P104
50
Years Ago
DECEMBER 12, 1968
LOOKING BACK
A photo from the Los Angeles International Moto-Cross was featured on
the cover of Cycle News 50 years ago. There, we caught amateur Bill
Dekking doing a wheelie while racing through an old western movie set
in Westlake Village, California. German Adolf Weil topped the 500cc
International class; Joel Robert was the 250cc winner… We covered the
Baja 1000 and were proud that six motorcycles got to La Paz before the
first four-wheeler. The Larry Bergquist and Gary Preston team took the
overall win on a 350 Honda.
We ran a photo of Rob Sutliff from the Redding Dirt Riders' Buckhorn
Enduro. In the wet and snowy conditions, Mike Hannon ended up taking
the overall win… In Oklahoma, Drew Smith edged out Dick Burleson
for the win at the R.M. Wheeler AMA National Enduro. Burleson,
however, wrapped up his fifth title… We tested the Suzuki DR370, which
sold for $1299… We interviewed AMA Pro Racing Commissioner Mike
DiPrete.
40
Years Ago
NOVEMBER 29, 1978
(Left) Gary Bailey (79) passes a surprised
Dave Aldana during the Los Angeles
International Moto-Cross in Westlake
Village, California, 50 years ago.
Jeff Russell
celebrates the
win at the Bitter
End National
Enduro in
Morrison,
Illinois, 30
years ago.