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/125499
3rd ANNUAL CHALLENGER ROAD RACE ******** AT WILLOW SPRINGS*****··* Sunday, March 19th was an absolutely beautiful day for racing at Willow Springs Raceway. In fact, it was ideal. The early spring weather was especially nice for the 3rd Annual ACA Challenger, at which the events are run in a coun ter-clockwise direction. THE DUSTY MUD SCRAMBLES Report & Photos by Daue RiclunOlld As late as Thursday night the Sacramento Trackers were seriously debating the question: Whether or not to call off the upcoming Sunday SCrambles on account of inclement weather and a muddy track. Luckily the -take-a-ebance" heads prevailed, because the rain valve remained off until race day. But just about everyone - including quite a few locals - expected mud, so Imobbies outnumbered'regulars' by about 7.35:1. When we pulled uP to the track early SundaY morn conditions were just right. No dust, pretty fair traction, and a promise or fair skies. The course was laid out at tbe rodeo groundson tbe right side of old 99E gOine north, about 8 or 9 miles out of Roseville, California. As the available area is somewhat limited. the course is not too long and crooked as a dog's bind leg. From tbe air it probably looks like it was designed by tbe same guy who lays out tbe freeway intercbanges. I'd say it has about three times as much curve as tangent. Unlike most flat scrambles tracks, it was not fast, but it wasalot ortun for the riders and (barring tbe dust) [ine for the spectators. AS tbe day wore on the track gOt drier and drier and dustier and dustier-nobody had given any tbought to a water wagon, and under the circumstances ybu can't blame 'em. Personally I'd have guessed a waterwagon to be as useless as sled dogs in the desert, and I'd' have been wrong as wrong can be. Tbe outstanding races of the day were the 200/250 ExPert where Gordon Kuhnle (A) and Jean Conant (40g) went 'round and 'round together - I have three negatives made on tbree different laps of them coming over the jump bead-totail. But Gordon beld his lead and won. And tbe Powder Puff. The Powder Putt dispelled any ideas I may have had about the gals really trying. Debbie Jackson (1 u) tried and tried and finally nailed Alice Grant (78j) on the last lap. I bope tbe girls had as mucb fun running that event as we did spectating. Close One For Jim Every race bas its beartbreaker - in racing as in life, tbe good guys don't always win. 7!non bls Honda dl"'t win th. 200/250 10mat.ur, !alt It sur. wasn't from lack of tlYlnc. Not. th. nne feet-up form. Big Jim (127w) runs in tbe 350 novice class and basn't bad much luck. To be precise, be basn't bad any good luck. He bas never won anytbine and it sure isn't from lack of trying. But wben be came in 4tb, 6tb, dead last, or even wben be got off bard, be always gave a broad, gap-tootbed grin and said. ·Well, you guys beat me tbis time, but next go-round I'm gonna sbow the wbole buncb tbe way bome.· This time we thougbt be had done it at last. He got orr to a pretty good start, picked off a COuPle of gUYs and took tbe lead nice as pie about the fourth lap. He was making as good a ride as I've seen anyone make - cool, calm, doing everything right and doing it at tbe right time - and I was ankling toward the finisb line to get a shot. ParriDtt Persistent Outstanding rider of U1e day, sod justly so, was U1e #1 rider In last year"s competition, Buddy Parriott. Buddy captured UI e 125cc event after a tighUy contested race, with Bruce Shaw nmnine second. ·Paniott was deline a new :Bultaco; Shaw was Honda-mounted. He also captured the senior event or the day by willlling over-all and first in class OIl a 500cc Norton twin. In bot pursuit, first in class and second overall, was Da1 e Alexander on a Harley-Davidson. Gordon KIlIlnI. (A) . d J.. _t '_nd and '..-d Ilk. tills eoa.t (401l lap after lap. The No.2 mao was riding a liWe over his bead and overcooked the jlllllP, hitline Jim's back wheel and puWDe &hem boUl oIL Bill-the-Sboe (33c) was just tar _ueb back to see what bappened in the dust and be was able to thread his way between tbe mea and machinery !!pread oat OIl the track and go on to win. Don Murray (58c) was right behind Bill and his vision was obscured by Bill's dust. When he came ott the jump be came down on top of Jim's Honda and that mad e thi rd man out. Next scrambles I attend I fully expect Big Jim to greet me witb the usual grin and say, ·Well, this is the day I'm gonna win.I lxlpe he does. (Results on page 16) In the lightweight event, Don Anselm had a clean win, botb in the main event and the beat race, on bis 100cc Yamaha. beating last year's 100cc production cbampion, J ettrey Pas t ern a k. also Yamaba-mounted. Tbe 50cc class went to Tony Nicosia (Honda). In tbe 175cc class, steve Galbraith on a Yamaha took over in the absence of his brother and came through witb a win for Power Researcb. The 250cc class looked as though it would be botly contended. In tbe heat race, steve McLaughlin and Ned Marandino, as well as Marv Fleming. were in bot pursuit of front-runner Bob Barker, on a Yamaha, but couldn't quite catch flying Bob in this short event. However. in tbe 250cc main, steve got off to a good start on the Kawasaki and wasn't Cbailenged except in tbe very beginning. strong second place this time went to Bob Barker on a Yamaba. Ned Marandino had switched trom his usual Bultaco mount to a Kawasaki and finish ed third. even though he was almost last oft the line. One ot the local riders from Lancaster, Marv Fleming, Yamaba-mounted, finished in fourth place. This was only Mary's second road race event and be looks like an up-andcoming road race champion; at least the last two events in which he has participated point tbis way. New Suzukis eoae On The 350cc class was handily won by P.J. Bosarge on a 305 Honda. In the lightweight production event, the new Suzuki X-S, really dominated the event, with a double win first and second for the Damron brothers, Dave coming in first and Jim second, beating out last year's defending champion in the 250cc clas S, Barry Provisor. In the open prodacUon event, &be wiUDer was Jerry Winters oa a HarleyDavidsoa, and second place went to Hneb McLeaa, last year's defendinc dllllllPion, also H.-Iey-Davidson moan ted. It is pretty touch in some cases to fight against that sheet" borsepower, but boUl Jerry ad Hueb were given a preUy good scare by 500cc Honda mounted Anthony Herbold. However, Anthony made a slight mistake oa U1e last turn &IOine Into the straightaway, went wide and never quite regained his front runninc poSiUOIl. The next road race event sanctioned by the ACA at Willow SPrings will be beld on April 16th. FOOTHILL TRAIL & SPORT ... ~~., ~~~ ~ \~ '\~ ~ COIIPLETE REPA'R fAOur,fS 101I116, WElDIIIG fOil & WHEEl REPAIR SUZUKI SERVICE IIAlIAGER .KE VAJINESS PftOFESSlOllAL EXPERT #l3z , YEARS PftOFESSlOllAL RACING AND TV.. NG EXPERIEIlCE. Addre.. nn VERDUGO BLVD., MUITROSE ..... of 250 clus, Stfte .ct.a........