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/125738
M D'UNES DRA WS DYNAMITE 'CROSSERS By John Grout Photos by Racing Photos VALENCIA, CAL., Aug. I, 1971 Today's fourth round of the Can-Am Motocross series at Indian Dunes drew a top field of 350 anxious riders. In the 250cc Senior grind alone, 29 racers reading like a list of who's who of American Motocross, assembled at the starting line to prove theirs is a sport that can't be won by being timid and the first moto for the bunch was immediately turned into a magnificent fierce battle at the top end. . Don. Bevins, (Yam), Tim Hart (Mai), Jun Wilson (CZ) and Mark Cook (Hus) were leading the roaring !feet as they headed down the front chute on lap number one. Meanwhile, the two Can·Am leaders, Ron DeSoto (CZ) and Rickman rider Bryar Holcomb, were conducting their own private warfare trying to stay in front of a charging mediator named Tom Rapp on a Bultaco and a shot of quicksilver named Bill Clements who was astride a lightning fast Husky. By the time the race had progressed to the back part of the course and as the swift field pulled out of the sand sweeper, Hart had grabbed the lead from Bevins but Clements and Rapp .... - '" go ~ ~ w Z W ...J o >o --_..... In a really fierce battle, John DeSoto (821 holds a slight advantage over Bill Clements, ..- were just abou t ready to prove they were not in this thing for mere kicks. Another front ru.oner, Preston Petty (Kaw) seemed to be having more than his share of moto problems. The cycle seemed to be running in spurts. By lap three, Clemen ts held the lead followed by Hart, Rapp and Wilson. The only change by the final wire was that Rapp had moved to second just a scant -few yards behind Clemen ts. During the second moto, Clements, who was riding two classes, appeared well on his way to the day's second win only to be nipped at the checkers by a hard.charging Rapp. So, with a tied score for the overall win, the third round was to be the decider and Clements took an immediate lead - but wasn't to hold it for long. Hart, Rapp, Doug Grant (AJS) and Ron DeSoto were all able to pass the tired Clements before the mid-mark had been reached. However, Bill's fifth place finish in the moto was still good enough for third overall. Rapp won and Hart was second. The Open Sr. hassle turned out to be a wild duel between John DeSoto (Suz), Clements, John Rice (Mai), and Gary Chaplin (Mai). During the first moto, a battle between DeSoto and Clements developed. The two riders went most of the en tire distance with a wheel length between themselves until Billy was to finally pull away on the final lap. DeSoto, the flying Hawaiian, reversed the order of finish in the second moto and once again' the spectators saw the tied score was on the line for the final. Again, Clements got short changed. By virtue by a second place finish in the final - behind Chaplin - DeSoto was able to cop overall from Clemen ts and Rice. In the wide 0pJ'n foray for the 125 Srs., Scott Hoffee (Bul) nd John Rice (Puc) went wheel-to-wheel for the first moto with Rice taking a squeaker of a win at the checkered. Then, in the second, young Hoffee, while doing that which is a mark of a great racer - charging for the lead from a beaten po!rition - was involved in an awesome endo while orbiting through the dog-leg section of the course. At this wiring, Hoffee is in critical condition and in the in tensive care unit of the Southbay Hospital in Redondo Beach a fter having been transferred from the Golden State Hospital in Newhall. The day's overall win in the 125 Sr. went to Larry Watkins with Gene Cannady and Bryar Holcomb finishing second and third. Another $1000 purse is being put on the line for this Sunday's moto - the fifth race of the Can-Am series. (Results on page 32) Rodgers On The Mend Dave Rodgers. the popular Senior motocross racer from Simi, Ca., who suffered a broken shoulder two weeks ago during a heated battle for the lead at an Indian Dunes Park moto. is resting comfortably today at the Los Robles Hospital after undergoing surgery to place a pin in the bone crack. It is expected that the injury will . " '" :. . John DeSoto and wife, Patti, take in the action. CANADIAN SHOE TO DUNES Crack Canadian motocross racer Bob Underwood from Aldergrove, British Columbia, will be on the starting line at Indian Dunes Park in Valencia, Calif., for the August 8 Can-Am Series on the Old Reservation obstacle course. Underwood, who wiII be facing the curren t Open SEnior Can-Am leader in John DeSoto from Long Beach, brings very impressive credentials to the U.S. He's currently leading all riders in the battle for the Canadian championship - sidel\ne Rodgers - who was leading two divisions of the Can·Am Motocross Series at the time - for at least a month. Anyone wishing to send their regards to Dave, should do so care-of Los Robles Hospital, Thousand Oaks California. ' .W SSSIII fliTfl THf rOOry rUSTOM '" rAI TAG rOllTfSTl W'" SSSIII Did you know that for 25 bucks you can get your very own custom license plate, providing you have a) car, b) or a bike, and c) you live in the State of California? Chuck Minert fits enough of these requirements to order one; his reads 500 BSA. How 'bout that! Someone else has one that reads ENDURO. J.C. Whathisname has his Cadillac embellished with AGGIE and one enterprising exec down by the airport impressed his peers when he thunk up FLY PSA. Here's our contest: You figure out the most clever plate you can think of and send it to us. It must be no more than six characters long with a maximum of one space if you want to use one; in other words, it must be in accordance to DMV rules. Also, since this isn't exactly Autoweek you're reading, it must rclate, however remotely, to motorcycles. (Mter all, you relate to motorcycles, don't you?) Five dollars goes to the best. Send as many entries as you want to KOOKY KUSTOM KAR TAG KONTEST, Cycle News, Box 498, Long Beach, CA 90801. YAMAHA MINI WINNER Shirley Buckingham of EI Segundo, Calif. won a new Yamaha Mini Enduro recenttv from Champion Yamaha of Manhattan Beach Calif. She was picked in a drawing in which many people had entered. Obviously, she was quite happy and surprised.