Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

~ TRACTION PLUS AT ~ RIDGE RUNNERS ..... SCRAMBLES ..... 00 <0 0> 00 Story a nd P ho t os by Dale Ivan On June 16, the Ridge Runners M,C. held their second scrambles race at Santa Cr uz, Calif. It was evident that the Bob Grassl, 250 and 650 Expert second plac e man,really flew in sli dy styl e on his Montesa. SEE YOUR DEALER cl ub had learned a good deal from their first scrambles held only a month ago, as this event was grea tly improved . This time the club had a P.A, system that wor ked gr eat (the previous s et had been a little lea ky) , Also, th a ir announcer did a fantastic jobl Parking facilities were improved and the club officials seemed to have everythi ng under contr ol , except for a small incident created by the guy dragging the track with a tractor. He seemed to have gott en tan gled up . in his wor k. Winner of both the 250 and 650 Expert Main s, Bul t aco-mounted Allen Kenyon. Good starts reall y pai doll. Th e track was a real r iders ' cour se comprised of mixed traction and of many tight left and right-hand turns . Traction was improved one hundred per cent over the last race and in time the surface will be perfect. I was s urpr is ed to find the track in s uch good shape, for it had resembled a moto-cross course, just two weeks prior to the race. The hard work of the many cl ub members really paid off. There was a ction aplenty throughout the various Mains, the s cene of many hotly co ntes ted battles . Jim Holmes, ridi ng a Bultaco Pur Sang . did a fin e job of winning his heat race and the 250 Novice l\lain. Holmes, a member of theR ,R,M .C. showed the other Novices the way a r ound the track in a very s peedy s tyl e. J im Ri ce , a 250 Bultaco rider, surprised a number of people with his fantastic heat-race win an d 2nd place trophy in the Amateur Main. Rice had been t:-ansferr ed from a 250 Novice to the Ama te ur Class , the morning of a scra mbles . Since this was to be his first Amateur Race , he was not expected to do very well . However, he jumped out in front of the more experienced troops in the heat, and hel d first place to the che cker ed. Jim's ride was a lmost duplica ted in the Main Event as he l ed it for 7 -1 / 2 laps but with a half of a lap to go, Scott Diffenbaugh riding a TM Suzuki, streaked by Jim in the right -hand turn, and went on to win. Kim Bakre won the 350 Novic e Main, but only by the skin of hi s teeth. He was closely pursued by Joe Strite an d Cr aig F'Hl rner , New Amateur 250 Bultaco ri der J im Rice won hi s heat and took second In the Main . SACHS -~ TRAI LBIKES Dealer Inquir ies Invi ted Hercules Dist. Co. LT D - U7l8 Santa Monica Bl vd. L os An eles 3, Ca. 90025 LONG BEACH HONDA #1 IN SALES SERVICE AND SPORTS RACING The 250 and 650 Expert Mains included some of the top point leading Experts in District 36. Allen Kenyon emerged as kin g of the day, by winning both the 250 and 650 Expert Mains. His wins were not xhe most spectacular in the world, but he proved to everybody that ge t ting to the first t urn fi r s t, can really count. The hard luck story of the day, should go to Tracy Nelson, a 650 Amateur , who fell short (an d I do mean fell) of a welldeserved second place in the 650 Amateur Main. Tracy worked his way from at least 5th place to the number two posttion on the first lap, and he was working the eventual winner Greg Randy into the gr ound. On the last lap, Tracy made his bid for the first place trophy, but he parted company with his Triumph a few feet from the finish line. Honda rider Bud Gibson, following close behind, took advantage of Tracy' s misfortune to tak e the second. The highlight of the day's program was the 100cc Duffers Race s taged a t half-time . The Club provided a combined 100cc Race for theOlder Members of the racing set. About 20 riders (NOVices, Am a teurs & Experts), allover the age of 30, tried for the 3 trophies being offered . First an d second s pots were s ewed up after the first lap as John Mason and Dan Ronsse, both on Hodakas, pulled away fromihe rest of the pack. However, there was a fierc e battle be twee n Amateur Bud Gibson (Sachs ) and Expe r t Dick Lathrop (Honda) for the numbe r three positi on. Thes e guys managed to(simultaneously) work their way up from the mi ddle of the pack. They then waged a four- lap battle betwee n thems elves that s ti ll has the local fans laughing. Gibson fi nally grabbed third from Lathrop who was ha ving diff ic ulti es shifti ng his borr owed Honda. We will be looking for ward to ano ther fine day of racing activities in the Santa Cruz area in approximately one month . The Ridge Runners M.C . hopes to see you then. (Results on page 20) HAVE YOUR MACHINE TUNED BY JOHN 'RICE #1 in Distri ct 37 S crambl e s HorlDA BSA HODAl

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