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/125617
Larsson Big Winner AI Dehesa 1010-1 I" By BI1l Harmer DEHESA, CAL., May 18- Riding a Husqvarna in each class, Lars Larson swept the ()pen and 250ce expert motocross races here today. Although he turned in a masterful ridlng performance. he Wl!:5 pressed continuously by Husky mounted Gene Fetty and Seott Klng who tlnlshed 2nd and third behlnd him in the Open Expert dass. Billy Sllverthorn, who calls san Dleco home and rides a Husqvarna out of Lemon Grove Honda Co. was dotoe beautltuiiy until hi! "took a $P11l and allowed Larson to capture the 250cc class also. Jet! WUlis on a spirited American E8.lfle out of Floyd Emde's looked 1m.. pressive and was credited with third place tn class In the offlclaI results, although this reporter was of the optnion that he ftnlshed hIrher when Silverthorn dropped his scooter tn the second moto. Stan Peterson ridlnr another Husqvarna was never out of contention whlle tlnlsh1n&' fourth. Aboard a DOn Vesco prepared Sachs, Ray Vanderpool outpointed Larson to win the 125cc class. Sachs mounted Mike RWJYlU'd and Bullaeo pilot Steve Ellsworth put on a rood battle for third place with Mike bavtnr a sUrht advantl.lfe in the ttnaI points. The power putt class, run tn conjunction with the l00cc experts, saw Yll!IIlIba mounted Marsha Metz win aU three motos. Hodaka pilot Marsha Whitten outpointed Carol Goodlnr. also onaHodaka, to capture the second spot. Alicia Gua1da looked good as she rode her Hodaka to 4th position. With the conclusion of the Experts races the track was opened tor novice practice and about 3: 15 the Novice program was started. The tleld of entries was so large that It was necessary to create two divisions tn aU but the open class. An attempt was made to start the 28 starters of the 125 novices but It resulted In a mass pUeup on the first turn and they had to divide the riders. One of the best looktor novi.ces was Gary Johnson rldlng a Husqvarna. It appeared that he would be a sure wtnner until he dropped out with mechanical d1ttlculty tn the t1nal moto, but still had enough points to win third tn division "B" of the 250cc Novices. The long program lasted until almost sundown but the 188 riders and the estimated 1500 tans clung on to the bitter end. The Hi-Boots M.C. president was deeply apologetic because they had to cancel the announced Class "C" part of their program but It was a case of too much red tape to receive the AMA sanction tn time tor the race and It had to be abandoned. It Is hoped that they can schedule an AMA sanctioned Moto-X Class "C" meet on next year's ca1eDdar• (Results on PlICe 26) Bill (11) 511"rlhom and Ray (7) Vanderpool Ila" the pCIlInd like twiRl. Vanderpool won the 125ee cia u. Jet, WIllis looked Itap"lll" ta a tIIIrd p1acl nnt ... on his Amerlc. £a,le. Arkansas Drags By Dan Zeman STUTTGART, ARKANSAS May 18- The mid south aU motorcycle dr8.lf meet took place Sunday at stutlprt Air Base near Littlerock, Arkansas,. Tbts tarned out to' be one al the Jarpst and best orpntzed drar events ever held. BIkes trom aU ewer the U.S. showed llP with riders UIIe lAo Payne, Joe Smttll, B«ts Murray, MarY .Jorreuoa, Daye Campos, and many, IDlIII)' more with total btII8entrtes Pu.bincPllStthe 200 mart. Dave Campoe took the top Fuel and Low E.T. rold. Dave (aU tbe way trom Alb, N.M.) turned a 9.all E.T. and Ms mph was 161. That 18 nothlnr to _ _ at. Dave 18 quite prOlX1 of tb18. In the many years of drar ractoe this 18 the tastest and quickest Dave's H-D has eYer rone. Dave woo well over $'700.00. Danny Johnson of Wub1ngton D.C. took runner llP. Danny was alsoH-Dmounted. Dennls MU1er took Top Gas. Dennts18 trom Prospect, W. and was rtdtng a H-D. Marv Jorgenson took runner llP also on a H-D. Jr. Eliminator 1nls won by Bob Thomas of san Antonio on a H-D. Frank Russell took Top Modltied on a Yamaha. The many Calltornta boys at the event didn't have luck on their slde• .Joe Smith blew his enctne dur1llg practice as did Jet! Gough, Gordon Kateley stayed tn the ttr.t three rounds before he was shut down. Gordon Is I'1II1IItnr a Gom.ml tnjector 8Ystem and It worked quite well. Boris Murray develqled a tew bugs and AbovI: L.s Larson started tile final 258 Ell- p.1I MolD In 'lrst placl and liars wb_ lie Inded up. 11 Is Jet, Willis and #6 II Bill 511 .....lIorn. he also lost out. Maybe they can get some al their luck back by July 4th tor the Lions meet. LIONS DRAG STRIP May 18 - ~ Kota-. lac took Top Fuel money on h1s !lIel tnjected Vtncent. Ken bcl(ged off tbe line but manared to ret cleaned out In time to finish abad of Ba1Iey's twin enctne Nortal. . Top Gas was woo by Tim Mark. Tim has made quite a tew runs tn the teDs lately so It maIce8 him a pretty touch customer. "IIben it comes time tor the Top Gas runoffs. InrJewood, H-D took ewer the ModUI.ed dtvt810n aeatn. Tbta make. it three 10 a row. They rave thetr wtnntnp to the July 4th meet ap.ln. Joy and Art Houston were both entered in 'C' Modttled. Joy on her trustworthy 40 tncher and Art on h1s new Trident Three. Joy took the class so you know who wears the pants in thattamllYl Dirk Lutjt took Top Street. Thls makes It two wtns tn a row tor Dirk and his Ka wasakt just about rules the Street division now. We are past the $1400.00 mark nowon the 4th of July meet. The latest donors were Suzuki City $20.00, Motorcycle Enterprises $25.00, H-D al Inglewood another $10.00 and a personwbo "doesn't lI'lUIt h1s wite to know,." $10.00. \ Temple Clt;F Kawasaki rave $50.00 towards 'D' Street. Bob Nelson, president of the Temple City shop, said he hopes to see lots of action tn this class and will have his good old demonstrator 500 on the scene; Bob doesn't think there are .' ,"l' " many Mach threes lUI qutc:k as h1s and he would llJre to see somebody beat him. All you pys that run in thls class be sure to be at Lions July 4th and show Bob he 18 wroog. (Results on page 23) fon'ana Mo'oX FONTANA. CAL. May 17 - The CMC 18 currently the hottest operation tn motocross. II you ttnd It a ltttle hard to belteve motocr088 ractoe at ntrbt, come CIII out and _ tor yoareelt. CompetltlClll was hot BaturdIIT metat, aU cIaues put ooa rood sbow for the many 8P8Ciator.. Tbere ....e a tew c:rube8, but nohod;y burned. The jldnps were someth1nC elsel A few of the riders tattly satled throuch the air WOIIder1nr whether or not the bottoriI was there. The 125cc Junior clau had so many entries it bad to be divided tnto two divtstoa with 13 riders tn one and 14 tn the other. J. RUbclc (Pentoo) came acr088 the line tor first tn the tlrst two motas with R. F08haY(Sachs) taktnrover tn the last moto. C. Lund (Sachs) came away with third sPOt atter a DNF in the first mota. In the second division C. Dazy (Sachs) took home the gold tn thls one, willll1ng the tlrst, tak or fourth In the second moto and second tn the third moto. J. Choner (Yamaha) was hot In aU three motos but couldn't Row any more thana second spot ttnish, taktng a tourth tn the tlrst race, third in the second and coming on strong tn the third race wtnntng It aU the way. ThIrd was W. Garrett (Yamaha). Hot competition kept the eventnr chlUs away tn the 250 expert clash. Tim Hart :.E.' was the leader tn aU three eYeDts but not without perslstent pushtng trom Jim W1lson (Greeve.) always looktoe ltIIe a winner. John Maynard brought h1s two American Jawa-sponsored CZ·. out but had troubles with both machines. Atter tak or second tn the first mota al the 250 Senior he loaded It llP and that was that. The 250 Junior division showed twnt;F men on the course with G. Spellman (ossa) taktnr tlnt spot, R. Peter88D (Yamaha) S8CCIIId and C. Lane (C Z) IIIOVtoe over tor third. A tew 8IIW. on the tir.t t1Cbt turn slowed tb1n&'8 down a bit but everyone was llP and at 'em _ or later. S. Thomas (Ba1tal:o), A. Dralre(Ma.leo) and N. Gula (CZ) nll18bed' In that ClI'der tor the IMlaors In the 500 jaDtor diYiatoD. TIds 18 the nee that Tom Rapp led In aU three motes on his 125cc Ballaeo. SInce be didn't have anyone to rtdeapln8t In the 12Scc expert class he was "jUt P1aYtoe around" • The 500Cc Expert class was tull of spUls and bot pur8u1t. Jim W1lson (Gre) and Ttm Hart (Montesa) had aroodpme rolnr tn aU three events with Wtlson wtnntng the first and third mota and Hart the second. Gary Jones (BSA) was \llo8e to both of them In aU three race. landInc him a well-deserved third place. In future, U you want to try ntrht racing, try somethtoe dttterent. The coarse at Fontana Is rough to say the least, but it's tun and there 18 plenty al competition In aU claases. Spectators have a rood view al the coarse and the ltcbtInr Is adequate. It may be scary, but come 00, put a ltttle excitement In your saturday nlcbts. (Results on PIP 23) .,... .