1953 Laconia New Hampshire Motorcycle Gypsy Tour - Vintage Motorcycle Article

Description

1953 Laconia New Hampshire Motorcycle Gypsy Tour - 3-Page Vintage Motorcycle Article
Original, vintage magazine article
Page Size: Approx. 9" x 12" (46 cm x 30 cm) each page
Condition: Good
Roger Soderstrom gets the checkered flag
at finish of fastest and closest 100 miler.
Joe Leonard held a lap and a half lead until his
motor bleu-. Here he comes out of hairpin.
Former Laconia champion, Dick Klamfoth.
Dick, as usual, rode a very brilliant race.
Alli Quattrochi and Dick Koos show re-
spective styles. Alli slides, Koos keeps feet up.
Starter Bob Finn drops flag, releasing first row of anxious racers while officials hold other
motors back. Elapsed time start was used' in the Belknap classic 100 mile road race.
RECORD CROWDS WITNESS
LACONIA CLASSIC
Story and Photographs by
Eric and Virginia Sanford.
Only inches separate these three riders as
they come out of curve and pour on the coal.
Bill Miller and Fisher race up straight to-
wards northeast curve near the judges’ stand.
Triumph mounted cycle dealer, Eddie Fisher is flanked by Davey Jones, novice
winner, and Rod Coates. 4 seconds separated the first four places in 100 miler.
CLIMAXING a big week end for more
than 16,000 cyclists at the 33rd An-
nual New England Gypsy Tour, the 13th
Annual 100 Mile National Road Race
was one of the closest and hardest fought
races in the history of motorcycling. Four
riders, "Junior” Kelley, Roger Soderstrom,
Edwin Fisher and Dick Klamfoth finished
a second apart! This, after compensating
time had been credited according to start-
ing position. One second was so close, that
in justice to the four riders, a protest was
filed to permit a complete review of every
lap in the race. This has been turned over
to an Appeal Board appointed by the presi-
dent of the AMA. It is hoped that an
official decision can be rendered by the
Board within a very short time.
This has never happened before in the
history of the very successful AMA check-
ing system. The card clock turns a number
every second, and that is just about per-
fect, but here was a finish where 100th of
a second became a factor. And all of this
with time credit, spills and everything that
could happen to create a wider spread of
time.
A new record of 1.53:51.57 (52.68
m.p.h.) was set for the course, breaking
Bill Miller’s 1950 record of 1 hour, 56 min.
22 sec.
Edwin Fisher of Parkesburg, Pa., who
came in second in last years event, just a
few seconds behind Klamfoth, went off his
cycle once on the hairpin curve, recovering
immediately. He is 28 years old, rides a
Triumph and has been racing since 1947.
He has been an expert in TT for several
years and this year became an expert in
flat track. His last win was the Memorial
Day 10 mile feature at Richmond.
Roger "Sodie” Soderstrom, rode a
Harley-Davidson. He is 35 years old
and the present National 80 cu. in. TT
Champion. He hails from Normal, Ill. He
has raced since 1946, and also went down
once on the curve. He rode a new K model
machine for the 1st time in this race.
Dick Klamfoth on a Norton, is familiar
to all as the winner of the event for the
past 2 years. Dick was in there trying
hard to be the first one to capture this
grinding race three times.
Harry Kelley, Jr., of Dayton, Ohio, on
a Triumph, nicknamed "Junior,” is the son
and partner of cycle dealer Harry Kelley,
Sr., an ex-cycle racer.
Rodman Burkhart led for two laps, then
Gerald Givens took over through the 13th
lap. Laps 14 through 19 was a see-saw
battle between Bill Miller and Roger
Soderstrom; 20 through 23 "Sodie” was in
front, and then Joe Leonard took over the
lead which he held until the 64th lap when
he went out with motor trouble. Then the
fun began! It was dog-eat dog for the rest
of the way with Fisher, "Sodie”, Kelley and
Klamfoth furnishing the excitement.
"Sodie” had to pick up 15 seconds on
Klamfoth, who started three rows back.
Stop watches were a dime a dozen checking
each lap. Regardless of the final decision,
this event will go down in motorcycle his-
tory as one of the greatest ever, and our
hats are off to four great riders.
There were 48 entrants for the 100 mile,
but in the tryout heats before the race, Al
Wilcox skidded and sprained his ankle, and
Paul Goldsmith, who was considered one of
the foremost contenders, developed motor
trouble, so neither one could start in the
100 miler. Of the entries, three were former
champs trying to repeat their victories,
Dick Klamfoth, Bill Miller, Alli Quattrochi.
The 100 Mile National Road Race,
while being the feature attraction was not
responsible for all the fun and excitement
connected with this big motorcycle week-
end, June 19th through the 21st. On Friday
the events started at 10:00 a.m. with a
bang-up exhibition of cycles and accessories
by American, English and German manu-
facturers, showing the latest models and
equipment. That afternoon sightseeing
tours were arranged for the many scenic
spots and places of interest in the New
Hampshire lakes district and White Moun-
tains. The New England Motorcycle Dealers
Association also chartered boats leaving
every hour for a cruise on big Lake Win-
nipesaukee, and invited all the cyclists as
their guests.
Saturday dawned warm and sunny, and
all motors headed for Ossipee Park in
Laconia where the contest was held for the
best dressed club. Burt’s Riders of Wil-
limantic, Conn, were judged the winners.
Immediately afterwards, all cyclists joined
the big parade of motorcycles thru the dty
of Laconia. The parade was lead by Burt’s
Riders, and proceeded from the city to the
S 1,000,000 Belknap Recreation Area,
which was turned over to the cyclists for
the weekend, where all events were held.
At 1:30 p.m. the first five mile novice heats
started, culminating in the 25 mile novice
race. This was won by Davey Jones
(Triumph) of Baltimore, Md.. in 28:50.25,
averaging 52.02 m.p.h., followed by Buddy
(Continued next page)
Sherman Cooper is flagged to victory in his
last lap of the Amateur fifty mile race.
Warm welcome from wife & pit crew greet-
ed Sherman Cooper who trimmed amateurs.
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