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/125704
.... en MARTINO NARROWS DESERT MARGIN M ~ cO = ..... ~ W Z W ...J U >- U By David Swift LUCERNE VALLEY, CALIF., Dec. 20, 1970 -J.N. Roberts blasted across the finish line just a few feet in front of Whitey Martino to climax the 19th MX RIDERS Hard time getting parts and accessories? WESTOCKEMI University Honda Bultaco Kawasaki & elz .. _- 5908 Roosevelt '-/IIay N.E seattle VVi?Sl98lO5 -- SEND FOR FREE CATALOGUE Annual Big Hare Run held by the Jackrabbits M/C today. The desert was in excellent condition thanks to the Natural Watering Company's visit the night before; Roberts described the course as Hone of the 'funnest' of the. year" . The heavyweights left nearly 30 minutes behind schedule because several people arrived late due to the snow at Cajon Pass. The trailbikes left 15 minutes later. The first one to the smokebomb was reported to be Larry Bergquist, followed closely by Roberts, Rich Thorwaldson, Whitey Martino, Bill Fryant, and the top 250, Tom Poteet. Bergquist soon unloaded in a sandwash - Martino said he got up and laughed leaving J.N. with the green light. Meanwhile, Thorwaldson, fresh from an appearance at Saturday night's Yamaha Silver Cup race, experienced his seventh flat tire of the year. At the end of the initial 43·mile loop, Roberts had a W'a' is it? It's ,o.r ••swer fo: D.,e,",.'e; S,'es S.ni,e , '.rfs , Aee.ssori. 5 ne lar,esf sf". of AJS ,.rfs i. f" W.sf. 'd ,••,"i.f. ".'i'.r, 0. 250 & 370 Sfor••r L.r,. sf". of Norfo. lo,"sfers two-minute margin over Martino and Fryant even though he came through a full 15 minutes faster than the most optimistic Jackrabbit estimate. Roberts rode the 43-mile loop in a mere 51 minutes! Thorwaldson still kept up a high-speed hobble and came across 30 seconds after the fourth-running Poteet, but he called it quits at that point. Martino blasted off into the second lap with the intention of eradicating that two-minute lead of Roberts! Martino undoubtedly enjoyed very little of the ride; his Husqvarna was running lean. "It felt like it was trying to seize," he later said, conjuring up bad dreams of being pitched over the bars at 60. Even with that knot in his gut Martino pumped it harder and began to gain some land. At the same time, Roberts was on his own little expedition with absolutely no care where anybody else was. . Spectators stood atop a small hill overlooking the last seven-or-so miles of the race. As they craned necks and glanced at watches, two small darts of dust appeared and searched for the fastest way home. After watching a horde of trailbikes pick their way over the sand some moments ago, these two riders resembled milliles because of the shape of dustcloud and the speed they maintained. J.N. Roberts had kept his lead but Martino had whittled it down to almost nothing. In the pits, Roberts laughed, "I never saw him the whole race! " Bill Fryant came in third overall and first 250 in an amazing performance, giving at least 100cc's to half of those he beat. Tom Poteet was fourth overall, 2nd 250. To Rich Thorwaldson, that blown rear tire was not just a "blown rear tire". He and Martino now have over 22 finishes apiece. They had about 2300 and 2170 points, respectively before this race and the last point run of the SAffW AYS'OIT CYCLES Tune-up Special CYCLE REPAIR Single - $9.96 . Twin _ $11.95 Sa1es & Accessories 8227 E. Commonwealth, Buena Park (714) 523-4030 OPEN 12 - 1 PM SAT, 8,30 - 6 PM season is this coming Sunday. It's gonna be close... .' Terry Clark and Jack Morgan did another battle in the trailbike class, with Clark taking it all the way. As a matter of fact, both riders finished ahead of scores of bigger machines that had a 15-minute head start. Ken Buckspan was third. The Jackrabbits spent every weekend for three months -preparing the point run. Veteran desert ace Joe Borges personally laid every inch of the course and the time was obviously well spent, if riders' consensus is any criterion. There was a "bit of everything", to quote a Jackrabbit named Diek Koons. There were sandwashes, fireroads, hoops, hills, and lots of good old-fashioned flat desert. The bright skies and brisk, clean air was most invigorating. The desert did take its usual toll, however. One, broken elbow was reported. A t various checkpoints one could watch the man-machine syndrome parade by in assorted states of disrepair. One lad left the final cpeck without his expansion chamber;' it just dropped off, thud. Anoth~ dude attempted to stomp his Beezer into gear but found the shift lever behaving more like kickstarter, spinning about and all. Still another rolled through tugging on a wire where his throttle grip used to be., After the eheck, he and his Yamaha sped off into the desert as he steered WIth one hand and worked the gas as if it were a puppet with the other. Ab, determination. Jumpin' Around Wi" Jone's By Dodie StinRley ARLINGTON, TEX., Dec. 13, 1970 Thirty seniors in all motocross classes found that keeping up with the Jones, Anthony in particular, was not an easy thing to do. Tony pushed hard the flJ'St three laps on his 250 CZ before being briefly controlled by 360 CZ mounted Phil Snipes. Three more laps of dicing and J ones regained the poin t and won overall. Sam Menefee (Pen) took charge of the 125 Jrs., while Terry Helm (CZ) held his last name's meaning to win out in 250 Jr. competition. (Results on page 42) . The fast Suzukis and the fast Kawasakis use ••. " All ·•• iI Or"ers s.i"." C.O.D. " makes Yamahas go heffer tqo.l .' , really power hooster ""lAid ~Jd" STORMERS LTO. 8412 Katella Ave. Stanton, Calif. 90680 (714) 827-2650 ~I "E~~'~UP£R fILM. works