Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125465
• ,500' MILE JACK PINE NATIONAL story and photos by Perry Fields • • • • At 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, September fourth, 576 motorcycles from all over the cou!ltry pulled out of Lansing. Michigan headed for the little town ofWest Branch 250 miles away. Between Lan sin g and West Branch, the spinning tires of just about every bike made from a Sears, to Harley-Davidson would churn the water of the Grand River, the deep sand at Evart, the muck of the Beaver Dam and dig up the trails of the great north woods. Many riders were disqualified at Block and Tackle Hill. and at Fiddlers Elbow. Only 346 machines made it to West Branch. and Monday morning just 318 bikes left for the return trip to Lansing another grueling 250 miles to the south. The white sands just outside of West Branch put a few machines out of commission, but most made it through in good style. Then came the rough Rifle River which, for a change, didn't li ve up to it s reputation this year. There were many more obstacles between the riders and Lansing and only. the strongwilled and well-prepared finished at Lansing. At 5:00 p.m. the first machine started rolling into the finish and the parade of tired cyclists continued for several hours until 277 finishers (out of the original 576 starters) had passed through the final check. Late Tuesday afternoon the results were out and John Penton of Lorain, Ohio was named the winner with 987 points. The man now called the Grand National Champion did the job on an Husqvarna.•• shaving the second-place winner. Bill Baird, on a Triumph by two tight points. Not one of last year's champions made it to the winner's circle this time. Loul. ZOdI pash.1 _d pasHllC" Art &.tl., helpI II Iidel..l ct IIHlI Gtllld River w.erloo. CllllomIlII Ean Ro.seler ,Iv.. Into tho Inlimoul Rill. River which this y• ., didn't live up to It'l ropatatl-. . Lucy Strllton apllsh.1 her Wly Kroll tho Gtllld Rlftr on her WI)' to I wln 10 tho Powder Pull cllli wlth I seoN 01 125 bolter thin lIIIny mon. • • Above: Cllllomll'l Don KIItIIJI IIId passenpr Ilosh throuch I muck hoi. on Wly to Grand River bItb. B.low: Jim 'Thompsoo 01 Cillfornil rldlec I TrlullJlh throuch til. Rill. river rllll... p_. John til. Hulqv.... he rod. to wln, tho trophy h••Imod IIId til. trldltlonll cowb.1I everyon. will have to Chal. n.xt yur. lodlcatlnc that he II til. ""0 .- NATIONAL MOTOR SUPPLY CO DISTRIBUI0R FOR o LAWNDALE CYCLE INC A Largest stock on West Coast Dealer Inquiries Invited 0 QUALITY MOTORCYCLE ACCE SS RI ES ALSO IN STOCK YAMAHA Q ):t*, • VELOCETTE Due" T I SALES·SERVICE •PARTS•RENTALS 15324 HAWTHORNE L..AWNO.A.LE CAl.IF • BOULEVARD SP 2 1822 OS 6 VS408 THE FAMILY FUN CENTER PHONE: 213 633-5178 15710 Garfield Avenue. Paramount, Califomia 90723"