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/125722
By Ron Schneiders THOUSAND OAKS, CAL.,. April II, 1971 - What was billed as a minor motocross at the pleasant Bay Mare course today turned into quite an event. Not only were almost all the big names in Southern California motocross out for the race but many of the stars of desert came to see how the other half lives. Or races, anyway. Among the more prominent stars of sand and sagebrush were Rich Thorwaldson, Jeff Wright and Terry Clark. Although there were lots of big names, general rider and spectator attendance was light. All told there were probably about 300 riders and less than 2,000 spectators. Easter of coune was responsible for the spane turnout and indirectly for heavy turnout of Experts. You see, this is the one Sunday of the year that the District didn't schedule a Point event. Naturally the guys had to do something or they'd get rusty, right? So they came to motocross. Of course the offer of fairly sood prize money didn't hurt, either. ($70, $30, $50, $10 & $5 to Experts.) The competition was so tough that Ilood riders like Bob Messer and Tim but he got going again faster and by the time they got to the bottom of the hill the order was Barron, Clark and WrighJ. Barron and Clark stayed within a bike's length of one another for the rest of the race while Wright, slowly but steadily dropped back. On points then Barron was fint and Clark second. John Maroney on Penton took 3rd, Bob Brooks (Yam) got fourth and Wright (with a poor 2nd moto) took fifth. Steve Scott (BuI) showed the 250 E.xp~ c!ass what seemed like easy Vlctones m the lint two motos which assured him overall victory if he did even reasonably well in the third moto. This he did, with a third place. Bob Hershey took three very consistent 2nd places to earn second overall. Doug Grant (AJS) won the third moto but a poor O·pointer in the second race kept him down to 3rd The Open Senior event is almost always the most exciting event to watch, especially today. It was Marc Blackwell's (Hus) day. M arc wears glasses and seems very serious. He looks more like a Latin scholar than a motocross racer - until he gets on the line. Then there's not much doubt he's all racer. His style is quiet and business like, but very fast. Going over the jump where most riden go forty or ftfty feet in the air with the front wheel all beautifully crossed up, Marc hardly left the ground. A little hop and he was back plastered to the ground and driving. Coming into a hard right hand tum where all sorts of sliding and bouncing was normal, Marc came in straigh t up, got to the bank, and caromed off like a billiard ball. He took fint in the first two motos, and rested through the third, taking a fourth. Plenty good for first overall. Back in the ranks, during the first two motos, Jim West (Hus) and Rich Thorwaldson (Suz) were having it out. They seemed just about equal. Jim could gain in the comen where he seemed a bit smoother, but Rich invariably picked up some when the going was really rough. His new Suzuki seemed like it was going in five different directions at the same time, but it was going fastest in the right direction. In the first moto, Jim got fourth, Rich got third. In the second moto, they revened, Rich third, Jim fourth. In the meantime, Gary Chaplin (Mai) had taken two seconds without much problem. When the third moto came up, Blackwell was a cinch to win if he just finished, but everything else was in the air. Any of the top three spots would get Gary Chaplin a second, unless Rich Thorwaldson or Jim West won, in which case they could push him out. And that's what happened. In one of the early laps, Bobby ... while others just groove on the scene. • .aJa Wins again! Would you believe this man is out of shape? Rich Thorwaldson tries a bit'o Motocross. Hart were out of contention, and even Jim Wilson barely missed being skunked. In the 125 Expert class the big battle was between Bruce Barron (Rik) and Terry Clark (H-D). Terry fell down once in the first race and managed a not-great fifth while Barron won. In the second moto something happened to Barron and he wound up with a miserable 10th. The third race looked for awhile like it was going to be an upset as diminutive Jeff Wright (Rik) scorched into the lead right off the line. But it seemed like Jeff was riding a bit over his head trying to holl! the lead and on a steep downhill (that was only used in the Expert races) Jeff took a tumble. It looked like Terry Clark went down too, or at least had to stop (I was a long ways from the action) Some chicks like Chartene Higgins like to get right out there and wail... Messer fell down and Chaplin, unable to avoid him, crashed himself.· Messer earned an ambulance ride but is not seriously injured. Gary got up and continued to race, but more slowly. He finished sixth. Blackwell was loafing, Jim West got the lead, and Rich Thorwaldson, just couldn't catch him. So on Points it was Blackwell,. West, Chaplin, and Thorwaldson. "This takes a lot more endurance than desert racing," said Rich, "I didn't realize what bad shape I was in." Considering that he's a virtual ovice at real motocross work, one shudders to think what Thorwaldson will be like when he gets into shape! At the pay window Rich wasn't exactly exhuberant, which is easy to unaentand: If he had just managed to get ahead of Jim West in that last moto, he'd have been collecting $50.00 instead of $10.00. On the other hand, a fourth place on the desert only earned him another trophy. Would money corrupt him? "The Saturday night parties and the campfires on the desert are where it's really at," said true blue Rich. I can dig that. All you Juniors get your scooten shaped They're going to have a day just for you on May 16th at Bay Mare. No Experts to make you look bad and trophies - "good ones," says the management - to all who finish. Watch Cycle News for the details. It's limited to mail entry only. Results on " :\ '. Invaders Hare Scrambles March 21,1971 1st Trailbike (Expert) Mitch Mayes-Baja 100 (10th overall) 2nd Tom Sawyer -Baja 100 (1st Jr.) (2 in a row) Marc Blackwell and Jim West get head-to-head with The Man. The Man is Starter Chuck Fergusen. Jump the gun on this Starter and you're in trouble 'cause it's a real gun. March 14, 1971 Chapparel's M.C. Enduro 1st A Trailbike Dave Ekins - Baja 100 IlAlltEY·MW/IS£W the BarleyDavidson outpBrformBrs .... go ".... '" g Q. <{ ~ w Z '!'l U ~