Dirtdiggers Climax
Hopetown Decade
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Cream of Competitors
Careen Around
Comedian's Course
•
Ph otos by John Shedd. Bill Pettigrew.
,
Dennis Greene.
FLAT F1.YER FELLED BY FLAT TIRE - Jim W
ilson Is Just discovering his rear ti re has
gone flat as this picture was made. He won the 250 Novice race. was leading SODs here.
By John Shedd
).
"
HOPETOWN. Cal., Nov. lO-Hopetownls
the yearly classi c everyone l ooks for ward to. Even through the tension, butterIDes and hearbreak there Is a gener al
happy m ood, The Di r td1gger s 10th annual
Grand Prix was not quite so colorful as
last " year, without the CZ and Husky
teams, but Great Brltaln's Greeves star,
Bryan Wade, and the Rickman Brothers
of Melisse fame gave us some of last
year's international flavor. About 34,000
attended, with 850 r iders. There were 16
events over the weekend, nine running
yesterday. The seven over-250cc classes were run today. Each event ran 10
laps except the 250cc Novices. They
started saturday's action with two heats,
their MaIn Event coming later In the day.
Greeves rider Jim WIlson completely
overwhelmed the competition In the first
heat. Jim LeBlanc came from behind on
his Bultaco to win the second .
In the Maln Event, It was again trials
r i der Ji m Wilson walking away. Wilson,
who cu t his teeth at trials riding, may
Just be the one American In the next few
years capable of defeating some of
Europe' S better m oto- cross stars.
The 100cc Amateur/ Exp er t cl ass was
packed with talent. Yamaha ace Fred
Edwards grabbed the lead while Amateur
BIll Pettigrew (Hodaka) moved f r om back
In the pack to second overall. But Edwards dropped out on the first lap and
Pettigrew fowled a plug, putting him ' way
lack•.
Zundapp-mounted John Rice moved up
to the front but he too had problems.
Gary Balley then took over on his Penton.
Balley eventually met the same fate as
the earlier leaders.
Finally It was Amateur Dan Hackle who
took the overall win on a' HOctaka. Dave
Aldana on a Suzuki was first Expert.
The 250cc event combined Novices,
(Continued on page &)
RIGHT: Sidehacks bog brlelly In the IllUd hazard as Darrel and Ken Me.r molDr by on the fly.
BELOW: Open Experts led by Gene Smith wltll Dusty (36) Coppap setting up lor the win. De..
ert sancUon allowed plll'usional Experts to ride. Mike (9) Haney was secondoverall.
)
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