Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

Martino Takes Jump Over Thorwaldson By Dick Wrtgbt RED MOUNTAIN, CALIF. Aug. 9,1970For lots of desert riders, tb1s past weekend was juSt great for surfing. The temperature on the desert was a scorching 110 degrees, wb1le it was a pleasant 70 on the beach. Beer, b1k1n1es and boards seem mtghty tempting when you know the metal parts on your bike are going to be too hot to touch aDd if you fall off you might be par-boiled before you can find shade. But die-bard desert riders can't be disuaded by such arguments. They know there are points uP for grabs aDd if they don't get them, their competitors wW. Since the Sidewinders Hare Scrambles was a point event, that's where they were. AIl of them. Thorwaldson, MartIno, Morgan, Clark, Byers the wbo1e bunch. Tbey hoped it would be short, nice easy loops that would give man aDd machtne a chance to survive. But no such luck. Thirty-five miles per looP aDd not much of it was easy. Tbe run to tile smokebomb was Virgin territory aDd fari]y steep uPb1ll. The big bikes had things their way for a change. First to the bomb was Dave Lewis on a C Z, who was really walling and enjoying, but he was being pushed bard by Whitey MartIno, Husky-mounted Checker who is currently Numero Uno in the desert. From the smokebomb the riders dropped into a narrow wash where it was single file and look-out- who- you're pushing-buddy. Some riders managed to scoot across the b1llside and avoid the traffic jam but others with less luck or skill found themselves unnecessarily pushing over the steep little blll. For those who didn't like the sandwasb there were some real neat razorbacks with sbarPly sloping sides. "Not bad enough to get you killed, but ;you could spend a long time getting your bike out," one rider observed. From one check up on top of Red Mountain you could look straight across about five miles and see the pit area. Lovely view. But not many of the riders stopped to appreciate it. Most have learned the bard lesson about sightseeing while racing: Don't! One rider who apparently didn't learn bis lesson well enough, left bis Van- Tech lying in widely separate pieces, neither of which contained the engine. Neither rider nor engine were anywhere to be seen. It took about 50 minutes for the first riders to make it back to the pits and Martino was first in, followed by Mike Patrick on his fast Yamaha. Casualties were aiready starting to mount. Thorwaldson was out. He crashed into some rocks and bet bis mach1ne. Jack Morgan, scourge of the little bike set, seized bis Hodaka and limped into the pits. Other riders, wishing they had opted for the surf, just quit. The second loop was just about like the first, except that somewhere along the line something happened to Mike Patrick, but nobody seemed quite sure what. Martino was still in there running strong aDd he took first. Second overall and first 250 was Bob Paxton on a Yamaha. He was followed by Tom Smith on a Tracytuned Husky. Dave Lewis, CZ, and leader at the smokebomb was in fourth. Whitey Gregory, running one of the new A.J.'s was fifth. To this point, all except Paxton were 500 Experts, but 7th spot was an Open Expert, Doyle Fields on a Triumph. Skipping a few spots, first 250 Amateur was Greg Winkle on a Yamaha in 12th overall. Art Knapp, on another Tracy-tuned Husky wasfirst500 Amateur in 16th overall. Novice class winners could not be determined by press time, with the exception of the 125 class Novice, who was Wayne Cook on a Yam3ha. First 125 Elq)ert was Eric JenSon on a Sachs. First 125 Amateur was also undetermined. In the trail bike class, Terry Clark took the lead at the smoke bomb aDd never relinquished it. As his Uttle Harley came smoking through the pits on the first lap, he had already estabUshed a good lead on second place man, Mitch Mayes, who was also Harley mounted. Mayes however was out at the end, and it was Rich Marks on a Hodakainsecond aDd Cordis Brooks, also on a HodaJea, in th1rd. First Tra11bike Amateur was Randy MUl1gan also on a Hodaka. This makes Terry Clark's sixth win. Looks like maybe Terry wants Number One red plate next year. When Terry was asked about the course he said things like "Neat," and" Bitcb1n" • His only rough moment occurred at the smoke bomb when his engine faltered briefly. Loosening bis gas cap cured the problem (a stopped-uP vent) and be continued 011 bis way to win. Whitey Martlno's comment on the run way, • 'It was a good run but I really had to work bard." That comment seemed to l:yplty the feelings of most: It was a good run, but fairly tough, well marked aDd well organized. The Sidewtnders, hosts of the run, w1sb to acknowledge the assistance of The Sandblasters M.C. and Rescue Three, both of whom contributed much to the success of the run. (Results llI1 page 22) BearView. This is the way the other riders see Bob Grossi and his Husky. Husqvarna mounted Bob Grossi won all three 500 SENIOR motos and capped it off by taking the All-Star exhibition at the All-American Motocross Championships at Bay Mare August 2. Western Distributor: MED International. 4790 Palm Avenue, La Mesa, California Eastern Distributor:' Penton Imports, 1423 Foster Par!( Road, Amherst, Ohio

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