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/125689
RACE flNALL YfINDS PLACE IN SUN It; were asking for some under-the-counter ..... cash, Mafia-style. To top it off, the club Q. was told to hold the race 'on a new Jl location. Bob Kaskel of the SGVMC said the new location was literally "an ~ improved housing development lot." ~ The ·ensuing search for a new course w began Saturday before the actual race d and two more were found. One was ~ turned down because a neighbor had a reputation for shooting at motorcyclists. The other course was completely marked and set up, but subsequenlly abandoned due to Yucca Valley's fear of dust. The club members never gave up. They found some public land located quite a ways from anybody and put on And they're off and running. Story and Photos by Dave Swift YUCCA VALLEY, CALIF., Sept. 7, 1970 The San Gabriel Valley Motorcycle. Club managed to pull a successful European Scrambles event on Labor Day in spite of some organized effort against them. While the club had obtained their location well in advance (a place called Pioneer Town, about three miles from Yucca Valley), just days before the race the locals began harrassing the promoters, forcing them to move the race at the last minute, 40 miles east. The course was a six-mile loop and was favored by many riders. The fastest riders were completing laps about every nine minutes which makes average speeds some 35-40 MPH - not bad at all. There were sandwashes and a motocross-type section on the course, but a large flat downhill section made for th e impressive speed average. Whitey Martino and his big Husky were practically unchallenged in the 250 Open Expert class. His only real threat for a while was Rich Thorwaldson, but Rich stopped coming around after two laps. Martino later said that he fouled his plugs three times during the race, but still he had a huge lead at the finish. He described the course as "maybe too fast" but found it, on the whole, "outo£ sight!" The next two riders to come across were disqualified for their incessant course-cutting giving fourth-running George Walker a second place trophy. Tom Poteet also took an early lead in his 250 Expert race and kept it all the way. He was riding a Bultaco (minus a fourth gear). Tom looked thoroughly pooped out after the race, as most people are after an hour of hot desert competition, but Tom was even worse off with a nasty cold. Even so, he received a small victory shower from his friends. Second place went to Gary Griffin. Jeff Wright and his Micro Metisse garnered the victory in the 12 5cc Senior class, which was run along with the 250 Experts. Steve Fortner moved from the trail-bike Expert class to ride as a 250 Novice. He out-performed the rest of his bigger-bike buddies with an impressive early lead that he never relinquished. Unfortunately, these results are unofficial at press time and are the only ones readily available due to the large number (600-650) of entries and the confusion that taxed the energy of lhe SGVMC. Some disqualifications are pending. Because of that last-minute transplant of the race, trash facilities were understandibly poor and club members worked for hours cleaning up all the debris left by riders and spectators - an act the club deserves credit for. The entire' hassle was the result of small-town politics. combined with some shady dealings. The SGVMC had arranged well in advance for the race to be held in Pioneer Town, just outside of Yucca Valley, and the course would utilize bam public and private land as in the years past. A few days before the race, however, some local political and financial figures began pressuring the club to secure insurance for spectator liability, property damage, ad nauseam. As the demands were met (after a lot of work on the club's part), more were made, until the figures reached into the $500,000 750,000 (I) bracket. According to a club spokesman, a couple of prominent town's people also a show of which they ought to be proud. There were rew equipment breakdowns and no one reported any injuries, just 600 or so happy riders and a motorcycle club on the vergs of collapse. (No Results) '.S.,••ce· MOTORCYCLE TY-DOIINS 1" nylon strap with sprln~buCkl' . 6 II. 51.65 ..., Ill. Sl.95... '.:-.. Jo" Ma,••,11 money back luafant•• WANTED "He, Mr. Dealer" Calli. res. add 5.. 1.. pl,,.s. includ. lOt ~r Ty-Oown for postaa' FAMCO Dlpt. Cn P.O. Bol 1417 Reslda, Cal. 91335 .T.~ '.' '. • - . 5"5 We carryall types of insurance coverage - garage Iiabi I ity fire - theft & dealer bonds S." Up To 25~ INTO TH. WI• • •II'. CIIiCL. TRIUMPH-HONDA-BSA RIDERS JOHN W. MAYNARD INS. The Finest In Motorcycle Service 3441 Motor Ave., L.A., Ca. 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