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/125740
N .... '" ~ ~ « ~. 8 LA C (WELL, w g DARNELL IN SHOWDOWN By Margaret Earnest SANTA MARIA, CAL., Aug. 8, 1971 The Powder Puffs put on the most exciting race ever seen at Spillway Park with the girls riding more like the guys today, with a battle among th e top four fInishers. Some of the often heard complaints regarding the Powder Puffs is their slowness, non-agressiveness, etc., but these gals evidently had left out that chapter of the book because there was dicinp; back and forth throughout. Carol Davis of San Luis, who cut her teeth riding with the men, came out fIrst overall with Suzie Bowen a close second. Mark Hovater, 125 Jrs., seems to be a come from behind rider because you never see him in the front of the pack during the start but he works his way up picking off guys right and left. Pete Miller (Yam) easiJy took fIrst place in each moto and had to have his machine torn down following the race because of a protest. No official word as of this writing, but Pete lugged the trophy home anyway. Hovater was content with a second. Doug Weis, Open]rs., on a Husky did a super endo in the first moto but no injury to either bike or rider: Johnny Grossini (Hus), 250 Sr., and Doug Grant, AJS factory rider, put on their usual dice game playing tag with the first place lead. These two get so far away from the pack they have a ball out there. Johnny has been plagued by jetting problems on the Husk.y and once these are sorted out Grant may have to be satisfied with a number two spot. Russ Darnell, who seems to like this track, and Mark Blackwell, first time out, swept the boards in the Open Srs. The initial sign-up consisted of only seven, but as the day wore on and the sun became higher, the field diminished considerably to four finishers with Blackwell the overall winner and Darnell a very close second. One of the big attractions of the day was the debut of the well publicized city team race. The number of entrants was rather disappointing with only three of the hoped-for five cities represented by Lompoc, Santa Maria and San Luis Obsipo had some of their best out for the "civic duty" bit. Each city team had six riders go off the line, two from the 125, two from the 250 and two Open riders. Lompoc was short a 125 rider and the sole survivor, Scott Frisby, scattered DKW gears and transmission during the fIrst grueling 15 minute moto. Both San Luis and San ta Maria nad full crews running and from the start Lompoc held the 250 lead with Johnny Grossini on a Husky, Santa Maria the 125 lead with Yamaha rider Larry Greer and the Open class with Lompoc's Suzuki mounted Ken Earnest. John Gennai continues to be the top Northern California scrambles rider, and he does it with fine style. G naiD 0UbIes, Hoc kin g Sin gIe sat Valle jo en By James Brammer VALLEJO, CAL., Aug. 6, 1971 - Rick Hocking walked away from a tangle with a concrete wall in a 250 Expert heat race and returned to capture the 500 Expert Class final of the IT scrambles held at the Vallejo Speedway Friday night. On the start of the 250 Expert heat race, Hocking, on the outside position from the start, scraped the concrete retainer wall much in the same manner as Jim Foley had earlier in the season when Foley was put out three weeks. As Foley's, the spill looked bad. Friction had ruptured the PurSang's gas tank, but Hocking walked away and returned on the EI Montadero in the 500 class to run away from Jim Sailtone and Larry Drew in the fmaL Second spot in that fInal was a not one with Larry Drew cnasing Jim Sailtone. In a last-lap effort to pass, Drew and Sailtone drifted together in the air over the jump with neither rider shutting off. The bikes locked together with Sailtone going down in the next corner. Drew remained upright going on to fmish second. In the 250 Expert final, Bill Budde, black plater number 5 wno hasn't raced at Yallejo in months, finished second to John Gennai, who owns the 250 class at Vallejo. Gennai completed the evening with a win on Chuck Hixon's Triumph in the 650 Expert final over Ken Helling. With 250 entries requiring 18 finals, the American Canyon Motorcycle Club completed the race program before 11 p.m., one of the earliest finishes of the year. Following the Richmond Ramblers Sunday scrambles at Vallejo on August 15, the Oakland Motorcycle Club will run a Sunday scrambles at Vallejo on August 15, the Oakland Motorcycle Club will run a Sunday scrambles at Vallejo on August 22. The Friday Vallejo Speedway season poiDt contest ends August 13 with a two-week notice before the trophy presentation. The Friday night races are to continue, even after the season point trophies are awarded. (Results on p'age 28) Most team riders rode their regular motos so this was really an endurance test for both bike and rider. Elation ran throughout the Lompoc contingent after the first moto but it was short lived as bike casualties were noted and substitution quickly scrounged but Lompoc team still went out short a rider in the 125 class. Santa Maria nosed out Lompoc team by a scant 112 points, the scoring done the same as a regular moto with San Luis Obispo coming in third. The hot weather and numerous water truck intermissions made for a long day of racing but the gold at the end of the day for the lucky few made it all worthwhile. Spillway Park. is open each weekday at noon for riding and the next scheduled MX is the Lompoc Sio-Pokes Me's, Aug. 22. Remits 'Cm"p~ ~~ Two of John Genna;', toughest competitors: Bill Budde labovel and Rick Hocking «-lpGI pushes hard to stay in front of Rick Hocking. (below).