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/125720
lEAL, 10 fOOlll' PRICE THIRTY CENTS III I .... - '" ~ w Z W ...J U >U J.N. ON ANY SUNDAY By Tom & Bobi Culp LUCERNE"CAL., March 28,1971 - J.N. Roberts starred in the only desert footage for Bruce Brown's upcoming feature film "On Any Sunday" at the Victors Hare 'n' Hound. With Brown's camera-copter flying low over the starting line, the story of any Sunday in the desert takes shape. The banner drop... the footrace to the machines... the race to the smoke. Across five miles of open desert charges the first wave of 400. The chopper hanging 50 feet above the leaders captured the saga of dust, sweat and saddlesores in the California desert. J.N. led at the smokebomb with Bill Friant charging past him just after. Bill showed all the world that J.N. CAN run second, for a while at least. The dusty trail continued on out of sight around the base of the mountains. Back came the chopper to film the Novices with Bill Smart riding a Maico way out in front at the smoke. Then Bill's plug fouled, but his lead was so great, he switched plugs and got going again, still with a 50-yard lead over second place. overshot his pit and demonstrated superb 'IT ability getting turned around and back in. _B u I taco Desert. flash Larry Pfutzenreuter came up lame between check one and two. Bill Friant never made it throu~ on the Itrst loop, having encountered some nameless misfortune in the mountains. Duffy Hambleton maked in with a flat that threw the tire off right in front of his pits and thus ended Duffy's day. For those waiting at the finish, the leader, though not visible, was marked by the chopper flying along his path. When he hoves into sight it was, sure enough, J.N. Roberts! Eleven long minutes passed before Whitey followed to the flag in 2nd place, also with the helicopter escort. Bill Bogner got by Jon Thomas as that open class sled of Jon'~ was put to work in the rough second loop. Larry Mahoney took first Junior, finishing just behind Bogner. First 250 and seventh overall came Wes Anderson, his Bul looking rather tired after 80 miles. The Harley crew was counting. .. "Where is Mitch?" The first trailbike that topped the ridge was not the Mayes Baja, but Tom Brooks on the Hodaka, 12th overall. We' were told that Mitch had fouled a plug near the finish, but he didn't arrive in the flrst 75. Rich Harris (CZ) moved up to 13th and flrst 250 Jr. The Victors M.C. did a fine job both with the course '!Jld the scoring. One's tank card had all the information • necessary to get early results, as long as the riders filled them out. (Results on page 22) -,_is:.. J.N:s dust could be seen five miles away as he came in from the first loop. His lead was mind-shattering: 8 minutes at least. That Husky sailed through the pits and over a ridge out of sight before the number one Desert Heavyweight Whitey Martino (Hus) came into view. Jan Thomas followed Whitey with Bill Bogner (CZ) pressing him hard. Larry Mahoney (Man) ran 5th and tint Junior. Mitch Mayes came by 8th with Dick Breker, (Hus) chasin!{ the little Baja hard. Tom Brooks (Hod) came past lOth, not far behind Mayes. Many clubs had moved their pits after the start and riders had to be waved down. One Desert M.C. member CiC'.BNEWS 840908 ibosAue.. Ne-w-spaper . ~. ...~. - , .