Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

Bob Romine: Fastest Turkl!y in the mud CMC IrWindale • • • I II By John Bethea ,IRWINDALE, CAL., NOV. 16 For the second week in a row, Torrance's Dave Pessy walked off with first place bucks in both the 125 and 250 Experts, but this week he didn't do it by sweeping both...he lost his final moto of the night after taking the first five. In that third 250 round, he held the lead when on the third lap, Maico's Bill Rubly came charging in challenging. A t the tigh t turn just before the finish line. Rubly stuck his fron t wheel on the inside line, a line which Pessy already held. It resulted in a bang-up and both went down, only Pessy's Honda didn't want to re·fire. It took three-quarters of a lap for it to finally start and an angered Pessy flew off for the chase in last place. Tim Lunde (Pen) won the round, but adding a second and fourth to his total he came, up a bit short· on points as Pessy worked bac'k up to sixth in the race by the time the checkered came and that was enough to win overall. In the 125 's, Dave had no troubles and swept it. Rick Reinig (Mon), Ray Lopez (Pen) and Nelson Whitehill (Hus) each took turns hassling but came up on the short end every time. Second overall for the previous three weeks, Whitehill spoiled his chances in the second moto when he went off the far side of the east jump while leading. He finished the moto in last, then took second in the final and could have possibly finished second overall again. As it was, he took fourth behind Renig and 'Lopez. "Jumping" Joe Johnston put 'his name into the CMC book of firsts when he won the 500 Experts, a smaD but talented field. Joe, at 16 years, became the first black racer in CMC history to win an Expert/Professional event overall. In the last several months he has come very close bu t was denied in the final for some re.ason. In one race, his bike blew on the starting line when all he had to do was finish seventh or better. In another, in which a fifth or better was all he needed, he crashed in turn one of the first lap and finished the race in about eighth. Tonight, when he learned that aD he had to do to win overall was "complete one lap", he made darn sure he'd do just thaL When the gate dropped Tim Lunde moved to the lead and joe was way back in the pack, comprised mostly of Intermediates. When he came by to complete the first lap he was next to last. Then he wen t to work, assured of the overall and picked off rider after rider to finish third. Skip Keeley (Mai) had an even more dismal night that what the mist and rain alone produced. He won two motos but finished tenth in the other and that cost him tbe overall which went to Mike Huhn (Hon), who consistently rode with a first and t'Vo seconds in the 250 Intermediates. Cliff Lett (Hon) also won two 125 Intermediate motos and Ollie Senechal (Hon) also had a first and two seconds, but in this class Lett won it as he added a second to his total. And the 500's went to Dave Hensche (CZ) with a three-one-two scoring. The always tough Minicyde class went this week to Bob Toliver (Hon) when he was denied his sweep early when he took second to Bobby Gonzales (Hon) in the first round. Mark Lawrence (Yam) took second overall with a pair of 'em in the final two. Bobby Smith (Yam) ripped off two wins after taking fourth in the first 100 Junior. Kevin Dick (Yam) could not take advantage of that situation and his two-two-three showing was only good for second.' • Finals comprised the 125's and 250's and in those wild affairs, Kevin Krieghoff (Yam) and Pat Hampton (Bul) won respectively. The 500's fell to Carter Reed (Mai) in a three-moto sweep over Clay Bain (Suz) .. , Again, a reminder that CMC wiD return "'to Irwindale next .'riday night, despite the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend. • Bob Romine 12311 finished just aheed of Mark Adent 19001. Vasapoli photos. By Gino Massara MINERAL HOT SPRINGS, CAL., NOV. 18 Numerous compliments were b'estowed upon the 31st Annual So. Cal~ M.C. Turkey Run hare n' hound today, and Bob Romine wouldn't argue one bit. Bob is out I every Sunday; he's finished in the top ten a few times, but today he got it together and copped first overall and first Open Expert on a Sweet Duck Suzuki. Not, however, without putting up a fight and getting off a few times. The trick window-shade banner (a So. Cal. desert first) dropped (sprung?) right on time at precisely 10 a.m., sending the Amateur-Expert racers towards a real, live, old-fashioned smokebomb. Romine was somewhere in traffic, with Mayes, Bakken and Tom Smith dicing for the lead. Mayes and Bakken were soon out with mechanicals, while poor Tom Smith landed on a rock, totaled his scooter and kno.cked himself unconscious. As of this writing he is still in a coma. Our prayers are with you, Tom. , the year with a knee injury that had required surgery. Said Tom, "The knee feels good. I just cooled it today, stayed on the trail, had a great time. Outtasite first loop. I'm ready for Vegas." . Fifth and second 250 Expert was a shabby Bultaco with bloody, blistered hands manipulating the controls. The gnarly appe.ndages belonged to none other .than Allan Lund, putting in one of his better rides of the year. In seventh was jeff Kirk and right behind him was the first Amateur on a 250 Yamaha, Craig Kerdus. This is his second win in recent weeks so it won't be long till he's sporting that red stripe. First Trail was Larry Roeseier (2T) on an H-D, with rast Open Amateur Greg Henderson breathing down his neck. Dennis Scammel garnered second Trail Expert. In the Nervous class it was Casey Perkins who put it to everyone on a Honda 125. Second was a new 250 Yamadog piloted by Chris Austin, a recent trailbike refugee who tried a 250 for the rast time today. Third and fast Open was Eddie Sanches on a 360 Yammerhammer. This was his first race in two years, spent recuperating from a broken leg. You're not out of shape or anything like that, huh, Eddie? First girl. was a cheerful Kathy Anglin, motoring in on a raunchy running DKW. tuned (?) by Rj Motors. Hard luck trophy of the day goes to Andy Kirker. After annihilating his own scoot close to starting time, borrowing another and trading parts to make it work, he was centerpunched on his way to the line, destroying the throttle cable and his righ t wrist. After changing the table and installing a spare wrist, he managed to start as the Novice window shade was drawn, taking his Fairway Yamahauler to eighth in class. Dave Lapraik's broken arm was one of the 23 injuries Rescue Three handled today. If you don't think we can get along without them (Rescue Three, not broken arms... ), then why II,ot accost an Invader and buy a raffle ticket for one of Kookie's pups? The proceeds go directly to Rescue Three so put your money where your heart is. The desert racen' dream, a no-dust race, became a reality today. At the start you could see all these helmets bobbing through the bushes. With pouring rain 12 a.m. to 5 a ..m. (just like they planned it... ) Sunday the traction and weather couldn't have been more perfect for racing. The chilly weather didn't stop some sweet young thing from checking tank cards dressed only in a Cossack haL Maybe all those Checkers were just trying to shelter her from the elements... Per tradition, all class winnel'S get to chase live turkeys, with Rich Smith, Sandy Robertson, Tom Brooks, Ron Wrigh·t and Larry Roeseler takinl{home live Thanksgiving dinner.' • I II III E Disguised as a bag, Tom Brooks caught a turkey. (ED/TOR'S NOTE: At press time, Tom Smith was still unconscious in RidgeCTest Hospital) Mark Adent (DKW), who was fourth to the bomb, was now leading with an unknown Amateur ..hot on his heels and Romine running third. Adent dropped it (all the danger marking had been washed away) and our mystery Amateur took the lead, only to lose it horrendously in the pi ts. Leaving the pits at 11:15 it was Adent, with Romine a scan t ten feet behind. After swapping the lead five or six times, and having Larry Pfutzenretuer enter the fray, at 12 :22 it was Romine, with Adent a scant ten feet behind. Larry got lost for a couple of minutes along with Mark, then ran ou t of gas and pushed across the line some ways back. Said Romine, "I got· off twice, and you know, that little DKW keeps right up with my big 400. But I paid real close attention to the ribbon, and when Mark would stray, I'd zap him, What a day!" Third overall was Bryan Bre ker, on an AI Anders 350 Bul. Fourth. and first 125, was Tom Brooks, back from a sh~rt respite from the desert. Guess he really wants that IC plate as the rumor mill had it that he'd be out the rest of 11

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