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/125735
:JACKAI.OPE WINS DESERT ~ > :; .., ~ w Z ... w (,J > (,J By Rap Schneiders Photos by Ellen Schneiders and Pat Dempsey LUCERNE, CAL., July 11, 1971 Hey, here's a surprise for you! J.N. Roberts won the Desert Faxes' Hare Scrambles this week. Oh, you're not surprised? Well how about this: Rich Thorwaldson took second .on his super-swift Suzuki. That doesn't get you either? Would it surprise you if I said that Terry Clark got 4th overall? What do you mean, when's he going to win? Don't you know th!lt motorcycle he's riding is just a toy? Do you really expect him to win flnt overall? That's just what a lot of his fans expect, and it will probably happen someday but this wasn't the day. In fact this was the sort of race in which one would not have expected him to do well at all. It was set in Lucerne Valley by Soggy Dry Lake, an area which has seen a lot of activity lately. The race was scheduled for 9 o'clock, but it was already hot by 8 o'clock and getting hotter by the minute. Quite a few guys were wandering around the pits looking even man: str1ing-<>ut than usual. These were the one who had ridden the Prospectors' Moonshine enduro the night before. The enduro finished up about 3:30 and it's about an hour and a half from enduro to race so guess how much sleep these jokers (including me) got. Usually a apoDioring dub Illy' the smoke bomb will tJe 9 QliIea from the .tart line and then they put it about 2 QliIea away. Makes the riders fecl.Hke they're really .moltiDg it. Nine QliIea in only teD minutes! The Deaert Foxea put their bomb an honest 5 miles out and it waa a long Itomb run. And a nice one. The tenitory waa so wide open that the riders n:ally scattered and for a change you could ace where you were going most of the time. For us older guy. that have gotten uaed to the idea of living and sort of like it, that's important. Right after the bomb there was an uphill sandwash about 300 yards long that you would 'swear anyone could ride This is the rock ledge mentioned in the story. RIders 8t the bottom heve found their _y 8round. Riders i!t the top .re thinking about how w,ell their scooters will fly... . ' . . .' at 40 mph, but in the novice race, 'you guessed it. Ten out of the ijnt twenty managed to blew it and make it diffICult for everyone following. Fortunately, the waah was wide enough .0 that no serious bottleneck developed. . As soon as the guys were past the little s:andwash, they spread out aRain, just like it was another smoke bomb run. It waa that kind 0(' territory. Almost any time you looked, there were .guys right and left for a mile in either direetion. Occaaionally they'd funnel dewu for a check and then .pread out OXNARD TWIN WHEELERS M.C. Presents 11th Annual Oxnard Sports Festival TT RACES SUNDAY, AUGUST 1, 1971 ALL CLA •••• •0 . • 1•• HAC• • • •LCO• • SPECIAL MIII·IIIE lACES, 12 &.UIDII ".y S2.1. PO." •• ".Y sa.lo MAIl. • • (Mail entries close midnite July 25) First race at 10 A.M. Obtain entry blanks at aM Mota Cross dealers and clubs or use A.M.A. entry blank MAIL .M".I•• "01 605 E. Maple St. Oxnard, Ca., 93030 Phone, Information (805) 483-2669 ~'\ "ItS SIlNIBfJ :;-.. imic rome \.\u.. . _ $Il11lellro. is I II.-, . :~ ~(CIO"S ....Ic:l .. • ....., E I t, . * _EnnO. CHEMICALS T.51 CIlI $3.45 713 Estos 5t,", )t 3332 Reta 51., La Crescenta, Calif. 91214 (213) 248·2837 or (213) 248-2850 Dealer Inquiries Invited I... F.IIs. tow. 50126 * ATTENTION TURNERS CHAMBERS We've gone wholesale, deal direct. Save up to $12.00 per pipe. Effective Now! 213·531·1619 8852 E. Rosecrans, Paramount, Ca. 98723 STRONG O&S MOTORCYCLE CARRIERS StJU... I,. NEW "MOLLY-BLUE" chain lube and a new 2 cycle oil. They're worth wailing for.