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/126334
.•-_-.YI.-.-.-.-.-_-•._-.~-.~-.•.r.-.-•.•.•~....-.-.-_.• •• ·.·.·.'.'.__-.'A...-.-.-.',,r.-.'.'.,,.-.'.-...'.',.-.':wr...'.'.-.'.-.-.V'iIV"h',;-.-..-.'.-.'"..-".'.'..'._.-._.'.-.rI..-rA'.'.'.'.'. '.-.'--.-.-.---.~ Desert ~ ...tline I~ · t ....-I ....-I 1-0 (I) ..c o ... u o , In _ch of Mej. Greg "Peppy" Boyington et Indien Dunn. Gery Denton won the CAC DunHtown GP 260cc Proclan. 1200 do It for the cameras at CRC Dunestown GP By Brian George and Jerry G. Welton VALENCIA. CA, OCT. I . For the first time in the history of Indian Dunes Motorcycle Park. the front gates were closed to recreational open -riding so the California Racing Club could present the first annual Dunestown grand Prix . A Hl-mile course was stretched throughout the park , utilizing two wa ter crossings , numerous sandwash sections, two motocross tracks, and pan of a TT scrambles track, an active air strip and the movie set from the TV series " Baa Baa Black Shee~" for the 1200 assembled eompentors. And in the middle of all this, there were film crews and a helicopter out filming scenes for the upcoming movie "Do It In The Dirt." Pro. 20 Along with all of the festivities that made the first running of the event a big success, $1000 was put in to draw the profess ionals. Taking top shares of money were Al Baker R&D's Johnny O 'Mara in the U5cc Pro rac e, Suzuki West's Gary Denton in the 250cc Pros and Dave Haugh in the Open action. At 10 a .m., the 100. 125 and 175cc , Intermediates, Experts and Pros were cut loose, - wi t h O'Mara taking command by the end of the start sandwash straight. DG's ".W ild Will y" Simons pulled Suzuki West's Gary Denton into the turns at the end of the straight, but as they progressed, their battle carried both riders off the track. Simons was the first to get going in the right direction , but Denton got right in behind, only to seize early. When O'Mara came up to the Internationa l Tra ck for the completion of lap one . over 20 seconds separated him fro m Simons, who led Evan Marcus , Roger Hensly , A.J. Whitin~ , and Chris Heisser. Hensley and Heisser slipped around Marcus on the second lap. while DMG's Pat "Hotdog" Hubbs entered the top 10 from his first· lap 15th slot . The th ird lap brought out the white flag as O'Mara and Simons were closing up at an average of over 60 mph throughout one lap. Heisser, Whiting ' and Marcus were the followers distantly trailing the leaders' dust, with Faber, Childress and Hubbs trying to move up . The checkered came out nearly 10 minutes later and O'Mara had the win . The top 10 order was O'Mara, Simons, Heisser, Marcus, . Whiting, Faber, Tom Kelly, Joe Price, Bob Ramsey and RickJohnson . Hubbs sheered a countershaft sprocket and dropped to 11th. At 2 p .m. it was time for the big ra ce of the day , the 250cc and Open Intermediates , Expe rts and Pros. As they shot down the start straight, Canoga Park Suzuki 's Dave Haugh had -rhe lead and was pulling away from Bob Kline , Kenny Zahrt, Ga ry Denton and Donnie Hansen. Haugh muscled his Open Maico in front of the 250cc mounts behind, and by the second lap seemed in control when Can-Am's Zahrt, riding with a brace on his wrist , dropped out and Kline , Denton, Hansen and Mike Shoemaker "filed in behind. By the third lap the battle for the lead became more evident as Denton pulled into second and closed on Haugh. Kline , Hansen and Shoemaker closed up on their own battle for th ird, . and the story was told on the last 10 mile lap of the race. As Haugh and Denton started lapping slower riders , Denton took a fast , rocky outside line while Dave stuck it to the inside of the wash . The Suzuki West RM flew by the Canoga Park Maico, as Haugh was taken ou t by a swapping lapped rider . When Denton came around the last few turns; he had a comfortable lead ove.r Kline for the 250cc Pro victory , while Haugh managed to pick it up and . finish third, first Open Pro. Taking the rest of the top five positions in the 250cc Pros were Donnie Hansen. Mi~e Brown and Mike Shoemaker, while second Open Pro went to Will ' Harper at seventh overall. Mark White, Eddie Cole and Troy Hollis followed Harper in , all on Open bikes . Sportsmen At 8:00 the Minis set sail on the mini-mile course with Pat McConnell (Yam) pulling the holeshot over T .D . Swets (Suz). McConnell and Swets led the first loop , but Chris Scott was running fast , and by the completion of the second lap was out front with Swets and McConnell trailing. At the finish it was Scott over McConnell with Chris Gables (80 Yam) th ird. Jeff Spence (Suz) led the lOO·200cc Novices off the line with Greg W inters (Suz) and John Manos (Yam) in close pursuit. Jerry Black (Yam) and Harold Smith (Yam) roamed with in striking distance, and by lap two Manos flew .past W inter and Black was closing in with Ma rk Gray (Yam). Spence pulled off the win . but the fighting was for second with Black coming out on top . Manos was in for third as Winters and Gray followed . In the Vets class Ron Miller (400 Yam ) jumped into an early lead with local hotshoe J im O'Neil and Ken Pa tzlott (Mai) running strong , and just af~er . the end of th e first go r ound a Nell got by Miller, and never relinquished the lead. Pa tzloff had p~oblems on the th ird lap . allowing Bill Saltzman and Don Moor e to slip pas t . T he 250cc Novices saw Bruce Parker and Ross Johnson out front early, bu t Johnson took the lead whe n Parker disappeared . Steve Gartside rode second and Rene Arrieta (250 Mai) third. At the checkered flag it was still Ross with Jeff Sloan (250 Hon) moving way up ahead of Chet Carmen. Brad Nevins . and Steve Bounelle, The final race of the da y was the Open Novice and Beginners. John Wolziak (400 Suz) led the parade at th e end of lap one, even after unloading at the water crossing. Wolziak and Cliff Stroud ran 1·2 most of the race until Mike Cappello struck with a last -minute flurry and captured second. Results MINI : 1. Chf io Scott (Suzl; 2. J. Chfio GobIeo lVoml. Pat McConnell lVoml' • 1()()'200 NOV: 1. Jeff Spence 1125 Suzl: 2. Jerry Black 11 25 Voml: J . Gteg Winteral175 Suz). BEG: Dirk Davidllon 1125 Varni. SR. VETS: 1. Jim O'NelII (e-Al: 2. Ron M iller (Vam)' J . Bill Saltzman (Hual. • JR. SA. EX: Alan W urual (CRW KTMI . JR. SR. AM: loon Price (400 Voml . SR. NOV: Jack Unge lVam) 250 NOV: 1. ROIl Johnaon (Honl; 2. Jeff Sloan (Honl: J . Che! Cormen (Hon). 250 BEG: 1. John Tav\or IHonl : 2. Brion Hut! (Suzl OPEN NOV: 1. John Wozniak ' (Suz); 2. M ike CoppeIIo lVam ): 3. Cliff Stroud lVam). OPEN BEG: 1. Rictwd RoM lHuol: 2. Tho.". B. <:ar:t-lVoml: J . Ron VelloIungo (Suz). •! •