Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

; ._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.-._._._._._._._._._._._. "=Western hotline ' o c<') ~ Q,) ..c a Q,) > o Z David Gerig 1 in action at CMC's 421 Carl sbad-backwards motocro ss. -; 24 Steve Fry (Yam ), Luke Messer (Mai) and Robert Marino (Yam) followed. On lap three Anderson displaced Chaffee. Messer moved ahead of Gerig and Marino put Fry back to sixth. The next time around Messer took over the lead with Marino in second. From the fifth lap until the last lap flag went out, the front runners were Messer , Marino, Anderson , Fry and Chaffee. On the final time around some changes were made. Top Shelf rider Dan Steele moved into fourth , separating Steve and John Fry . Steve Rhyan took his KTM across the finish line in sixth. Messer took the holes hot in the second moto, Steve Rhyan , David Gerig, Steele, and Chaffee filled the next slots . Rhyan followed Messer for four laps , then got 'arou nd , ope ned up the KTM to the max a nd dusted everyone. Steele finished second with Steve Fry , Chaffee, Gerig and Bill Jewell getting the next points. Steele got the overall with Steve Fry and Rhyan the second and ' third place money. The 250 riders had a surprise when Mike Bell showed up to take part in the action . Mike and Tim Lunde were the leaders for the number one title. Tim was going to take care of business on one of Kelvin Franks' fantastic flying Roos. The holeshot and the lead belonged to Lunde as he smoked the machine off the line and up the dropoff on the backwards track. Lunde had the lead for five laps. Wanke.t and Wanket, Tony and Peter, locked their Yarnahas in the next positions. Tony grabbed the lead , leaving Lunde to deal with Pete. Marty Moates (Hus), Mike Bell (Yam) and Steve Rhyan (KTM) were pushing the leaders. Moates kept up his systematic pick off until he took command of the lead for the win . Following Moates across the finish line were Tony Wanket, Lunde, Pete Wanket, Bell and R hyan . The second rnoto was almost totally dominated by Tony Wanket. Tony led until lap 11 when his throttle stuck and he wasn 't ge tting enough gas. Moates was in the thic k of things and giving Tony a real run for his money when a tangle with a slower rider put him out for the remainder of the race. Rhyan moved to second and eventually took . the win . Lunde finished the race in a very strong third. . During the entire race Mike Bell seemed to be having quite a bit of discomfort. After the race his brother Brett said, "Oh Mike hurt his arm last night at Anaheim. " Later Cristy call ed from the hosp ital and said Mike had a broken right arm . Can you imagine riding two rnotos at Carlsbad with a broken arm? Tony Wanket took home the biggest bunch of money with Lunde and Rhyan getting some too . Team Flying Machine Factory riders Randy Hess and Cliff Lett had a score to settle today - the score being who would finish the po ints race behind winner Peter Wanket. When the gate dropped and the screaming machines roared around the first turn Hess was the leader but by the time the first lap was over Tony W anket had that position. Mike Tripes (Suz) was ahead of third place Lett with Hess, Terry Shekell (Yam) and Pete Wanket in pursuit. Pete, who seems to enjoy coming up through the ranks, started his manuevers. Lap by lap he got around riders and on the seventh lap he swooped the lead away from his brother Tony. Now th e rac e was Wanket and Wanket and Lett and Hess. Tripes and Roo-riding Tony Gomez finished in the next slots . Lett ripped off the gate for the lead in the second rnoto. Tripes was right on his knobby with Pete Wanket and Tony Gomez holding off Randy Hess. Lett was able to hold onto first for three laps and then Pete pegged it for the lead and the win. Gomez dropped out with what seemed to be a seized machine. Tripes finished the race second with Lett and Hess going for the three/four positions. Wanket took home the biggest part of the payback. Lett and Tripes got the next sha re of the loot. Results in Results Section. (A bov el R.A.C.E. Director Ron Crandall tried to get Great Pumpkin GP contestants int o the spir it of the day . (Below) Steve Bauer collected second overall, f irst 250 at the Great Pumpkin GP. PIoneers at P-Town By Betty Bird TRABUCO CANY ON, CA , NOV . 6 There was enough adrenalin flowin the eight TOW S of Ol d Timers lined u p at the Dirt Diggers' GP to solve the energy problem . When the flag dropped, it was a cloud of crimson jerseys and the roar of 95 engines in the race of the day ! All but a few had a chance to race with Dick 'Ma nn as he lapped nearly everybody. It was the chance to find out just what it feels like to tap out in fifth and wish you had just one more gear. Dick Mann is the fastest Old Timer on two wheels! john Rice rode three events, had mechanical problems in the first two, but got it all together to ride with the Old Timers, right into second place. Blackie Lewis , after having bike problems in the Pioneer Invitational, came back to ride with the Old T imers for third Master of the da y and third overall. A 250 KTM with Basil Sanchez in the saddle won first expert. Ken Williams found the right combination for second. Bill Bird, third on his Yamaha , said he didn 't look for another gear - fifth was fast enough for him . In the amateur class , Maico mounted Jim Jones is always up front and this time right in the gold . Jim is working up to the expert class where he can ride with his brother Sam . Allan Torkko (Hus) won second , longtime Old Timer Richard Varvel found third. Have you ever seen a Honda swim ? Neither did Manny ("Mud" ) Dauber, riding into the mudhole and right into the lake . Manny said he ca me to ride - not to fish for Hondas! There have to be better da ys. Miles Addy was top banana in th e novice class, Larry Smith second, Don Jensen third . Don has just joined the Old T imers this yea r and ha s improved with every race. The Los AngelesChapter of the Old Timers hail from Mammoth to San Diego and is a very special group . Even over fort y, they are always work ing to improve. Who sa ys old dogs ca n' t learn some new tricks? Great pumpkins, Charlie 81 By Elaine Jones CORONA , CA , OCT. 30 The Great Pumpkin Grand Prix offered the large rider turnou t a challenging course plus an unusual team race. Besides the "Corkscrew" and "Hangmen's Tree" a few extra hazards were thrown in with such appropriate names as "T able Top ," "Cow Chip J ump," "Ska teboard Alley," and the "Pumpkin Patch." By the end of the day riders agreed sections were aptly named. , Pros were combined into one race with each class scored separately. Norstar sponsored Goat Breker (H us) was leader of the pack when they hit the finish line for the first time. Tom Taylor also on an Open bike was second with Brian Craze in the third slot. D.G. sponsored Steve Bauer led the 250s with Danny Jean on his heels and Scott Smith no t far behind. Bill Barlow had the lock on the I25cc Experts. Mark Woody was knocking on his d oor with Clint Carman looking for a piece of th e action . By the second lap David Williams had moved from fourth to second in . the Open class and was looking for a shot at Breker , who was flat wailing. Craze was still clinging to his third while Taylor had gone out with bike problems. Bauer, with his fire turned up high , had ' picked up three spots and was in the thick of th ings with the open bikes , running fifth overall. Danny J ean went right along with Bauer and settled into the sixth position. Ba rlow wasn 't exactly sleeping in the I25cc class as he gained six places, and put himself right in the middle of 250cc land. Clint Carmen caught Woody sleeping and moved into second, picking up six places himself. H al fway, it was still Breker .ou t in front and going for it. Williams was han ging on for a strong second with Craze in third . Bauer got by open rider Jeff Eierstco tt to move into fourth overall. Jean was unable to dispose of Eierstcott. Ken Taylor picked up some steam and moved into third. Bill Barlow on a 125 was also creeping up the ladder, deeper into the 250cc territory . Carmen was still riding double with him and Woody had dropped down a couple of spots, losing third to Scott Carnahan. When the white flag ca me out , it happened . Bau er went for it , got by Williams and took after Brek er . It was a good try , but Breker is not a rider you upset easily. After leading the whole race he wasn 't a bout to let anybody tak e it awa y from him . Breker won his Open class, Bauer th e 250cc and Barlow th e I25cc. The Team Ra ce offered a different twist. In th e spirit of th e occ asion a pumpkin patch had been planted near th e course and 120 pumpkins were wait ing to be picked by the eager contestants. The riders were required to stop , get off their bikes and pick a pumpkin. The pumpkin had to be transferred to th eir teammate every la p a nd part of the pumpkin had to be visible when th ey passed the scorers . The team that accomplish ed this feat the best were 250cc Intermediates Glass and Pet erson . It' was a fun way of ending a full da y of racing over a beautifully p repared and maintained course. •

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