Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

.; I: t_._._._._._. ~._._.~_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._ ._~._._._._._ Western hotline . ~ passed Lassak, Going after Spisak, Philippe was right on his tail going into the last tum, but couldn't pass before the checkered nag. • Results in th e Results Sect ion. t t.D r--- en ..... Helix Highlander Championship fling By James Brammer SAN DIEGO, CA 1.., MAY 19 The Helix Highlanders are the High School Motocross Champions of 19i6 at South Bay Park Speedway, Crawfor d High Colts Mike Velasco (309) an d Dennis Pegelan (315) scrape off a Riversi de right-hander in AFM Open Production action , Raceway _ The Gang traveled around the course consisting of a little pavement, babbling brooks, pine trees, a little dust and a shark pond. The Experts were spaced out by Doper Dave, who saw a lot of sharks, followed close by Dippy Del, who said he didn't see anything, not even the track. Amateurs were led by the overall winner, Sycho Sig, We think he's the one who put up the shark sign . Following him was a new member , Bilgewater Bill, who was right at home in the broo k and the pond. Kra zy Ki t rode that way in the Inter m ed iate class and rescued a win with a fourth overall. Pete, when he got to the pond stood Pe tr ified , bu t opted to try it anyway, and rode his new 370 Bultaco to a second place fin ish as Chunky Chuck looked at a third and was also loo king for Pete. Redneck Rex was helping Sycho Sig plant the sharks so he cou ld get a first in the Novice class. Fickle Frank is letting everyone know he wants to move up again with a second place finish . Bubbles Bruce came blubbering out of the babbling brook and went on to a win in the Beginner class . The Gang was real happy with SRA and also the race which got off at exactly the time pro mised, Ron has a very professional group of people in the SRA bunch. • Results in Results Section. AFM RR McLaughlin, Pridmore win By John D. Ulrich RI V ER SID E, CA L., MAY 23 20 Rid ing retir ed racer Hurley Wilvert 's TZ700, Steve I\Ic Laughl in came fro m beh ind to beat Bob Endicott (Ya m TZ 750) in Open GP here ' at Riverside Raceway. Endicott led the first lap with- David Emde (Ya m TZ350) seco nd in front of Mc Laughlin until the back straight. In spite _of slightly smaller engine , motorcycle appeared to have horsepower on Endicott. Every lap after Mcl.aughlin finally passed, Endicott would make up time in th e turns to get right on Mcl.aughlin's tail at the entrance of the straight. ~lcLaughlin would take off like a rocket , and the ch ase would start again . " The main thing was not to wad up my friend Hurley's bike into the Tum Nine wall," said McLaugh lin after the race. "I just took it eas y for a few laps, then passed Endicott. I'm riding Hurley's bike to test so me frame mod ificatio ns. Now that we know they wo r k, we ' ll do them to my bike for Loudon." Ernde won th e 350cc classification of the combined Open-500-350 GP race , and was also third overall. He went on to run away from 250 GP later in the day, with Harry Klinzmann second. Mike Baeder diced with Klin zmann in the opening 250 GP lap s, but his bike seized shortly after Klin zmann stuffed it underneath in Tum Seven . "My bike 's faster than Klin zmanrr's now, said Raeder in the pits. "There's only one problem, Mike," said an onloo ker. Oil know, n said Baeder, "it sei zed." Ken Gill (Kaw 900) won his third co nsecu tive Open Production race after Wes Cooley, Jr. (Kaw 1000) and Scott Pearson (Kaw 900) dropped out. Reg Pridmore brought out his I,OOOcc Daytona B~IW and blew off the Superstreet class. Keith Code , on another Yoshimura Kawasaki, led the first lap, with Lee Fleming, Pridmore, and Cook Neilson on his tail. All three followers got past Code by the third lap, lead ing, Fleming with Pridmore (turbo-charged :>ITC Kawasaki) in second, and Ne ilso n (883cc Ducati) th ird . Fle ming held off Neilso n until a few lap s fro m the finish, whe n a gasket blew on his tu rbo-c harger, allowing ex ha ust gasses nee ded for boost to esca pe . Neilson p assed for secon d. Firs t in 600cc Su pers treet was Mike Hishiki , an American Hon d a test rider. He rode a Yoshima Racing Service Ho nda 458cc fo ur, passing Kawasa ki Z-Is with ease. Dan Spisak won 125 GI' wi th his conventional Yamaha TA 125, but change is in the wind. J o hn Lassak had been winning AFM L.A . Chapter races with his TA125, but both Spisak and Lassak face a strong challenge fro m Philippe de Lespinay and his water-cooled version of the TA I 25. This was the bike's third race as Philippe wo rks to get it dia led in, and the fast Frenchman (who has held road racing titles in Europe) almost wo n. Coming fro m third place, he worked up to, then a ~IcLaughlin 's made a strong last-ditch bid , adding 124 points, and Mission Bay, t he top sco rer in t he nig ht's action with 14 6 poin ts, moved up to third place in th e fin al standings. The total scores of the to p three are 460 , 438, and 420. Marty Tripes (DG Yam ) stirred up so me exci te ment by entering against h is brother Mike (DG Ya m), a South Bay regular, in the 250 Pro class. In thei r firs t race, Mike Steams (1'-uz) led off with :>Iar t y taking charge a ll the secon d lap of six . Mike Tripes passed Steams on the third lap , an d the two chased Marty at b ike breaking speeds, aided by wet traction from an overwatered track. Marty jumped peak to peak over the first of the three whoop-dee-des in fro nt of th e stands whi le Iighterweight bro t her Mike would land shorter, towards the base . usually on the front wheel first. The back end would whip from side to side un til airborne again off the nex t peak. Ru nning third, Steams held in the chase ....-ith a firm grip that even rually broke his left handlebar off in his hand. Mike McGowen (Hus) then moved into third for the finish of the first m ota. In the final malo, McGowen led the " John Card oza, 500 Pro w inner at South Bay , forgot to pick up his winnings, $32. U " '" ::; ::; cr " al

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