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/125797
Professional HiUclimbl-_ _~_ ~ w Z w oJ u > u Chico Short Track - - - - - - - - by Clay Cameron LIVERMORE, CALIF. Aug. 13, 1972 Carnegie Cycle Park hosted their second Professional Hillclimb and this time they really picked a neat hill. Only seven riders out of thirty·nine made it over the top of the 280 ft, hill. To start it off, Al Ballantine from Idaho riding a Triumph 650 was the first man over the top, but he did not get a time due to the clocks being ou t of adjusunent. The second man over the top was Henry Gullo riding a Harley Sportster with a 12.90 se. run. On his second run Henry did a 11.33 sec. fun which was good for a third place finish. The third rider over the top was Jim True who blasted up the hill with a 8.98 sec. run on his Harley Sportster to put him in first place. On his second run, Jim Ture who blasted up the hill with a 8.98 sec. run on his Harley Sportster to pu t him in first place. On his second run, Jim True did a super fast ride of 8.45 sec. And on his third ride Jim md a 9.17 sec. run to be the only rider of the day to go over the hill on all three trys, and all of his rides were under 10 seconds. Lyman Ascenzi, who is 50 years old plus a couple, rode his 1930 Inman with floor boards and a left hand throttle over the top with a 11.24 sec. run, which was good enough to give him second place money for the meet. Larry Smith who was riding a 750 Triumph Twin and had a 8.6x16 tractor tire on the rear went up the hill in 12.85 sec. to give him fourth place money. Al Ballantine on the very last run of the meet captured fifth place with a run of 13.56 sec .. on his 650 Triumph. In the 0·500 class Chuck Hodson, from Oregon on his 500 Triumph, had the winning time over the top with a 18 sec. flat run. In second place from San Jose was Jim True on his 250 Ossa with a 26.88 sec. un. Jim and Chuck were the only two rider 'in the 0·500 class to go over the top. In third place, was Dick Groen on his 500cc Maico with a run of 140 feet. Frank Durso was fourth with a 128 foot wide on his 350 Kawasakj. In fifth, and last money-paying slot, was Steve Bales on a 400 CZ. This was Steve Bales rust attempt at hillclimbing. He usually rides Class C flat track events. by J. Noffsinger CHICO, CAL., Aug. 12, 1972 - The weather was rather cool here at Cycle land Speedway, however racing fans enjoyed themselves, especially since Chico riders put on perhaps their finest evening of racing here and captured six of the ten main even ts. I t is nice to se.e Jeff Damon again racing here in the 200 class as his presence is needed to breakup the monopoly in this class established by John Arseniak. Jeff pushed John to a win in the 200 Scratch, but there was no catching Jeff in the 200 Handicap Main as he quickly gathered a lead and no one closed on him during the course of the race. John, in fact, feU while trying the inside line in a corner on Steve Dietz. Three very fast riders took the main even ts in the 250 classes here. Dick Turner (Tri) gathered his usual lead off th e line and stretched it to a straightaway lead by the end of the Expert Main. Rollen Eskew came back to win the 250 Scratch Main. LoweU Mou.ral (Bul) won the 250 Handicap Main on the next to last corner as he passed Doug Nissen of Chico who placed second. Jim Chadwick (Bul) continued his mastery of the 100 class by running away with the Scratch Main. Jim does have his Bul by the horns now. Dan Moser (Hod) captured bis first Handicap Main event and adds himself to racing in the Scratch Main event program. Sam White from North Highlands rJaing a Honda captured first in the 200 B Main. Sam has -really improved each week here and his Honda is not down on power. Fremont Short Dick Turner (3801 slides his Triumph around Cycleland Speedway with fierce Joe Allen in hot pursuit. Eugene MX ------------------'""!""-__..... By Janis Randall EUGENE, ORE., July 30, 1972 - Aside from rmding a 33 inch rattlesnake cruising around the track, this Eugene Motocross is an outstanding facility, Manager John Milich and his wife Robyn promised a watering system and provided one at $1800 expense, at the same time 10Wl:ring their concession prices. Wow! The soil was soft and bermed up well, remaining dust free until late afternoon, with 130 riders enjoying the facility. (The rattlesnake was quickly disposed of, and no more have been seen!) Gene Kronenberger bIased. the Open Junior class with Mike Ahalt second, Kroneberger also worked into a third in the 250Junior, which was won by Craig Hills, with Randy Pattenson, Maico, second. Official results of the Expert classes, 125,250 and Open were dominated by iron man (Boy) 16 year old Rick Burgett, who in nine 15 minute motos managed six· 1st's, two·2nd's, and a third, for second 125 Expert, won by Ken Buirley, Penton, and first's in the 250 and Open Expert Classes. 250 expert, Rick Limbeck did a series of tank slappers down the straight and almost landed in the starters lap, after high siding. He exclaimed afterwards "I'm alright, and l'U repeat that stunt for $5 ,OOO!" Track~---- By Bill Spencer FREMONT, CAL., Aug. 11, 1972 Amateur short track racing invaded the Fremont Raceway quarter mile tonight and action was the greatest. With 40 Experts on hand for the 250 run, the upcoming six week J 0 series will be an assured success as far as rider turn-out is concerned. Being on Wednesday nights, many of the Ascot flashes will be around and, of those, Rick Hocking will have to be considered the toughest and the man to beat. For tonight's action, it was Dave Lewis on the Steve Doi/Mt. View Auto Stereo Bultaco as winner in the 10 lap Main. He did it from start to finish. With nine trophies up for grabs, the whole pack was hot after the brass as' well as the points. The first three across the line were aU the regular troops from the pro circuit; Lewis, Steve Foster, and Pat Hennen. Ron Landice rode his last Junior race and did it right with a win over Jeff Pacheco and Bob Lucero. Landice has been under fire for not having been turned Expert and for supposedly pulling out of races so that he wouldn't tum Expert. Those individuals who don't like Ron will have to worry about not turning Expert now. The use of the quarter mile oval by the Amateur guys wen t fairly well with only one injury requiring the ambulance. Mike Murray 'got off all by himself and his mptor bit him pretty good, so he left the track unconscious. He came out of it alright but with a broken shoulder that will sideline him for a while. Mike's little brother will have to continue the racing for the family until he is better. Oakdale Short T r a c k - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - _ By Bill Spencer OAKDALE, CAL., Aug. 12, 1972 Entering the Cowboy Capital of the World is quite a sight all by itself as this area of Cen tral California combines the beauty of fruit ·orchards, fields of fresh crops and enormous herds of cattle, but the center of attraction for this Saturday night was the Pioneer Rodeo ground which has forgone the cattte chutes for motorcycle racing a la Jerry Griffith. The night short track racing is great and the deep dirt cushion track attracts the best that the area has. Tripping over from Salinas was Manuel Datan and his troops and between the five or six that came over together, most went home with some brass while Manuel won the feature 250 Expert maiD. over a hard charge from last week's winner, Dennis Huff. Huff got off lale and had to work from sixth spot. He was closing slightly at the checkered. Denny can really ride this cushion and for the duration of the season he will be though to beat. Another added attraction for these short track races is the new youth mini·bike races that attracts a larger crowd at every meeting. With young speedsters like Randy Mamola doing the trick in two classes, by the time he gets to. the Amawer AMA set .u~.be will be the flash. 125 E~ winner. M8rk Muscio. _ _ his outside line that helped him take the win.