the track. “You adjust to it,” said Johnson. Since the race is so fast-paced, it looks dangerous — and it is if a rider is inex perienced, said Stevens and Strain. But the riders learn caution and skill and become safety conscious. Besides, they wear leather suits and gloves with a face shield helmet that protects them from most skills. If a racer falls, '75 per cent of the time it doesn’t hurt you because of the way you fall,'’ said Stevens. “It's not dangerous if you look out for yourself,’ added Strain. At the TT race, there were quite a number of amateur riders and a few fell. One in particular drew the officials to quick action. Yellow flags waved the other riders to slow down and the downed rider became the focus of attention and concern. But the quick, cool-thinking officials were not entirely appreciated by the other riders since the race had to be started from the beginning. Some wanted to have 9 “staggered start’ in which racers would be positioned on the start At the starting line at the Deming Dust Devils' track 10 miles west of Deming on the north side of Interstate 10, the ing line according to the place they held in the race at the time of the accident. An argument took place between Stevens and two others over Stevens’ way of resuming the race, Stevens won. He said he did not anticipate any trouble from the incident. “We try to please the majority, he said. “The only important guy out there was the one down,” ‘The greatest danger is in the first turn because all the riders are bunched together, says Strain. It is the only time Johnson said he was afraid because “It's the only time you have no control over what's going to happen.” Stevens said the only injuries at the track had been broken bones. Johnson, who has been racing since he was 14, said the only injury he had received was a broken finger. Much time and effort went into the tournament by a handful of people. It was an exercise in efficiency by all concerned without the Evel Knievel carnival at mosphere most people associate with cycle racing. The flagmen, timers and scorekeepers worked at speeds rivaling the racers. The races came one right after another with what seemed to be only seconds in between. Larry Nixon, vice president of the Dust Devils corporation, and his wife, Pat, were at the microphone while keeping score at the same time. Mrs. Nixon also made all of the food for sale in the con cession stand below the announcer's booth. The track is an example of hard work paying off. What once was a defunct Stock car race track has become a cor poration owned by a few cycle en thusiasts with a desire to “compete.” The profits are turned back into the corporation for track improvements. The Dust Devil members have one lament, though. The track lacks local participation or local support. Most of the competitors, 130 on two nights, were were from out of the county and out of state as were most of the spectators of which there were about 700 during the two nights. Although the tournament was well attended, club members would be more pleased with local support. “Ninety-five per cent of the spectators are from out of town,” said Emil Culak, “They spend
Newspaper Details
Deming Headlight
Deming, New Mexico, US
Thu, Sep 11, 1975
Page 17
Full Page
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Kimberly N.
USA 15 Aug 2026
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