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/125533
- -- ... Gary BaliII)', w1~ner of the lOOcc, 250cc and 500cc Sportlne classes, shown here on his wife's Hodaka. over-all and a considerably remodeled froni fender. Up came the next 250cc pro heai and this time it was Sweden's Torsten Hallman who got the drop on the others but Robert was in full cry after him and flnally nalled blm. Ake Jonsson (Husky) took third over-all and Roger DeCoster (C- Z) the fourth. First American was Eddie Mulder (Montesa) who came in right beblnd r:ave Bickers. Eddie looked good in the 250 class but didn't tare so well in the 500 when he only rode one moto. Second American was young Jimmy Stein (Husky) and we say again, watcb this man! He'll be news some day soon! John Maynard (Honda) won the 350 class after being black-flagged out of the 250 moto preceed!ng it when he thougbt be was in the right race and found out he wasn't, Jim Bently (Husky) took the second. Nick Nicholson with Gary Bailey rlpt on his wh.1 erlmly banes onto his lead while an unidentified VIVA·shlrted rider considers how to Zap 'em both. 500cc Amateur class winner Gary Bailey (Greeves) bad a palr of Husky's ridden by Ron Fry and Bill Hutton taking the second and third beblnd bim. Another Husky rider, George Etheridge, led part of the first moto. His rear wheel flnally let go with several broken spokes and various other I 0 0 s e things flapping around. Lt was a tough break. '27 Harley Takes 6th! The Open class looked like it would be Gene Smith's win aboard the same Triumph he bad just ridden in the Barstow to Vegas National to a second. He bad also won Corriganville and Castaic moto-ct:.osses and won the first moto at Forst going away and really showed a lot of style coming over the bills with the front wbeel high in the air! Second head be bad the lead again and then dropped a chain. Hurried track-side repairs got blm going again and into a third place over-all. Don Finley (Triumph) took the second after having his bands full keeping the likes of Ken Sparkman (Triumph) and Rick Hobbs (BSA) from taking away his nice lead. "Star" of the class was Homer Knapp on a 1927 Harley-Davidson (no, I'm not putting you on) who finished 6th. Looking at that bike you wouldn't believe it could get around the tight corners but it did and looked great in the rougb sections because it bad a wheelbase longer than anything else out there! r:ave Bickers was seen riding it around the pits with a big grin on his face. 500cc Frolic All the big guns were in the 500cc professional class. Gary Conrad (Greeves) Walt Axthelm (C-Z) who bad done so well on bis Suzuki in the 250race, Russ Robinson (BSA) Eddie Mulder (Montesa) and two ex-Catailna Grand Prix Champions Bud EKINS (RickmanTriumph) and Chuck "Feets.. Minert (BSA- Victor). (CooLiDued OD page 23)