1958 Joe Leonard Wins Springfield - 3-Page Vintage Motorcycle Racing Article

Description

1958 Joe Leonard Wins Springfield - 3-Page Vintage Motorcycle Racing Article
Original, Vintage Magazine Article
Page Size: Approx. 8" x 11" (21 cm x 28 cm) each page
Condition: Good
Leonard Wins
Springfield
Resweber and Klamfoth Close
In Second and Third Slots
Joe Leonard, riding his first national since Daytona, rode the
Charlie West tuned Harley-Davidson to victory over Carroll
Resweber. (Harley-Davidson) and Dick Klamfoth (BSA) in
one of the greatest duels ever seen on a mile track. For fifty laps
Leonard and Resweber exchanged the lead on turns and straight-
aways with Klamfoth constantly changing position from second
io third. Resweber had the edge in number of laps won with
32 to Leonards 18.
This was probably Leonard’s greatest win in a long line of
national championships because he showed his ability to come
from behind to lake a close one. At no lime, after the third lap,
did Resweber run worse than second, whereas, in the 35th lap,
while running in third place, Leonard was held up by traffic
and lost ground to Resweber and Klamfoth. It took nine laps
before he again got back into first spot which he held for laps 45,
46 and 47. In the 48th lap Leonard dropped back to third place
and it looked like Klamfoth was making his bid, however,
Resweber held the lead for the 48th and 49th only to lose it to
Leonard in the last lap. Leonard had the lead coming out of
the last turn, but Resweber was closing fast and Leonard got
the checkered flag with just a wheel-length to spare as the
17,000 spectators stood and screamed their approval.
Twenty riders started in the 50-mile national with the first
line made up of heat winners: Klamfoth, Leonard, Resweber,
Tanner and Hill. Resweber had the fastest lime trial and Klam-
foth had the fastest qualifying heat.
Glenn Jordan riding a fast consistant pace finished in fourth
position with Hill, fifth; Roeder, sixth; Brashear, seventh;
Clark, eighth; Andres, ninth; and DeMay, tenth. Gibson and
Tanner who had been running in fourth and fifth places as
late as the 32nd lap were forced out of the race. Gibson with
engine trouble and Tanner when his rear wheel started to
fold up.
In addition to the riding skill of the top place winners, much
credit for the success in the longer distant races should go to
the tuners. Charlie West keeps Joe Leonard running, Ralph
Berndt has made Carroll Resweber a front runner and Dick
Klamfoth has proven himself to be both, top rider and tuner as
he does all of his own tuning.
Harold Kenyon, BSA mounted Californian, followed up his
success at San Jose with an impressive win in the Springfield
amateur final. Bart Markel finished second, but a bad start left
him with the impossible task of trying to overtake Kenyon. With
an even start these two amateurs would have put on a great
duel. Watch these two fellows—they’re comers.
(See SPRINGFIELD page 30)
Start of one of the expert heat races that set the pace which
was carried on through the exciting 50-mile national.
The Motor Maids, in their usual efficient manner, turned out
in force to open the track at Springfield before an overflow
crowd.
Activity and inactivity prevailed throughout the pits. While
some worked on adjustments and last minute details, others
just took it easy.
Bunched together waiting their turn, these experts watch
several of their competitors finish up a practice session on the
track.
In one mighty roar, twenty eager riders leave the starting line as the 50-mile national championship gets, under way.
The two shots above show the closeness and constant struggle
that went on for 50 laps between Resweber, Leonard and
Klamfoth. The lap record on the next page gives their posi-
tions as they crossed the finish line on each lap.
photos by Russ Maxwell
This is
one of the five large tents that made up "Tent City” where motorcyclists stayed while attending the races...
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