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/125659
Matterhorn Climb Pulls Mountaineers To Saddleback By Bob Sanford and Maureen Lee IRVINE, CAUF. Feb. 15, 1970-Saddleback Park threw a hillclimb on their notorious Matterhorn Sunday and It turned out to be quite an event. If you are unfamiliar with the Matterhorn, It's quite a hill. There Is a list at the top of those who have made It over the hill. Thema1n problem In getting over the hill Is caused by the sandstone rock. Due to rains however, the traction was excellent and the r iders used the newer trail recently cut out, and It's no less rugged than the original climb. At the excellently run riders meeting, Vic Wilson gave the riders the opportunity to run an easier trail, especially the smaller bores but everyone elected to run the 'Horn including eleven year old Rick Sandberg on a 90cc Honda. The big hill didn't scare himl It was lady 's day Sunday at the Saddleback Park HUlclimb, as 24 year old Sammie Dunn became the first womanin the Orange County motorcycle park's history to reach the top of the treacherous Matterhorn slope. She won her class, of course, and - as if the trophy weren't enough - Saddleback officials a warded ber $100 for the record setting ride. ·Oh no. ,100, much" Looks like And II's aboul 100 feet stralihl back down. Sammie collects her jusl rewards. " Sheer luck," she said afterwards. " I was so scared, 1 don' t even remember going over the top. 1 Just hung on, and all of a sudden It was over." But if she was scared and just hanging on, It wasn 't at all apparent to the more than 200 spectators who witnessed the hill's first conquest by a member of the fairer sex. The ride was letter perfect, the rider cucumber cool, and It was somewhat more than a small surprise to find out that this was the first hillclimb that the pretty McDonnell Douglas Labor Relations secretary had ever entered. In fact, It was the first time that she had ridden her 500cc RlckmanTriumph In any type of competition. She came to the park Saturday to practice for the event, and had the good fortune to meet veteranhillclimber Jerry Dunnlver. Dunniver, one of the first men ever to conquer the Matterhorn, instructed her in some of the finer points of hillclimbIng. "If you write about this," she told Cycle News, "be sure to mention Jerry Dunniver. He'S as much responsible for my success as 1 am." Miss Dunn was the -firs t rider to make it over the top Sunday, and , unfortunately, made some extremely good riding that followed her performance seem i job for Ihe rope crew . The Matterhorn has claimed another vletlm, rather antic11matlc. Her mentor, Jerry Dunniver, for instance, made it over the top on numerous occasions, and managed to take his class on a 650cc RickmanTriumph. Second place in the 650cc class went to Neal Mackel on a Triumph, followed by Ron Saffel, also on a Trl.umph. In addition, Dunniver tied for the fastest single run of the day, 11.1 seconds. And, of course, BSA mounted Chuck , Mlnert was to be reckoned with. Minert produced the other 11.1 second run, and, in the process, won the open class, round robin race for $10. Additionally, M1nert grabbed the 500cc class trophy Feels Mlnerl picked up lhe Open class round robin and nrst In the 50Ucc too. with a number of consistent "damn-hemakes-that-look-so-easy" rides. Mel Cunha on a Honda took second in the 500cc class, with Bob Tryon and his BSA taking third. . But Cunha wasn't satisfied with a second place trophy. The Honda rider from Bakersfield became the only man Sunday to make It over the top in the 250cc class. Second place went to Doug Hall on a Bultaco, with third going to , Ossa mounted Wilbur Hundley. Roger Voyles, another Honda rider fr om Bakersfield, took first place in the 350cc class (incidentally, the Bakersfield boys claim that they do their practicing on a hill up their way that winds upward at a griZZly 72 degrees. Riders that don't make the top, they say, usually find their bikes at the bottom of the hill in a state of total destruction). Don Corbett on a Honda grabbed second place In the 350cc class, and another Honda, ridden by Clayton Catlette, wound up in the third place slot. Yamaha mounted Ron Taylor took first in the 125cc class, and a special lOOcc trophy went to 11year old Rick Sandburg, who executed some pretty professional looking runs up the side of the Matter. horn. And, if you still needed more, spectators at Sunday's event were treated to a dog riding with his master up some pretty mean looking slopes, and - are you readY? - anon-competitor, well past 50 years old, gracefully powering'his Triumph up the Matterhorn, while standing with one foot firmly planted on his leopard skin seat. As usual there were the Endo's, flips and crashes associated with hillclimbs, and you could tell from the spectators faces that they thought this was one of the best ways to spend a Sunday afternoon. We agreel (Results on page 19) New PUMPER CARB ~ IIt6tMefldu The Kendick Eng. '-, ~ ,~~~ ~~ " Here's how II looked Irom down below. People had 10 be ever ready lor failini machinery. fl ,l' wi th the Aragon Circle of Exc ellence 223 W , CAM INO REAL . MONROVIA. CALIF . 91016 ~\o-' 1f,-'~ Uninna' Kit - $49.95 ~,t' \0'Bo,,-On Kit - $59.95 ~"", 0"'\,0' (for Yamaha Dr-J &Maico 14A) ,.. ,ot Bolt-on kit includes Manifold, air cleaner adapter, new Kendick nylon throttle cable and all necessary fittings. Mall orders to: KENDICK ENG. 9520 Desoto Send YOII' manifold and we Chatsworth. Ca. 91311 will modify it to fit New & Used Buy - sell - Trade 1 - 2 - 3 bike trailers WholeS2le ONLY p' t't'l tti ' tI:t}SIDI/-·tI~ IAt} /lell~ 41'.1',. ~ (Not a Modified Kart Carb) ,~,t Motorcycle Trailers - • \\6-'\ ANOTHER FINE PRODUCT Di-'Ctlhut t'<1 IDe 9 4 213-44H1342