Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

Brown at Scramblers' Scrambles By Max P. Dawson GRAND JUNCTION, COL., June 24, 1972 - Young Mike Brown (Bul) showed the older hotshoes how to scramble tonite on his way to a new unofficial lap record of 30.5 seconds at the Whitewater Hill track of the Desert Scramblers Motorcycle Club. Other class winners Danny Lee (Yam), Will Clutter (Kaw), Lonnie Harris (Suz), Mel Buniger (Mon), Jim Dittrick (Bul), and Dale Dumont (Kaw) also let it all hang out tonight under a full moon, to the delight of the many spectators. In a rip-snortin first heat of the 100 Amateur class, Will Clutter (Kaw) ran off and his from his pursuers. Kawasaki owned this class tonigh t, as Ron Yater (Kaw) and Bob Logue (Kaw) came in second and third overall behind the hustling Clutter. Lonnie Harris (Suz), Cal Harrington (Suz), and Shawn Wallace (Bul), all three of them 1~-14 years young, captured 1,2,3 in the 100 Expert class. After finishing like Siamese twins in the 125 Amateur class first heat, Mel Buniger (Mon), and Jim Hixson (Suz), finally finished 1,2 overall, and Ray Houck (Yam) copped third spot for the evening's fun. Jim' Dittrick, who dispenses Kentucky Fried Chicken to support his racing habit, looked as good as this writer has ever seen him while he plucked the feathers of the 125 Experts tonight. Dittrick bent his bod up considerable in an April race, but looked in great health this evening. Phil Rushin (Suz), husky young junior high student, made his _cyclf< dealer dad happy as he sped to second overall. Tim O'Brien (Due) suffered the bad luck of the Irish in his first 250 Amateur heat. He tested the dirt of the south curve with the seat of his leathers in an early lap, which hurt him not al all but so embarrassed his Italiam mount that the machine just hung its head and spu ttered slowly around the track slowly after that. Claiming the first three overall spots in the 250 Amateur were Dale Dumont (Kaw), Eddie Ware (Bul), and Chuck Rupe (Bul). Young Mike Brown (Bul) has one of the most fan tastic rides of his short racing career as he beat some of the best 250 Expert riders in Western Colorado. Maintaining almost half a straightaway lead over the other racers in his class all three heats, Brown swept to a spectacular win over eigh t 'go-filSters '; half of the pack being almost twice his age with muoh more expereince. Bernie Clutter (Mon) and Roy Velasquez (CZ) beat some good troops for second and third overall in the 250 Expert. ADRMX By Mike Murphy PHOENIX, ARIZ., June 18, 1972 Start like a lamb and finish like a lion. That's the only way to describe Neal Chamberlain's performance this season. The Suzuki rider finished the last race of the season by aceing all three motos. His closest rival was Max Mealey (CZ). Third place rider was Don Bulitta, whose CZ was ailing. Bulitta borrowed his wife's 125 Honda (She rides Powder Puff.) and finished with 4-3·3, edging out John Kozlik (Suz) who took fourth overall. The overall winner of the 250 Pro class was predictable. In the past few weeks nobody has been able to top Bob Wharton (Mai). The last rider to beat Wharton was Californian Tom Rapp. Wharton got a bad start in the first moto but by the fourth lap he had assumed his usual racing position: ,out front. Dave M,iller (Hus), who is returning after a long absence, took n;'mber two overall. Darryll Tussing (AJS) took third. Jim Strickland (Yam) finished the 100 Novice class in his normal manner by taking home first place gold. Mike Stokes (Hon) earned the number two spot followed by IYale Shuart (Hod). That finishes another season at Arizona Desert Raceways. Next season ought to be even better with between fifteen to fifty feet of usable track width, and more improvements to come . - - - before next ye-ar.- Mini-bikers strain at the start line of the Desert Scramblers scrambles: L to r: Troy Jones; Eddie Ware, Jr; Ron Lipscomb, Jr; Unidentified; Danny Lee; Greg Carrico. Wheelsports' Trials aJI~1 I.w. Central Firecracker GP - - - - - - By Rita Cunter CORPUS CHRISTI, TEX., July 2, 1972 The Fourth Annual Firecracker Grand Prix race was sponsored by the Chaparral Motorcycle Club. The course was laid out over long stretches of deep, loose, powdery sand; washed out gullies and other natural pitfalls for a distance of 15 miles; five laps to the race. There were a couple of long stretches of mud, but if-you made it through that you had more sand to face. After you made it through this obstacle, the course dropped off .into a partically hidden cowtrail. I'm not even sure that the cows could find it, but anyway it was easier riding for a couple of miles. If I sound like I am knocking the course you are mis~aken, because I am not. If they were to have the run over the same course this weekend, I would be one of the first ones to be out there. (As P.T. Barnum said "There.'s a sucker born every minute." Or something along that Hne) It was fun, well organized and hotter than the hinges of Hades but everyone seemed to enjoy it. I'm looking forward to the 5th Annual Firecracker Grand Prix. _ By Lyle Fergus LAWRENCE, KN.,July 9,1972 - The second Wheelsport Trial.s of '72 attracted 59 riders. Ten of the riders MONTESA WORKS RIDER TOURS U.S. TRIALS Rob Edwards, a 24-year-old native of England, has been a member of Montesa's record-breaking Scottish Six·Days Team for three of its four years and in fact was the team's leading rider this year. He will be making a tour of the U.S. giving Trials schools at the following selected locations. JULY 22 & 23 Portland, Oregon (II miles south of McMinnville). Promoted by the Pacific Northwest Trials Association. For info: Jim BeasoJl (503) 648-4368 or (503) 646·61,71 or Leon Wilbanks' (503) 566-3526 Ext. 3 I. JULY 29 & 30 Waterton, Colorado (near Denver). Promoted by the Rocky Mountain Trials Association. For info: Hugh Hauphman (303) 355·7033 or Bill Brokaw (303) 473-3277. AUGUST 5 & 6 Liberty, Missouri. Promoted by the Liberty Chargers Motorcycle Club. For info: Pete Coleman (816) 454-0370. AUGUST 12 & 13 Pontiac, Michigan. Promoted by the Michigan-Ontario Trials Association. For info: Gene Mutter (313) 791-3380. AUGUST 16 Cleveland, Ohio (evening meeting and demonstration). Promoted by A Wheel World. For info: Ken Oden (216) 461-2292. AUGUST 19 & 20 Stepping Stone Stables, West Greenwich, Rhode Island. Promoted by the Rhody Rovers Motorcycle Club. For info: Robert Reuter (401) 822-0500. CMC Texas . . . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - By Gary Norris HOUSTON, TEX., July 9, 1972 - CMC - Texas presented its first motocross race at Fairbanks Motocross Park. Charles Fitt, the track engineer, did a super job manicuring the layout at CMC Fairbanks. The built-in sprinkler system is small but highly efficient in the more critical tu.rns and straightaways. The ground was further watered by a sudden rain that lasted through the first set of heats. wl'th the .The racing began Mini-Bikers, the most eager and enthusiastic group out this way. The name of the game was Yamaha. Alan Ashenbeck received top honors as Jon Townsend and Dennis Skinner finished second and third. Then to the other end' of the scale, races ever, rode well to take a second place leaving James Walker in third. ' New to the Intermediate 125 class but highly qualified to take the No. I trophy as well as No. I CMC plate is Mike Solomon as he took class gold. Ronnie Wilbanks took second to Mike and D. Jordon took third. Billy Joe Felder who rides with ease won the hot 250/0pen Intermediate class. Mickey Ferrell who hasn't ridden a lot lately earned second spot while trouble-plagued Lee Zimmerman took third. In the first Professional he"t, the 16-year-old duo of Kevin Loughnane d F d h an Jerry rie ric on 125 CZs, maintained their staggered start lead over the 250/500 Professionals for five laps. In the fifth lap, the lead was taken Over "30" age class. In this event as in over by Keith Duffy, who held his others, Chris Pope borrowed King position to the finish aboard a 250 CZ, Kong's 501 Maico to route out a tight with Greg Graham in second place. victory over Lee Cartwright, second Heat 2 began, unfortunately with place on a 125 Yamaha. Keith Duffy in the pits with mechanical "Probably the finest riding I've seen probkms leaving the early lead to Bob in the Novice class in quite sometime" Graham with brother Greg close behind. was the quote from CMC Professional, Bob held his position until the sixth lap Bob Graham, as he viewed Scott Green then due to a front flat tire relinquished taking top honors in the 125 Amateur the lead to Greg who held it to the class. What makes the victory that much finish. more sweet are the two men he had to In the third heat, it was the old Cain beat, Philip Giles and Jay Robinson. and Abel routine as Bob and Greg raced In the 250 Amateur class, Randall away from the rest of the field to decide Clampit won while Bruce Walicek who would take the checkered flag first. fought off Eric Mustin. . Bob took the lead late from Greg The 500, Amateur ~lass saw ChrIS leaving revived Keith Duffy third and Pope take hIS second overall VIctOry. of Je'!Y Friedrich fourth. -the day. Terry Paulk m- one of hiS flrst-- - - - - - - - - ---- ---- entered in the Expert class and the rest were Novice. The Novice class was divided into 0-125cc, 126·200cc, and Open. The Experts were Open only. There was a total of ten traps but the Novices rode only eight of them. The riders were required to ride through the traps three times and were scored every time. Most of the traps were in and out of the creek that runs east of the Wheelsport scrambles track. It seemed that the creek banks had a few roots around the trees where the traps went up the bank, and these caused the riders much trouble and dismay. Traps 3, 4, and 5, only had one rider (Expert) zeroing them. The worst trap of all was the fearsome number 10 which nobody could zero. Mike McCabe came the closest by getting through the bad part then dabbing in the easier section. Mike, spent some time in Europe this Spring riding with the best Trials riders in the world, and I am sure he did not look out of place. Mike zeroed all the traps except number 4 (he took two points) and number 10 where he took nine points. Low score was II points by Mike McCabe, high score of 220 poin ts was a tie between two riders who shall remain nameless. Rattlers' Creek MX By 'Gary Norris COLUMBUS, TEX., July 2, 1972 With new tracks cropping up all over the state I admit I was skeptical of this Rattlers Creek Motocross Park in Columbus, Texas. When I arrived Sunday morning I was stand.ing with my mouth ajar under one of the many large oak trees which bordered the super wide, gently rolling grass covered straights. Bob Graham has really found the perfed piece of terrain to have Professional motocross; this track is what motocross is really about! The magnificence of the track seems to have spurred the competition to do their best. The racers put on the most aggressive riding I have seen anywhere. When Bob dropped the first flag on the start of the small bike class there was Tommy Pollan, George Sledge, Ronnie Hohle and Ted Moore, not playing follow-the-Ieader but riding four abreast throughout the race with the rest of the pack not far behind. Top Open Novice star, Charlie Bailey took first in heat number I o,nly to have disaster strike on..lap 5 of the second race while overtaking Maico-mounted Chris Pope. Charlie took a trip over the handle bars and broke his collar bone. leaving Chris to take overall number one. Capitalizing on the very European terrain Greg Graham (Mai) took the lead of the Expert class in the desert section only to have the lead broken when , crashing. Jake DeBoe-(Hus), Bill Green (CZ) and Don Rainey (Hus) then battled on, swapping the lead position several time s each lap. CZ star, Davey Frazier, doing poorly in the first race built up, a five second lead over Jake in the second moto. Jake was having his problems with boy wonder, Bill Green, and CZ-mounted Ross Hightower. Super stars Bryan Fox (CZ) and Ricky Jones (Ric) all had bad luck with mechanical problems. Rob Riggs (Ric) had an in-credible day turning in times to match the best Open bikes and winning overall 125 -- ProfessiOffal class.- - - - - - -

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