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/125509
SCOReHfl AT sPlocms PAil \.ANCAS1 ER by stan Coffee Motorcycle racers have to be the most dedicated group of hobbyists going. When anyone with good sense would ha ve sat at .home under the air conditioner lifting a cool one, a large group ventured to Bakersfield to do battle under a blazing sun that shot the mercury to one hundred and fifteen degree s. Several riders just couldn't climb back in the saddle after the first goround. The heat didn't do the track any good either and the water truck couldn't keep up with the dryness that resulted. Double Win L..clSt. Falraraunds INt.1lI a _III .d I'lIded Ascot~. trsck. Durlnlllle COlIrs. 0111I. dsy a f.w hoi.. d..... op.d, .... clnl a few rlders on _ . rslIIer un.xpected bip So story and photos by Maureen Lee • We scrambled around at Lancaster on Memorial Day and what a nice change that was! Really first class accomodations (inspite of all the dirt blowing around). The Rams had a building to do their paper work in, the pits were great and we all had running water to wash in after the battle. Best of all, the crowd turnout was good and when it's a benefit race, that's what we like to see! Loverly Holes Wish we had had the results in time for my deadline, as there was good racing! The track was fast and as slippery as h•• 1, er•••ice and as the day went along some loverly (sic) holes opened up so that one minute you were in a full lock slide and then suddenly bashing through the boonies. One tremendous race was between Jim Doron and Wade Zimmerman. Jim ended up the winner but it was a real bash and in one moto Jim's pipe came off and so did his brake lever with bits all around the track. But he was put back together again in time for' the next trip out! The Sidehack Association kept the crowd entertained and added a few more grey hairs to this old head when the slarter let them all go for their first moto while an enormous grader was still on the track. We know 'hacks and hackers are almost indestructible but tbere is a limit! Crash tf Ibe Day Home-town favorite was Larry Wilburn and he didn't let his neighbors down as he took the 500cc win. Ben Fakkeldy again wailed on the Open Expert class, that's two wellearned wins in a row now for Ben. He looks good! Crash of the day had to be Rick Heartache And Delight James in the 250 Expert class. They were all going like there was no tomorrow, with Rick in the lead, Lee Stumpenhous right on his tail, and Jim Connolly on his Greeves moving up fast. On the nasty little righthander after the jump Rick really wiped out and Lee had no place to go but into him and down hard himself. Showing once again that we do have Sportsman riders who aren't out there to win at all costs, Lee got up and wouldn't continue until he found out that Rick was up and moving around o.k. Then he went on to make up for lost time. Connolly meanwhile had the rest of the troops passed and was on his way to a hard-ridden and well-earned first place much to the delight of all the of all the Greeves supporters. The "Fifteen lnchers" provided their usual great show. In the beginners division, the Main Event was filled with both heartache and delight - Delight for Tom Church, who took his "Taco" to the lead on the first lap, and winged it all the way to the flag. The heartache belonged to Max Carpen ter. Max is just starting this crazy game and was working his way through the pack like a veteran. When he made it to second and set sail for ChurCh, he performed one of those 100g, slow controlled falls and had to be content with the caboose label. Bill Donley then moved into second, followed by John stockton. Northern Challenge Desert Vi sitors The racing ended with an invasion of riders from the desert who had already competed at the Ponderosa but showed up to have a share of the fun. They ran "hooligans" and although I know I am sticking my neck out a lot of those guys could show some of our scrambles aces the way around that track! One we'll tab as an example was Lon Peterson on a Rickman Metisse. I just wonder what would have happened if that youngster had ridden in the scrambles classes! The day ended with a trophY presentation as elegant as any at a pro track and trophies were the absolutley beautiful and were excellent for the occasion as part of their decoration was an American soldier in battle dress to remind us all again that after all, it was Memorial Day. • "Mighty Mike" Lane was one rider who didn't seem to be bothered by the temperature and came through with a double win. Mike rode a new one-twenty Kawasaki to vi ctory iri the ring-a-ding class and led the Bultaco parade home in the 200 rounds. Warren sanders was the Amateur Class winner behi nd Lane in the little bike rounds and Randy Smith (who has been winning everywhere lately) took the toll of the 200 Amateurs. Hodaka-mounted Ron Tobey did the job on Jerry sander's Suzuki in the90cc Novice class and Ray Yinger outsped Steve Davis and "Dirty Ernie" Winslow for the 200cc Novice win. Wow, this cat's rully pttlnl lUsted! Results on page 20. The Amateur-Expert main looked like an instant-replay. Only the names were changed. The "Paso Robles Kid" Wayne Schmidt pushed his CZ to the lead almost from the start and never looked back. Mike Taylor had the misfortune of being cast as the "Fall-guy" this time. After holding on to the second overall Mike lost it on the last lap. Don Hughes moved into the position followed by Expert Frank Rosebery, Butch Bevins, and Pete Fife, who has been coming back strong after a period of semi-retirement. The two fifty Amateurs and Experts that run Bakersfield got together after the race and decided to issue a challenge to the Southland shoe s. "If any of you guys around L.A. think you go fast on your 250's, come on up to Bakersfield June tenth for some 'cool of the night' racing and we'll see" is the quote I was supposed to print. I won't predict the outcome if some of you go north, but whoever comes out on top won't do it easily. It would be quite a race if John Riggen, Keith Mashburn, Lee stumpenhaus, Gene Cannaday, John sprague, Dave Ham and the other fast guys from the SOuthland journeyed north to do battle with Joey Brown, Wayne Schmidt, Don Harms, Tracy Bright, Midge Griffith, Don Hughes, The Roseberty Bros. Jay Carter and many more central Calif. "Shoes". We could even throw in Bill Silverthorn and Chuck Baker and some of the other "Dago" chargers. It may never come off, but the Bakersfield area boys are looking for a little competition from out side the area. A Flyin' Swede Members of th. SldtIIsck Association ent.taln.d the folks willi a show oll.arl.ssn.ss. The Nov-Am. moto, was strictly a Rick Elisarraras affair all day. The -Flyin' Swede" (who coined that title?) had little trouble keeping his beautifully prepared twenty-one inch Beezer abead of Joe Garban's Triumph and played it cool once he moved to the front. The Open Novice class melted down to only two riders for the final round and Larry Garban bested Stan • Meeks for the win.