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/125488
PASADENA M.C. Revives the Hare Chase. • • Ii was cold aad tile pond was still uist ud firm at Holliday, Califomia, 20 lIiles .rtIl of GoDUD. CoDclitiODS were ript for the fint IU of tile year oa tile desert, ud al.-st everyoae was there. '!'be Pasadeaa "C. btl 281 riders sip up; 200 opeD class ud 81 tIU1 lUes. '!lie 1Ii~ llites woald r.o four 2O-llile loops ud the bail llites woald r.o two .lIile loops OD tile S&IIle CODrse, bat stutiD~ 5 • ates later. The Pasadeoa M.e. bas started something new which most of os appreciated. They took us to the starting line and let everyone go to the smoke bomh, then come back for the start 20 minutes later. This was a good safety factor, as there were a few deep road crossings to watch out for. The banner was dropped at 10:30 for the big Ii.kes and they really fiew across the wide open area to the smoke bomb about four miles out. It was 4tb gear for the first 2 miles, which was a bit bairy, then bit the trai.lS and a short sand wash, where you coold see the smoke bomb. Curt Gibson led it to the smoke bomb, alter wbich the course got a bit tighter. There was a 20 foot drop-off which was very tricky, but the thing tbat made my eyes pop out was the long and bigh bog-back bill, very rocky and sandy, where the trail was 18 inches wide and dropped off 011 both sides, then ran for a ha~inches wide and dropped off on both sides, then ran for a balfomile. There were a lot of riders who weot down the side and had to go back to the bottom because they couldn't climb the slope. There was also the old favorite sand wash that is only a foot wide with banked sides, wbich is like riding a rollercoaster. Malcolm Smi tb OIl a llasqvarna led it into the first pit stop, but Larry Bergquist, #7 on a BSA, passed him in the pits, and led for t_ laps. Malcolm got a fiat tire on the tbird lap and Bud Ekins on a Triumph Metisse, got Qy him in the rough off-camber billsides in the back of the course. Ekins was pushing Bergquist, who was still bolding first place, when they came to the narrow bOg-back bill. There were some riders down on it, and Bergquist ... c.; By Dick wricbt is ridden by baDking tbe sides. Deb Smith, a novice 011 a 250 HusQvarna, came in 3rd overall and 2nd 250. Rod Pack 127 on a Triumph, came in 4th and took first amateur. Bob Belt, IlX on a 250 Greeves, took 5th overall and 3rd 250, and Lon Peterson. #6 OP. Ex. on a Triumph, got 6th overall and 2nd Open Ex• lost. I asked the riders in the pits their impressions or the run and the general concensus was as follows. "The start was too fast. It is not SO bad getting off wbile in 2nd gear, but getting off in 4th gear is something else, and I had to turn it on or eat everyone's dust.· There were a few bad ends at the road crossing. It would have helped if the ~ :s lli ... ~ III :l!: III oJ ~ to) bad to go around them, but there was just not room, and he went down the side, losing 8 places trying to get back up. Ekins came into the finish with about a 4-minute lead, and Mal colm SmHII came in 2nd with tbe Oat tire. That is some riding with a Oat, especially on tbnse bills, and tbat narrow wasb tbat steve Hurd, #35, was the first 500 cc Ex. in on a Matcbiess. Steve got a bad start and bad to move up through the tramc, which was a rough job on the tight course. The run was a great succ ess, and everything went off well; especially the liming and orange ribbon markings, and there was no reason for anyone to get start could ba ve been moved UP about 300 yards to shorten the wide open flat run.- TRAIL BIKES The trail bikes were [lagged off 5 minutes after the big bikes. It was an all out drag race for the first mile, with (Continued on page 8) ~~ OE.rEIIT CHAMPION FtJlI 01S'1:37 IIEEO P/lICE WESTERN U,S, DISTRIBUTOR J0HNSeN Me T0RS 2145 E, Halltiagt08 Dri,e, Duarte, Calif,