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/125588
" .... PEARBLOSSOM, Cal., Nov. 17 - Twenty miles northeast of this peaceful desert town was the setting for the ann ual Rams Run . The fi r s t rain of the season bad come two days before the event so the deser t floor was stlll damp, The perfect weather and the completely new territory was a combination that brought everyone out for a dust- fr ee des er t race. The San Gabriel Valley M.C . team of Mike Patrick, /1'/, and Phil Bowers, #139x, again ran first and second. Pa trick was the big gun in the open expert class, taking fi r s t overall on his Norton. Yamaha-mounted Bower s was the 250cc winner . The starting area was rough, separatIng the experienced r iders from the new r iders. The country was very bushy, so you couldn't get a straight shot at the smoke bomb. And there wer e a few three- feet-deep rai n ruts with straightup sides that were hard to jump across. A big cr owd walted on the starting line near the main trail, har to bar. A roar went up a t the drop of the banner an d the 300 combined open and 250cc riders took off through the bushes toward the s moke bomb. At the smoke two miles out, J .N. Roberts, #2 on the Tracy'stuned Hus kY, had the lead over Tom Maxwell, #54 on a Norton. Ray Alexander, #144x, Mike Patrick, and Larry Bergquist, #888x on the red Bultaco tuned by Fergus & Griffin, were next. The co u r s e ran counter-clockwi se mainly open trails In-and-out of sandwashes , a couple of fire roads and a beautiful third-gear sandwash that was five miles long and stlll plenty damp and fresh. At the gas check after the first for ty m1le loop, Roberts still had the lead. He was foll owed by Bergquist, Don Rickman , #DJ , on a BSA Rickman , Pa trick, and Bowers , who had moved up to fifth . The second loo p was also for ty miles around, but faste r . Roberts held the lead and 'dropped Into a long, straight fire road to turn it on. But he must have buzzed it too much because the engine gave up and he had to drop out. Pa trick had mad e a very fast pit stop and got Rickman In the pi ts . He was able to make time on Bergquist and pass him right after the pits, taking over the lead with Roberts sitting beside the road. Patrick, Bowers Beat Bergquist, Roberts and Rickman -_.._ .., , ...... . . story and Photos by Dick Wright ~ C> All the sun and elbow-room you' d want, and the dust kept down by a rain two days earli er. Courtesy of Victor Valley Press Rickman Fun Bowers aiso got a speedy pit s top from the same San Gabriel Valley M.C. group, dropping Into se c 0 n d place behind Pa trick . They contin ued on to the f1n1shline in that order, with Ber gqui st placing third, Don Rickman fourth, and George Walker, #225M, In fifth on a 360 Husky. Howard Ulsey , #737, was the first Ama te ur In, runni ng sixth overall on a 360 T rail bike cla ss winner, Jack 'Morgan, j umps off one of the many rain rut banks. Here's the man on Norton who took It all , Mike Pa trick. C.Z. The Rickman brothers of England both looked good and said they en joyed de ser t racing. Derek, #DE, took eighth ove rall after being mistaken about when the start was to be and coming out dead last. Don r eportedly lost five minu te s trying to fig ure out the gas check r outi ne. Clos ely foll owing was Dave Lewis , #45, on a 360 Greeves tuned by Burbank Triumph. Amateur Ra y Alexander , #144, had a good day on his Bultaco, taking tenth spot and first 250Amateur. The top Novi ce was Don MacDonald, # l 84M, on a Triumph, running 25th overall. When the banner dropped for the trall bikes , 219 100cc rider s took off , s tarting a r eal battle fo r the lead position on the main trail. At the smoke bomb, Wes Anders on J r ., #4, had the advantage on his S.S. Hodaka, followed closely by Terry Clark, #395, and Jeff Wright, /1'/6, on a Crowell-tuned Hodaka. JackMor gan was r unning a close fourth. The battle c ontin ued over the choppy, sandy course, wher e Anderson had the misfortune of falling off, giving Clark a chance to take the lead. Then Ander son got going again and took it right bac k. Morgan mad e his move, passing Wr ight and Clark. He was finally able to overtake Ander son and the lead on the last two miles of the co urse. Anderson was s econd; Bultace-mounted Gary Griffin, #112, third after moving through th e pack. Eric Jensen fought his way up to fo urth. Clark was fifth, Jim Sumners, #578, took sixth spot, and Wright was ne xt, taking second Amateur . The top Novice was D. Emlir, #347Mon a Suzuld , a young r ider who looked good . (Results on page 16) DEC.12 See page 17 - - -- ---------- ------- Howard Utsey on C· Z takes sixth, followed by. James Martino on Husky. INSERT : Phil Bowers , 250cc winner, second overall , powers around turn. WES CO I NC. is t he leade r i n t he field of fine moto rcycle accessories ...s pec ia l izi ng in h igh performan ce components fo r both co m petitio n and sports enthus iasts. SOLO AT BETTER MOTORCYCLE DEALERS EVERYlYHERE 8B PAGES-19GB CAIAl G The II I IWW 1968Webco taUIoi is 1Mmost compr~''fe )n tlle motoreycteactnSOOft industry. 88 Plces. tlvndr~ ol llluslr.l ioM. 01 the most w ant" motorcycle lCtnSOfies ancllli&ftPMfonnance components. A1so Indude l information 01inlerts t to ,II motorcycle enthusiastl. !'riel $1.00• • • hacludu W .IIe. rxh. nq dlUl. SUZUKI MAK E S IT ... SO MAKE IT SUZUKI INTENSIfIED == == == =~=~ =~~ HD O AKAS by CROW ELL Order yOII' custom set up cornpetition HODAKA NOW! Glrlln g shocks - Extended Front Forks 19" Front wheel - BobbY·J" AlrCleanen Choice of Ti res - Crowel l Port Job Number Plate - Skid Plat e Crowell Tu ned Pipe - Fori< Brace 10427 Prairie, Inglewood Phone (213) 673-5562