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/126023
DiStefano ~ grand slams ~ Anaheim Stadium By Jody Weisel ANAHEI M, CAL. , DEC 13 Tony DiSte fano continued his domination of American motocross b y knocking everyone out of th e box in Anaheim Stadium, the home of the California Angels baseball team. The eighteen year . . . old Pennsylvam~n earned over his Trans-AMA WIn streak to the much publicized 'American Motocross Finals .' Riding as a privateer because he has y et to sign his 1976 contract To!'y D swept all three mot'?s by margu.1S large enough to allow him to crash 10 the first moto and still get up with a five second lead. Gayton Mosier rode impressively on the big 450 Wheelsmith Maico to edge out Honda's Tommy Texan Steve Wise (81) and Washington' s Bucky Murphy (85 ) selected 2501 for the run-what-you-brung Open class. Croft fo r second over all. Under a mo sai c o f stadium lights an ap proving cr ow d of 23 ,000 shiverin g fans watched a- n igh t o f runaw ays as th e Florida Flash, Don Kudalski, b litzed all three motos of the 250's with the only . question mark attached coming after the phrase - " Wh o's in second? " The Jimmy Weinert des igned track en circ led the perimeter of the baseball field and serpentined up an d over such stadium attractions as ' Deat h Drop' , ' Insani ty Ridge ' and 'The Matterhorn '. The nam es were dec eiving as the track was an excellent combination of dirt, des ign and daring. The High School 125 race provided the most excitement of the night as the alma matercrossers went all out to win under the lights. Broc Glover took the one moto even t under heavy pressure and a large attrition rate. Dave Eropkin, Steve Bauer, Allen Smith and Tim Tolar went to the head of the cl ass. The line-up . of riders advertised to make the mythical assault on the crown of "National Stadium Ch ampion" was decimated by the time the gate fell. Jim Pomeroy, Rich Eierstadt, and Jimmy Ellis were injured. Brad Lackey and Marty Tripes coul d not come to terms with the promoter and Jimmy Weinert had contractual and health problems. Even with this plague of drop-outs the line-up was varied and talent ladened, Marty Smith br ought out his screaming 125 Honda to challenge the big boys, turned the fastest tim e of the evening, and then detonated ' the piston while running second in the third moto, AI Baker of Baja fame warmed the hearts of the old timers in the 51 degree night air by riding a Long Beach Honda four-stroke. Baker didn't ride very long or far as he looped out at the start of the first moto, crashed in the seco nd and merci fu lly broke in the third. Husky 's Terry Clark rode a smooth and steady race to finish fourth, while teammate Kent Howerton couldn't get it together until the .t hird stanza when a seizure dropped him off the scoreboard. A recovered and rejuvenated Bryar Holcomb rode to a. fourth, eighth, and (Continued on page 44) Don Kudalski fin ally got a factory bike. It paid off fo r Honda and Team Poland . 6