ALL TO PLAY FOR
Yrjo Vesterinen: “After the opening two rounds everything had started well for me, and I was in the lead of the championship as we went to Belgium for round three. Unfortunately, one of the air shocks started to leak quite a long way from the start area. No one had considered what would happen if the shock let its pressure out! You can ride a machine with a damaged traditional shock but not with the air shocks, as the back end would collapse. I had to rush back to the finish, racing on the back streets, and quickly replace the leaking shock. After that I was already running very late, and then came another setback as I had a rear wheel puncture!
After some inevitable rushing that followed I finished third, ten points behind the winner. Under normal circumstances that would not have been too bad, but the winner was Martin Lampkin, who also made it three in a row for Bultaco and the air shocks.
Next it was off to France where it was dry, grippy and sunny in the south. Bernie Schreiber was in super form and had a comfortable victory, the first of many that were to follow over the years. Martin finished second and I came third. Martin was closing the gap on me again as Bultaco took its fourth victory in a row. Interestingly Bernie was using the standard Betor rear shocks. He claimed that the air shocks didn’t suit his riding style and stopped him doing his now famous ‘bunny hops’ over obstacles. I was also beginning to feel that the air shocks were perhaps best suited to muddy and slippery riding conditions.
Spain was next, and again Bernie was in super form and took his second victory in a row. Martin came second again, and I finished a disappointing sixth. In theory I should have finished a little higher, in third place, but a rear wheel puncture on a relatively easy section near the end caused an unnecessary five, plus some time penalties followed as a result. Bultaco scored its fifth victory in a row with Germany next. No excuses here at all, just a bad day, and it resulted in a victory for Martin and Bultaco.
The trip to the States was next in the schedule, and the trial in Pennsylvania was really nice and ‘traditional’ as Bernie won again, his third of the season. I was second and Martin finished fourth, which helped me a little bit in the Championship.
Italy which followed was another low point for me. I was growing more and more frustrated with the air shocks on dry and grippy going. Bernie won again, and Martin was second.
The following week was Austria where I knew the venue and I had won there before, which helped me mentally. It was clear to me that if I was to stop Martin from taking the championship I had to win; no excuses only victory would do! The week was hell as the pressure that I had put myself under was immense. I did win in the end, but it was not an easy victory. Bernie came second and luckily for me Martin had had a bad day, coming home sixth. My championship campaign was alive again and Bultaco had scored their ninth victory in a row, winning every event so far.”