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/126324
. .. _.~_._._._._._._-- ._._._._._._._._.- WlLLISCN FFER &GDRDYSE Clint Hardick (4441. point leader in the 125 and 250c c Pro classes at ' Speedway 117. leads Doug Lott. 500cc JR: 1. Aoyd Johnson ISuzl; 2. Bill Lyons . (Yam); 3. Joe LemkelAmmexJ 250 JR: 1. Brian Pitt on (Yam); 2. .Brian Phillips IBull; 3. Brice Word en (Yam). 125cc JR: 1. Gteg Smith (Yam); 2. John McOef mott ISuzl: 3. Mike Graham ISuzl. . 500cc BEG: 1. Mart Briggs (Yam): 2. Brian Bellen (Yam); 3. Kent Combs (Yaml. 125a: BEG: 1. Voun Butler (Yaml; 2. M ike Hanley (Yam); 3. Mitch Bell ISuz). Rick Johnson, J.4, fopsCMC Speedway J. J. 7 By Rod Eschenburg Photo byPhotocross CHULA VISTA, CA ,JULY 12 Fourteen-year-old Rick Johnson (Yam) became the youngest Pro to ever score a win a Speedway I I T s T RIVIC Summer Series as he easily blasted th e veryiough 125cc class in two straight motos. New Pro Chris Harrold scored a career high with a second overall and Clint Hardick had fall -down trouble aga in and had to really " b a nzai" the last lap to come up with a th ird overall. The 250s were a different sto ry how ever, as the ASA Honda -mounted Hardick swep t to a two -st raight vict ory over hard riding David Gerig who might ha ve had an upset but for a slide down in th e second m oto . Hardick still retains the po int lead in both th e 125 and 250 cc classes and shou ld he hold on 10 the end of the season. he would be the first ever Pro to score a double in Continental Mote-Sports Club competition at Speedway I 17. As good as th e Pros wer e. th e Intermediates stole th e show with two of the wildest classes ever seen at Speedway 117 . In the 125s wou ld you believe a rider with 10-I finishes could win over a n 18-rider field? Yes that's what happened as Scott Burnworth was involved in a mass pile u p off the gate in thefirst rnoto wit h a resu ltant 10th place and then cam e back for a complete demolishment of the second moto. First moto front runners Scott . Meyer and Keith Finch (plus the other seven riders ahead of Burnworth all crashed in ' the second moto and Burnworth sq uea ked out a tie-breaker win over Dav e Metje who had a fifth and a sixth and Bill Curran wh o had a fourth and an eighth, In th e 250 cc Intermedi ates, returnin g R ick Relucio scored a handlebar banging tie- break er second pla ce in th e second m ot o to edge Bryan H art for th e win over first rnoto winner Greg Me yers as again all th e first rnot o fro nt runne rs eit her cras hed . broke or plain d isa ppeared ! In th e 500s Tom Nimtz scored his first ever Intermediate victory in a hard fought tie-breaker seco nd moto over . Tracy McMillen who got off hard in th e second . moto and literally sta gg ered in for th e third sp ot. In th e Junior classes th e outstanding seri es was in th e first divi sion of the 125s with point leader Br yan Mal on ey getting zapped by Gary Graham in a first moto that saw th e lead ch ange four times! In th e second moto the pressure go t to u p -a nd -com ing Graham who had a fall and wound up with a second overall. In other Junior action , fourth p lac e 125cc rid er Leland Bacon scored his first overall win in the second d ivision and vaulted into second place in the standings over Bob Caulfield and Mark Varney, who ha s now moved 10 the Int erm ed ia tes. The 500 cc point leader , Dennis Dunn , again blasted the field two-for-two. Racing cont inues throughout th e Summer at Speedway I 17 at the Wednesday night slot. with th e season winding up on Aug. 30 . and the big $600 Pro cla ss " Biggi e" on Sept. 6. WILLI SOiEFFER #1 750cc Production (Manning Racing Associ 1978 AFM 750 Production points leaaer GORDYSEIM ~ #-1 AFM Road racing points champion tt-1 AFM 250 Prottuetion champ 1978 AFM 250 Production points leader r TORCO OIL CO~ 125 U.S.G.P. Lexin gton. Results 1 0 PROFESSIONALS 500 PRO: 1. Chris Chaffee (Yaml; 2. St eve Walker (Vam); 3. Tony Wank el (Vaml. 250 PRO: 1. Clint Hardick lASA·Hon); 2. David Gerig (ESC·Suzl; 3. Mike Stearns ISuz). CHOICE METZELER 125 PRO: 1. Rick Johnson (Varni; 2. Chris Harrold ISuzl: 3. Clint Hardick ISuzI. 500 INT: 1. Tom Nimtz IYa ml; 2. Lynn Vick IMail; 3. Tracy McMillen C Suz). 6 out of 8 top finishers were on Metzelers by Moto Race-front & back 250 INT : 1. Rick Retucio (Yaml ; 2 . Brian Hart (Hon); J . Greg MOVers (Yam). 125 INT: 1. Scott Burnwo rth ISuzl; 2. Dav e Melje tKaw); 3. Bill Curran (Yam). 100 INT: 1. Scon Burnworth (Suzl; 2. Mi ke Gomez (Vam). MIN1INT: 1. Scon Sw ift (Suz); 2. Terrv Murray (Suz); 3. Chris Swift (Suzl. 500 JR: '1. Dennis Dunn (Yam); 2. Nelson Olivieri IVaml; 3. Charles Millard (VarnI. 250 JR DIV I; 1. Mark Bond ISuzl; 2. Mark Schmittou 1 0ssl; 3. Clyde Pacheco (Suzl. 250 JR D1 II: 1. Loren Jarvis (Suz); 2. Karsten Berg V UT - Suz); 3. Dan M cKeever (Yam). 125 JR DIV I: 1. Bryan Maloney (Suzl: 2. Gary Graham (Yam); 3. Boyd Breise (Suz). 125 JR DIV III: 1. Leland Bacon (Suzl; 2. Frank Ruff (Suzl; 3. Todd Lesser (Suzl. t25 JR DIV III: 1. Tom Lounsbury (Hon); 2. MartY Koenig (Suz); 3. Dale Snaith (Suzl. 100 JR: 1. James Cloud ISuzl; 2. Jeff Tron (Yaml; 3. Charlie Walk er {Yaml. MINI JR; 1. Kevin Gensler ISuzl; 2. Sammy Gensler (Suz); 3. Bob Voorhees IVaml . WOMENS OPEN: i , Roxie Klatt (Suzl : 2. Teresa Nolin (Yam); 3. Lisa Monahan (Suzl. santa Fe Springs, CA (USAl by.. "'" "",IWI:tTD " . , .... "fRRC£ po , Bo x 861 W ilbraham . Ma s sa c huset t s 01095 4131734·6211 SALES PAR TS SERV ICE I L Heme t ---1 CYcl~ Cen te-:-- 41 931 E_ Flor id a Hemet, C A 9 2343 . (71 4) 9 25 -2607 - --, Hii~salu Mtc. CO. 120 W. Cypress Ave. Burbank, CA 91502 213-845·7161 27