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/125606
Perris When It Drizzles • Wet &Wild Story and Photos by Manuel Burton Remember all that mud OIl thls page iast week? That was from Perris, california instant molo-cross. And here is how it all happened: Spartsmr that runs on fuel. Not Dave Campos' machine to burn _,-<-mile. PERRIS, Call!. Sunday, Feb. 23, 1969What started out to be a scheduled AMA DiStrict 37 Point Run turned out to be an unscheduled molo-cross race, forced on about 14 or so dedicated sportsmen by the heavy weekend raintall. The regular Perris T.T. course was pretty muddy. However, with the track rule that all bikes be equipped with Class C tires (the traction being not Ideal for anything less than S\1Per-knobbys), therefore, the hosting San Bernardino Valley M/C Club elected to cancel the day's. scrambles in view of the odds against them. So, for the hardy souls who were game enough to have a whack at it, track owner Jerry Burton revved lIP his "EarthCat" and literally carved out a quick moto-cross course right through and across the regular track! He took in part of the surrounding hillsides, then cut across-country right into the area known as the "grvel-plt." Now that pit was really something to see! It resembled a miniature Disneyland, because the trail went lIP and down, around the edge of a cOlIPle of pretty big ponds and down into the gravel bottom, up again onto the tacky trail around the "rock" .. trallered from Albuquerque, best E. T. of Bakersfield, California Ie dra, me~Uarch 2nd. ImpOS Riding this "instant course" would challenge the best of any molo-cross experts. It was decided to have one lO-lap event for all classes running together at once - winner take all. Picture a row of riders, with everything from a 50Cc to 65OCc's on the line; rain coming down in a steady drizzle, and mud lIP to your shins - it was wet and wild! Jerry Burton gave tiie grollP a starting signal and there was a slip and slidy turn around the rock like you've never seen! Bikes died in the infield with mudclogged carbs, and the lucky ones went on thetr way.. Ahove: afmr the ball was over, SIeve Nichols cleaned off with a lull·clad shower, courlesy 01 Perris Park Gardenln, Depl. Rllht Danny Hockle lOt In the swim, stayed in front of everybody to emer,e relatively clean after day's impromptu molo-cross. On the first lap Danny Hockle roared by on a highly-tuned Ossa followed by John Rice riding a sachs. Steve Nichols on a 100Cc Yamaha came around in third place, with his dad Ray bringing up fourth. The rest of the field thundered by in succession making mud and water fly in all directions. By now the other bikes and riders were a bit to<> muddy to be recognized; but one or two faces were just barely discernible - Honda mounted Bruce Ogilvie zapped by lap after lap, as did Bob Revett piloting a Yamaha. It was quite a sight to see, as there were chills and spills galore and you've gotta give those men credit - they sure put on one heck of a great show! It was well worth being there seeing. Danny Hockie led the field all the way, full-bore through all that the course had to offer, finally took the checkered flag to win It.. Everyone concerned had a whale of a good time, and It seemed like the jolliest was John R, who said he was going to do more of this type of rding this year because it was so much fun. After witnessing today's event first hand, this reporter agrees- what a blast! ht Bob Braverman, Dave Ca/l1l os, his class that he had to ellm1nlie trophY. were a cOlIPle of new bikes out tied. Jack Murphy had a new 500 3-cylinder Kawasaki. Jack ,lems so he loaded lIP before he some more. [g surprise of the day was when showed lIP with a 350 one Roadracer and turned in the His best was 12.52 E.T. and 'oP .R. - out of sight! BrIan Janes s time down to 12.48 E.T. on iUZuki• I~comson is doing real good. e