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/125544
everyone In and made a clean sweep of al l three motos In the 500cc class. Malco rider Stu Peters grabbed the lead In the first moto with Lon Peterson, also on a Malco, and Axthelm r unning close behind . Peters took a nasty spill and Peterson took the lead with Axthelm second and Ray Sledge (CZ) third . Peterson broke a chain and Axthelm took over and led to the finish . Peters again shot out In front In the second molo, with Peterson and Axthelm again following. Walt managed to overtake Peters along with Peterson and junior class leader, Husky mounted Lynn Fortner. It was AxtheIm 's race with Peterson second and Fortner third. The last molo was Axthelm all the way. It was his slxthtwenty-minutemolo of the day, since he rode both clas s es, but he still poured It on. Peters got the jump at the start, but Axthelm took over on the first Iap, Peters pushed hard and stayed on his tail for several laps, but when Axthelm took the checkered flag, he had a fifty-six second lead. A beautiful day and a superb course, combined with some of the top motocross riders, and the California MotoCr oss Club provided a day of good action packed entertainment. (Results on page 16) Only a month slipped by from the time of the California Moto-Cross Club's fir s t meeting until their fir st r ace, Sunday, Feb. 4. The AFM alf1liated club picked Carlsbad for the course and It proved 10 be a excellent choice . The course Is on the opposite side of the pits from the road race track and drag strip. The twisting I-mile course Is strictly natural terrain, with only a few bushes cut down In places. The course wound over the sides of two hills and through the hollow between them. Track conditions varied from 'Soft sandwashes, mudholes, hills, jumps and bumps, to grassy uphill off-camber turns . There were many good vantage points for spectators, and the mudhole, which grew from smalland shallow to deep and treacherous, was perhaps the favorite . The Expert and Junior classes In both 250cc and 500Cc molos were combined, and they were also the only two 10 run. Each class ran three twenty-minute motos over the well marked course. The club did an abs olutely great job of handling their first race, and their enthusiasm and hard work will be a great asset 10 moto-cross racing. The molos were al ternated between the 250 and 500cc classes , with the 250's starting things off. Husky-mounted Bill Silverthorn gr abbed an early lead In the first moto, and led for the first five or six laps . Gary Conrad (SUZUki) and Walt Axthelm (CZ) worked their way up to the front of the pac k, with Conrad In second and really pushing Silverthorn. Presion Petty wheeled his Suzuki out of the pits, after the last rider had topped the first hill and disappeared.He zipped around the track with w1ldabandon workIng up 10 fourth position behlndAxthelm. Silverthorn and Axthelm both dumped on the same lap and Petty moved up 10sec- The two Suzuki riders finished one two with Conrad taking the win. Petty snatched the lead from the line In the second moto, with Conrad and Silverthorn In hot pursuit. Silverthorn v a s forced to give up second spot 10 .. Conrad who Immediately dropped out of the race with a brake failure which was probably caused from a crash in practice. ThIs moved CZ-mounted Lon Peterson up to third, and they finished Petty, Silverthorn and Peterson. The third and final moto found Petty back In the lead, with Al Baker on a Husky holding on 10 second. Petty went down In a mudhole (which was really bad after five motos ) and Baker took over, followixl by Silverthorn and Tim Hart (CZ) who was the first place junior. Silverthorn finally managed to get by Baker when mud caused his throttle and brakes to fall at the same time. With Baker out, Hart moved up to second behind Silverthorn and Petty had worked his way back up to third, where he finIshed behind Silverthorn and Hart. Conrad, Petty and Silverthorn each won a moto, but Petty was the 250cc winner and Silverthorn was second. Conrad, who was only able to complete one moto, still had enough points to finish flfth. The rider In this clas s who really had had everyone rooting for him was Lt . JG Arthur Wittig, who rode to the meet on a Kawasaki twin street rig (lights, tag, street tires and all) and entered his first race. His riding style might not have been spectacular, but his cour age was, considering what he was riding. He managed 10 f1n1sh all three molos and take sixth place In the Junior division, on a machine that should never have left the pavement. Walt Axthelm and his CZ really did ond, .--------------" '" ~ c, >-; Han Your Hodaka Set Up To Win By '" EDDIE CROWELL Ifodtja HeatlIfID1eIS EXTRAS · l" .SfncUt • 1 n DaU .. 1 150111 " • 1 $1 nr. n ,. 1•• SI .I , • •, . • 1 , CiiI, IIa, SloU. . • 1 set O' laacli 'M. • 1 ron. Brac. • 1 s.t D ..,.IOII' e.r. • l St_1 C"'ftll • 1 [ ......1 Coli Le"., • 1 _.co Mil- e:-,. Mu4I : t ~:"=lf:::.:-r. • 1 _I " !I l ..... ar K Ut • 1 c. .... T.IMCI " ,. ~ • 1·11" ,,... ...... • 1-1/1 T.m l1wDttl e • 1 lUll Jun_ • 1 BoMrr "J" Air Clu_ • 1·21111111 Caltu ,. ......ul C• • f " u I • 1 CI'O..U fl'DrtJoIl 10427 Prairie, Inglewood Phone (213) 673-5562 THE 32 TO 40 TO 1 LUBE RACING CASTOR and SUPER FILM ",&"~AIII9AII" EvreJ11e(r detOl IJl/ming ~~ UNEQUALLED for INJECTOR or GAS-OIL MIX ADDZ IP ADDI T IVES 1433·1437 F IRST ST. ESCALON . CALIFORNIA. WINS 28 Salinas 11 Scrambles Jan. 151 GARY BAILEY 500 Expert Riding a 360 Greeres NEW' Perris 11 Scrambl es Jan. 28 BULTACO DEALER Servingthe entirePomona Valley All models available NOWI Complete Parts Selection Expert Service 1st JIM CONNOLLY 1st JON LINDEBERG 250 Expert 250 Novice Castaic ACA Moto-cross feb. 4 SEE PETE DeROSA 1st RUSS DARNELL 2nd GARY BAILEY Foothill M/C WHILE THEY LAST GREEVES TT SPECIAL 5795.00 All models at 1811 West fooffill BlwI• • ?tel/!- Upland Califonia (n4) 624-9414 or (n4) 982-8951 'Ctdt4~ Z'e4ktt pn 'l'~ 250 Senior 250 Senior Special Introductory Offer Distributed by lIa/te1f NICK NICHOLSON MOTORS 11629 Van Owen, No. Hollywood '213) 164-8614 .Q ~ -DA TONA PROVEN Y "g~" ... co ::r ...