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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125675
i AA.M .X.T. Captain Russ Darnell I Hot Motos Shortened I LETTER FROM RUSS ~ ' . ~ ~ U Writes About The Yugoslavian G.P. G We have just returned from the Yugoslavlan Grand Prix wh1ch took place at Marlbor on the 10th of May. My last letter. was about my race 10 France. Here'S what happened nextl We traveled late at night to get near Italy and to Busca where my next race was after Vannes-St. NoIf. We arrived at the circuit 10 Busca about 8:00 10 the evening the night before the race, wbtch was on a Thursday., It rained hard all night long, and all the next day. The conditions were very bad for me and my problem of having to wear glasses to see. I enjoyed the course 10 spite of the mud and treacherous conditions. The circuit was very d1ff1cult 10 the wet because of the many steeP uP and down hJlls and sharP corners. In the f1rst race I led the start, and I was first for about three or four laps. I was having no trouble keePing the lead when four guys I was lapping fell on an up-hIll Just 10 front of me and clogged uP tramc. I had to go back down to get another run and lost the lead. Then the bike loaded uP really bad and I lost many places, st1ll on this same hill. I had to stop nearly every lap to have my dad or some spectator wiPe off my glasses so I could continue. At the end, even w1ll all the stops I had to make, I came back uP to sixth. I led the f1na1 event also unW the raIn started so hard I couid not see at all so I had to drop out. I was reallyd1sappo1oted but my glasses are just a problem I have to Un with. One thing I did learn, if any of our riders are having trouble with blIsters, here Is the solution. Use women's hand cream. I have been using it for three weeks now and have not had one blister. From Italy we'traveled 10 the raIn 011 toward Yugoslavia. No problem at the border crossing. Yugoslavia ts fantastlcally beaut1fu11 It was really nice. The circuit at Mar1bor ts grassy, fast • and very bumpy. It Is situated 10 a valley shaped Uke an Inverted tunnel. The course winds down and back uP each side of the tunnel, the crosses to the opposite side past the start area at the small end of the tunnel. Then a long, long fast section on the wide end of the tunnel takes you around the other way again. The start system Is a metal gate and you know exactly when the gate Is going to fall by a clock wh1ch everyone can see. In the first start I was 41st. I worked uP to 22nd before the f1n1sh, on this superrough course. In the second leg I was really keyed uP. I watched the clock and when It got down to two seconds I put It 10 gear and dropPed the clutch. I guessed right and got a fantastic drive off the l1ne. The gate fell just before my wheel got to It and I led the start. You can't Imagine what It feels like to lead a GP. I toPPed a rise and 10 my excitement, going over, I accidentally pulled It out of fourth gear and got engulfed by the pack. I rode mnch be~r 10 the second 1egandf1n1shed uP 18th. The gave meanoverallf1n1sh of 17th. I was actually sort of d1sappoInted at that because I thought I had done much better but I guess not. After the Yugoslavian G.P. we drove north through Austria and back to Italy again. Now we are 10 Rome. We stop each night 10 a camping place and I run and e'terclse every morning for conditioning. Yesterday I ran two miles 10 the sand at the beach for a good workout. My next race 1s the Italian GP, I hope. I don't have it conf1rmed yet but I am working on it. ~ am going to the ItaUan federat100 here 10 Rome tomorrow. Well, I am going to sign off and go do a m1ll1on push uPs or something. AdiosBy the way Rome ls a gas. Saw the Pope today but he didn't recognize me. RUSS By Wanda Roesler INDIO, CALIF. May 24, 1970 _ Ant1cIpatlng a super hot day, The HJgh Sider's M.C. decided to 1lm1t mollls to 15 minutes each, as well as comb1n1ng the 100's-125's and the 250's-Open for their last event of the season here 10 this low desert community. And by starting at 9 am, the club was able to smoothly complete an entire day by noon. A water truck was used to make a very wet mud hole rtgbt at the pit area, and everybody was waiting for the first rider to fall 10 this 1210ch deeP obstacle. The honors went to Jim Frances r1d1ng a Hus!l;y. The 100's and 125's started, with Earl. Roese1er 1ead1ng from start to f1n1sh on a 125 Yamaha moving from 8th place on the f1rst loop to f1n1sh second on a Bultaco was Dick Franpton. TbJrd over all and 1st 100Cc was Larry Roese1er on a H-D Baja. Next uP were the 250's and open class. Don Walk1ns, r1d1ng a 250 Montesa, took first place, being pushed by Open Husky ~:250 was Carl Cotton on a C.Z. ~:erF::::e~~=:.p~::.n~ 2nd At the starting l1ne the 100'sand 125's were ready to go again, with Earl Roeseler leading again from start to f1n1sh. Dick Franpton was running second unW his primary cha1n broke. Larry Roeseler moved uP to second but went out. with plug trouble, giving this unluc!l;y spot to Jerry McNeal on a 125 Yamaha. Don Walk1ns won the second 250 Open moto with Dale Teubner second. ThIs was the moto that saw Jim Frances try to cool off 10 the mud hole. He said afterwards that It wassortofretresh1ng. The third moto of the 100's and 125's was again won by Earl Roeseler with Jerry McNeal second and WI11Iam Wiroth third on another 125 Yamaha. The f1na1 moto of the 250' s and ,Open class again looked Uke a clean win for Don Walk1ns, nnW he fell after the mud hole. ThJs gave the win to Dale Teubner' and second to Gary Cotton, with Walk1ns finishing third. Tripes Invades Vegas By DInk Wllders LAS VEGAS, NEV. - 13 year Did MartIn Tripes, well known So. Callf. Mota X rider, Invaded the w1nd swept Nevada desert, to win the 125cc Expert class. Amidst ODS and &as from the spectators, he rode hls Penton through the rock;y desert like It was a well prepared road course. Hard cbarg:1ng Las Veps rider, Casey Folks led the t1rst lap, butibad to settle for 2nd place, as Martin led for the remainder of the hour long Eurppean Scrambles. The 250Cc class ·waso't decided unW the f1na1 lap. David Laca held off Antone Who'S BUID Itaco is! Cook and LeRoy Dorf to take home the honors, with Tony and LeRoy finishing 2nd and 3rd. Well known desert ace Max Switzer, who was s1dellned with a broken swinging arm 10 the 125cc class, came back strong to capture the Open Expert Class, wbUe nursing hls 400 Hus!l;y through the desert with a flat tire for most f1 the race. John Damico took 2nd place with steady r1d1ng the secret to hls success, as a rash f1 troubles hJndered most of the other riders. The Desert People M.C. wish to thank all riders for maIdng this a successful event. rl? Ask TolD RaPp. Be'S DUIDber 1, too! CMC MOTOCROSS - 5/24/70 Saddleback, Calif. 250 EXPERT & INTER. 1st Tom Rapp - BUL TACO 125 JR. DIVISION III 1st G. Thatcher - BULTACO 100 JUNIOR 1st J. Reyes - BULTACO