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/125860
Greg Sokol (Ranchol and Gary Cheever (i'acifical dice in a race that, according to the free printed program, they're not supposed to be in together. Phil Tignor (Pacifical flies for the spectators. By John Ulrich IRVINE, CAL. , MA Y 11 Over 150 riders fro m seven high schools met tonight in the second Garden Grove All-City High School MX put on by the City of Garden Gro ve, Cal i forni a Department of Human Services Division of Recreation. The first All City MX at Orange County International Raceway was a disaster. Who gets the blame for the last mess still depends on who you talk to , but this time it all worked. The program started promptly at 7 :00 with no major delays in spite of several moto restarts after first turn pile ups. This race was incorporated into an OCIR program now involving 45 high schools. When the High School MX Series, sponsored by Yamaha, is fi n i shed, selected top riders will compete in a special high school race run along with the Superbowl of Motocross at the Los Angeles Coliseum in June. The racers looked much like racers you see anywhere, but cross ups off the jump in front 9f the packed grand stands were more common here.. .can't forget the homeroom tootsies! Machinery not often seen winning motos ha d a chance in the Novice classes, because the riders in those classes really were Novices. ..some had ne ver raced before. Six girls rounded the course in vario us classes, too. According to Jim Manning, OCIR track manager, the: races are being run " un dergro und " without school district involvement or sanction. This avoids liability fears for the schools - the riders com pete as individuals who attend given schools, not as teams representing schools. The riders from Santiago High School won Overall by filling more slots on the three step winner's pl atform (just like in the Olympics) provided by Yamaha. From listening to the crowd (the mos t responsive and en th usiastic in recent local motocross history), it was hard to tell the racers weren't actually on "school" teams. Garden Grove High School's motocrossers seemed to draw the most enthusiasm, but the others (Bo lsa Grande, La Quinta, Los Amigos, Pacifica, Rancho Alamitos, Santiago ) had partial cheering sections, too. They even had free printed programs listing the riders, pit passes that worked, and reasonable security personnel. The riders behaved, the announ cer knew what race was running, and nobody threw bottles at the dragsters on the strip just over the fen ce. • I was impressed. Walnut South Hills and Los Altos High School MX By Tom Corley IRVINE , CAL., MA Y 9 Results By Tom Corley 100 N ov tnv I: 1. Tom Leffle r (RanChO) : 2. Ed Castro (RanchO); 3 . Ed Castro (GG) . roo Jr : 1. Bill Scott (Rancho). 100 Nov O lv II : 1. Rory McRae (Sant.); 2 . Derek Smith (Sa nL) i 3 . Corky Robinson (GG) . 125 Nov D i v I : 1. Bob Shaffner (LO S Am.): 2 . Larry Nelson (Pacifica); 3 . Russell Stark (Bolsa G.) . 125 Nov Div II : 1. Gary Laskowsk i (RanChO); 2 . Rick Umphress (GG) : 3 . Richard l1uftln I(;G) . 125 Nov D i v III : 1. Rob Papas (Sant.): 2 . Zack Barrett (GG): 3 . Mike L o p er (Sant .) 125 Jr : 1. A lan Smith (Sant.); .2 . Harotd Morris (GG); 3. R i c k James {RanCh O} . 126-0pen Nov rnv I : 1. Dean coann o (Sant .) ; 2 . Tom Hart (Pacl ' .); 3 . John C r i sw e ll (Rancho ) . 1 26 ·Qpen Nov D iy II: 1. Rick Luce CGG); 2 . Doug Remp (Sant .); 3 . Dan Sch loesse r (La Quin.) . 126-0peo Nov Div 111: l. Paul DeGelas; 2 . Pater Quaranto (LOS Am igoS) . Jr: 1. Ooug Silverste in 1 26 ·0pen (RanChO); 2. Mark Van Camp (SanL ) 12~ E x : 1. Warren Reid (Bolsa C .); 2 . Joe Rumney (La Quin.); 3 . Shane Hawley (GG ) . 126·0pen Ex : 1. Ran dy Blev ins (Sant . ) . Saddleback Park is now the biggest promoter of High School ' Motocross races with both Thursday and Saturday night challenges every week at OCr R. Thursday's race proved to be one of the best shoot-outs seen yet; the guys from Walnut, South Hills and Los Altos High Schools really got it on. One of the most impressive go-fast people of the night was Holliday Cycle's Ted Scruggs who ripped up the track and the 5 0 0 Expert class. The competition was easy prey for the Maico ace blasted aw ay and cap tu red the first place wins over Dan Bryson (Yam YZ) and Raymond Wong (Hon) . Another winner was Dave Eropkin's mid shock Honda, riding for Walnut. Eropkin was whippin ' it over the jumps for the grandstand crowd in the 101-125 Expert class over Gregg Harman on a Yamaha. On e of the best races was in the Open Beginner class between Doug Ashley and Bob Hewitt. Ashley ha d an old Yamaha beating out some far better equipment, smokin' Hewitt at first. He then became psyched out when the guy started yelling at him. In the final moto Hewitt was dustin' the class and then came to a c orn er when a guy handed him a beer. He then paraded to the finish line like that yet placed third be hind Ashley and Jeff Stevens when the Overall points were figured out. When the race was over a trophy presentation was held in fron t of t he grandstand. Waln ut High (home of race mastermind Mike Thatcher) whipped the two other schools. Each school had their own trophy chicks, Jane Miller (Walnut) , Jami Cochran (South Hills) and Cheryl Steonke (Los Altos). The loc a l shops and distributors unloaded the goods for the winners, (Lou Colombo, Molly Blue Products, Cycle Stop, Sweet Duck Suzuki and Jones Motocross Products). H RL (along with their product donations) provided some super trophies. •