Yamaha's new and innovative rear suspension with a single shock absorber made its debut at the third round in Belgium and was proven to be successful when Andersson won the overall victory. Motocross Racing World Championship season. He competed in the Motocross World Championships from 1967 to 1979, most prominently as a member of the Husqvarna factory racing team where he became the first competitor to win both the 250cc and 500cc world championships. BEFORE TALKING ABOUT MONTESA, YOU HAD A BAD INJURY IN 1974, DIDNT YOU? . Gusseting is provided in all the critical areas as well. The Sint Anthonis track was composed of deep sand which robbed engines of power and increased fuel consumption. I was out of racing for almost two years. Sweden needs to have somebody up there. Then I quit. In 1964, he was named the recipient of the Belgian National Sports Merit Award. 1949 WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHANGE FROM RACING IN YOUR TIME TO TODAY? He was named Belgian Sportsman of the year in 1987 and 1992. April, 8th, 1973, at the Valles Mx track, located in Sabadell Terrassa, near Barcelona. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. The sport of motocross experienced explosive growth in 1973 and motorcycle manufacturers sought to capitalize on the expanding market with all four Japanese manufacturers fielding factory-backed teams alongside their European counterparts. Roger De Coster won his third consecutive 500cc world championship for Suzuki ahead of West German rider, Willy Bauer. And. The 1973 C4 500 Moto-Cross was essentially an iteration of the bikes from earlier years containing some incremental upgrades. DID YOU EVER HAVE THE CHANCE TO RACE A SUPERCROSS? [2] De Coster then took one of their tanks and drove two and a half hours to have the tank modified to increase its volume. A four-time 500cc British national champion, Banks was twice runner-up in the 500cc motocross world championship. DID SUCCESS COME QUICKLY FOR YOU? Number four in the final standings made Montesa the highest placing European factory in the championship, a little tidbit of information that may raise a few eyebrows. Jim Pomeroy was an American professional motocross racer. To think it is 42 years ago that a young American by the name of Jim Pomeroy captured his and Americas first ever GP victory. Hubs are totally new this year, and are two of the most attractive and efficient designs weve seen. He was both a great rider, with two 500 World Championships, and a great person. And Gary Bailey is wearing a helmet cam in practice on his Bultaco, while Karsmakers rides his yellow YZ. I remember the first time I tested the Monoshock, it was on a little track in Belgium. What the future owner of this bike may do with it is anyones guess. Chrome moly tubing is used in the swinging arm and at all stress points of the frame. The ball will snap into any one of three positons with a squeeze of the fingers. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. 1961 The fork legs themselves, though, tend to be somewhat vulnerable to damage from flying rocks. It was almost two years that I was gone from motocross. "1973 500cc motocross world championship final standings", "1973 500cc motocross world championship", "Jim Pomeroy at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame", "1973 500cc motocross world championship race results", "1973 250cc motocross world championship race results", "1973 250cc motocross world championship final standings". Okay, now lets get to the racing. Its due to roll across the auction block in Las Vegas at the end of April and at the time of writing theres no price guide. Brimming with confidence, Pomeroy arrived at the first race of the 1973 season, the Spanish 250cc Grand Prix. Despite having little sleep, De Coster scored two fourth-place finishes while Bauer suffered a mechanical failure handing De Coster his third consecutive 500cc world championship. I did two years with Husqvarna. Hkan Carlqvist was a Swedish professional motocross racer. He had very bad diabetes. Yesterday we kicked off our countdown by explaining the situation leading up to 1972, the first year for the AMA Pro Motocross Series. Zoar Motor Park Springville, NY US . 2001 (It should be mentioned that Lackey and Pomeroy followed globetrotters U.S. pioneers like Bud Ekins, Stu Peters, John DeSoto, Bill Silevrthorne, Billy Clements, Mark Blackwell and more across the Atlantic Ocean to learn from the Europeans, but they never had the success that would visit both Pomeroy and future 500c world champ Brad Lackey.). The two-ring piston assembly now has an enlarged window area on its rear skirt, and transfer ports have been enlarged as well. Unable to ride Pro in the United States, due to the AMA age requirement of 18, Pomeroy headed up to Canada where the age requirement was only 16. As far as the 500cc Trans-AMA Series goes, it was still 11-rounds strong, which meant that the 73 AMA National Championships for 500s would include the 12 outdoor nationals for 250/500 classes, plus the 11 Trans-AMA rounds. They clocked up seven world titles and also took the Motocross of Nations title back in 1975, before eventually bowing out of the world stage in 1985. The deal included a trip to Europe to do a number of races before the U.S. season started. Jol Robert was a Belgian professional motocross racer. No people were there, and it was in the woods. WAS TORSTEN HALLMAN STILL RACING WHEN YOU STARTED? Number four. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. 2022 RED BULL STRAIGHT RHYTHM PRACTICE RAW, THIS WEEK IN MXA: FIM WORLD SUPERCROSS HIGHLIGHTS & LOWLIGHTS, THIS WEEK IN MXA: AVERAGE RIDERS SHARE THE EXPERIENCE OF RIDING A. Above Image: This is a 250ccversion of the 1973 Coffin Tank CZ, it gives a good idea of what the motorcycle in the crate would look like once assembled. 1967 These two riders soon understood that if they were to beat Pomeroy that day, they would have to ride the downhill the same way. I was running second in the 1968 250 World Championship. [2] Suzuki had already developed and built their race bikes so, there was no time to build new bikes. The Spanish GP in 1973 will always be known as the first GP victory by an American rider. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Like Pomeroys earlier 250 GP win, Jones win in the previous years Boise, Idaho Inter-Am, and even Gary Baileys 1969 win in the Firecracker International at Saddleback Park against the visiting Europeans, Weinerts win was another major milestone in the Americans quest to catch up with the European masters. 1982 He finished second at the Los Angeles Coliseum race as well as recording top-five or top-10 finishes at the other summer events. The 1979 FIM Motocross World Championship was the 23rd F.I.M. Pomeroy toured the United States for several years helping develop another generation of American motocross riders. Motocross Racing World Championship season. Roger De Coster won his third consecutive 500cc world championship for Suzuki ahead of West German rider, Willy Bauer. The cost of traveling, the bikes, entry fees and everything are just too much. Bultaco suspended race operations partway through the season as the company ceased operations. 1983 Yamaha already had the #1 plate there with Gary Jones, but then during the off-season a new entity entered the arena: Team Honda. [2] [3] The Suzuki management felt they were being unjustly treated by the FIM and were slow to react to developments by the other manufacturers. If a big rock flies your way, you could incur some damage unless you thought to install some protective plastic guards. YOU WERE THE RIDER CHOSEN TO RACE THE FIRST MONOSHOCK? The 1973 AMA Motocross Championship season was the 2nd AMA Motocross National Championship season. 2000 They would be replaced by the 500cc stars from Europe who would compete in the fall Trans-AMA Series: Roger De Coster, Adolf Weil, Sylvain Geboers, Hans Maisch, Gerrit Wolsink, Arne Kring, and more. Although Pomeroy was back racing for the World MX Championship, Bultaco was unable to match the money and technology the Japanese manufacturers were putting into their World MX Championship efforts. Unfortunately, he injured his knee at the Puyallup round and did not complete the balance of the series. In 1987, Pomeroy was a passenger in a vehicle that was involved in a crash that left him with permanent damage to his back. As a result, Suzuki resorted to adding ballast to the bikes. [2] European motorcycle manufacturers competing in the championship complained to the FIM that Suzuki was spending millions of dollars to build lightweight motorcycles that the smaller European manufacturers found impossible to compete with. I have been married for 47 years, and I have two daughters and four grandchildren, so I am happy. While Jims top-20 overall finishes may not have been notable, his riding style was attracting notice. Motorcycle racing was a family affair for the Pomeroys. All four of the major Japanese brandsHonda, Kawasaki, Yamaha and Suzukihad full factory efforts, with Honda coming on strong in '73 with the release of its Elsinore. Amazingly, the Husqvarna 125CR, now known as the TC125, is still in the Husqvarna lineup. The previous left side cover was fairly large in order to make room for the Cota models extra flywheel. 2022 The 1971 FIM Motocross World Championship was the 15th F.I.M. This category has only the following subcategory. I thought it would grow to be something good in the future. [2] Unfortunately, these alterations threw the bikes out of balance and caused them to lose traction. Despite having little sleep, De Coster scored two fourth-place finishes while Bauer suffered a mechanical failure handing De Coster his third consecutive 500cc world championship.[2]. 1984 Motocross Racing World Championship season. You arent as hungry when you are older, especially after injuries. Then I think it was in September or October of 1975, they decided to stop all racing. The engine is supported at three points, which should prolong the life of mounting brackets. He competed in the Motocross World Championships from 1974 to 1988. Summary 500cc championship Roger De Costerwon his third consecutive 500cc world championship for Suzukiahead of West German rider, Willy Bauer. 1973 AMA Pro Motocross Championship . We have done many World Championship events there over the years. 2007 The VR runs clean and punch is there when you need it. Yes, that was my first trip to America. In 1975, Pomeroy had a strong year in the World Championships, finishing seventh overall. 1973 WHAT WAS IT LIKE RIDING FOR A JAPANESE BRAND? Itwould remain one of hisfavorite go to bikesfor off-road riding,, This is a Hildebrand & Wolfmller Motorcycle from 1894, a bike that carries the distinction of being the first production motorcycle in history. The rear unit is a highly polished alloy, conical in shape and strong, as well as light. He also competed in U.S. races that did not conflict with the World Championship schedule including the newly formed AMA Supercross (then called the Yamaha Super Series) and Trans-AMA series in North America. [5] Suzuki management's frustration at their perceived unfair treatment led to a lapse in support and, Suzuki team riders De Coster and Sylvain Geboers then took matters into their own hands by modifying their motorcycle's frames and developed new rear suspensions. Championnats du monde de motocross 1973 HollandeFilm en 8mm par Jean Voidet The Pomeroy family competed at just about any local motorcycle event, including field meets. He competed in the AMA 250cc National Motocross Series, AMA Supercross and Trans-AMA series in 1977 and 78. Finally, there would be a night-time Trans-AMA promoter by Mike Goodwin inside John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia. This, coupled with the new right side case, makes the engine unit narrower by some three inches. But you can be assured that the stainless steel spokes will have a difficult time pulling themselves loose. Heikki Antero Mikkola is a Finnish former professional motocross racer and motocross team manager. I had been second in the 250 World Championship twice, and my contract with Husqvarna was up. SuperMotocross World Championship; Motocross . I was just a little boy and looking at this new sport called motocross. ever contested by the Spanish factory, and it came away from the 12-event grind with an impressive 4th overall finish. 2014 A six-time world champion, Robert dominated the 250cc class for almost a decade when, he placed either first or second every year between 1964 and 1972 including, five consecutive world championships. You may have seen them at county fairs the vertical velodromes were originally built from old grain silos, leading to the name "silo-drome.". [2] A Suzuki engineer calculated that their bike's gas tanks did not have sufficient capacity to finish the race. On the one hand motorcycles are built to be ridden, but on the other hand its so unusual to see a bike like this still in its crate it may be worth preserving just like this in a museum. But when the oil crisis came, they decided to stop all racing after 1975. 1973 FIM Motocross World Championship ** 1973 Motocross World Championship ** 1973 Motocross World Championship ** Previous: 1972: The 1973 FIM Motocross World Championship was the 17th F.I.M. Since this extra width really wasnt necessary or desirable on the new machine, a new cover was designed. The 1973 FIM Motocross World Championshipwas the 17th F.I.M.Motocross RacingWorld Championship season. Bottom end power of the new Replica is strong, but the 246cc powerplant really comes on in the mid-range and top end. Expect to do some touch-up work to keep them looking spiffy. Lackey brought Jim Weinert over to watch. It never did. I am sure that it was the biggest thing ever in motocross history up to that time. The 1972 World Motocross Championship series was the first ever contested by the Spanish factory, and it came away from the 12-event grind with an impressive 4th overall finish. 2021 Silodrome was founded in 2010 as a website dedicated to Gasoline Culture and all it entails - We write about modern cars, classic cars, motorcycles, racing, gear, gadgets, clothing, boats, planes, airships and the occasional submarine.Read more Silodrome 2023. all rights reserved. He did manage to record a number of top-10 moto finishes when the Bultaco or Beta held together. At one time Montesa mounted its swinging arm in rubber, but the VR uses proper bronze bushings with a provision for external lubrication. He competed in the Motocross World Championships from 1960 to 1976 when the sport experienced a surge in popularity worldwide. Hakan Andersson was not an unknown when he won the 1973 250 World Championship. 1950 Karsmakers won the first race he enteredthe Daytona MX openerover Suzukis Mike Runyard, Lackey, and Husqvarnas Mike Hartwig. Belgium ( Jaak Van Velthoven, Sylvain Geboers, Raymond Heeren, Roger Decoster) 2. We were impressed with the amazing throttle response of the new Bing carburetor. 2002 Jim Pomeroy is responsible for a number of firsts in motocross during the 1970s. 1997 I was second in the 1972 250 World Motocross Championship, but I was good beginning in 1968. Gearbox action is smooth and lever travel is short. Unfortunately, they stopped racing in 1975. [2][3] To make matters worse, Maico and Yamaha had developed new rear suspensions with longer travel which helped transfer power to the rear wheel over rough terrain. 1990 The petcock is a hollow rubber capsule with a steel ball inside. If youd like to read more about this motorcycle or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing on Mecum. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Applying a black finish to the clutch and magneto covers is a nice touch, but after a few rides the paint gets rubbed away by the riders boots. [7] His victory also marked the first Grand Prix victory for the Bultaco factory. Incredibly, he won the race on a stock Bultaco borrowed from a fan at the Georgia event. It would be good for the sport. SuperMotocross Playoff 2 - Chicagoland Speedway . But the biggest roundthe Superbowl of Motocross at the Los Angeles Coliseumwas the biggest draw of all. DIDNT YOU RACE THE TRANS-AMA RACES IN 1969? As it turns out, only one of the tracks on the '73 schedule remained on the schedule today, as you will soon read. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Hakan Andersson won the 1973 World Championship on a bike that he refused to race in the first two GPs of 1973 because he was afraid the Monoshock would break. It, The Distinguished Gentlemans Ride: A Decade of Dapper is a new book dedicated to the most famous charity motorcycle event in the world , This Ducati 750SS, or 750 Super Sport, is a rare breed. They would dominate the five Inter-Am rounds, except for two: The Utah opener, which was won by Karsmakers, and the Superbowl of Motocross at the Los Angeles Coliseum on July 6. Pomeroy finished the AMA 250 Motocross championships ranked 10th, despite only competing in five rounds of the 15-race series. At first, many fellow GP riders believed Pomeroys victory was a fluke, but the 20-year-old American quickly won over the skeptics with strong finishes all season, including a second overall at the Italian GP. [2]. 1957 Motocross Racing World Championship season. And Brad Lackey is also wearing his #1 plate and debuting the Kawasaki green color scheme in motocross. Then I got a very bad infection in the leg. 1964 1954 But the brash Pomeroy made it and then he did it again the next lap, and the next. FORGOTTEN MOTOCROSS TECH: THE BOOST BOTTLE CRAZE, TEN THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT INNER TUBES, THE FINAL TEST: PASHA 150 TWO-STROKE SHOOTOUT VIDEO, FACTORY BIKES UP CLOSE // 2023 HOUSTON SUPERCROSS, ELI TOMAC ON FIM WORLD SX: I KNOW MY TIME IN THIS, SHANE MCELRATH INTERVIEW: FIGHTING FOR HIS FACTORY FILL-IN, TWO-STROKES ONLY! At the 1977 Motocross Des Nations in Cognac, France, I won the first moto and finished third in the second moto. His father, Don Pomeroy, was a very successful racer in the late 1950s and 60s. 1956 The Monoshock was one of the biggest advancements ever in motocross history. Tomorrow, well bring you 1974 and the introduction of a whole new class for 125s, a whole new series in the AMA Yamaha Super-Series of Stadium Motocross, and a whole new superstar by the name of Marty Smith. The series runs 18 events with two races per class at each round. The 1973 FIM Motocross World Championship was the 17th F.I.M. Motocross Racing World Championship season. As before, a single downtube connects at the bottom with a pair of tubes that form the engine cradle. The bore/stroke configuration has been revised on the new model, and measures out to 70x64mm. Since our test machine was one of the first models brought into the country, it was fitted with a cylinder barrel and head utilizing the old Montesa style finning. [1][4] He did so successfully to win his second consecutive 250cc national title. Out on the track the height doesnt seem to affect handling, thanks to a low center of gravity. In 1973, Bultaco's Jim Pomeroy was invited to Spain to race for Bultaco in the FIM 250cc World Championship. [2] Suzuki had already developed and built their race bikes so, there was no time to build new bikes. WHAT HAPPENED TO SWEDISH GP RIDERS? In the World Championship, he battled equipment failures to finish the year a disappointing 14th. Winning soon became second nature. FIM Motocross World Championship; Monster Energy Cup; Motocross of Nations; WHO WERE YOUR HEROES? Lackey was Kawasakis top American rider (and also the top American, period). He continued to be involved in the sport through his motocross school. DID IT EVER BREAK DOWN? The bike was not bad, but often the material was of poor quality. Defending AMA 500cc National Champion Brad Lackey had also decamped to Europe, but his first win would take more time in the big boys' class. IS IT TRUE THAT YOU WERE WINNING SO CONVINCINGLY IN 1973 THAT YOU WERE PROTESTEDNOT YOUR BIKE, BUT YOU? In the Trans-AMA series Pomeroy recorded a number of very strong third and fourth overalls at the start of the series. All Rights Reserved. Of course, with all that portion there has to be an adequate amount of fuel supplied to the engine. Yes, but my World Championship hopes were gone. That is why I had a chance to sign with Yamaha in 1973. In my day, we had full 40-man gates at every race. I grew up surrounded with motocross in my neighborhood and in my town. The Vehkonen Replica: A Proven Performer For The Motocross War. I think I would have been World Champion in 1968 if I hadnt broken my leg. By age 13, Pomeroy had amassed a large collection of trophies. CZ was one of the most successful motocross and enduro motorcycle manufacturers in the world in the 1950s and 1960s. YOU WON YOUR 1973 250 WORLD MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP ON A YAMAHA. He passed away too early last year. * The first winner of an indoor Supercross race (Houston, 1974) The companys motorcycles wonsix Grand Prix world championships from 1964 to 1969 and dominated theInternational Six Days Trial winning the event 15 times between 1947 and 1982. He would win the first 250cc Grand Prix he ever entered, the season-opening Spanish GP, aboard a Bultaco, also Americas first-ever GP win. In 1973, Pomeroy signed a support rider contract to race for a local Bultaco dealer. The new VR is the lightest production motocrosser the factory has made; and at 220 lb., its one of the lightest production 250s available. A YouTube video to a young Scott Wallenberg's Super 8mm footage from the 1973 Daytona event You can clearly see Gary Jones sporting the #1 plate on the AMA pro debut of the 250cc Elsinore. He again battled equipment failures and finished third in the last round and was fourth overall and top American for the series. Yes. Check out the location of the first five rounds, as well as the last three: all in the Southeast. CZ motorcycles still enjoy a cult following around the world, in general terms theyre not as famous as the bikes made by Husqvarna or the Japanese manufacturers during the same era, but theyre arguably more successful. [2][3] The Suzuki management felt they were being unjustly treated by the FIM and were slow to react to developments by the other manufacturers. There is room enough for the carburetor to be swiveled around so the bottom float chamber can pop off. He competed in the Motocross World Championships from 1966 to 1980, most prominently as a member of the Suzuki factory racing team where he won five FIM 500cc Motocross World Championships. The injury prevented him competing in the early rounds of the Trans-AMA. They would dominate the series, with the exception of a single race, which would rattle the global motocross establishment. [2] Bauer then took control of the championship by winning 5 out of the next 6 motos. 2015 It had been Pomeroys plan for many years to retire from racing before it had put too much strain on his body. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. As Brad Lackey watched Pomeroy on a practice lap, he thought there was no way he was going to make the corner. But he wasnt leaving the U.S. scene completely. 1973 Race Results and Points Standings. The 1974 FIM Motocross World Championship was the 18th FIM Motocross Racing World Championship season. Some motocross mounts offer a rider the most serious of challenges when it comes time for the starting routine. Hakan Andersson won the 1973 World Championship on a bike that he refused to race in the first two GPs of 1973 because he was afraid the Monoshock would break. [8] Competitors from nine different manufacturers placed in the top ten of the 250cc championship final standings, reflecting the thriving vitality of the sport of motocross. Soviet Union ( Victor Popenko, Nicolay Efimov, Anatoly Botchkov, Anatoly Mandritchenko) 4. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. 1992 YAMAHA WANTED YOU TO RACE IT RIGHT AWAY, BUT YOU HELD OUT, DIDNT YOU? The ultimate goal of the entire excercise was to put to use the information gained in competition and manufacture a production model similar to the machine Vehkonen rode. Hkan Andersson won the 250cc world championship to give Yamaha its first motocross world championship. It weighed in at 234 lbs, just 7 lbs more than the CZ 350 MX, and it produced 47 hp - a solid figure for the day. That means that of the 1973 AMA schedule, five roundsDaytona, the LA Coliseum, Pocono, Talladega and JFK Stadiumwould be considered AMA Supercross rounds if they ran today (and thats exactly what Daytona is!). The second year of the AMA Motocross Championships was a big step forward from the genesis of the tour. 2017 I enjoy my current involvement with the motocross club at Uddevalla, and I dont know that I will ever leave that. 1991 Eric Geboers was a Belgian professional motocross racer and racing driver. * The first rider to win a World MX GP on a Spanish MX bike (Bultaco) Now, it is very big. 1988 1986 Choice of a season : The 1972 FIM Motocross World Championship was the 16th F.I.M. DID YOU RETURN LATER IN THE SERIES? My heroes were Bill Nilsson, Sten Lundin, Rolf Tibblin, Torsten Hallman and Jeff Smith (who was from England). Yes, we raced against each other all throughout my career. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. I was going slowly in practice, and I had a small crash. Once the Bing carburetor is well flooded with its tickler device, starting the VR is a three-kick affair, at most. Now there are thin, flexible plastic fenders (manufactured by A&A in California and >. Articles that Ben has written have been covered onCNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine,Road & Track Magazine,the official Pinterest blog, theofficialeBay Motorsblog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more. I was very skeptical, because it was a completely new system. [1] Kawasaki joined the world championships with Brad Lackey in the 500cc class and Torleif Hansen in the 250cc class. Perhaps it had something to do with all the former firearms engineers now designing engines but for some reason the motorcycles built by CZ took off like a shot, enjoying significant popularity in Czechoslovakia and across Europe, at one time after World War II it was the second biggest motorcycle manufacturer on the Continent. It is interesting to note that Montesa used only one rider during the series (Kalevi Vehkonen), a rider who had never before ridden a Montesa. 1996 This would finally get sorted out for 1974, but the AMA still felt that their domestic series still needed the tie-in to the two international tours that predated it. The 1976 FIM Motocross World Championship was the 20th F.I.M. Georges Job was a Belgian professional motocross racer. I won there, so it was good! In the 250 class there was a different kind of shake up. Vimond is notable for being the first French competitor to win an FIM motocross world championship. As in the 1973 season, after the season-ending 500cc race on September 9, American riders competing for the AMA national championship continued to accumulate points counting towards the national championship while they competed in the 1973 Trans-AMA motocross series which began on September 23rd and hosted visiting European riders from the The Southeast was also anchored by Bill West's popular Winter-Am tour, which was arguably bigger than the actual national tour until the late-seventies. 2005 Weak points come to light promptly, and the rider quickly learns whether or not things are working well beneath him. In preparing for the initial GP race, Pomeroy did a couple of international races to get some experience with European tracks and riders. Although the company did achieve some signifiant results on the asphalt with its technically sophisticated engines, the place where it really dominated was on the dirt. Akront aluminum alloy rims are employed for their weight saving benefits, but this advantage is partially overshadowed by the fact that the rims design allows mud and debris to collect in the lip portion near the spokes.