Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

Sunday m 0 r n I n g, December third, dawned grey and dreary, but fortune smiled, and the daY was spent under cloudy sides with only an occasional drizzle until the last two or three MaIn Events. An entirely new track was being run In Pittsburg, Calif., crossing a very deep ravine twice and then turning rlgbt, Off-camber, up a steep grassy billslde whicb became nearly Impassable In the 500-650 Open class, because of mud. From the top of the bill the course swooped down to a rlgbt-bander back onto the stralgbt. Practice for the HI-Hats M.C. event was run In two groups, loocc and 200cc to Open, and already the action was sbapIng up Into some fast, competitive racIng. Beginning with the loocc Novice class the action was completely dominated by Honda-mounted Lloyd DeVore, In both the beat race and the MaIn Event. Lloyd built up a good lead In the MaIn and led wire to wire. Hi-Hats' Winter Scrambles at Piffsburg story and Photos by Craig V. Randall Riders '-&In III line up lor practice al Pltlsburrs new track and eVllnlual 100cc Novice winner L10dy DeVore (154) looks ealer to lelcalnl on his Honda. the No. Calif. cballenge. second place Amateur went to Bultaco rider Jess Walls. TIle 250 Novice class was full of action with the largest field of the day makIng up two large beats. TIle first beat was won by Cbrls Willems and the second by Loren Garcia, both on Bultacos. TIle Main Event was run during the last few minutes of relative dryness, and most of the action was bandled by Garcta, wblle second place went to a not-too-dlstant Willems, followed by Jimmy Holmes, also Bultaco-mounted. Endo Time TIle 250 Amateur action bad by far the most spectacular crasb of the day wben Kelly Hudson on bis Bultaco did a spectacular endo wbile running In first place. Bounding down the long bill just before the right bander coming onto the starting stratgbt, Kelly's bike went endover-end FOUR full times while Kelly Cliff Spalr, CZ-mounted winner of the 250 Expert bash, comlnl out of the creek up onto the hili. Move ME Up, Willy a? TIlere was only one 100cc Amateur, Larry Spaulding, and no Experts, so Larry and bis borrowed Bultaco were advanced to the 200cc Novice class, wbere be took a well-earned first place, nearly lapping the last place rider on the f1na1 laP. Larry, by the way, was the only Southern representative to take up In lhe lOOcc Novice Main Evenl, Clyde Knolls wound up fifth. Here he's shown ",undlnl a tum and camlnl onto the main stralplaway, Kawasakl-mounled. Suzuki makes I-t' • VICTORY! somersaulted right along with It. 'Ib1ngs couldn't bave looked worse, but Kelly got up with .only a betty cut UDder bis right ey~. TIle race was restarted and won by Bill Cruz on a Bultaco. In the 250 Expert class some real Impressions were made by CUff Spatr, Tom Anderson, Jay Carter and Bob Hager. Because of a misunderstood flag signal, Hager did not complete six laps and as such lost fir st place, but was awarded third place anyway on basis of laps completed. He was really gassing bis C- Z. Carter was fourth on bis Bultaco, and Anderson, riding a Montesa, ended up second bebind Cliff Spa1r, wbo looked terr1f1c. Spalr really rode to get first place tropby. TIle 500 Novice class was agoodbasb, with 360 Malco mounted Scott Gordon pulling out the stops to take a good lead and first spot. By now the track was really slick because of the rain as 360 C-Z mounted Dick Meyers found out early In the race. He led for two laps but coming around for the third be sUd out In the same turn Hudson did bis eOOo. He finally got restarted and f1n1sbed second, a very respectable ride for sucb a relative newcomer. 10 Starters - 3 Finishers By now riders were beginning to go off course slightly to keep on the grass and stay uprlgbt, whicb became a major factor. Who could stay up the longest became the winner. TIle 500 Amateur, Expert, and the entire 650 Open Class were combined for lack of enttres. Knobbles began acting Uke K-70's onlce and out of TEN starters there were only three flnlsbers. First went to Amateur Bill McCllnton and bis BSA Victor, wbo seemed to know a special secret about getting around the course. Following bim closely all the way was Novice John Bordon on a fenderless Trlumpb. He soon became unrecognizable, but was undeterred by the mUd. TIlese two toured the course for a number of laps wb1le the rest of the bikes floundered In the creek and on up the b1ll. F1nal1y Expert Rod Norgaard, wbo bad lost all traction tryIng to make the bill, got bis BSA Gold Star to bite, and be came around tbe last two laps to take third place. Allin all, rain Included, It was a tun event and riders are looking forward to the next Pittsburg event, December 17. (Results on page 16) ... in Calijornia Dave Damron In acllon. Victorious Dave Damron••• one of many Suzuki winners. At Willow Springs, December 3rd and Riverside December 10th. Dave was first in 200 and 250cc Production Classes, and first again in the 350cc GP Class riding a 250cc X6 Hustler• ... in Oregon Ike Reed was first in the 250cc class at the Silvertown MotoCross, riding the new Suzuki TM-250. Jimmy Smith won the 250cc A Main and Trophy at the Sidewinders Turkey Mud Scrambles at Clackamas. Darrell Cotton made it victory in the 175cc Mote-Cross there. Bob Strayer picked up first in both the 100cc Trophy and A Main at the Turkey Mud Scrambles. Dennis Shipman was a Suzuki winner in the 100cc B Main at Clackamas. U.S. Suzuki Motor Corp. SUZUKI 13767 Freeway Drive Santa Fe Springs, Calif. Victory ••• Suzuki Makes It. See for yourself. Watch Suzuki riders ••• Novice, Amateur, Expert ••• and the Pros: Petty, Grant, Hammer, Rayborn, Conrad. Watch them all. They know. Suzuki Makes Ttl Street, trail, 'scrambles. or road race; give yourself a winning ride. Solo Suzuki. "" t, c... "I '"'<0 ~ .... ""

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