Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

N DORSCH DIGS SAN JOSE HALF-MILE ~ w Z W ...J U >- U By Bill Spencer SAN JOSE, CAL., Sept. 6, 1971 Terry Dorsch survived a fifth lap tangle with Dave Hansen to win the Labor Day running of the San Jose Half·Mile in front of a crowd of 3600 spectators. Dorsch ran third at the onset behind early leader Chal DeCecco and Hansen but starting into the first tum on the fifth go-round, he went around DeCecco on the outside to take the fifst spot. Hansen, meanwhile had gone under DeCecco to take over second spot. Terry pulled his Triumph down to the pole spot after the pass and in doing so, slowed enough so that Hansen hit his rear wheel and slowed. This caused a tangle with DeCecco that ended with the two sliding out of contention. Chal remounted after a lap and finished while Dave spectated. Dorsch proceeded to open up a five second lead ove,r Eddie Wirth and Dave Bostrom and on the last lap, Bostrom made a pass on the Manhattan Beach, Calif., flyer and finished second. Fourth went to Terry Sage with Jim Nicholson returning to the dirt for a fifth. DtWayne Keeter barely beat out Bob Scally for seventh in front of Carl Patrick. Scally rode one of the few 650's left after the new ruling allowing 750 twins and beat out Paul Bostrom who suffered a spill as did Kris Bakke after some fancy sliding. Dorsch set fast time of the day and easily won his heat over Bostrom and DeCecco while Hansen had it pretty much the same after passing Wirth coming off the first turn. Only 17 Experts signed up indicating the number of riders on circuit but with over 100 Novices and almost 40 Juniors, th e action was still good. In the ten-lap Junior final Ron Moore won his very first Main Event as a professional over Harry Dring and Bob Morgan. Moore had it easy as did Dring with both extending their holds over first and second with each lap. A raging battle existed for third, though, as Morgan had his hands full of fending off Matt Falconer, John Ogilvie and Bob Goodman. First one rider would tr.y a pass ""d then when that didn't work, Cycle they would all try at once. Robert held on for the duration and Falconer brough t up fourth in front of Ogilvie. The migh ty Scott Brelsford overcame another slow start to easily win the Novice Main on his super A&A Yamaha. Scott has lots of problems in getting started but once he is launched, he is like a NASA rocket ship. Coming down the front straight, in both heat and main, he would pull wheel stands as he shifted gears, much to the delight of the crowd and dismay of chief mech, John Claudino. Whatever the younl( Brelsford can be called, he certainly is fast on the track. He started the heat dead last and after five agonizing laps, he was out front to stay and went on in the next two to win by a considerable margin. In the Main, he was little better in the starting department. He was third from last on the go sign and got two down the back straight. He got one more down the front and four more for the lead going through the fifst tum on the second lap. From that point, he just went on his merry way and beat out John Green, Brian Timberlake, Pat McCaul and John Brumond. Green is back at the dirt track after some very impressive rides on the road circuit. He won the Novice Junior combined event at Kent and is sure to be a hit next season as a Junior. Pat McCaul and John Brumond brought in the first singles, both aboard Swanson Ossa's, finishing fourth and fifth respectively. The more than 100 Novices brought out a lot of newcomers as the summer turned up many 18-year-old Expert scramblers and Mike Renslow certainly ranks as one of the new ones to watch. He was certainly the most spectacular and won the hearts of many for his first half·mile ride on his Sonny Kenyon Bultaco. He was on his way to the Main ",)len he had mechanical problems but. he will be back. His name is ever present in scrambles racing as are Steve Hernandez, Rocky Malynn and Pat Hennen and all are destined for the big time in professional racing. (Results on page 32) Nortb Battles Build at Cycleland By John Noffsinger CHICO, CAL., Sept. 4, 1971 Contention in the 250cc class promised to be rapid and close with such noteworth y riders as Joe Henry, Rick Hocking and Jim Crenshaw battling the local favorites. The Expert Main was the first pitting of them together. Hocking immediately took the lead followed by Henry and Joe Allen. Henry began to push, bu t could only get his front tire on the inside in the comers. Hocking had found the groove and there was no way Henry could get around. Rick earned some poin ts for his district number in this one and repeated his victory over the same troops in the 250 Scratch Main. The 250 Handicap Main appeared to be the choice of the spectators for the evening. Again all the top numbers were in it, however some had to overcome a noticeable handicap. Riders such as Henry, Crenshaw and Allen all had to start from the 45·yard line. Hocking had an advantage, he started from the 40-yard line. The race had to be re-started immediately as Hocking and Crenshaw lost their footing in the south corner and wen t down. On the second start all went well until the north corner when Hocking again went down and out for the night. Meanwhile, Allen, Henry and Crenshaw closed in on those in front of them. Jim in particular was having trouble as he was riding th e ou tside and losing traction in the dirt near the fence. He began losing ground after the second lap, and was no longer in contention. Mike Hardy, beginning from the 20-yard line, had a sizeable lead since he did not have to work through traffic. Henry passed two riders in the east straightaway, and set his sights on Mike. However, time and distance were against him, as the checker came to Mike who had a 1O-yard lead. (Results on page 32) Joe SOLO picked a poor place to do soil samples. CRENSHAW TAKES FIRST PRO SHORT TRACK By BiJI Spenc'er FREMONT, CAL., Sept. 5, 1971 -Jim Crenshaw won Fremont Raceway's first professional short track that brought out 109 AMA riders to perform in front of a near packed grandstand. Crenshaw, a Davis, Calif., mechanic, beat out Joe Henry in a close 15-lap battle that he led for the distance. Henry turned the fastest qualifying heat time and wen t on to set fast time and win the first heat. He won the semi going away but had to settle for second fastest time and did the same in the regulation heat. As the 12 men lined up for the start of the Main, Hocking was the obvious favorite of the crowd as he lives in Fremont and is a regular competitor on the scrambles circuit. The start went to Crenshaw with Henry tucked in second and Hocking ril(ht behind. At the end of three laps, it was Crenshaw, Henry, Hocking, Ossa short track specialist Pat McCaul and Lee Seidel. Veteran Bob Scally was working his way up from a bad start but nearly lowsided in an attempt to get under Seidel He dropped back to last but worked back to fmish seventh. McCaul brought his Swanson Ossa in for a third in the Main after a third in the qualifying heat and a fourth in the Semi, certainly not his best showing. After the halfway point Hocking seized and pulled off as did Russ Powell leaving a large distance between Crenshaw and Henry and the rest of the pack. Those two finished with a three second lead at the end. (Results on page 32) Gennai-- Again and again.:. By BiJI Spencer FREMONT, CAL., Sept. 3, 1971 John Gennai is fast becoming the scourge of all Northern California scrambles track as once again, he won both the 250 and 650 Expert Main Events at the fourth running of the Remont Raceway night scrambles. Gennai won his heat after a good battle with Rick Hocking. The last time these two did that sort of thing, Gennai dumped it but that was not to be this night and John went just right. Foley had his hands full and in the Main and couldn't seem to get out of traffic and fInished fourth. Mike Renslow led it out and looked for all as if he could easily contain Gennai but as is the usual case with Mike, he made a mistake that John capitalized on and at the checkered it was Gennai, Renslow, Pat McCaul and Foley. In the 650 Expert class, five riders didn't make it to their heat as the program brought out a reverse, revene line up. That nieans that the 650 heat starts first and the 650 Mains start frrsl. As has happened in the past, many of the 650 Experts show up for sign-in and then go out for dinner or something and don't come back until just before their event. In tonight's case, that cost them a ride in the Main and some very disappointed spectators the chance to see their heroes ride. So, while some were not present, the likes 0 f Gennai, BiJI Landsborough and Rick Otto made up for it. Gennai won his heat as did Landsborough while in the Main, Otto could do no better than fourth behind Jimmie Brooks. Landsborough's Selby BSA was running well again but he just could not hold Gennai in check and John performed his feet up slides that brings the grandstands to their feet in cheers of joy and admiration. While John is no mechanic as Jim Rice or Jim Foleyare, he is certainly the most spectacular rider to come on the scene in some time. Rick Hocking brought the packed stands to their feet when he made a beautiful series of passes in the 500 Expert Main to take the win. His overall count here is one win and three seconds and is leading Mike VanLienden for high point in that division. (Results on page 32)

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