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Endurance, Luck Decide Outcome -in Team MX By John Grout Photos by Racing Photos VALENCIA, CAL., May 30-31, 1971 Rebounding from an almost-certain win which had finally turned into a D.N. F. during the contesting of the 125cc event on the previous day, the double-whammy duo of John Rice and Jimmy MacDonald got everything tied together in a proper manner for today's 3·hour Inwan Dunes team grind for the Open class moto machinery. After the RicefMacDonald combo had smoked to a lead which would have been somewhat difficult to locate on a radar scope the remainder of the Open bunch whipped into line behind the teams of Mark Nohr/Chuck Hecker, D.E. SmeadfMark Shook, Jeff Wecker/Dick McDonald and Ron DeSoto/Geroge ErI. The German . manufacturers were all smiles; a pair of Maicos were out on the front end all by . themselves. The Husky bunch was mpping at heels, solidly placed in third position. As the marathon approached the halfway mark with MacDonald roaring around the landscape on the lead machine and Rice enjoying a sizzling hamburger from one of Jay's Concession stands, the Nohr/Hecker cycle temporarily lost the second position after a lengthy pit stop and had to put on a come-from-behind effort to catch Smead and Shook just before the final wire. However, the RicefMacDonald bikes wdn't miss a beat for the entire contest. Their win was not only a popular one, but they won big! The 125cc event, which was run for a total of three hours - none under a caution light - began as a heated conflict between Bruce Baron and Dave Rodgers. But that didn't take long for a change. Rodgers broke a throttle cable on the first lap and had to come hot-footing it back to the pits in order to give his arm band to Junior partner, Ken Zahrt. Meanwhile, Baron was involved with some kind of weird endo which virtually snuffed any chances for himself or riding compadre, Mel Moore. And so, the first thing that anyone knew, pouring down the front chute - a half mile in front - was none other than, Johnny "The Ironman" Rice. Behind him came Jeff Wright, riding as a team with the young Dunes sensation, Danny LaPorte, and Jim O'Neil, who had chosen sides with Dave Kolbe on a blazing blue Rickman. Rice and MacDonald, continuing to do everything but ride their cycle upside down, tenaciously held the lead on the one bike which they were sharing between themselves for the better part of two hours and fifteen minutes. And that included an en tire lap or so while John "R" rigged something up to replace a lost shift lever. In the meantime, from somewhere near the tail end of the old reservation, Rodgers and Zahrt, and the dynamic duo of Ray Byers and Rick Salmon, both Junior classed racers, were picking up the front-runners. Things were too good to last for Rice, who always seems to enjoy about the same luck at this track as Lloyd Ruby suffers at Indianapolis. Slim and none! The chain links on Rice's bike parted company, ending an almost incredible performance. Rodgers and Zahrt rode a Bultaco bombshell to f"mal victory. Eddie Cole and Wayne Cook finished second; Byers and Salmon, astouwnll: for a pair of Juniors, were third at the [mal wire. In the two hour race for the 100cc machinery, the team of Tom Zahnter and Tom Pinneri went all of the way on top. Jimmy Dawson and Steve Pinneri had to maintain a full-bore attitude to grab a 2nd place finish from the Art Barda managed twosome of Bruce Mc.oougal and Brad McKee. And if Barda, a former AMA dirt track racer of considerable prominence, comes through with a single, solitary other idea; about 15% of the riders currently bounding around the circuit had better start packing their leathers back into their foot-lockers and beading towards happier hunting grounds! Bevans Shows Slro"ng Potential John Rice (above) and Jim West (below) display their particular talents. By John Grout VALENCIA, CAL., June 6, 1971 Amidst a crowd of 500 riders and 4500 spectators' who had assembled for the onslaught of 10 full hours of racing at Inwan Dunes Park, 14-year-old Lancaster f"rreball Gary Bevans placed a comet of a Yamaha right smack down track center and ignited the proceedings into an in fern o. During the earlier hours, young Bevans, displaying all the brashness of a rookie on the Indy pole, kicked sand into the faces of the top bunch of 125 Semors, including John Rice, Dave Rodgers, Edwe Cole, Scott Hoffee, Charlie Mott, and Steve Merkel. As the racers slid into the fourth lap the pressure proved to be too great. Rice really poured on the coal and passed young. Gary in a tremendous crossed-up mid-air leap. From that point on John-R' maintained a lead over Bevans and Dave Rodgers. Into the second moto, it was brash Bevans again at the front end, but in the wild scramble along the back chute it was Dave Rodgers with Gary and Edwe Cole pressuring. Farther back, Rice was on the move. Through the pit area, Rice put his Puch on the rear wheel and moved up on Rodgers. Around the high turns they stayed nailed together, and, sailing into lap five, the two R's enjoyed such a lead that the remainder of the brigade was being inducted for the third moto. The final round, and guess what? Gary Bevans once again took the lead, followed by Rodgers and Rice. Rodgers is a tough customer to put a collar on and when the machinery came flying over the sand whoop-de-doos, Dave held the front spot. Suddenly the leader's Bul snapped a third link and in spite of much work to repair it, he was out of the action. It was still Bevans, Rice, and Bob Haag on ~ new Sprite anchoring down the closing positions and that's the way it remained 'til the checkered. Rice had the points to take the overall decision for the class. The 250 Semor go heralded the return of Mike Runyard, who has been on the shelf after a serious leg injury a year ago in Selma, Alabama. Tom Rapp swung into two straight wins before Tim Hart was able to nail down the third. Rapp, with his flawless lock-to-lock leaps, had the day when the scores came in. Scott Hoffee, another part of the Bul invasion, latched onto second and John Pavich garnered third. The'Open Seniors were set upon by twl' racers who tied for the top spot, Bob Hershey (CZ) and Jim West (Hus) locked horns while Maico mounted Mike Cram came in third. (Results on pge 28) ~rGan!l PURSANG 250 A & E There is a Difference, But the Results are the Same Series 'E' Victories Include 1st 250 Expert/Motocross, Puyallup, Wash., May 16, 1971 1st 250 Senior/Motocross, Forest Glades, May 23,1971 S.eries "A' Victories Include 1st Novice Main; Half-mile, Ascot Park, May 28, 1971 1st 250 Expert, TT, Prescott, Ariz., May 16, 1971 1st 250 Expert, Scrambles, Hayward, Calif., May 15, 1971 1st 250 Expert Main, Half-mile, Phoenix, Ariz., May 14, 1971 1st 250 Amateur/Expert, TT Scrambles, Perris, Calif., May 22, 1971 1st 250 Expert, Scrambles, Hanford, Calif.: May 21, 1971 1st 250 Expert Final, TT Scrambles, Vallejo Speedway, May 14, 1971 1st 250 TT, Trojan Speedway, May 20, 1971 1st 250 TT, Trojan Speedway, May 27,1971 1st 10-lap Novice Main, Roosevelt Raceway, May 28, 1971 1st 250 Junior/Expert, Amateur Scrambles, Salinas, Calif., May 16, 1971 , P.O. Box 433, Silverado, California 92676 c ": .... " ~ w Z W ...J (,J > (,J