Elstar BSA.

[Curly3]

Hey Col, I remember a guy named Cork riding an Elstar and he went pretty hard.
He wasn't real tall if I recall.

[colmoody]

Thats him Curly. The 350 did leak a bit of oil and seems he was always covered in it hence the nick name " the little greasy fella" amongst those that knew him.

[Curly3]

Hey Col
I think he went up to an Elstar Cole at one stage and I remember him putting the wind up a few A graders at Amaroo Park until he disappeared into the scrub at the start of the main straight, or did I mean curve.

[colmoody]

Curly, the little greasy fella went from the 350 BSA to a Godden.  Never did have a Cole Elstar.

[Curly3]

That's a big step up.
I'm pretty sure he got a close up of the greenery at Amaroo.
Are you going to Nepean in a coupla weeks?

[colmoody]

Curly, Corkie got close up and personal with the greenery at most tracks he rode at. He was always good value to watch. Unlike a lot of the quicks around on frames at the time that used to road race the bends stand it up and fire it up down the straights. They probably did most of the winning but I reckon were boring to watch. Yeah my plan is to get out to Nepean for a geek so I'll catch up with you their. So do you know for sure the dates and if it is a two dayer what day/s will you and Carl be their.

[Curly3]

Col, I hope it's a 2 day meeting because I'm planning to go up on Saturday and camp overnight. Carl's become a bit of a "sook" these days and will only be coming out on Sunday.
Sounds like you've been in touch with Mr Cork.

[firko]

Unlike a lot of the quicks around on frames at the time that used to road race the bends stand it up and fire it up down the straights. They probably did most of the winning but I reckon were boring to watch

Kevin Fraser and Trevor Hunter made that kind of slider riding an art form. They were as boring as batshit but it won 'em a lot of races. I always wondered why they actually rode "sliders" when their style of riding was more suited to a chookie.

[colmoody]

Roger that Firko

[jimg1au]

firko
i dissagree with you on the riding style of T.H. i have personaly known him for about 40 years.there is shots of him sliding his hagon jap in this very forum.
cheers
jim

[Curly3]

I agree Firko and I've known both of them just about all my life. They both were pretty much a contradiction of the term "Slider". Fraze has an impeccable record in the smaller classes, mainly on the Mackenzie Bully and T.H. could have ridden the occasional Bigun, but they both proved that there is more than one way to F@#&%k a cat. They were both class riders none the less, in fact I've always been impressed that they were so quick on bikes that didn't naturally match there style.
Hopefully they're both at Nepean.

[colmoody]

Jim, I dont think anyone is doubting Trevor Hunters ability, his results over a long and successfull Dirt Track career speak for themselves.
The point I think firko and I were trying to make is that spectacular he was'nt.
Without naming them you could probably put another three or four Australian Title winners of that era in the same basket. Actually that particular riding style on the oiled and packed down hard Dirt Tacks of that time was probably the way to go. From a spectator's point of view though give me a guy having a go three or four wide on full throttle and full lock on a big bend any day.

[Curly3]

Having said all that, the most dominant riding on Aust dirt tracks to be seen ( my opinion ) was early 70's at Granite Park Seymour.
Geoff Curtis was so far ahead he won the Senior ( 500cc ) title with a flat rear tyre for half the race and only missed the Unlimited title because of a broken chain.
Watching GC come down the hill & back onto the start straight full lock was amazing.
Mind you a pretty handy rider in Keith Davies went on to win the major.
I'm getting itchy palms just talking about all this.

[jimg1au]

curly
in you opinion is it best to go 3 or 4 wide to pass or try underneath and push the other rider off the drive area of the track.i always thought that going wide as spectical as it might be was the wrong way to go.
cheers
jim
i am like carl only going to nepean on sunday come and say hello.

[Curly3]

Jim, no one went for the inside line more than Carl, hence his nickname The Spear. It's pretty much a matter of horses for courses and what suits the track conditions on the day. As a spectacle there is nothing better than a Slider, Full Lock, Full Noise and the more the merrier. As Col said the oiled tracks were a lot like bitumen and suited a more direct style of riding and it certainly was interesting watching both styles go at each other.
Prime example was Terry Poole & Fraze at Amaroo Park in the Aust Titles, they got the jump and battled it out together while the stylists struggled in the pack.