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/125791
.'" > 3 .., ~ w Z W .J U > U Mark Anderson (411 and Riek Thorwaldson (JEI vied for 500 Expert honors. Thorwaldson took it. eMe BUMMERS AND GOOD By Buzz Baty CARLSBAD, CAL., july 4, 1972 - It's been a long, long weekend! For some, it's been a bummer, and for others, a fine trip. jeff Wright found it a bummer Sunday at Saddleback, getting off and breaking his leg. Rich Thorwaldson has had a progressively belter day each day of the weekend. Friday nigh t a Lions, he didn't look as good as he had before his recent trip. Sunday, he looked a whole bunch better, like he was getting back in the groove quickly, finishing second overall with th.e 500 Experts. Today, all the pieces jelled, the pieces being the Suzuki motor and the Boyd & Stellings frame, taking him to first overall in the 500 Expert class. Rich won both of the twenty minute matos, looking strong and ready. He got some heavy pressure in the second moto, first from Mark Anderson un til Mark fe II, losing a couple of laps when his CZ wouldn't clean up after he restarted the engine. After Mark fell, Dave Smith from Escondido took over the job of trying to put pressure on Rich. Dave .pushed his Maico righ t up on Rich's tail for two laps, but then Dave dropped it. jim Snow and Doug Shennan got by Dave before Dave could restart. The final overall finishing order was the same as in the second moto, Snow on his Maico, Fast Terry Clark took 125 Expert class on the tlqually fast Harley-Davidson proto. and Shennan on his CZ getting second and third behind Thorwaldson. It was a very good weekend for Rick Ruckmav and his Penton, a progressive weekend to boot. Rick picked up his first money as an Expert this weekend. He's only been an Expert since winning the DKW Series put on by the CMC. Sunday at Saddleba"Ck, he was third overall, and today Rick improved with one of the best rides I've ever seen him put on. He led a dam good field, eighteen in number, of 125 Experts for half the distance in the second mota. Rick is not used to going some twenty-four minutes, and did appear to tire. Terry Clarke on the Harley-Davidson caugh t and passed Ruckman to notch his second win of the day and first overall. Chuck Bo\)'er was getting close to Ruckman, near the end of the last moto, but when Rick saw the white nag indicating the last lap, he found some reserve energy and gassed it to stay ahead of Charlie's Penton. Although finishing third, Charlie wasn't in the top \hree, because of a first mota nat tire. Dave Rodgers filled out the show money spot on his Bultaco. . It seemed like disaster had struck near the end of the first lap of the second mota for the 250 Experts. COming off the dropoff, just prior to the finish line, Greg Parker ran into the back of john Vandergeest. As we've all seen so many times, Greg got his left foot caugh t between the wheel and shock of John's scooter. Seldom have 1 seen this result. in serious injury. It generally requires the. use of a wrench and shock remover to free the foot.' But, in this case,john had not looked around, and gassed the Maico, pulling and thumping Parker behind him for about twenty-five feet. It looked h·orrible. Fortunately it turned out neat, Greg's major injury being pulled ligamen ts in his left knee. In the-250 Expert division, Gaylon Mosier, jon Derhammer, Bill Urban, and Tim Battenschlag put on some fine, fine racing. In the first mota, Urban got a good start and won it, Derhammer bringing his CZ in for second, while Mosier had to make a last lap pass on Tim to get third. 10 the second mota, Mosier jumped au t in fran t wi th Derhammer running another solid TRIPS second, and Bill Urban having a race long duel with Battenschlag. Urban got his CZ past Tim's Maico, but couldn't. hold it as he lost the use of his rear brakes, finishing fourth. Mosier ended up ,first overall with 625 points, to Derhammer's 600 for second, and Urban nailing down third with 569 points. You thmk the Derhammer's weren't rooting for Battenschlag to hold off Urban? Look what would have happened if Urban had finished third. He and Mosier would have been tied on points, 625 each, Mosier being the winner on "best ride in last moto" rule. Urban would then have gotten second place, and jon with two solid second place rides, would have been shunted to the third overall spot. Jon Derhammer (Ieftl and Gaylon Mosier (right). two of CMC's hottest shoes.