Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

I CeaIl'a1 Pipeline ~ Taylors tromp Texan t Night MX By John Rannikko AUSTIN , TX, SEPT. 15 Ronnie Taylor piloted his CR 250 Honda to a pair of moto victories to win the combined Intermediate and Expert motos at Austin Night Motocross. . Under the moon In Austin. Ronnie T.yIor hoIeahot the Pro de... on his w.y to • win. .. When the check.... flew et Austin motoc:i:ou. 06. O.vld Stutts wes out In tront for the win. 38 Along with the other 250cc and Open Experts combined, when they charged for the right tum at the end of the starting straight, Stutts had the lead followed by Jack Hicks, Mike Farmer , Russell Powers , Mark Thornton and Ronnie Taylor. They came six abreast into the first tum , but quiclr.1y sorted out. On the first lap, Stutts took a commanding lead . followed by Hick, Kelly, Taylor and Powers . Powers moved into fourth on the second lap when Taylor went down , losing seven places. Meanwhile , in lIth place, Jack Beckham, went to work on everyone in front of him . First and second were pretty well locked in with Stutts and Hicks repectively, but action was developing behind. Beckham was chirging like a mad bull, picking off one or two riders on every lap, and moving to fifth at the midway point . The hardest position to keep a hold of was third place. Kelly held it the longest during the early part of ' the moto , but dropped back, giving it to Powers, till Bedhain took over with three laps to -go: Bttkhim-ran"OUt mume before he could challenge Hicks for second. Powers and Kelly took founh and fifth. The second moto stan found Stutts spinning the back wheel off the starting gate cement without getting the power to the ground. While Stutts 'was coming off sideways, Hicks , KelIy and Powers were blasting for the first tum. The best Stutts could do on the first lap ';"as fifth. Once again Jack Beckham got a miserable start, but this time there was a reason. His Yamaha was spitting and sputtering as though he had a fouled plug. Beckham rode steadily, to the best of his machine's ability andfinish seventh for fifth overall. Meanwhile, Stutts wasn't pleased with fifth, so he got on the gas and was challeriging Hicks for the lead on the third lap. Putting on a great show, Stutts passed Hicks at the midway point, pulled away and held the lead to the checkered. Russell POWers and Ronnie Taylor, both Honda of Austin teammates, had a great battle for founh . After exchanging the position fOur times , Powers took it at the' end when Taylor dropped back on the last lap . Mike Kelly held third place on nine of 10 laps for an overall third . The second moto finishing order was Stutts, Hicks , Kelly, Powers , Steve Cardwell, Billy Harrison and Jack Beckham. Results MINI JR: 1. Donny Storbeck (sUll; 2. Tyrone Culley 1SuzJ. ' MINI SR: 1. Bryon TI'/kl< (Suz); 2. Scott Julien lVoml 3. Mitch ThornM ISUll. ; l00cc: 1. Bryan TI'/kl< ISUlI 2. .Johnny Middleton ; lVom); 3. Robert Mw,ay (Suzl; 4. Rendy T'_lVoml. 125 NOV 1. Wayne K _ t lVom); 2. Greg Ileoch : (Yom); 3. Tony EquilllVom) 4. Bryan Rober..", (Honl; ; 5. .Jam. Howle 1SuzJ. 250 NOV 1. Tommy Porfir,o lVoml; 2. SlllYee.-t : lVam); 3. Dew Sltlfdivent Ca100 _ _ (Yoml. lSuzI; 4. Mike ~ (YomI5. OVER 30: 1. Devid Pork. lVoml 2. Grog Labbe ; lVom): 3. Jim Hohlt IMoil: 4. Doug Yule lVoml 5. Tom ; WOOlIHusl. 125INT: 1. Joe IloIcomlVom); 2. Scott OlIvia (Yoml; . 3. Mort TI'/kllVomI. OPENINT: 1. MIkeAll lVom); 2. MIkeWOOl IYomI; 3. BiIy - . (Yom/ ~ . Stove ~ lVomI; 5. Bobby ; -_. 125 EX: 1. Mort Olquin (SUZ); 2. Troy PIlttoroon lSuz); 3. Keith DoIris 1SuzJ. 250 + OPEN EX:1. Devid Stults lVoml 2..Jed< Hicks ; lVom/ 3. Mike KoIy lVomI; 4. R _ -'lHont, 5. : ' - _ l V o m I. .' , The previous week the night motocross was rained out, and this week, after six consecutive days of rain , many riders were scared away , thinking the track was unrideable, Although the track had some wet spots, track personnel had done a good job discing and preparing for the race. Every low area was a mudhole and the starting straightaway was dry for 40% of the starting line , but most of the riders had a dry , straight shot to the first tum. The Intermediate and Expert combined moto was the race to watch. Mike Kelly drag raced his Yamaha to the first tum in front and almost lost it while hopping sideways through the comer, but held the lead for two laps. Ronnie Taylor (Hon) and Doug Paley (Suz) followed Kelly through the first tum, and the three Experts held a tight group with four seconds separating first through third during the first moto . The only position swapping that took place was Ronnie Taylor, overtaking Kelly on the third lap. Meanwhile, J. Morrison was leading the Intermediates while Mark Taylor, Chris Rose, Joe Balcom, Chuck Loftin and Scott Davis followed. With one lap to go , the Intermediate leader Morrison dropped out, giving Mark Taylor the lead followed by Balcom and Davis. Balcom didn't give up till the checker and passed Taylor during the last lap to finish Balcom,"Taylor and Davis. • I The second moto start was all Ronnie Taylor (Expert), followed by Kelly, Davis, Paley, Balcom and Mark Taylor. , Morrison crashed in the first tum during the start and got pinned under his Yamaha, needing assitance to get the machine off his back. Ronnie Taylor led the moto from the stan and Mike Kelly didn't let Taylor make any mistakes as he pressed to the finish . In a desperate effort to pass at the finish , Kelly tried a shorter muddy inside line , butbogged as Taylor took the established line and won by two bikelengths. Doug Paley passed Scott Davis on the first lap and held on for third. The Intermediates battled for first place honors within their class with Scott Davis leading the way and Joe Balcom, Mark Taylor and Tom Koula pushing. Mark Taylor didn't wait long to pass Balcom on lap two and two laps later Balcom went over a berm and highsided, dropping out of the moto , This left Davis in the lead followed by Mark Taylor, Tom Koula and Paul Beach. No more positions were changed 'du ring the moto so Davis won it. • Results MINI: 1. Ty White ISUll. . l00cc: 1. Johnny MiddIolonISUlI 125 NOV: 1. Scott Schovejse (SUll; 2. B,ien _ I H o n ); 3. RlcIcy Brown (Yoml; 4. ~ Kromer lSuz); 5. Ron e-1SuzJ. 250 NOV 1. Phillip Tvr- (Yoml; 2. Tonz Polly (Suzl; : 3. Don Engllng IKTM); 4. Scott Plttoroon lVom); 5. Wylie e-.. (Yom/. INT 1. Scott ~ (sUll; 2. Mort TI'/kl<(SuzI; 3. Joe : IIIIcom lHuol;4. PouI a-h lVoml 5. Tom KouIolSuzJ. ; EX: 1. Ronnie T~ IHon); 2. Mit

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