Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

Desert Hotline stopped to help , found Bruce kinda weird but sane , and went on his way . The course headed up towards th e far right side of the Spangler mountains, winding around by th e militilry road, a check , then back towards the foothills and a series of sandwashes that worked , in and o u t o f the mountains . Rogo , running seventh thanks to Lewellyn's get off, had Ru ss Collins, Terry Davis , Brian Wright and John Prater , Jr. on his case. Punk Wilson had a slim lead over new senior leader Art Knapp . Dick Camp was making his charge; th e' only obstacle . between the rival seniors was first , heavy amateur Scott Child . " Down h ill " Alexander made a sweeping charge and moved up seven positions finally coming to roost on Eckardt's fender, BeginnerJerry Gelpin ran fifth in the Ram's quickie. Rams 28th HeH: Roeseler grabs a quickie By " Gary Laudig RED MOUNTAIN, CA , OCT, 30 A 14 s the banner dropped and after the 30 second delay of the sound reaching the bomb af- ter the start line exploded , the spectators and club members manning their positions wondered what it was like streaking across the desert back in '51 when John McLaughlin won the first running of this race . The racer going for the win of this event is not only going for the glory of the overall victory but a perpetual trophy steeped in tradition, inscribed names of legends past and present on its base , The leader to the bomb today was not a name found on this trophy but a respected rider in his own right, Steve Eckardt , holding about a 400 -yard lead on the next bike, Larry Roeseler (Hus). Eckardt said the Benny Padilla prepared monoshock put him in a realm he wasn't used to. Steve lost track of the ribbon during h is excitement and Roeseler and Bruce Ogilvie (H -D) wasted no time in surging by on that washy road in the foothills behind the bomb. Bruce Lewellyn (Yam) was behind Steve at the bomb and didn't get concerned when Gregg Thomas (first amateur, first C bike), Cory Timms and Bill Saltzman (Hus) got by him knowing he had a cushion that wouldn't quit. By the time the racers reached the track crossing, Roeseler had about a 100 ·yard lead on Ogilvie. Third place was nailed down by Yamaha-mounted Gregg Thomas (Alan 's son , not brother) , followed by Husky-mounted Cory Timms. These guys hit the tracks and flew 20 yards in th e air before touching down . 'Ecka rd t was now running sixth behind Saltzman ; Lewellyn liked Eckardt 's styl e and stayed right on his tail. This lasted about 30 seconds before Lewellyn's rear tire kissed a rock . Ed Zarp The real battle of the day was going on between three C bike amateurs coming down the home stretch: Russ Woolmore , Rick Davis and Mike Lewellyn . These guys went at it from the track crossing all the way into the pits, coming in in just that order. Second heavy amateur James Lawrence had Trail Expert Darren Kelsey ' and third Heavy Jay Stewart giving him a merry chase through the pits and off onto th e second loop . Trudy Beck had about a dozen bikes between her and Dawn Grant. Eric Spaeth was the first Expert C bike, James Vincent second with th ird place Sandy Robertson on a sick sounding machine. The course crossed the tracks just above the Rams', camp , the pits just beyond. Roeseler laid the trail for the rest as the streak of dust headed at an angle across the valley basin , through s~me choppy rain rut areas , then on towards the gray knoll and the canyon beyond. The trail bikes had nine remaining competitors heading out on the second loop , Kelsey first , then 18 slots back came first amateur Juan Benividez, 10 more positions found Steve Webb , 27 bikes later Jeff Robbins came flying through then Paul Krause, Torsten Corum (second amateur) , Pete Andelman , Karl Miller and D .L. Dorman. The three hard charging seniors leaving the pits behind were D.R, Deichman , Allen Johnson and Francis Christensen. Eddie Ogden,Jr, and Don Torgeson buzzed their C bikes up the windy canyon that works its way to the top of the Searles; a few "Super Whoopers" thrown in just to keep you on the pegs and off the seat. The course vectored slightly to the left heading down the back side of the low mountain range , Hitting some abrupt chop , the racers hooked a left and headed up the snake shaped fireroad that ridgeruns the top of the mountains from one end to the other. Doug Martin and Monte Anderson flew along the top, remembering short cut trails to the side and a few surprises they forgot about. Two C bike amateurs, Walter Sheek and Dennis Marchand , separated 250 chargers Charlie Hermanson and St eve "front flat" Lindsey , Gary Graefe and Charlie Peart tried to pass the ridgerunners but didn't quite get the job done , Approaching the barren gray trail that winds up and down rather steeply, the racers began having flashbacks of last week. They didn't have to flash very long cause th ere before their very eyes was that long. long, sa ndy downhill. Rick Vaughn, Ri ch Burley , Dick Harris and Tom Zarp made th eir own separate knobb y et c h ings as th ey worked their way to the bottom in their own separate fashion . Once off of the sonic boom downhill , the course cut back across the valley, down a tricky rock strewn fir eroad . Turning to the right the course got back into the desert heading for the second track crossing and more fun in the Spangler sandwashes. Once across the tracks , Verlin Van Zee , Al Guzman and Steve Bailey headed up the rocky wash thinking either they were running like the hot shoes or somebody swiped about 20 miles off the course; they were not tired enough yet. . By this tim e Roeseler was working hsi way down the nasty boulder laden downhill, maneuvering the Husky through the rocky base with ease , he gassed his mount straight ahead to the big open wash . Turning left, with no bike or dust in view, Larry flew up the wash , up the Desert Rats snowy downhill , up the tight, windy sandwash , then across the foothill floor to the tracks and the checkered, It took the Husky man less than one hour and 20 minutes to complete the race . Bruce Ogilvie came in seven minutes later with a clutch bolt missing. Brian Wright, riding a Husky for Mission Hills Motorcycle Shop, was next, second 250 Expert. "Downhill" Alexander nailed third , Second Heavy was Bill Saltzman, then Cory Timms. First Expert C bike Eric Spaeth, Rich Schumaker second , James Vincent third . The Trail bike king was Darren Kelsey , Steve Webb second Pete Andelman third. First Open Amateur Scott Child , James Lawrence second , Jay Stewart third. The first Amateur plus first 250 , was Rick Starrett , second Punk Wilson , third Don Brand, Jr. Mike Lewellyn was first C Amateur, 558c second , Russ Woolmore third. The 'Trail Amateur win went to Juan Benividez, second to Paul Krause then Torsten Corum , Novice/Beginner The first bike to the bomb was a Maico ridden by Brian Charters. The second bike to the bomb was a C bike ridden by a girl named Lesley Torgeson. Charters crashed and quit. Lesley , totally stoked, did the same number. By the time she got going again she lost 40 positions and had a sore bottom , The first bike to the tracks was last week's leader Joe Penoncello with a big lead over Brett Howell . Craig Timms was the next racer through followed by one of many Rover pie platers. That club is either on a recruiting binge or ' they are bringing old members out of the woodwork. Wayne Poore and Chris Goolsby hit the tracks side by side, hit the ground side by side then disappeared , likewise. As soon as the racers started for the back side of the Spanglers, the racers broke trail looking for better visibility. Don Broach and Jim Rother were side by side heading out across the flat section. Mike Tinajero , Tom Tusko and James Strachen pressed for better position. As the course headed back into th e hills Joe Penoncello became victim of last week's fate; his bike quit, letting Brett Howell (Yam) in for the lead and his machine sounded good , After Bob Miller, Larry Kunkle and Don Boese vanished up the wash , the first of a series of beginners made their presence, led by Dean Frerickson, on a 250, novice Bob Cronkite then the second beginner Mike Clark , on a 250 also . Mike Easley was next , running third C bike then the next beginner , a 250 too , Rick Martin. As the racers headed back towards home, the first heavy beginner James Short was gaining on th e 250 in front of ' him, which happened to be a beginner named Jerry Gilpin. Sensing the fin ish wasn't too far away, the trail novices had a real battle going. Ted Hunnicutt had the lead but Cliff Thomas was going to give him a run for his entry fee. Third place was three bikes back, Lars, Bergman then four notches later Pat Kerwin was pouring the gas to his scoot. Crossing the tracks the separation . process began. The overall one-loop' winner was pie plater Gerald Savelle followed by pie plater Randy Crawford (Rovers) , Mike Clark was the first number plate and the first 250. Second went to Dean Frerickson, third David Kennedy all finishing right behind each other. Ted Hunnicutt held on for the Trail Novice win , Cliff Thomas coasted in right behind for second , Lars Bergman third .' The C bike winner was 564c, John Hura second , Brian Burske third, A total of 25 Trail Novices and beginners finished the race . Heading out of the second loop, Howell worked on stretching out his lead but Ken McBean never let tlie open bike rider out of his sight. Craig Timms was holding onto first 250, Bob Miller had second, the 250 behind him , Steve Priestly, Don Broach was right in Priestly's dust and because he happened to be riding a 250 also, he had a great desire to pass the man. As the racers made their way . towards the sandy downhill, the battle in the C bike class was a real hassle, First ~ second and third were in a fivel bike cluster. Mike Tinajero had the lead, second place Mike Easley just had to get around Steve Fisher to do battle with Mike while Mark Cates was trying his best to get around Sam Soule to go at Easley, Bob Cronkite, Larry Kundle, Brad Hunsinger and Tom Tusko made their way down the sandy downhill then headed across the valley and the tracks. As the wash narrowed down, the course jogged left then headed up over a rise. Looking down at the canyon below, down the loose surface , boulder strewn downhill that never seems to both r the hot shoes, Jim Hruby, Gene Peters, Dan Drew and Ralph Wight wefe kinda wishing they were back in their vans listening to Fleetwood Mac . Marvin Van Sickle was wondering why he didn't stay home and watch the Rams. Well they all made it down despite the second 't h oug h ts and cruised in for a super neat finishing pin. Brett Howell maintained for first overall, first open. Second overall went to 250 rider Craig Timms after ' , McBea n dropped out. Third overall second open, Bob Miller. Steve Priestly kept second 250 , Donnie Broach third. Chris ,Goolsby bagged third open. Mike Tinajero was first C , Mike Easley and Mark Cates second and third . The course was marked very well, the riders had a good time - they were just kinda baffled that a Rams' race was easy and short. Larry Roeseler has never been a recipient of our special award so we'll lay the Huevos award on him. While crossing the basin towards the tracks , Larry hit something that shot him into the air . Before he even touched down , he looked over his shoulder to see what did it. Bruce Lewellyn needs an award but I'll let you choose it . Last week he left all the insides of his carb soaking in some cleaner; couldn't figure why hs scoot wouldn't start. This week after his getoff, once underway, couldn't figure why the dust was pouring in his eyes. He reached up to rub the lenses and stuck a JT glove finger in his eye , no glass . • a

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