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Tri-Arn Draws 10,000 Photos by John Bethea & Al Duke SIMI VALLEY, CAL., Aug. 22, 1971"I really can honestly say this course has got to be the closest to a European course as any you'll find in the state," said veteran John DeSoto after today's running of th e Tri-Am Motocross at Rough Rider Park. UFast?" he continued, "Phew!" And, indeed, DeSoto did go fast. He had a terrific battle going with Mark Blackwell in the Open Senior class. In the first face-off, Blackwell began building a healthy lead over his closest rivals early but DeSoto and Gary Chaplin, who each had one of their poorer starts, were dicing away at each other while working up through the ranks. John Rice holds off the charge from Jeff Wright. He didn't do it for long as Jeff took third overall in the 125 Sr. class. Jim West was an early contender but was forced out with mechanical problems after four laps and lhat's when DeSoto and Chaplin took over the charge after Mark. Blackwell, Bob Grossi's replacement on the Husky team, continued to hold off the charges of DeSoto up until the final few laps when John went to the outside beginning the steep uphill and sel himself up for the inside line on the tum at the top. Blackwell tried to stay even but DeSoto finally pulled ahead on the turn at the top and wasn't headed from that poin t. Chaplin's Maico, meanwhile" remained in third but began . to ease off In the final tours. Blackwell took an immediate lead in the second and final moto with DeSoto righ t on his tail after working up from fifth. John lost his expansion chamber early in the race and was running all the way without it, fearful all the time of having his Suzuki locking up. "I just had to keep it going fast," DeSoto said, "all the while knowing it migh t seize." Even under this condition, DeSoto • still gassed it and kept picking away at Blackwell's lead; but Mark had it all under control and he picked up the win. Technically, the pair were tied overall, but on number of laps led in both motos, Blackwell got the win. Chaplin finished fourth to Gary Jones in the fmal moto and took third overall with fourth going to the prototype Yamaha rider. J ones had a very impressive day for himself, too, as he streaked to wire-to-wire wins in both legs of the 2.50 Senior class. In the flTst, Ron DeSoto and Doug Gran t battled for second until Grant had trouble coming off the berm and opened up some ground for the CZer DeSoto. Tom Rapp ran fourth most of the way and couldn't catch Grant's AJS. With Jones again leading in the second, Rapp had captured second and tried everything to close up the ground but nothing. Grant, loading up slightly going up the big hill while running Stunts Unlimited took the better part of an hour to put on a noon show which included this "head-over-heels" explosion used in bomb scenes. Gary Jones just flew around this berm en route to winning the 250 class. M ,;, ~ <: ~ w Z W ..J c..> >c..> Open winner Mark Blackwell had a rough time with John DeSoto, losing the first moto but winning the second. seventh, was dropped back to 15th and that was just too much ground to make up before the end. Overall, behind J ones came Rapp with Ron DeSoto third and Grant fourth. Jim Wilson battled it out with Bryar Holcomb to take fi Eth overall. . Ken Zahrt and Gene Cannady tied for overall in points in the 125 Senior class but Cannady picked up first with more laps led. Jeff Wright seemed a first moto contender after he broke a second place battle with John Rice and at one point passed Cannady. But, Gene battled back and went on to take the checkered. After the laps broke the tie overall, Wright settled for third altead of Bill Silverthorne andJohn Rice. Lorenzo Garley put things together to take home the top honors in the Open Novice class while Ken James was forced to accept only second. Tom Claire bested Scott Hartley and Joe Scraber in th e 250 Novice pair. Joe GranateHi and Allen Garrett topped the ranks in the 100 and 125 Novice classes respectively. After some tigh t duels and much place-swapping, Harold' Frazier, Randy Stubbs, Dave English and Rod Kershaw each picked up firsts in the Beginners classes. The "Team Race" billed as the finale of the day, never came off as darkness set in due to a lengthened show put on by Stunts Unlimited during the lunch break and a late start for the day's races. Because of this, a few of the estimated 10,000 in attendance demanded, and got, their money back. It also created friction between the team riders and promoter Chuck Ferguson which wasn't really settled, even after Ferguson returned to all tearn riders their entry. The racing itself was exciting and made the ex tremely long day quite pleasant. The traffic jim into the park and the hassles at the end, however, put a little damper on what was stil1 a very successful benefit program for worthy charities. RESULTS 100 BEGINNERS Harold Frazier ...........•... DKW Steve Davison Ric DonJensen Pen Sharon Wilson .......•........ Hod Dennis Barthlmey Suz 125 BEGINNERS Randy Stubbs Yam Mike Clark Bul DKW Mike Perra John Veshall Yam Jim Byrd Mon 250 BEGINNERS Dave English CZ Mike Hagan Mai Gary Duane CZ Mike Escarcega Mai Jim Brown Hus OPEN BEGINNERS Rod Kershaw CZ Ken Baer Mai CZ Dave Corrao Jack Inouye Kaw Dave Spangles Mon 100 NOVICE Joe Granatelli Bon Tom Pimneie . Larry Hentschel . Larry Kreie . Mark Hateelery . 125 NOVICE Allen Garrett . FredJoehnck ..........•......... Dan D'Amico . John Stever - .. MikeWest . 250 NOVICE Tom Claire . Scott Hartley .................•... Joe Scraher ...............•..•... Randy Berkeley . Frank Mathews .........•......... OPEN NOVICE Lorenzo Garley ' . Ken James Steve Rawson . Wayne Sul1ivan . Ray Dally .............•......... 125 EXPERTS Gene Cannady DKW Ken Zahrt Bul Jeff Wright ...........•....... Ric . Bill Silverthorne john Rice Puc Larry Watkins ., DKW Tom Cook ............•....... Bul Ray Byers Ric 250 EXPERTS Gary Jones ..............•... Yam Tom Rapp ........•........... Bul Ron DeSoto CZ Doug Grant _ AJS Jim Wilson CZ Bryar Holcomb ........•....... Ric Steve Scott Bul Tim Hart Mai OPEN EXPERTS Mark Blackwell Hus John DeSoto .. , .......•....... Suz Gary Chaplin ......•........... Mai Gary Jones Yam Bob Hershey CZ Bill Clements Hus Lars Larsson Hus Scott Smith , •....... YlltJl