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/125728
iSlop Sops Utah Cyclops· S; By Larry Knop :.: Photo by Gary Payne .. SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, May 9, § 1971 - It's been said a motocross can't ; be rained out, but CMA's Mother's Day S Motocross almost made it. The ~ Continental Motocross Association w spent weeks of work improving their 13 new Bacchus Highway track only to be > greeted by angry clouds and much U moisture the morning of the race. Novices practiced between cloudbursts. The riders came out to race though, and so the race went on. The new, improved course looked like a seas of mud and water, but traction could be found - if you looked in the right places. Novices who did their thinking with their throttle hands found themselves lying in the mud cursing the water gods, and at least one class had a 50 percent attrition rate by the third moto. Had there been any little old ladies from Pasadena present, they could have had a great time being horrified by all the filthy motorcyclists (and you never saw such a fllthy bunch of motorcyclists). Riders seemed to be having a good time though, sliding into each other on the comers and drowning each other in the waterholes. It was the type of racing for the Novices where class, not horsepower, told. All the Novice winners showed they had it, winning by commanding margins in the final results. When the Novices stopped racing, the sun came out. It appeared even Old Sol wanted a look at the highlight of the day - the Sponsor's !"lce. This was a race for the owners or managers of motorcycle firms around the area who sponsor racers. Not for the racers, but for the sponsors. Six of these generally immaculate gentlemen showed up for the contest. The weapons - minibikes! There was Ferril the Flash of Plaza Cycle, the Duck from Skip's, Hauling Ed Henry of Competition Products, Bashing Benton from Honda of Bountiful, Cycletown's Slippery Shults, -Where-in, Cycle News creates a new word meaning cycle operations, i.e., races - dig it? and Jumping Jack of State Sports. The mud was a great leveler, and paddling (or swimming in one case) was the order of the day. Everyone had a chance to cheer their favorite shop, and while only one could finish first they were all winners. Then came the Experts. Old Sol stayed out to watch, and the Novices turned green with envy, as the ground quickly dried. By the third moto even the Open class bikes could find all the traction they needed almost anywhere on the course. It was a completely different course for the Experts, one which showed off their talents to the highest degree. .Only one of the Experts had an easy time Sunday. Peter Crandall continued his domination of the 125 class. Jerry Davis had to survive a disastrous third moto spill to take the 100 class, while in the 200 class, Bryan Shafter had a moderately easy time_ Woody Lawhon had to pull out all the stops to beat Gary Mikkelson in the 250 class in some of the best racing of the day. The cream of the area's racers were beaten in the Open class by Dennis Packard, who thus showed he has arrived at the top. Spectators unfortunately were generally intimidated by the weather and they missed some good racing. They can make up for it May 30-31 when there will be two days of racing with special events ~ach day. Cuttingham, West Take MX By c. T. Wahler EL PASO, TEX., May 9, 1971 Approximately one thousand spectators turned out to see top motocross riders from the West Texas-Southern New Mexico area battled. III spite of the weather forecast which called for high winds and lots of dust there was a good turnout of riders and spectators alike. As it turned out the weather was beautiful. The 100 Expert class saw excitement in the third heat when Tim Cottingham (Bul), the winner of the fll'St two heats, dropped a chain on the first lap wbile in front. Bob Jones took over the lead. By the time Cottingham got his chain back on, he was in last position. Picking riders off one by one he managed to move up into the second spot. Jones NEW FIRM OPENS Jim Meyer, former Secretary of the Invaders M.C. is now in business offering complete metallurgical services, geared to the needs of the racing industry. For information write or call Jim Meyer & Associates, 8128 Stewart and Gray Road, Downey, Calif., 90241, (213) 862-1617. and his rapid Baja managed to get die checkered first, with Cottingham closing in. This gave Tim enough points for a first for the day with the n1nner-up position going to Jones. The most exciting race of 'the day came in the third heat of the Open Experts. Harry West (Mai), who had won the previous two heats, came .off the line second, led by a very determined Randall Dodson (Hus). In third spot was Mike Ahern (Mai) from Alamogordo, N:M. Dodson held the lead throughout the race without being pressured. Meanwhile West and Ahem were fighting for second. About thirty fee before the checkered Ahern caught West napping and zapped him, giving him a second and West a third. (Results on page 26) New desert demonstration rides~ SU2:uki 400 MX; BSA 500 MX; AJS Stormers; Montesa Cappras SUZUI