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/125833
. Rich Smith First Novice at Ram's Run II III • I II ~ t By John D. Ulrich Photos by Marcia Holley & Ulrich. LUCERNE VALLEY, CAL., OCT. 28 Rich Smith rode in his 125 Elsinore to take first overall Novice today ill the 24th Annual Ram's Run Hare and Hound. When asked before the start if he thought he would win the Lightweight Division II Novice class, 'Rich said "No!" emphatically. When he actually crossed the line well in front of the next Novice in any class, he didn't have to say anything. J .B. Wise (Hus) led in the Heavyweight Novices, and George Meure beat the Lightweight Division I Novice. Mitch Mayes (Hus) and Check Chase winner Jim Fishback (Cll led the Experts right from the bomb, finished the first 35 mile loop one right after another, and crossed the finis.h line the same way. Mike Marsh (Hus), who finished fourth overall in the Check Chase this year while riding as an Amateur, took third today in his first Expert ride. Mayes, Fishback, and Marsh were 1·2-3 in the Heavyweight Expert class. Cordis Brooks (Bul) beat Andy Kirker (Yam) in for first Division II Expert, and Tim Boman was first Division II Amateur. Larry Roeseler (H-D) was the fastest Trailbike Expert, as everyone expected. Two Britishers who first saw desert racing in the movie HO n Any Sunday" decided to come over and give their Triumph 500 twin powered Greeves desert sleds a workout in "the great American desert. Because the United States Customs Service impounded their bikes, Gordon Crichton and John Fitzpatrick had to borrow rides from D-37 -Congressman Bill Adams and his wife Mickey. Gordon rode Mickey's 175 Yamaha, and John started out on Bill's 250 Yamaha, both Enduro models. Although it took them two hours to finish the first loop due to various .troubles, both the Novice riders had a good time, and plan to return for some more desert racing in the future. HIt's terrific" Fitzpatrick said "It's different. The;e's nothing like' it in England... there's so much open space. We'll tell a few of the lads how good it is, and maybe next time more will come over. " But Crichton and Fitzpatrick weren't just riding for fun and adventure. Hundreds of their fellows at the factory where they work in England pledged to contribute a pence to charity for each mile the two completed in the race. The money will go to buy wheelchairs for crippled children. A lot of the 5!?0 finishers had many kind words for the Rams M.C. and the fine dual-start race they put on in spi te of the Bureau of Land Management. It seems that the Rams were beset with the same sort of BLM blues that plagued the Shamrocks recently ...SpeciaI Land Use Permit hassles. When certain difficulties arose concerning the Rams' proposed course, club leaders thought that they better go personally to the BLM Riverside office to make sure the deadlines for pre-race filing were met: They claim Mr. Mortimer of the BLM staff told a club leader over the phone not to worry, that he would send them th~ necessary paper work throught the mail, and even if it didn't get back to the BLM office by the deadline, it would still be OK. The , club says it trusted his word until their paper work was returned and their SLUP application denied. Four course changes, countless man hours, and what must have seemed like a million hassles later, the Rams had themselves a hare and hound. While club leaders feel a book could be filled with all the minor annoyances tI The Novices depart. involved in the deal, it is to them probably bad enough just to think that the BLM might enforce their new desert plan in the same nit picking, misleading and'harrassing manner. Mr. Mortimer of the BLM denied he even talked to club representatives, let alone acted as alleged. He poin ted ou t in a phone conversation with Cycle News that the BLM accepted the Rams' appeal of the matter, and did allow the race. The Rams did a fine job by any standards, and an amazing one considering the BLM hassles they went through. It was a good time. • Results HVVWT. EXP: 1. Mite" Mayes (Hus). 2. JIm Fishba'ck (CZ). 3. Mike Marsh (Hus). HVYWT AM: 1. Unknown. 2. Brian Bennett (Yam) .. HVYWT. N~V, 1. J.B. Wis. (Hus). 2. Glen n Van Buskirk (Hus). 3. Steve Anderson (Bul). L TWT. DIV. II NOV: 1. Rich Smith (Hon). LTWT. DIV. II AM: l.Tim Boman (DKW). LTWT. OIV. II EX: l.Cordls Brooks (Bul). 2. Andy Kirker (Yam). LTWT. D1V. 1 EX: 1. Dave Cappaik (Yam). 2. Ray Alexander (CZ). 3. Jeff Kirk (Yam). L TWT. DIV. I AM: 1. Kevin Hasten IBul) .. L TWT. DIV. I NOV: 1. George Meure (Yam). TRAILBIKE EX: 1. LarfY Roeseler (H·D) .• TRAILBIKE AM: 1. Chuck Pettigrew (H-D). TRAILBIKE NOV: 1. Greg Pagan (Yam). FIRST GIRL: Cathy Angline (DKW) Rich Smith beat all the Novices. He was 202 overall. Britishers John Fitzpatrick and Gordon Crichton check out a real live desert critter on the hand of an American chap. Jim Fishback beat everyone but Mitch Mayes. 13