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/125753
GROSSI, PETTY, WILSON STAR In addition to his third moto win, Wilson also stacked up a good ftrst place showing in the 500 Expert class as he bested the always charging John Rice (Mai) and Rich Thorwaldson (Suz). Preston Petty also had his day on the Maico as he and Mike Haney (Tri) battled it out in the early stages of the combined Open class. Haney led at the ftrst tum but by the second lap, had dropped to second with Petty fIrst. The pair continued to dice for the lead while pulling out a tremendous 30 second lead over third place Mike Konle (Tri). Haney regained firs t on laps three and four, but Petty then got by again and begah to pull away all the way to the checkered. Petty was clocked at 3:38 around the course, fastest for the two days until Grossi's times' in the motocross. Petty .was quite happy with his Maico's performance against the bigger bore four-strokers. "We had just gotten this thing together this morning at 2 and we had no trouble at all. It idles at about 2000 rs so all 'You do is just keep it gassed.", ' Bultaco mounted R. Jones topped all comers in the 350cc class including Wes Goebel (Kaw) and S. Kohler (Ric). Buster Naylor (CZ) gained his share of the glory as he defeated Bill Baxter (Mai) and Don Mardon (Hus) in the 500 Novice and Don Bevans (Yam) did the same to Dave Griebell (Mai) and Sherman Andrews (Hus) in the 500 Amateurs. Amateurs get it on. By Tom Culp SIMI, CAL., Nov. 13, 1971 - The 13th Annual Hopetown classic is now history with memories and heartbreaks of the 450-odd competitors going for broke in nine different events today, all with only one thing in mind: get through the mud. Yes, the Diggers said there was going to be mud and mud there was. So much that even the scorekeepers yelled foul. The 125 Novice class will have to wait till the offtcial results come out to discover who won. One irate lady came over to the Cycle N cws van and let us know just how bad it really was and she didn't even have any mud on her. The mud hole was, as always, the biggest spectator draw with the impromptu bicycle jumping contest put on by the fu ture motorcycle stars of the eigh t·to-ten set. Judging was handled by today's stars John Hateley, Keith Mashburn, AI Baker, Dusty Coppage and Tom Rockwood, and captured on film by Gene Romero. All four Expert events pitted the best of all three forms of racing, Desert, Motocross and IT. against each other. West. Thia time Preston Petty started in the fourth row but just couldn't catch young Marty. Petty pushed his Maico hard, catching Jim Wilson's CZ on the last lap to get second. Jim put in the best ride since changing brands almost a year ago. The Powder Puff class again beautified the course with 41 youthful lovelies doing their thing after nine trips through the mud. Joyce Soyke (Rickman) took the checkered with Joan Wilson (Puch) second. The rest came charging off the course and straigh t to their make-up cases. This was the largest all-ladies' motorcycle race ever assembled and they putlon one heck of a race. The Novice classes are always full and have a reputation of wild riding styles. The fans always make the young beginner feel great. He enters the mud in usual Novice style, hits a large hole, goes over the bars into the soup and looks up to see everyone pointing and laughin . Just remember, when he gets Gene Romero crouches to photograph Powder Puffers as winner Joyce Soyka flashes by. to be Amateur or Expert he can stand on the other side of that fence. The Novices that found the right line, turned the handle a little more, and stayed up the longest. Joan Wilson The Whitney brothers take their hack down a particularly bad section to 90 on for the overall Side Hack win. The only double winner today was Jeff Wrigh t putting the Puch brand in the winner's circle in the I25cc and 200cc Expert classes. Jeff found competition aplenty with Gene Cannady (DKW) leading him in the 125 class till mud got to the carb, then Ken Zahrt (Bul) closing in the late laps after Jeff lost his expansion chamber. Jeff Rice gave Puch more to be happy abou t by pulling in third. The very next event found Wright leading at the end of lap one never to be headed but chased by Bob Messer on the Ossa with Gary Campbell's Yamaha taking third. Preston Petty did it again in the 100 Expert class winning for the third year in a row; DKW was happy about that. Tom Zahnter pushed his Hodaka hard but couldn't catch Press. Petty came from row five while Tom had pole position_ All the top desert Baja riders were in front of him also. The 250 Expert class had all the top riders plus some AMA National-numbered Experts on the line. Youth won out and the kid, too young to compete in pro motocross, Marty Tripes, pve CZ the big one with an outstanding ride against the best in the While leading the - 5riocc Amateurs, San Diego's Wayne Boyer lost his tire. Did he quit? Nope... Current Grand National ChllfTlpion photographs future champ. • fellow pros John Hateley and AI Balter watch. __ . ~ w Z w -' U > U