Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

Payne Takes Night By Eric Raits Photo by Dick Wright GARDENA, CAL., Aug. 19, 1971 CMC officials added a bit of the desert to the Thursday nigh t motocross at Ascot Park in an effort to curb Experts at the starting line. Starter Stu Peters got a bellyfull of riders jumping the start in an effort to extract the last degree of advantage and put some teeth into the warnings he's been giving all year. Peters ordered the puzzled 250 Experts to shut their engines off in the first moto and Motocros~ announced there would be a dead engine start. He waved the flag and the riders kicked, jumped aboard and took off. Jeff Wright has been starting races in the desert this way for years and he did the expected. His Rickman·Metisse was into the first tum while some Experts were still kicking and shifting. Wright won this class and the 125 Experts, nearly sweeping all six motos. He led the second moto until the last 50 feet where he smacked a log and pretzeled his brake lever to let Tim Hart and Bruce Baron by. Hart (Mai) and Baron (Ric) finished second and third overall. Mike Garrett (Pen) and Bryar Holcomb (Ric) finished behind Wright in the 125 E.xpert class. The 500 Expert class started off in a tame way. John, DeSoto won the first moto in his usual powerful manner. Mike Cram and Bill Payne followed the Hawaiian's Suzuki across the line. The second moto brought the crowd to the edge of their seats and woke up the pits. Bill Payne got off the line in first, hotly pursued by DeSoto. Payne led DeSoto for four and a half laps, riding to the edge of concentration to stay ahead. DeSoto made his move on the last lap catching Payne as they thundered across the narrow lake crossing but Payne refused to shut off. Payne was relegated to the outside for the critical TT jump left hander but hung on doggedly and the pair came down to the checkered flag side by side. They locked bikes and dragged each other toward the waiting flag, slowing almost to a standstill. Payne broke loose first and scooted to the finish just ahead of DeSoto. Their finishing order left everything up to the last moto to determine a winner. DeSoto, Cram and Payne could win, depending on how they finished. Cram and Payne took the lead at the Closed Area Now Ie-opened The Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, east of San Diego, Calif., has recently been reopened for Off-Road Vehicle use, states William Penn Mott, Jr., director of parks and recreation for the state. "It is found to be in the best inerest of the State Park System that an exception be authorized to Section 4352 for vehjcles in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park," he states. These exceptions will remain in effect until July 1, 1972, he adds, "unless earlier rescinded." StJ."" ea. Se.tI.1tetu ~ N..aao'. ow.. MoJe«ycIe Club" Los Vegaa, NevadI' start and Cram mo ved ou t to a clear lead and win. Behind him DeSoto moved up to second, passing Tim Hart and Payne. On the fourth lap Hart got by DeSoto to give Cram a shot at an overall win. Cram came across the line first, nd it looked as if DeSoto would finish third but Hart slowed at the finish a1lowjng, DeSbto to move into second. Hart said he missed a shift and DeSoto's finish gave him an overall first ahead of Cram and Payne. J unjor class winners were Scott Doornbos (Hon) in the 100 class, Jeff Weber (BuI) 125's, Rourke Early (Mai) 250's and Paul Mahnke in the 500's. Intermediate winners were Patrick Perkins (Yam) in the 125's, Mark Skolil (Mai) 250's, and Bob Madden (CZ) in the 500's. (Results on page 28) ANOTHER 81G OPPORTUNITY The California Recreational Trails Committee has two vacancies. This seven-member Committee, which has the responsibility for developing recreational trails and areas throughout the State, has long been dominated by horsemen. Last year, through a concerted Ietter.writing campaign, we were able to get Mr. Richard Brown, an attorney and motorcycle enthusiast, appointed by Governor Reagan to a vacancy on the Committee. We need to act again. It is to our definite advantage to fill the two existing vacancies with persons who are partial to our recreational interests. Write a letter today to Governor Reagan, State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814, and ask him to appoint Mrs. illLDAMAE VOGHT and Mr. RALPH GOODSON to these vacancies. Mrs. Voght is well-known and respected for her activities with the Caljfornia Outdoor Recreation League (CORL). Mr. Goodson is a real estate attorney in Los Angeles and an ardem member of the California Federation of Four-Wheel Drive Clubs. Their membership on the Committee w.ill be to our best interests. • .aJa Wins again! European Scrambles Dirt Diggers M.C. Aug. 15. 1971 Trailbike Am/Ex. class 1st Mitch Maves - BAJA 100 2nd Terry Clark - BAJA 100 5th Larry Roeseler - BAJA 100 ...1111 andgil ill HARLfYOAVIOSON the HarleyDavidsoll olltpsrfOr.IlJBIS ... Ol M ,;, ::> « ~ w Z W ...J U >- U

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