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
TIle flails up and rlderl Icramblelllward lb., 1IIe11lnel for Ibe ltart of Ibe Calico 100. TIl, all-trall blk, IVllIt wal held on a dry lak, bed nur Barllow, Callt. *** * MACKIE MASTERS CALICO lOa ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ C~L. Mackie follld bis way fbl'Ougb tbe .st III capue first place by a wide margin in fbe HI Jiax's tbird aanual •Calico 100' at the Calico dry lake bed 10 niles east of BarSfllw on May 28. Mackies' Honda 8-90 finished the grueling 100 miles more than a ~P ahead of second placer Freddle Mendez, also on a Honda 8-90. Tflird place ho!?or~ went to Frank Vallefuoco and his potent Hodaka, while fourth place in the 125cc class went to John Welborn, who rode a Yamaha 100 slDgle. First place, in the 80cc class went to JlID Tnpp. aboard an 80 Yama?a, who also took seventh overall. Tnpp, barely edged ,Gene Hester for the Wln, Hester comlDg 10 second on his Yamaha 80. Third and fourth places respectively in the 80 class went to Doug Leach and Bill O'Neill. both on Yamahas. Lake Circuit The course was limed out entirely' on dry lake hed and featured several right and left hand 90 degree turns, and a half mile straight away. The circuit was 2Yo! miles long. Only one third of the excellent turnout saw the end of the race as the heat, dust, rider fatigue, and bike malfunctions finished off the entries one by one. The 'Calico 100' originated two years ago by the Hi Jinx, and has become one of the most popular trail bike races in California. Mackie completed the race in a little under four hours - a 25 miles per hour average. The last finisher straggled across the line some 45 minutes later. Le Mans Start The riders lined up for the Le Mans style start dead engine start, and at precisely 10:30 a.m., flagman Brian Jenkins dropped the banner. Fred Mendez, starting from the pole position, grabbed the lead at the first tire, with steve Paul. Keith Tennis, and Larry Welborn in hot pursuit. Tennis fell on the third turn, causing a minor traffic jam at the corner. Welborn. having cleared the pile uP. vaulted into the lead midway through the lap, Paul moving up to second. John Welborn passed Mendez to take over third making it a three bike race, as the trip began to pull away from the field. Trials ... The leader developed trouble in his exhaust system after the third lap, and had to pit. giving the lead to Paul. John Welborn, in second place by only about two seconds. fouled a plug on the fourth lap, and Paul had the track to himself. Harry Bachelor cleared his way into second place hy the end of the seventh lap, but hlew up his engine on the next circuit. Paul stiU'had a half a lap lead on the field. Tri bul ati on s Bad luck struck the leader next, as he seized the engine of his Bridge-" stone Scrambler on the twelfth lap, and was forced to retire from the race. Mackie inherited the number one spot, and was never headed after this point. The close st anyone came to taking the lead after that was on the leaders 35th lap when Frank Vallefuoco' s Hodaka developed air cleaner trouble however, and he was forced to settle for third place. One surprisin~ factor in the race TIle ludln art off and ramlnland dl uppea, In a cloud of dust. SO..e of Ibe llrawerlart I,n behind, Includlnl IbII plot-sized sctamblel IIIIlt.., who II trytnllD let hli machine off lIIe cent. ItaDd. was the fact that Bill O'Neill was as high as third place midway through the 100 miles on a Yamaha 80. Freddie Mendez kept up his steady pace through out the enduro, and kept his machine out of trouble to gain an easy second place. And Comebacks Larry .,UlIom, on a 100 Yamaha twin. lays a dust screen roundlnl on, of the tums. John Welborn remedied his early 'problems after dropping off to as far Clown as twentieth place, moved up to second and almost to third. He almost caught Vallefuoco on the final lap, before his engine soured once again. Steve Bachelor ran a steady race to place fifth, with Keith Tennis taking sixth. George Ramey Qualified for a trophy by grabbing eighth in the 125cc class. Yamahas and Hondas dominated the entries, with a relatively few Bridgestones, Hodakas, and Suzukis. The ne xt such race to be sponsored by the Hi Jinx will be the third annual 'Calico 50' at a new location, EI Mirage Dry Lake, on the Fourth of July weekend. Look for details in Cycle ews. F,ank Valltfuoco on the Hodaka which carried him to Ii,st plac..