ZIMMERMAN

BRAD

PHOTOGRAPHY he number of Gold Medals spent in Maine without a bike, I was make it over the top took a big toll. awarded at the ISDT each year really pumped to get back and go “Another thing that probably was Tis in direct proportion to the riding. That made a big difference.’’ an important factor in my getting a toughness of the event. For instance, If you read the ISDT article in this Gold rather than a Silver is that I the Golds were numerous in Austria issue, you already know that Day 5, never hesitate to let air out of my last year, and easy to earn compared the Rain Day, eliminated a lot of rid­ tires. I don’t believe the stories that to many other years. The exact op­ ers. In retrospect, Tom analyzed Day less air pressure leads to a greater posite was true in Czechoslovakia. In 5 for us and explained why many rid­ chance of a flat tire. In the last four order to get a Gold Medal, you had ers didn’t finish, or houred out. years of riding I haven’t run more to have experience, luck and a con­ “First of all to stay on time during than 10 pounds of air in my tires. At siderable amount of preplanning. Day 5 you had to avoid physically Czecho when it got wet, I went down There were only two Gold Medals pushing your bike at all. You didn’t in pressure to about 7Vz pounds in awarded to the 33 American entries have time to waste falling down a lot the front and 6V2 pounds in the rear. this year as opposed to 29 received and there was basically zero time to I also had a new rear tire on the in Austria. Dick Burleson, who at one do any maintenance work and still back at the start of the day, and the time dropped to Silver due to being keep up the fast trail pace. When I front tire was only a day old. late at a few time checks, regained finished Day 5 my chain had “The American riders also weren’t his Gold by going fast in the final stretched so far that I thought it prepared for the cold of Day 5. All motocross test on Day 6. Tom Pen- would be dragging on the ground at week the ride had been warm. Most ton earned the other Gold on a 250 any minute. Mentally, I was prepared of us figured that if it rained, it would Penton and was never late to any for the rain. I knew the terrain, a type be a warm rain. It didn’t turn out that checkpoint. He also scored the high­ of clay soil that you find in parts of way, and it caught most of us by sur­ est among Americans in what’s been Ohio and in sections of New Eng­ prise. When it’s cold, the body does­ labeled by many of the riders as the land. With the course about 90 per­ n’t function as quickly, responses are toughest ISDT in history. cent trail, and the fact that the ter­ slowed and basically a rider feels We talked with Tom the weekend rain changes drastically when it’s sluggish and not quite ready to per­ after Czecho to learn his feelings on wet, I knew before the start in the form. I had put on a nylon wind- the event. According to him, a lot of morning that Day 5 would be ‘the breaker and gloves, but it wasn’t the results are firmed-up long before day.’ It had a tight schedule and lots enough to keep me comfortable and anyone boards the plane for Europe. of difficult sections. riding efficiently. “For Six Days you’ve got to be in “A problem that stopped a lot of “As far as the motorcycle goes, good shape,’’ he explained. “Before guys was a bottleneck that devel­ Day 5 was very destructive. The clay the event, I went up to Maine for oped on one of the uphills. When I mud was bad, and then you encoun­ about two months and did a lot of got there before the big-bore ma­ tered a rocky granite and sand com­ running, bicycling and mountain chines, I went right up the hill. As a bination that ruined a lot of chains climbing to get into shape. My men­ matter of fact, I don’t remember the and got into your airbox if it wasn’t tal outlook was also good for the exact location of this killer hill that sealed exactly right, in order for you ISDT. Towards the summer I got a everyone was talking about. Appar­ to stay on time during Day 5, every­ little burned-out on riding motorcy­ ently, after I got through, the com­ thing had to click perfectly. The cles, which is something that hap­ bination of more rain, ruts and the smallest problem would immediately pens to a lot of us. Due to that time bottleneck of riders who couldn’t continued on page 79 56 MOTORCYCLIST/DECEMBER 1977 the Czech organizers were still play­ and always running the show. PENTON ing mind games with riders just as Strange, however, was the East Ger­ continued from page 56 they had done all week long. The man situation. Going into Day Six course broke down statistically to 68 they led the Czechs by 1700 points, drop you off trail pace into Silver.” miles on a “B” schedule, tight sec­ finally breaking into the lead of the We also talked to Tom about the tions with 17 route and time checks. Silver Vase standings. But on that fi­ special test scores he produced, and Due to both mental and physical fa­ nal day the East German team suspi­ apparently, he takes a different ap­ tigue a lot of competitors dropped ciously amassed 1740 route points, proach than most riders when attack­ points. Only 101 riders started Day while the Czech Vase riders cleaned ing the test sections. Six, the survivors from Friday's mas­ the day. In the end the Czechs had “Those portions are very safe now. sacre. As if he didn’t have enough won both the Vase and the Trophy Most of them are grass tracks and troubles breaking a foot the day be­ competition. In the U.S. Manufactur­ there isn’t that constant possibility of fore in the mud, Carl Cranke got off er’s competition the Cycle East/ getting seriously hurt if you make a again and this time cracked a shoul­ Husky team, even with the retirement mistake. It’s hard to do an endo in der. Kevon LaVoie lost 10 minutes, of Greg Davis, had bested the Pen- an ISDT special test. Generally when Bob Popiel dropped 17 minutes, ton A team which lost Frank Gallo. you fall, it’s a slide-out in a corner. To get a good special test score while Billy Uhl and Mike Rosso each In the tally of individual scores you’ve got to push yourself hard but fell 21 minutes off the pace. For Dick both Tom Penton (highest-placing not to the point where you’re sliding- Burleson the tension was enormous American—fifth in the 250 class) and out in corners or making big mis­ before that final day’s start. By drop­ Dick Burleson had earned Gold Med­ takes that take up time. A lot of guys ping 10 minutes on Day Five he had als. Silver Medals were awarded to practice for the ISDT special test by fallen to Silver status. His only Jack Penton, Gary Younkins, Rod going out and riding a lot of moto­ chance of regaining a Gold rested in Bush, Carl Cranke and Mike Rosso. cross. This might work for some rid­ the final motocross test in which he Completing the 52nd ISDT with a ers, but they’ve got to remember that had to finish within 50 seconds of Bronze were Ted Leimbach, Kevin the Six Days special tests are on the class leader. LaVoie, Mark Deyo, Bob Popiel and grass tracks and it’s totally different. In that midday motocross test rid­ Billy Uhl. The final tally: 37 American There are no berms, no bulldozer- ers were paired in their engine class starters, 12 finishers. Starting num­ made whoop-dee-doos, and there groups, instead of riding individually bers which ranged from 1 all the way isn’t much practice before you’re as they had all week. The most im­ down to 369 had dwindled to a mere timed. pressive U.S. ride was put on by Tom 99 finishers on Day Six. So what comprises a good Six Penton who led the 250 field for the Before the start of the ISDT in a Days rider? In Tom’s opinion, the initial two laps, and finished, in third meeting for all the U.S. riders Al motocrosser still has an advantage. position pulling wheelies all during Eames had explained what he felt “I feel that a hotshoe in motocross the last lap. Penton’s highest-placing would happen. “The Czechs are go­ who has the ability to handle and un­ American finale not only pumped the ing to play games with you, both derstand his motorcycle would make American spectators but drew ap­ physically with tough tight trails and a good Six Days rider. You’ve got to plause from enthusiasts of every mentally due to fast schedules and learn how to feel out the bike, keep it country. numerous checkpoints. At times together, know how it works and Billy Uhl also won a lot of admira­ you’ll think you’re late, gas it, crash why. There are so many guys who tion by merely riding the final special and hurt yourself, then slow down can go fast, but even in motocross test. He had suffered all week from and lose your Gold. That’s exactly manage to break their motorcycle. severe tendonitis in his hands and what they’re counting on. Be pre­ They have to learn that quite often wrists so painful that he had trouble pared for some psyching because when a rear wheel, for instance, holding a glass or fork at dinner. In the Czechs are going to play with breaks, it’s possible that it wasn’t the the final motocross test he rode not your brain. This Trial will probably wheel’s fault, but the rider’s for not because he had to—the Bronze was end up being half mental and half treating the wheel properly when rid­ automatic—but because “When I got physical. None of it means a thing ing. The rider should take most of there the Germans who had taken unless you finish the sixth day.” the punishment of the trail if he ex­ care of us all week had their cam­ Only the best riders made it that pects his machine to last. You must eras out. They wanted a picture of far. Worthy of special mention is Er­ shift properly each and every time, me riding so I went around for two win Schmider on his 125 Zundapp save the engine and suspension, laps. Then I couldn’t hold onto the who was the lowest scoring, highest work with the motorcycle. handlebars any longer and had to placing individual in the ISDT. Ed­ “Six Days is probably one of the stop.” He finished the Six Days on a ward Hau also on a 125 Zundapp neatest forms of motorcycle racing. I Bronze, probably the hardest-earned would have taken the overall win but was especially impressed with the or­ medal of the entire American team. a rule infraction on Day Two gar­ ganization of the event in Czechoslo­ When it came time for the open nered him enough points to knock vakia. It was very well run because class Burleson was quietly concen­ him out of top contention. the organizers anticipated almost all trating on that Gold. The start was Going home on the plane Al the problems that could have arisen, flagged, he came through the first Eames summed up the U.S. results and eliminated them beforehand. The turn in mid-pack but within sight of with “anyone who won a medal this rider problems often stemmed from a class leader Jiri Stodulka on a Jawa. year really worked for it, deserves all lack of physical conditioning, knowl­ When the checkered fell 30 minutes the credit he gets and should be ex­ edge of the motorcycle, and as al­ later, Burleson had squeaked his way tremely proud. There was nothing ways, bad racing luck. But like you back to a Gold by finishing 48.54 easy about Czecho, it was possibly hear every year coming home on the seconds behind Stodulka, barely the most difficult event ever. A guy airplane, ‘there’s always next year.’ more than a second’s margin above who finished the ISDT this year can In 1978 it’s going to be in Sweden, a Silver. consider himself a bona fide Six Day very unlike Czecho in terrain, food In the final tally the Czechs won rider who knows the meaning of pun­ and atmosphere, and once again, it the Trophy Team competition free ishment, fatigue, mental exhaustion will be an entirely new ball game. I’ve and clear leading from start to finish and success.” M already begun my planning.” M

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