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/125646
WORK WIN A T By Terry Pratt - Photos by C. Clayton, T. Culp & T. Pratt WESTALAKE, CAL. Nov. 30- Some 20,000 motocross fans crowded the rolllng h1lls of Westlake Vl1lage to watch Arne Kring race his Husqvarna to a patchwork victory over a rough and dusty course In the seventh lnter-Am event. Kring, riding for Sweden's Husqvarna team, bullt uP his w1nn1ng point total with conslstant showings In all three motos but won only one of the races. Second overall was Maico rider Ake Jonsson. As If just to please the home town crowd, Southern California's Gary Bailey came back uP on form and barrelled his Greeves Griffon to a loudly applauded tb1rd overall. Bailey was undisputed fastest American at Westlake and was the first U.S. rider in all three motos. However, in !he overall standings the lap times and number of completed laps were used to break the three way tie between Gary, Andy Roberton on the spanldng new AJS, and Dave Bickers riding for CZ. Andy was awarded fourth and Dave brought home fifth. WESTLAKE~ Ba·iley Nabs 3rd Overall Gary Bailey crandstands past the Westlake movIe set. Fans U..d the snow I.c.s to watch the sp_d jumpers In the middle of the slralchtaway. Tim Hart was second American and overall with his Montesa whUe Sweden'S Bengt Ame Bonn rode the second AJS across for seventh. The ftrst six finishers were each on a different make of motocross machine. As Is often the case In motocrosses that are scored on points, someoutstanding performances will go unnoticed by the results ledger. Bengt Aberg won the first and third motos but a dismal showing In the second race pushed him down to ninth in the fln1sher's column. After the first moto was given a restart, reportedly caused by spectators blocking the course, Ake Jonsson led Kring and Aberg. The three were running close together and as the trio began·to lap the slower tramc, Aberg passed both the leaders and pulled away for the win. Kring repassed Jonsson and took over sixth second. Back in the pack Tim Hart was leading the Americans with BaJiey, Jim WUson, Jim West and Barry HIggins giving chase. Bailey and W1ls0n zapped Hart wIl1le Higgins dropped hack a few spots before he retired, never to be seen again. H1gg1ns's CZ qui t and although he thought the mechanics mlgbt have repaired it he elected to watch from the snow fence saying, "I can't win anytb1ng now anyway, so wily bother. I have ftrst American In the Series sewed uP solid and that's what I wanted," Joel Robert's woes began early and lasted most of the day. In the opening laps he brushed one of the low hanging oak trees and that so unseWed him that he landed knee deep in the mud hole drowning out his CZ. The second moto was a wire to wire victory for Kring. After edging Aberg out of second place, Rober DeCoster put on a bard drive to catch Kring but to no ava1l. Aberg disappeared for several laps and tb1rd place Torsten Hallman had to hold off the prtde of the AJS team, Andy Robertson and Bengt Arne Bonn. Bonn suffered a front tire puncture and Vic Allan'S Greeves moved hack uP to tIfth. Once again Balley had to get aJ'OlIDd Hart but Gary was the only one wIlo past Tim. The crowd got only a gllmpse of Robert before he crashed and tweaked his knee. had chain trouble and was changed into clean clothes by the time the rest got back to the pits. A real race developed between Aberg and Jonsson, nose to taU at 80 mpb around the darkening course, but Aberg held on for the win. Just as the !lag dropped on the start of the tb1rd moto, the sun dropped behind the hills and before it was all over many riders must have considered installing Ughtlng co1ls In their electrical systems. Kring led the final moto for almost half a lap before a big endo in the sand wash forced him to play catch-uP. Aberg found himself out infroot butAke Jonsson was milking a determined etlort to change that. Roberton was holding tb1rd wIl1le Kring worked hack uP to fourth with one of the wildest rides of the day. Robert made his best appearance of the meeting and got a fifth ahead of Bonn. DeCoster Hart, Larsson, SUverthorn and Balley were bunched together so wilen Gary found a freeway down the sandwash he blitzed them all at once and picked uP ftrst American honors for the tb1rd time that day. . (Results on page 17) s.D.alioDal Bav"•• NOW OD • • • 1970 Bodalrasl It... I ~_ MOrD-X ACCESSORIES PeUcan DIve & Cycle Dlst. Co. 500 BrCNIdway St., Vallejo, Cal. 94590 All orders shipped same day De lIIe'1 1 GENE H. MYERS " • YAMAHA .01e NEW" USED SALES Parts - Service & Repair 4151 Redondo Beach Blvd., Lawndale, Cal. (213) 542-4041 Nell Haney Welcomes You I HARLEY-DAVIDSDN I' / of Lomita ~'<,"'" 40 New Motorcycles in stock o New $portslers Immediate delivery 2212 Pac. Coast Hwy. 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