Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

• • 4 ACES DESERT CHASE • • By Dick Wright Young Lon Peterson. open expert on a Triumph. took first over all in a 90 mile race against the top desert riders in the district last Sunday near Mojave. When the big bikes lined up at 10 a.m. for the start, there were 298 handlebar-to-handlebarforaboutahalf a mile. The banner dropped at 10:05 and they were all off, heading out for the smoke bomb 3 miles out. At the smoke macker. which was set up in the foothills, it was J.N. Roberts. #13 on a 360 Husqvarna. leading. and Bobby Ferro on a 250 Bultaco. Malcolm Smith. on a 250 Husqvarna and Lon Peterson were pushing the leaders hard at this point of the race. $omewller. In lbe de_I, Cleve Thoms lIIakes his bid, caulht by the Wrlcht family lensman.- They were going to make three laps on the 30 mile course. Out past the smoke the course went UP into the bills, this is where you really have to use your riding ahility. UP and down those rocky bills at high speed is a rough way to spend a Sund a.y afternoon. At the 1st gas check Malcolm Smith and Bohhy Ferro came in at the same time still handlehar-to-handlebar. These two chargers had duelled that way for the entire 30 miles. JoN. Robert was now 3rd, Steve Hurd came in 4th (on a flat tire, tough luck!) followed by Lon Peterson 5th. Malcolm -Drops· Out On the 2nd loop, Malcolm went over a cliff, which put him out of the race. At this point, Ferro turned on his Eddie Crowell tuned Bultaco and took over Isf place. But Lon Peterson was right behind him pushing hard on the Triumpt. that is tuned by his dad, Kenny Peterson, at Ed Kretz's shop. It was a fast pace and something had to give between these two tigers. Finally, Ferro's hike got a little hot, losing some power, and Lon took over 1st place. Peterson came into the gas check in 1st place on the 2nd loop, with the fast charging Bob Belt, Ulx on a Greeves in 2nd spot. Lon was able to build up a good lead on the 3rd loop and came in for a very well deserved win after 2 hours and 45 minutes of hard riding. Charles Gates, #17x an amateur on a 250 Bultaco, took 2nd. overall. That is really moving for an amateur. Reed Price, #1 open expert on a Triumph, was 3rd; Steve Kirk, #25 was right behind him taking 4th and Bob Belt, Ulx was 5th over all and 1st 250 exoert. Bud Harvey. #30 On a Triumph was 6th overall and took 1st open Amateur. Bud and Howard Beach, #33 have really been having a duel for 1st open amateur. rhey trade off each week. Who will it be next week? Beach, by the way, lost his gas tank this week. Doc Bryce, #22 on a Rickman Triumph, was the 1st 500 expert in and took 15th overall. While walking out on the course, I met Walt Podolice of the San Gabriel Valley M.C. with a walkie-talkie. He was giving Lee Belts, who was in the pits a hali mile back, the club members' numbers as they came up the trail so they would be ready for them at the gas check. Lee Belts also had the.m 10 his biooculars on them. That is what I call being organized! In the pits after the race, everyone I talked with thought it was a good race.. It was rough, especially one steep rocky down hill, but it is the challenge of a rough course that makes you want to come out each week. Also in the pits, I met the importer for Husqvarna. He had with him a factory representative from Sweden who seemed to be enjoying our desert races. So did' everyone else for that matter, especially the riders who finished. TRAlL BIKES Cleve Thomas, #30, an amateur on a Honda, turned in a fast ride to take first place Sunday, with 15-year-old Norm Benham, Ul 0, an Expert on a ·Steen Special" Hodaka 88, just 20 seconds behind, taking second. This was a good win for Cleve as he had to better 96 eager riders on a rough, billy course which called for real riding ability. The banner was dropped 10 minutes after the big bikes had departed. The traiIsters used the same 30-mile course and went one lap. Jack Morgan led it to the smoke homb, with Cleve right behind him, and Norm Benham, Jack Freolick, #252, and Roy Barnett, #15, all came through in a bunch. This four-man hattle continued into the rocky area. Cleve decided it was time to tum it on in the rough stuff and pulled ahead to take the undisputed lead. This is the first win for Cleve as he has been riding competition for only live months, but the way he handles that Honda in the rough, rocky terrain I am sure he will be a threat in the future. Handliug Counts When Norm Benham pulled in second, I asked him whathe thought of the course, and he said· it was great! Rough enough so that it was not a drag race, making you rely on the handling of the bike on those up and down r0lling hills." His Ceriani forks did the job for him. Jack Foelick and Roy Barnett were still having a hard-fighting duel right up to the finish line, with Froelick winning out in the end to take third, and Barne~ taking 4th. The trail bike class is getting to be a hotly contested group with more good, experienced riders, proving that you ca:n get a good ride out of a 100cc bike, and the Four Aces gave them a good run for their money last Sunday. (Results on page 16) ~ CI> ~ Q" "'" ~ • ~ t- c..

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