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16—San Mateo TimesFriday, July 15, 1955SPORTSOFBv JACK BLUTHHush McAfee's hook, defending champion Joe Leonard isI 5bya*ncoiofgajhiiIII II Ugll A'4.V'“k *« u^JVUMuijjthe man to beat in the national 20-mile motorcycle race at Bay Meadows July 24,McAfee, a Texas-born rider who makes his home in Red wood City now, isn’t conceding Leon-er;tinons.HUGH McAFEEard the race—he’ll be out there “trying” in his same No. 58 Triumph—but in his own words, the race is ’‘made” for Leonard.Hugh points to Leonard because Joe is riding that same Harley-Davidson bike, and because his bike is tuned by Tom Sifton, “the master of the mile.”In McAfee’s book, that’s a combination you just can't beat.“In a race like this, it’s not the driver that counts,” McAfee declared, with all due respect to his former rival—“it’s 75 per cent motorcycle.“On smaller tracks — quar-tennile and halfmile tracks— it’s more rider than bike. ’Know-how’ has a lot to do with winning i race like this—but it’s mostly a battle of machines.”And as far as McAfee is concerned, the Harley-Davidson is the bike with the talent for a race like the 20-nriler, on a mile track. Thought he rides a Triumph, he rates the H-D the hike with the horsepower to outspeed the Triumph and all the rest of them—■ BSA, Indian and Norton.Actually, there’s a difference of six horsepower between his bike and Leonard’s Harley-Davidson.I “Of course, not every rider agrees with me on that speed business,” Hugh said. But in my book the Harley-Davidson Is faslest.”McAfee pointed out that tuners like Sifton are the guys who ^really win a race like this one.GOOD TUNER MAKES THE DIFFERENCETuners actually modify fnctory-built engines to get maximum performance under race conditions. A good tuner makes the difference.-‘A rate like this is won before a guy ever goes out on the track . , . it’s won in the pits, before the race begins. Sifton is the best in the business; he built Leonard’s bike last year . . . and he’ll build it again this year/*McAfee pointed out that Dick Gross ot Wisconsin and Tim Wilham of Los Angeles were also rated top tuners, “but as far as I’m concerned,” he inserted, ‘buy tuner, Gordon Williams of Hayward is as good as any of them.”McAfee failed to qualify for the main event last year, but took first in the consolation. It marked one of the few times he didn't -ride side by side with Leonard.“Joe and I used to be matched together in duels all the lime- down at Belmont. There was hardly a time when I couldn’t lock up and see Joe next to me in a race.”Hugh took up the motorcycle racing business six years ago, “because my brother Dick was riding.”“Dick quit to open a fishing resort. He hurt his shoulder, then won a main event and quit after that. Actually, I was indirectly responsible for the accident,“Foirr of us flew into a corner in the main event at Belmont in a race three years ago, I went in a little too fast and ran underneath Dick. I ran over his foot, bumped him with my shoulder and knocked him down . . . another driver hit him when he fell off his bike . . . one of those things you can t help.”mcafees had a big night9 One of the very few brother combinations in motorcycle racing, Hugh still remembers the “big night” they had at Belmont three years ago.“Dick won the time trials, and I was second; Dick won bis- heat race and I won mine. I won the semifinals and Dick won his semifinal. Then I won the trophy dash and Dick was second and Dick won the main event and I was second.Tt was the first time we could ever talk my father into coming down to Belont to watch us race. Now you can’t keep him away—unless Fm not doing so hot.”Just like he followed his brother onto the track, Hugh expects to follow him off of it and into the fishing resort business.HugK also has his eye on a fishing resort up above Clear Lake, so one of these days he might just up and park his bike, too. But when that time comes, nobody wilt get any advance notice.MOTORCYCLE SUPERSTITION “We have a superstition, I guess you'd call it” he offered— “we never say when we’re going to quit racing. Most riders say ltTs bad luck. I’ve seen three guys killed after they come out and said they were going to quit.”Actually, though, Hugh has been thinking about, it. He admits that the old fire he had when ho began racing six years ago, is no longer there. It's strictly a money proposition now.Otherwise, he could stick it out for a few years yet. He's only24, which according lo his own standards, gives him about six more years in the business.“After 30, you're washed up in this business—your reflexes get bad; you start slowing down. There are some exceptions, like Bobby Hall, but most guys are washed up at 30.”Another element that might figure in Hugh’s desire lo park his bike is Fat—Mrs. McAfee-—arid Hugh Jr., who is two and a half. “Pat is never after me to quit racing,” he revealed, “but she’d probably be glad if I did.”cH]old sor his st aeisc in ; Cyeager“kbopeCiuuin\v;HiViIthe\YO«2-2BolwittigCsixMowicaceIonIij wo [ iio I anc Fi\ chi rurfoi:ismiHub V/;ll Brrr: DcX Vice Ila) Lob OarHOsa:kLot5mSacViccheSarweewetIV DCaocForkoi:ElAli:to ioFthianthimN ( So G z wl le?anthTTalanSrqtroLeonard Will Defend His Title In 20-Mile Bike Go at MeadowsthAiGrand National Champion Joe Leonard of San Jose staled that he would defend his 20-mile national motorcycle crown at Bay Meadows July 24, according to Tex Wells, general chairman of the annual race. *-- —Leonard's victory last year in the West's greatest motorcycling event was his second in a row on the one-mile San Mateo oval and experts claim his win over Paul Goldsmith of St. Clair Shores, Mich,, as one of the most thrilling races in the history of United States motorcycling.This year’s run for the S5000 purse will include the top competition riders drawn from the entire nation. It is a certainly that Leonard will renew his duel with the determined Goldsmith.Wells, spokesman for the San Francisco Motorcycle club and sponsors of the event, said theannual show will probably out-draw last year’s 11,000 racing fans.Time trials for Sunday’s amateur 10-mile event will be held Saturday in midafternoon. Time trials for the championship race will be held Sunday morning with the first of the nine-race program being set into action at 1:30 p.m.Mrs. Ruhe Takes Green Hills GolfScshtil\viHiL*GiT1qiofMrs. George Ruhe matched or bettered par on erery one but one yesterday to win the class A division of the match versus par tournament at Green Ifills Golf club. The tournament was played with handicap.Complete results:BeJaG.BitofliClars A—Mrs. tnnrr? Ruhr. ] down; Mrs. Ben Bon apart. 2 linnrn; Mr,1. U. A. C Rose. 3 clown; Mr:;. Jack 'Mr-rcndu, 4 down; Mrs. Wally Ke::ip, 4 dowr,.Class B—Mrs. U pi: r v Xu than, even; Mrs. L. S. Gocicic. H tl iwn: Mrs. J, C. SchnaH, H down; Mrs. R. Kulvin, 6 down; Mrs. C. C. McLean. 7 down.dlt;LiEisiarseG«mCALIFORNIA LEAGUESTOCKTON ..._____000 203 001—7 3 3 0SALINAS ..........000 000 004—4 7 2Ker-era. Bielefeld (9 and Salisbury; Kipg, Corel!* IS; adlt;1 WesT^ricld.'''iifiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiWHEELm angiiand ALIGNROpen EveningsBrake and Tire Experts—R-FUJ5KE = 885 San Mateo Drive
Newspaper Details
San Mateo Times
San Mateo, California, US
Fri, Jul 15, 1955
Page 16
Full Page
Clipped by
Justin K.
USA 12 Oct 2020
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