Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

- '" O'Brien Collects Back TT Win By James Brammer SANTA ROSA, CAL., July 31, 1971 Fenn Pervier made a perfect straight-line start followed shortly by eventual winner Mike O'Brien in the 250 Expert final of the Amateur short track races in the Chris Beck Arena. The short track ace from Danville took th e lead from Pervier on the inside with the Mill Valley ace continuing the race trying to pass on the high side. The pair had an easy lead from the pack. Meanwhile. Bill Calicura, Dennis Robinson, Allen Yarrow. and Danny Davies were in plenty of action. Robinson came by Calicura on the inside while Davies took the outside route. Allen Yarrow followed Calicura while Davies tried unsuccessfully to get around Robinson by coming out of the comers high to get maximum drive down the straights. Pervier followed O'Brien closely to the checkered flag. Undefeated this year at Santa Rosa in the short track races, Rich Dashiell won his heat in the_ 250 Junior final by passing Pat Lane and Gary Newman, and then he led the final from start to ~ w Z W ..J U > U Rick Dashiell 171GI, winner of the 250 Junior Finals. has Arena's Amateur ST. Trumbull Wins Vallejo TT Scrambles By James Brammer VALLEJO, CAL., July 30, 1971 - Bill Trumbull, on a Yamaha, led start to finish in the 250 Expert final of the TT Scrambles at Vallejo Speedway on Friday night while Jim Sail tone and Larry Drew battled for second. Drew passed Sailtone taking the checkered for second but was disqualified for rough riding. Sailtone was ..:redited with second, placing Bill Manley in third. In the 650 Expert final, Sail tone broke into the lead while Pat Lane was caugh t in a crunch on the fust lap. The race ended with Kent Johnson second to Siltone followed by Ken Helling. George Combs moved from fifth to second on the second lap of the 125 Junior final and then had to battle Jim Coats the remainder of the race for a close first. The referee kept busy throughout the evening with the new rules requiring disqualification for riders whose mufflers fell off during the race and the disqualifying of Drew for rough riding, but his most difficult decision had not been made at the end of the races. Tom Tyrell from San Francisco had a tremendous lead in the 650 Novice fmal. Thinking the race was over he pulled in to collect his fust place win while he still had a lap to go. He returned to the race, made one more lap, and still finished first. Someone says he can't be first for he left the course. It may take a protest to find out. (Results on page 28) Rai. ',lis I., foley flares. at fair S1 By Bill Spencer ANTIOCH, CAL., Aug. I, 1971 National Scrambles Champion Jim Foley wasn't too surprised with his performance at the annual Antioch Fair Short Track but many riders and spectators were when Foley led .the entire Main Event from start to finISh. The likeable motorcycle mechanic had no trouble winning his heat but wasn't expected to stand up to the likes of Mike O'Brien or Ray Huff. O'Brien has been well schooled in both professional and amateur short track racing. lie was the overall high point man at the defunct Sacramento series and is the current scourge of the Santa Rosa Amateur short track. Huff is a tough competitor on any track or surface. When the nag new, Foley had another one of his great hole shots going into the first turn and after one lap, he had it all his own way. Huff was charging through the pack and was trying to get Harry Dring on the outside of the fourth turn when he fell, relegating him to the back of the pack. Harry held second over O'Brien and Jim Monegan. Foley paced h imsel f very well throughout the Main and was never in trouble. Dring, likewise, held off the advances of O'Brien and, unlike his super-sliding performance in the heat, went about his work with determination. In the 250 Junior Main, ET Cycle ace Neil McGregor led the five-lap shortly Slor, By Rick Yarber RAINIER, WASH., July 10, 1971 "You can tell it"s summertime 'euz the rain is wanner." So goes today's Scrambles by the Rainier M.C. Although the track conditions weren't the greatest with dreary weather, the enthusiasts turned out 144 strong, determined to make the best with what they had...a very slow track. (Results on page 28) GROSSI DESIGNS MX TRACK Injured motocross star Bob Grossi will not be idle during his recuperation period. Not only does his new son Robert Preston Joel keep him jumping, bUl Bob will assist in designing a motocross track at the Fremont Raceway. He has already surveyed the area and states that a "bitchin' track" can be cut and set up. While the work of cutting the track is underway a race date for the fust running of this Bob Grossi rrack has already been set. Jim Parry's CMC North will run the very first motocross at Fremont Sunday, August 15. Sign-up is from 8-9 a.m. and while racing is limited to CMC members, memberships are available. Also planned for August 28-29 is a Bob Grossi motocross school on Saturday and Sunday will feature a $2500 professional motocross. The track will be just over a mile in length and will feature a front portion that runs right in front of the grandstand. All parts of the track will be viewable from th!_~:'ds.:a~_ar2.~ _ _ = __... finish. In the 175 Junior final, Mark Dunaway and Phil Anderson locked bikes in the first comer requiring a restart. On the restart, Ron Kesler led start to finish with Jerry Simpson moving by Jim Perry and Dunaway for third on lap three and then Simpson went on to challenge Kesler's lead almost catching him at the finish line. In the 250 Novice class, speedway stylist Greg Ferguson moved by five riders in his heat race on the first lap into second place and followed that shortly by moving into first. lie then provided an exciting show with spectacular slides and acceleration out of the corners. Luck was not in his favor in the final. He went into the comer from the start late sticking to the inside. One rider crossed up, requiring Ferguson to go around on the outside in a controlled slide. On the next lap the bike jack.knifed nearly tossing its rider. Recovering from this and moving through the pack, another bad slide placed Ferguson out of the winner's cirde. For those watching the action up front, it was Dennis Muelrath leading Paul McMakin until two laps from the finish where in the south corner. Muelrath paused to pass a fallen rider on the inside giving McMaking the moment he needed to pass by going around on the outside and taking the lead. (Results on page 28) Bill Trumbull. winner of the 250cc Expert class at Vallejo TT. Eas",r. Sw i'ci PrOJeS S,ccessf,' By Larry Urich BEND, ORE., Aug. I, 1971 _ Brian Eastburn of Bend used to be an "also ran" in the local Cascade M.C.'s motocross events riding varioliS brands of machines. Not long ago he purchased a 250 Maico from J&R Canopy & Cycle Sales and is partiaJly sponsored by same. His first time on the bike, third place trophy, and then another third, and today he grabbed a first overall by way of a 3-1-5 combo. Bruce Hall (Hus) hung in there and then won the final moto for second overall. The Open class saw Keith Ncrseth on a new 501 Maico, riding for A-I Cycle, take all motos leading all the way with litttle challenge. His 501 could not be used to full advantage on the Cascade track as the average speed is only about 30 mph. Vacationing Larry See from Santa Monica, Calif., liked the track anel said it was the roughest he had ever ridden. In the 125 race it was Randy Limbeck agai~_p~,,~is fast Pq 911 ':~....I_,"""''''''A, ", Sil,a SIJows Scramblers How By J. Noffsinger CHICO, CAL., July 31, 1971 - Rider attendance hovered right around 100 bikes here at Cydeland Speedway this evening. There .were some empty seats in the stands which added to the delight of the fans sitting there. The empty spaces provided holes for the breeze to • blow. There were several spectacular crashes on the back straightaway which brought the crowd to its feet several times. Luckily no riders were hurt all evening long. Del Silva came u.p from the Sacramento area to wm the Expert Main, although he had a heated battle with Dick Turner. He also won the Scratch Main, this time running away with the event as Dick Turner decided not to run in this one. Del had his Ossa perking all evening long, and looked very smooth and stylish in all his races. Delmo Becker won his first main event here at Cycle land Speedway taking the 100 Handicap, although Brad Johnson began applying the pressure ,",,,..;t~o.w~ar;;.d~s;...;th;;...e ..;,en;;.d..;;.:'•.;B;.;r,;a.. . .· d",ap._p~ear_.;,ed_to_.b.e-X much faster going into the comers, but the Kawasaki of Delmo's had too much steam down the straights. Ron McGil, pushed his Bultaco into first place in the 200 Handicap Main. It has been some time since Ron has been in first place as he has been fmding it hard to make up his handicap in these events. However, he stayed to the inside of the groove during· the main event and was lucky enough to pick those off in front of him from the inside. (Results on page 28)

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