Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

r '" Continued from P. 25 N . " '" Q. N .... ell Lti u " ;: '" 0 W Z W ..J U > u . A very happy. tired lady. Chris Fields (Yam) was first of the fairsex to finish. Finishing first 250 Expert today may have cinched that title again for him. If he was disappointed at not being first overall, it did not show as he pushed his way through the crowd of well-wishers to congratulate those who finished ahead of hint. Desert racing is a very personal thing and nobody knows except the racer what heroics he performed between the start and the finish. They see him flash by at the .pits and check points and know his order but they know nothing of the problems and personal victories along the way. And he can't really tell you. He might tell you about the road crossing where he got all crossed up and thought he lost it and then managed to save it, but he can't really tell you how it felt when he found himself landing uprigh t and flying toward the finish. Larry Roeseler got a good start and his Baja was scre.aming along in perfect form. Just out of Gas Check One his rear tire went flaL Larry fough t the bike, hoping against hope that the tire would stay on the rim. Knowing that he was not going to be first Trailbike, he kep t trying for the best finish he could manage. He wasn't surprised when Cordis Brooks passed him and wen t on to take first Trail Expert. Perhaps he was a little surprised that the tire did stay on the rim and that nobody else in his class got by him and he was able to take second place in his elass, finishing at 112th overall. Cordis Brooks is somewhat unusual. His Hodaka stands righ t in the middle of this year's lineup, Number 5. Sandwiched in the middle of the row of top ten Trailbike riders this year, his is the only bike which is not a Harley Baja. It was a long race, and nobody knows what Cordis had to demand of himself and the Hodaka in order to be first Trailbike across the finish line. But when he received his finisher's pin and champagne, he forgot what it had cost him and how sore he would be the next day and grinned. It was a great day for Yamaha of Glendale. Not only was first overaJl, Tom Smith, riding out of their shop, but fIrSt Amateur, Jack Orndoff, is Yamaha of Glendale. Bob Van Stee, carrying number 1234x on his Bultaco, was first 250 Amateur, closely followed by Jeff Kirk (Yam) who was second 25Q Amateur. Neil Christman piloted his Puch in for victory in the Division II Lightweight Amateur battle, finishing ahead of a great many Experts in that division. Chuck Cartledge was sure that his Hodaka wasn't going to make it. But he didn't break down and he was the fourth Trailbike to cross the finish line as first Amateur Trailbike. Finishing 269th overall, Mike Powers rode his 250 Montes. in for the win as first Novice, followed by Thomas Grant on a 250 Husky. "Which way to Las Vegas?" Who says a factory production cycle can't take the "Specials"! The 1972 TRANS·AMA gives you the answer: AKE JONSSON WON THE OVERALL CHAM,PIONSHIP NOV. 19 Ridin9, the same kind of MAICO - not "almost the same - that you can help uncrate at your loeaJ de~ler. ~ke racked up an unbeatable total of 1250 POints With two meets to go in the series. He had won the last seven meets in a row! Now, if you want to charge up front in your own local competition, why not take a leaf out of the champ's book. Ride a Winner and be a Winner. Translated from the German, that reads: Ride a MAICO and be a Winner I WEST COOPEI MorOlS 110 E. s-ta Anita Ave. "'_., Ca. 91502 First Open Novice wasJim Harwood, mounted on a 360 Husky, with Walt "W,ld Duck" Morrison and his 400 Suzuki righ t behind for second Open Novice. Mark Dunlogson rode his 175 Penton in for Novice win in the Division II lightweight class, with Bob Ehorn (DKW) taking second place. George Guiles (Hod), the pride of the Stump Jumpers, was first Trail Novice by a wide margin. Much later, Bob Kiker rode his Honda in for second place, followed shortly by Robert Zamora (Yam). . Tim was wben the 650 Triumph was Kmg of the Desert. No more. Triumphs are so rarc, m fact, that when lVIike Burke rode his across the finish line S.G.V.M.C. gave him a bottle of champagne and saluted him as first Dinosaur. John McCowen and Kookie (Hus) finIShed today, drawing a large crowd of cheering friends. John had started earlier that today would be Kookie's last long race as he is getting too old for that sort of thing. Kookie got off once during the race, injuring his eye. Although it looked like it hurt, the eye seems to be O.K. Bill Thorwali:lson, better known to s<:,me as "Pops" or "Uncle Bill", rode hIS 250 Bultaco in, very pleased with himself and more pleased when the San Gabriel folks presented him with his champagne. We couldn't discover whether the prize was for being first Old Timer, first fonner Number ONe, or just for being "Pops", but everyone was so pleased to see him finish that any of those reasons seemed adequate for us. There are 2500 slories about the Barstow·to-Vegas race. Some of them are sad, some funny. AMA's own l\'like Hinshaw managed a glorious 694th overall. He says his Husky seized five times and then he got run over. The moral to that story is: If you are tired and feel you must lie down and rest do so off the course. ' A great many bikes barely finished the race. Some with chains hopelessly tangled, with tires coming off the rims and spokes bent every which way, with transmission locking up, with bent and broken frames and fenders and handlebars. But the finishers just kept corrung In. Current Open Expert points leader, Art Knapp (Hus). didn't finish as well as usual today, but he did finish. His bike seized and while he waited for it to cool, somebody got off hard righ t in front of him, breaking an arm. Art felt that he couldn't leave the boy and sat with him for about two h~>urs. Finally, Art rode out and got a I'lCkull to hanl the boy to a hospital or f"st·ald center. Then Art continued the race. Right after Stateline, Art came upon a fellow club member whose bike had -quit. Well, that far back, he might as weJ! lend a helping hand. Art lowed the fellow in, finishing late in the afternoon at 1462nd overall. Lessee, with 2500 starters, 1462nd position is wonh how many points? I l was a long race and sometimes you have to find a way to give yourself a little incentive. Number 20 pieplate, ndmg a Kawasaki, had a Mr. Goodbar candybar strapped on his handlebars. '"That's my treat for finishing the race ,. he quipped. ' Last year's B-V had 638 finishers, led by a guy named -j.1 . Roberts. This year there were 2500 starters (Entry limited courtesy ELM.). Starting time was moved up to 7 :45 a.m. and the course • was aJ tered sligh t1y to avoid the section where so many ran out of gas last year. The startmg Ime was moved 12 miles toward Las Vegas. At last count including ~ute little Chris Fields (Yamj and f,ve SIde hacks, first place going to Don Davis and partner Acevedo on a Honda (Yes, they weill all the way.) there were over 1600 finishers. . I wonder how many of those fllllshers were helped by the blessing of the man with white robes, sandals, long halr and beard who dipped his cross in benediction at each rider passing Check One? Please turn to P. 36 MID.WEST DEIlENHAM IMPOlrs 887 Main S..... An.Iio"', 10. 60002 EAST EASTEIN MAICO loyo' and Duk. Sh. l.ecIs.ille. ,... 17014 • < • ... r ..... , 1

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