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/125548
... PACIFIC COAST MOTO·CROSS CHAMPIONSHIP Story and Photos ill' Vic EbbuU W h_••' Talk about Jumplnl styles; her. ar. two drastica lly dlffer.n t m thods of overcomlnl a . rls. on th. E... mclaw, W ashlnlton moto-croll cours.. Husqvarna-mo unt.d Larry Lawson (L) and #2q Dick J aeow (Matchl.ss) lead 't he sn.llnl pack Into the n rstlum of lb. Pacific Coast 1I0....Croll Chaqllonshlp rae.. Sunday, February 11, under cloudless skies, 284 riders trom Washington , Oregon, Calitornia and many points at Canada gathe red in the smaIl town ot Enumclaw, 20 miles southeast ot - Seattle, Wash. to do battle tor the Pac1t1c Coast Molo-Cross Championship. Such outstanding competitors as Emil Ahola, National #80: Larry Lawson at San Diego; Dick Jagow , National #97; Magnus lQeele ot Ontario; Fumlo Ito ot Tokyo; Gary Lavis, National #14; and Norm Kopp ot Spokane were present and the show they gave the 2344 spectators was nothing short ot spectacularv-Ieaps, twists, turns and grace that had to be seen to be belieVed. The beauty ot an airborne motorcycle competitor delles description: and airborne they were tor incredible heights and distances. Championship winners were Larry Lawson, 500cc; Norm Kopp , 250cc; Bill Langley, 100ce , and the Totem Motorcycle Club ot vancouver, B.C., Club Team . Starting with a scrambles tor 210 riders betore the Championship, the 250cc group, 62 strong, roared away tr om the starting line In a series ot three heats . The outstanding rider In this class proved to be Wayne Wright riding a Harley-Davidson. Second place went to Don Rhodes on his Bultaco and in third spot was Roger Stanley on a Montesa. The 500 (or Open) class was won by Emil Ahola with his BSA Victor. Second was Buz Gelienbeck, also aboard a BSA, and capturing third place was Paul Zel1ner r iding a CZ. This class counted 57 contestants in three heats. Promptly at 12:30 p.m, the Championship Moto-Cross got underway. One Abo..: J o. O...... rs wr.stles It to the lfOund and now he'll bulldal It. B. low: Later In th. day most of III. comp. tltors look.d weary and " III-splattered" Gri my face shl.lds and 10UI.s had been cls carded In an .ffort to slay on cour... I hundred and seventy-two rroers were divided Into 250cc and Open classes with 92 riders In the tormer group and 80 In the big bore category. And In both classes, I saw such riding as I've never betore In my Ilte wllnessed. Having covered t1attracks, 'IT's, hillcllmbs, mllers and scrambles events, I was truly unaware that such daring (outside at Evel Kn1evel) and dexterity existed. I was thrilled. The course was one mlle In length with a variety at terrain that tested not only the machine-handling ability ot a man but his stamina, too. The main stretch was about two hundred yards In length, then live turns, Jumps, sand, up and down steep hills and back Into the stretch. How men survived ten Iapsat this treatment, I shall never know. For an event ot this magnitude only the highest praise can be oftered the Sea!alr City Motorcycle Club tor their ettlciency In handl ing It. It was the largest sportsman race ot its type ever held In the Northwest and will become an annual altair. Televised In color by KOMO- TV, It was shown at 6:30 p.m , the same evening. The afternoon was climaxed by a Club Team event and a beautiful perpetual trop hy was presented to the winners, The Totem Motorcycle Club ot Vancouver, British Columbia . The Inland Empire Motorcycle Club ot Spokane took second place and the Seattle Motorcycle Club was third, tollowed by the Sealalr City Motorcycle Club at Seattle. The lInal eve nt ot the day was a tenlap Grand Prix, won handily by Larry Lawson on his s creaming Husqvarna and tollowed by Magnus lQeels on a CZ. Dick Jagow was third, riding a Matchless. ! Second Place Is ~ifJ ~ Hard /J Ride II To Bear Winner FrDIn WJr. ~ MOT,O BETAKAWASAKrew" ~~ , . . _ ~ Available for Immediate (;iiA Delive~~ SEE THEM AT ~ THREE HUGE SOUTHLAND LOCATIONS 15;45 Lakewood Blvd. Para mount. Caur. 224 N. Anaheim Blvd. (213) 'IE 11-1313 (; 14 ) 535-364; Anaheim. Calif. 9536 E. F ires tone Blvd. Downey. Ca llt. ( 213) 869-0600