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/125822
.. Speedy Unini at AFM Ontario M i' Q. ... m M '" ,;, :0 « '" By Art Friedman Photos by Tod Rafferty w == Z w ....r 0 STINKING SMOGLAND, CAL., AUG. 12 >0 Within the sphere ,of Southern California road racIng there are a 'few superstars. Reg Pridmore IS one of the most prominent, but today he was beaten by a speeding Ed Unini during the AFM's Heavyweight production race at Qntario Motor Speedway. ' It was Unini (Hon) who led the field into the b,anking at the start of the race. A bout midway through the field Pridmore (BMW) was cutting through traffic after a bad start. By,the end of lap three he was in second and closing on the Honda. By the time he caught Unini (at abou t the halfway poin t) they had left the Ducati of "Cycle" magazine editor Cook Neilson and the Honda of Tom Casey far behind to contest third. Pridmore has a new BMW; it isn't as fast as the one that he was riding evlier in the year. [n the infield, Pridmore would close up and pass in the last few turns to put a length or so on Unini as they came onto the long straight. Unini's Vanguard Honda would creep back in to the lead on the straigh t. Pridmore only led one lap at the start/finish line. At one point, Unini said, he looked back and saw no one behind them. He ).las tempted to back off and take the easy second. But then he decided that he wouldn't have the chance again. On the last lap, Unini said, he decided to try to hold Pridmore off until the last part of the infield. [f he could do that he could 'use his extra motor to win. That's the, way it happened. Give that man a trophy! A goodly ways back, the Neilson·Casey dice was decided in favor of Casey who used his extra motor to get by Neilson. Unin'i also took fourth overall in' the ligh tweigh t ,production race on his Honda 175 high.piper; That doesn't sound too impressive until you see how big Unini is. The lightweight production race was won overall Richard Barron on his Yamaha 250. The 250 GP was won by Mike Clark (Yam) but not until after he had gotten some intense 'competition from Whitney Blakeslee on his Kawasaki Bighorn single. Blakeslee's Bighorn seems to be the fastest one outside of the Team Hansen garages and he rides it very quickly. He rode it quickly enough to win the SuperstreetjThumper class by a great big bunch over the Superstreet winner Bob Endicott on Tom Casey's Action Fours Honda 570. Clark won the 35 0 Production class on an'other Yamaha after a bit of debate from fast Rod Murufas (Murofast?). The Open GP event was all the property of Tim Rockwood on a 350 Yamaha who led from the start and pulled away from the rest of the field who were following Pat Evans on a Don Vesco Ya>:naha. Jess Thomas on his 350 Yoshimura Honda twin ran in abou t sixth. Eventually Evans broke, leaving the second 350 spot to Rick Hocking (Yam). The 500 victory went to the often overlooked Ralph Hudson (Suz), and Lppatosky was the Open class winner. Reg Pridmore reportedly retired because of the smog. Natives of the gloom reported that it Was actually a nice day in Ontario, but foreigners were having a hard time of it and comp\aiping ahout the pollution. How ironic. ,Mike Clark doubled with a win in 350 Production and 250 GP. Whitney Blakeslee ran second to Clark on his BIghorn, then won the Thumper class with ease. Here he leads Superstreet winner Endicott. RESULTS OP'EN GP: 1. Lopatosky (Hon). 2. Rossteucher (BMW) .. 500 GP: 1. Ralph Hudson (5uz). 2. Lee Fleming (Hon). 3. Roger Glickman (SUZ). 350 GP: 1. Tim Rockwood (Yam). 2. Rick Hocking (Yam). 3. Mark Miller (Yam). THUMPER: 1. Whit Blakil,lee (Kaw). 2. Mifler. 55: 1. Bob Endicott (Hon). 2. Rod Murufas (Yam). 3. Cook Neilson (Due). 250 GP: 1. Mike Clark (Vam). 2. Whit Blakeslee (Kaw). 3. Dick Fuller (Vam). 200 GP: 1. John Volkman. 2. Rudy Reynosa. 3. Ryan. 175 GP: 1. Tom Hermon. 2. Mahneke. 125 GP' 1. Galinuccl. 2. Terry Stanart. 3. Park. OPEN PROD: 1. Ed Uninl (Hon). 2. Reg Pridmore (BMW). 3. Tom Casey (Hon). 500 PROD: 1. Dick Lewis. 2. Lailand. 3. Burke. 350 PROD: 1. Mike Clark. 2. Rod Murufas. 3. Scott Clough. 250 PROD: 1. Barron. 2. Ken Gill (SUZ). 3. Karpince. 200 PROD: 1. Ed Unlnl • A 250 production racer down to it in tum two. One of Chuck Campbell's interesting Suzukis. Ed Unini (466) had the advantage at the start of the Open Production race. Reg pridmore (84) is a ways downfield. Tom C-y (538) finished third. ..