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/125790
.., 1 "lDES STIIKE BACK .... '" '" > "5 .., ~ -w Z w oJ U > U Veteran Torsten Hallman parlayed three motas of swift, unspectacular motocress into the overall win. By John Huetter TUMWATER, WASI-I., July 2, 1972 Torsten Hallman knows, 1 mean really Knows how to win motocross. The old pro, and four times world champion, never over extended himself, never got into trouble and motored around the dusty, hot Straddle Line course three times finishing third each time. And that was good enough for the overall win. He really makes it look simple: just go very smoothly without seeming to hurry. It was never really obvious that Hallman was on the course until you made a position check. Most of the fierce bike-busting action that made three thirds good enough was up abead of Hallman. He was like an old master who hangs back while the youngsters beat their brains (what Ii ttle they've acquired) out and fall by the wayside. Hang back !'J1d pick up the pieces. It started out in the 250 cll'Ss as a repeat of Boise. Jones took off and it looked like a Yamaha benefit: Jones, Hallman, Weinert and Andersson in the order, all on the Japanese bikes. The Jones team had the very rapid 170 lb. "Y2" machines. John DeSoto and Jim Wicks went down super hard at the start in the blinding, choking dust. Both were out for awhile and it looked bad. John was taken off on a stretcher. It was not another runaway for Jones, however. Andersson brought his Yamaba up to within two bike lengths at the finish. There was no obvious domination of the moto - but Gary did seem able to hold the hard charging Swedes at bay for 30 minutes with his speedy Yamaba. During the premier of the International class in Washington, Jim Weinert and Arne Itring (Hus) staged one of the longest, fiercest wheel-to-wheel battles ever seen among the top riders. They went at it lap after lap until Kring took it. Brad Lackey, Torlief Hansen, Jim Pomeroy all followed' the Yamabas. Weinert said, after spectating the last moto, UThat was good to watch. I'm starting to get my stuff together again. I'm learniI\g some things... and I'm going to win one of these before the series is over." Beli~ve it. Weinert can do it. 1ncredibly, John D. got out of the ambulance to come out and ride the rest of the moto, though failing to complete 50% of Jones' laps. After appearing to ne.ed a stay in the 110spital 40 minutes earlier, the Iron Hawaiian blasted into the lead of the second Jeg abead of G. Jones. After about six laps, it was then J ones, Hansen and DeSoto. The J ones-Andersson duel soon resumed, followed by the Swedish trio: Hansen (Hus) , Lindforst (Yam) and Hallman (Yam), all about equally .spaced. Dave Bickers seemed to be the most consistent front-runner of the CZ.riding British, but their near-stock CZs just didn't have the power of the Yamahas. With 10 minutes to go, Hahn Andersson passed Jones, then came the , Hallman spent most of the day behind young chargers Andersson (2) and Gary Jones, who each won a moto. John DeSoto came back from Moto One disaster for a slashing sixth and second. I