Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

~ACA '" ",,' MX AT SADDLEBACK there for two rounds but had the bad luck to drop a chain in the second which eliminated him for the day. He and Bailey came so close to a good one it made your hair stand on end. Kell wen t to pass on ari ex tremely bumpy section, bounced over to bank-shot off Bailey, taking his handlebar with him. It's a great credit to both riders that neither one went down. The track was excellently prepared. But after practice and half of the first round, the surface developed into one whole course of bumps of various sizes which then solidified into asphalt as the sun came out. Talk about rough! As Axthelm put it, "It's sure good for testing your suspension. If it works here, it11 work anywhere!" Our tip of the helmet for the day goes to young Morris Malone who campaigned an AJ in the 250 and 500 Junior classes. At 14-years old, this one is really one to watch! In the first 250 Main he contented . himself with hanging in there behind Steve Schutte (C-Z), a pattern he was to repeat several times during the day. He must have been reading what Jeff Smith has to say about such strategy, and it works! Only time it didn't was in the 500 when right after he'd passed Bob Merrick (C-Z) he lost the front end anel dumped it. Story & Photos by Marueen Lee ;:; IRVINE, CALIF., Oct. 4, 1970 - The o people who just about started the sport ~ of motocross in Southern California, the w ACA, threw another good one .at z Saddleback Park Sunday. They had such ~ a good turnout of riders that two U classes, the 125 and 250 Juniors had to ~ be broken down into a qualifying heat for two mains apiece as it was unsafe to have so many riders on the track at the same time. As it was, things still got pretty busy. The combined 250-500 Senior had some of the more familiar names in it. Walt Axthelm was there on a 250 Ossa and Bob Bailey on a 250 Maico running against a bunch of 500's. Pat Debenedetti (Mai) was like out of sight with his win. We don't remember ever seeing him ride quite so well or so fast. In the first round Carl Cotton (C-Z) took the lead but Debenedetti took it away from him. Cotton and a pair of Huskies ridden by Ron Fry and John Barclay tried manfully but they couldn't catch that Maico. Axthelm got away slowly a couple of times but always worked back up to third or fourth and in the second and third round was right on Barclay's rear wheel at the end. Jack Kell on a Rickman was right in Anyway, the 250 was a real battle to watch with Malone eventually winning and Frank Rowe, who won the second round on his Ossa, coming in second overall. Schutte followed and another AJS ridden by Martin Richmond took fourth. The 500 Juniors had the two amublance calls of the day with both riders being hauled off for repairs. The fint guy who dropped it was run over by another who immediately slid to a halt and ran back to help his fallen competitor. The black flag with appropriate cut-off signs from the chief flagger was prominently displayed as the riders came around on the rest of the lap. The first five or six gentlemen chose to ignore it and continued racing for one more lap, earning the class a few words of advice from ACA President Wes Cooley. Being docked points for one round might have made some of them think a bit more the next time that happens. Bob Merrick won the class followed by two Huskies ridden by Benny Coates and Bob Kessinger. The guy who had the most fun has to be a rather portly (Please turn to pg. 29) Irs a IOD9 way 10 IDoDday BlOnUDg. Hodaka, the original trailbike that made off-road riding a national 8port, offer8 the key to weekend excitemenL "G .ltiDg away from it all" ia wbat Hodaka trailblk.. are all abouL Fr•• Irom .....kday ...orri... out in lb. OpeD air , • • trailblkiDg you a "go

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