Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

'" N 1 .... - WOODS WINS C.OSTA MESA fAIR DERBY By Mike Capalite Photos by Dennis Greene N COSTA MESA, CAL., July 17, 1971 With the Fair Derby match race being ., the big event of the evening, the crowd picked up a little from the previous ~ at the Orange County w night Z Fairgrounds. If any of the fair-goers W were enticed to watch speedway for the ..J (.) first time, the racing Saturday night was > enough to make fans out of them as the (.) track was in the same shape as the night before with lots of sliding being the way of it. As the four riders who had won their heats in the battle for the big Fair Derby Perpetual Trophy race went into the semis, it was Sonny Nutter besting Larry Shaw in the first one and Rick Woods over Steve Bast in the second. This mean t that the big one for the trophy would be between Nutter and Woods. As they came to the line, the excitement in the stands was high as Rick won the toss and took the pole position. As the gate went up, Rick and Sonny were into the comer about as close as two riders could be, but coming out, Woods got a wheel ahead of Nutter and puDed ahead about a length going into the second comer. Coming out into the front straight, Nutter turned it on .. little too much and the front wheel came up and over on him and he went down hard on his posterior as the machine did a series of spectacular endos down the track. As Rick came around for the checkered flag, he saw what had happened and refused the checkered flag, electing instead to re·run the race if Sonny was able and could get another machine. Nutter was none the worse for wear, so with his spare machine, they pulled to the line again and this time, Woods got a terrific hole shot and was into the comer flrst and took the lead to hold it for the two laps to take the win. The trophy was supposed to be presen ted by last year's winner Bill Cody, but much to the ell ..... 3' • WOODS SWEEPS DAKETOWN MEET .. By Sportphoto BAKERSFIELD, CAL., July 14, 1971 - For the second time this season U.S. Champ Rick Woods has proven how much he deserves his title by winning every scratch and handicap event he started. The only defeat Rick suffered an evening was at the hands of New Zealander Dave Gifford in the Feature Match Race. It was side by side into the first tum, but coming out Rick found a bit more traction and pulled ahead only to overcook it in the last turn where he slipped out into the marbles, had some handling difficulties and watched Dave take 'the lead. On the second and flnal lap, valiantly though Rick tried, it was all in vain and Gifford came in the winner. The Scratch Main was Woods' an the way, although Sonny Nutter was never more than a length or two behind, hoping for some small error on Woods' part. But Rick wasn't having any, so the issue was never really in doubt. Sonny was second to the checkered, chased hy Steve Bast and Don Cullum. Stu Morley put the Red Beard Racing Team into the winner's circle in the Handicap Consolation, moving into the lead almost off the start and showing the way to the checker to Larry Moon, MIke Curoso, Jim Nicholson, Cullum and Mike Konle. (Results on page 28) FOR HODAIlA·aILITY see your local HODAKA dealer Distributed by Tiger Distributing 653 W. Broadway, Glendale, Ca. 91204 IE A W'''''EI A Ride ~ PUCH Open Sundays delight of Woods, this chare was handled by Miss Orange County and two of her consorts. The Division II Main was spiced with a little excitement as Guy Waterson went down in the first corner against the wall and Paul Henderson with no place to go looked like Evel Knievel as he shot into the air using Guy as a ramp. Neither rider was injured as Dick Brewer went on to take the win with Billy Gray putting in a fme performance in the number two slot. They were followed across the line by Mickey Quade and Bruce Flanders. The Handicap Main Event was definitely Rick Woods as he worked his way up from the 60-yard line and methodically picked off rider after rider until he commandered the lead and held it to th e win. _is:'," '...... Fair Derby Malch Race riders Sleve Basi. Larry Shaw. Rick Woods and Sonny Nuner, Moon Tops Fair Handicap By Mike Ca,>alite Photos by Dennis Greene COSTA MESA, CAL., July 16, 1971 Riding with the best of them Friday nigh t, Larry Moon was able to bring home a win in the Handicap Main at the Orange County Fairgrounds. By running both Friday and Saturday nights to coincide with the County Fair, the crowd was down a little bit, but the action was hot and heavy. Although a rodeo had been held the night before on the track surface, it was in beautiful shape and was perfect for the full-lock slide poys. As this was a two-night affair, a series . of elimination matches were held between the top riders to move into the Saturday night semis for the big Fair Derby Match Race. This is run annually at the County Fair with the winner keeping the perpetual trophy, a large gold-plated replica of a stra hat mounted on a base with the winner's names engraved, for one year. Last year's winner Bill Cody was unable to compete as he is, sidelined with a broken collar bone. In the four elimination races with the winners transferring to the semis on Saturday, it was Larry Shaw over Greg Haserot, Sonny Nutter topping Scott Autrey, Rick Woods besting Mike Bast and Steve Bast taking the win over mike Konle. In the Division II Main, it was Irwin Moon on a Velocette who took the lead off the line, but he couldn't hold back the onslaught of Bob Hardison, who moved past him to take the lead and hold it all the way with Joe Fitzpatrick also passing Moon to move in to second, leaving Irwin the third place slot. For some unknown reason, the program was changed for this evening and the Scratch Main was run before the Handicap Main, but it didn't seem to alter the fine racing. Off the line, it was Woods on the inside with Sonny Nutter on the outside into the first comer, but Sonny drifted wide and Larry Shaw moved into the second slot with Steve Bast right behind him. Into the next corner, Bast was ahle to get a wheel under Shaw and come out in the number two spot. As Nutter was trying to move up on Shaw, his bike suddenly went sour and that was all for him as th ey crossed th e lin e wi th Woods leading, Bast second, Shaw third and Nutter fourth. In the Handicap Main, Larry Moon took the lead at the onslaught and Ed Williams dropped in behind him with Steve Bast, Mike Bast and Woods right on their back wheels. Mike Bast drifted New desert demonstration rides: Suzuki 400 MX; BSA 500 MX; AJS Stormer.; Montesa Cappras SUZUKI CITY WHITTIER HONDA 1111 0 Santl Gertrudes Whittier (213) 947·1511 947·1910 A crash in the making... Bruce Flanders leads the group into the wall with Guy Waterman feeling the pressure. 728 So LaBrea, (90301) (213) 674·143'1 Inglewood, Calif. wide and almost lost it into the wall as Woods moved up and tried to get around Williams. As Williams was holding the inside, Woods elected to go . around him on the outside and as he did, Ed drifted and almost ran Woods into the wall. Meanwhile, Mike Bast had recovered and moved up on the inside and was threatening to move into second. As Mike moved into second going into the last lap, Rick came back on the inside with Steve Bast right behind him and as they came into the last comer, Mike and Ed both went a little wide and Rick and Steve moved under them to cop the second and third spots behind Larry Moon who brought home the first win for the JAP marque in a Main Event in a long time. Mike was fourth with Sonny Nutter and Williams in fifth and sixth. (Results on page 28) The Scratch Main was the revenge race for the Bast Brothers over Rick Woods as th ey pulled out all the stops with Steve really getting it on as he has topped his heat and his Semi with Woods running second to him in the semi. Out of the first comer, it was Steve, Mike and Rick with Scott Autrey close behind. As Steve and Mike were stretching out their lead, Rick was having trouble holding it tigh t in 'the comers and Scott was able to slip under him as Steve was stretching his lead out over Mike. Mike Bast was trying hard, but there was no catching Steve as he took the win with an easy lead with Mike second and Scoll third with Woods in fourth. (Results on page 28) CRICKETS TOO LOUD! By Elaine Jones CORONA, CAL., July 13, 1971 Sound people, taking decible readings Friday night at Corona Raceway, were hampered by the abundance of crickets in the Home and Country area who are in violation of the Corona Noise Ordinance. They registered along with overhead planes and the train that runs by the housing tract louder than what is legally acceptable. The track, on the other hand, at no time exceeded the limit allowed them. Rivenide District Attorney Byron Morton, meanwhile has started proceedings against the track.. Instead of one trial, he has insisted on three separate jury hearings which will begin August 4. It appears Corona Raceway may be in for a long, costly lel{a1 battle. 'Morrison Steals Show From Double-Winner By Art Loya SOlJfH GATE, CAL., July 15, 1971 Despite two top-flight performances that ended in victory circle for Chris Smith of Alta· Loma (250 IT Main Event winner) and Dale Hopkins (250 F.T. Main winner) it was newcomer Rob Morrison of Fontana, who stole the spotlight this Thursday evening at Trojan Speedway. The 250 IT feature got off to an interesting start when riders Craig SteigJer, Bill Potts, Mark Smith, and Jim Bernard, spilled, bringing the crowd to an almost complete silence. Although the acciden t looked serious, all four riders were unhurt. A second restart resulted after SteigJer spilled once again. while rounding off the comer before the jump, and Ricky White hit the front-stretch crashedwall, but both riders escaped injury. Chris Smith and his Montesa filtered through a 12-rider scramble before taking the flrst jump and the lead, but he was hard pressed by Bob Byars (Ossa) all the way to the finish. Following the pair across the finish line were 22-year·old Rick Isbell (Ossa), Hopkins (Bul), and Steigler (Bul). In the 250 F.T. Main, Hopkins got the jump on Smith and the rest of the field, but he was forced to work for the lead as Chris Smith and Dave Arrambid.e (Oss) of Ventura, challenged him for the front spot. On the final turn of the fmal lap, Smith made one last effort to overhaul Hopkins coming into the front stretch, but he failed and dumped his bike losing a sure second place. Arrambide finished second and was trailed by Tim Tipton (Yam), Jim Tabler (Yam), and Bill Potts (Yam). You can mark down Rob Morrison as a rider to keep your eye on considerin~ his solid performance on track he had never been on since its renovation. Going into the 100 IT Main, Morrison had a clean sweep going for him and his At the finish of his Kawasaki. sensational riding in a I2·rider fleld, Morrison had added a main event to his string of victories. Morrison was trailed by Tom Doty (Hon), Byars (Hon), Mark Revels (Kaw), and Bob Sanders (Kaw). Tasting earlier defeat, Sanders came back to win easily in the 125 IT Main over Steve_Young (Yam), REvels (Kaw), Morrison (Kaw), and Tony Seruto (Yam). Sanders and Morrison teamed up for some real hot racing in the 100 F.T. Main, perhaps the best action of the night for the front spot, featuring challenge after challenge, but, it was pretty hard to beat experience in your own back yard, and Morrison lost to Sanders by a wheel Finishing third was Revels (Kaw), followed by Marv Heembergen (Kaw) and Roy Widener (Kaw). Trojan fans found a new here to root for when Morrison came back to completely stop Sanders' monopoly of the 125 F.T. Main Event action with a thrilling win over Sanders (Yam), Revels (Kaw), Tabler (Yam), and Jack Harter (Yam). A likeable rider, a bit on tl'!e modest side, Morrison later stated, "It would have 'to be somewhat of an upset for me to win because these riders proved to me that they are some of the best in the game". Sanctioned by the Speedway Racing Association, the class A cycles, second and third divisions, continue racing ""cry Saturday nigh t starting at 8 p.m.' and the regular weekly double·header starts at 7:30 p.m. every Thursday night at Trojan Speedway in South Gate.. (Results on page 28)

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