Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

Roger DeCoster 11041 holds off Darrell Shultz. IBelowl Marty Tr ipes charged in the second m ot o, but slowed inexplicably . , Brae Glover's smile is courtesy of a 250cc Support clen w in. ree, Sun second the last lap as well while Howerton held onto his third place behind Hannah and Sun. The International class is a warm·up for Sun who has signed with Husqvarna to contest the 500cc World Championships next season. Mayhem reigned in tum one of the second moto start as two separate crashes took out Stackable, LaPorte, Pat Moroney and Twigg. Throttling his way back into the lead was Chuck Sun with Swartz, DeCoster, Hannah, Staten, Shultz, Jimmy Weinert and Howerton nipping at the big black Husky's heels . As usual, Hannah wasn't one to let the single lane track hold him back. On the third lap, Bob was in second behind Sun , but once again Chuck wasn't about to let Bob move up much closer . For 20 minutes Sun dodged and weaved to hold the Hurrica ne at bay. Behind the two leaders was the most exceptional free-for -all seen in this year 's series as an eight- way battle developed' for third spot lasting nearly the entire race among DeC oster. Swartz , Howerton. Shultz, Mosier, Weinert , Tommy Croft , Graham Noyce and Staten. LaPorte joined the fray in the later stages aft er working his' way back up fron t in the sta rti ng line melee. Casualties were everywhere as Noyce received a little help from Howerton in skyshooting a berm, Staten snapped a steering stem and Weinert blew his rear chain, By the halfway point in the race Hannah had grown im patient with Sun's defensive moves in trying to hold onto the lead. It was time to do something about it . The weekend before Bob had learned from DeCoster the consequences of trying to stuff your opponent from the outside of a tum. This time he jammed inside of Chuck in an attempt to take the lead which sent Chuck bouncing over the tum's berm while using the Husky for a Yamaha hook shot int o the lead. But was Hannah's lead secure? It hardly seemed like it as-Mart y Tripes appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, after knifing his way th rough the free for -al l behind Hannah an d Sun . In the first moto, Marty had ridden like an old lady for no explainable rea son to collect 2!lrd place . Now he was the fastest rider on the track as he closed on Sun, then passed Chuck almost instantly for second . He closed on Ha nnah at a rate of nearly two seconds per lap . Marty was within passing distance with two la ps to go for the checkered flag . Hannah was ready to fight him off in what would have probably been the series' meanest clash thus ' far, but just as suddenly as he had appeared from nowhere, Marty backed off the gas to let the Hurricane win easilyl The fans , announcer Dave Despain and everyone else was left slack-jawed. Back in the pits after the race, Tripes' only explanation for why he had slowed down was a hardly believable, "We had some problems those last two laps . Just say we were testing. This was a testing session ." The Honda had looked and sounded . perfect the entire time. Hannah , meanwhile, had the day 's overall win again and now held a large enough cushion in the points standings to sit out the next race if he felt like itl 250cc Support " W ell, I finally won a race, beamed Yama ha's blond bomber , Broc Glover. " Now I don't feel so bad about leading the point standings without a win to my credit." Broc was definitely a hard act to follow as he gra bbed the lead with his hot YZ·250F stocker in round one and when pursuer Warren Reid bailed off his Honda after the first lap , the race was all Broc's, Behind were a number of hea vy-duty scuffles between DC 's John Savitski, privateer Gr eg Theiss, Luft's Ron Turner, Honda's Steve Wise and LOP's Marty Moates. Race two saw KTM's Mike Guerra recovering from a slow start to lead unchallenged from start to finish . Steve Wise moved up to give Glvoer a good dice for second on the last lap in a pass and repass match that still ended with Broc ahead of Steve at the finish. • Resu lts 500cc INTERNATIONAl: 1. Bob HannIIh 1·1 lYom'; 2. Chuct< Sun 2-4lHusl; 3. Roger DeCoster IN 1Suzl; 4. Kent Howerton :H ISuzl; S. Dorrell Shultz 4-8 lMait, 6. G

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