Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

U') CN M ~ ..c o ... u o On hi. way to,another National enduro title. Dick Burleaon AMA National Enduro Championship Series Sanford thumps Cal State 100 By Larry Langley LUCERNE VALLEY, CA , OCT. 8 Team Honda's Don Sanford won the Double Crossers M.C.'s Cal State 100 National Enduro when ex-teammate, Yamaha-mounted Mike Hannon, was disqualified following a rider's protest that Hannon appropriated his gas . Sanford was riding a factory XR-500 four -stroke , bri . H d hei fi N .rmgmg on. a t err rrst .a. 16 t1~mal Enduro Win aboard the twm pIpe thump~r. . AMA Dlst~lCt 37's number one 250cc class nder Mike Adams took second overall and first 250cc A honors on "Old Red," a '76 CR -250 H~nda which at first glance would be wntten off as an obsolete motorcycle. Mike , however, obviously i~ in tune withthe bike and manages to ride it very fast. Third overall went to Sanford's teammate Rick Munyon who picked up the Open A win on another XR·500 factory bike. Both bikes are tuned by famed four-stroke mechanic Bill Bell. Hannan parted company with Honda just the week before in what was described as a mutual dis . engagement. Mike then picked up a YZ·400 . The enduro almost turned out to be a real mess when the first riders missed turn arrows right off the start , and went straight and picked up incoming end -of-loop ribbon instead . The combination of dust and riding into the morning sun led to serious visa bility problems and the turn problem didn't get straightened out until around rider number 30 , well into the B rider ranks. Referee John Townsend assessed the situation and made the decision to count just the first loop as an observation loop for the A and B riders. The C riders were scored on the first loop as they followed behind the B riders. Word was relayed to the checks to let the A and B riders know that the loop would be observation only and that an extra hour would be allowed between the first and second loops to let everyone complete the loop without having to try and banzai 20 or 30 minutes late time. A few riders didn't get the word and really busted their butts trying to catch up. The loop was challenging for the C and B riders and the hot weather contributed to rider fatigue. Hannon's problems started when he came into the gas stop 28 miles into the loop , and his gas wasn't there. Apparently, a friend was supposed to deliver it but didn't make it. Mike then poured gas into his bike from another rider's can instead of riding into the wa. fifth, pits only .8 mile away and getting gas I back at his truck. Mike told a Double Crosser club member that he used the G gas and that the rider should use , his gas when it arrived . When the ri2n, At the lunch break he filed a writte nW protest with the referee. It was an unfortunate incident , and wlie 1 Hannon went on to post the best score it presented an additional headache 1 for Townsend. He made the decisiontt to disqualify Hannon and let the AMA.>:l rule on Hannon's appeal. The actuill rl disqualification was for unsportsman like conduct. iJGn Team Husky's Dick Burleson came l out from Ohio to try and lock up' his fifth consecutive National Champion, ship Enduro title. With six wins under) his belt, he planned to ride1 conservatively, try for a high placing ' and avoid getting hurt . He was mounted on a '79 CR·250 Husky , which featured a new frame ' design, airbox and 11" of travel front and lit: rear. _" The second loop speed averages looked high on paper, and they weri. A number of resets and a variety of speed averages kept ' the riders guessing. As it turned out there were a couple of time-keeping checks (at least .!: for the better riders), a couple they had to hustle to, and one absolutely' unzeroable section. +VIIL Burleson's version of the second loop: " It was kinda strange. At first I wasn't having any problems keeping on time, and I expected a check. But the terrain kept getting tighter and tighter, and before I knew it I slipped out of my mintue and there was tlie check!

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