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/126341
II: ~ .. •• ,r• • • • •-..•_ • •--_._ •• • .. ~ I: Desert H ~ t 00 I:' O"l 1""""1 IAbove) Viewfinder Jeff Matthews did well in the Open Amateur class. IBelow) Brian Wright collected the overall win. Mike Eckardt finished sixth overall. Wright wins Antelope Ramblers'D-37 hare scrambles By Gary Laudig GOVERNMENT PEAK, CA , NOV . 12 Yamaha Motor Co.-sponsored Brian Wright powered his IT250 into the overall winner's circle at the Antelope Ramblers 14 M.C. D-37 hare scrambles while KTM's Bob Balentine chalked up another first in the Open class . Yamaha's Charlie Hamill finished fifth overall , first C bike, to ra ck up his 20th first place finish . The ra cers awoke to sub -freez ing weather as bikes. vans and motorhomes were to tall y covered with ' frost. By 10 a .m . it was bearable enough to get on the start line" and wait. The banner fell . sending the eager mass toward t he live smoke- bomb three miles away . A play rider knocked Mike McCasland out of the lead then the swann charged past, led by Balentine, Wright . Bruce Ogilvie. Chuck Miller and Terry Davis. ' From the bomb to check one the course was an up and down affair into the foothill rollers, Taking check one running 20th was Bill Saltzman, following the fast mo ving T on y Epperson. Dean Kirk was heading down the sandwash in quest of Ron Bebo in 17th. Fred Strong made the right tum into the next wash segment holding down fourth 250cc Amateur. J im Delliplaine was just ahead at third 250cc Amateur while the guy in front of Jim was second 250 Amateur Rick Zajic . What a battle this one turned out to be . Making another right turn , Kevin Hasten chased the ninth place racer into the rollers : Robin Busse, the 250cc Amateur leader who was busying himself trying to close on Open Amateur leader Jeff Matthews. Paul Christensen was on the trail of the fast moving Charlie Hamill and Hamill was not making mu ch gain on the new Dale's Modem Cycle HarleyDavidson rider "Chargin" Chuck Miller making a tremendous debut after a four month layoff. Chuck .was staying right with teammate Ogilvie at third overall. Picking up a two way sandwash Dan Theel and Art Guzman were having a good battle while they chased the gang ahead: Steve Bailey. D.L, Donnan. Charlie Goodban and Ron Milligan. Spotting Koehn Dry Lake in the distance, Lee Elias, Rich Caselli and Joe Wison hooked a right and picked up the flatland crossgrain leading to check two . Jim Harper and Ray Waldbaum were jockeying for position as they took on the first shale uphill . George McClellan, Mike Castro and - Warren Cooper blasted up the second uphill and headed for the check. Trudy Beck had a few competitors back in the pack looking for better position : Lori Farmer. Sheila Hopkins , Linda Shatka , Debbie Hopkins. 82A and Diana Elias in that order. Ken Dodd launched off of the small waterfall dropoff; Ken Maw jumped on the old access road from Fremont Valley and chased Harold King and George Zuber into the third check. Sta ying to the base of the Rand Mountains the racers experienced some trails not used in a very long time . which added a lot of pleasure to the race . Ra y Guilbeau was leading Francis Christensen as they made their way toward check four . Daryn Wyatt was following Chuck Hermansen and Morris Norman . Taking check four , Kirk Kandt headed up · t he' windy ca nyo n in ' th e direction of the m icrowave tower on the top . Jeff Fries followed Lou Monterone; Lou chased Mark Stoner. Oren Beck , Jr. was right behind Mark Moullet and Ron Hall. Simi Valley Yamaha 's Pete Andelman was hold ing down first Trailbike Expert , but Cliff Thomas was the overall Trailbike leader and first Amateur. Gary Hengeveld . Dennis Keaton and Scott Dinger charged first up the long uphill with the deep rut in the middle. Turning right again , the 'r acen headed up a whoopy hill but not as steep as the one they just cleared. Ed Whiteside zigged up the jeep trail in quest of Dick Camp and Dave Phillips in the near distance , Greg Thomas took check four and headed down the roller coaster ridges to the valley floor. Phil Cloward had hIS ' Bultaco pegged as he chased Verliri Van Zee into the pits , Steve Eckafdt? BruceJones and Jay' Orendorff made it down the rain rutted trails and pitted with no problems, C bike Amateur leader John Foster took a quick pit and headed for the bomb and one more loop. Scott Postma picked up some LAPD -poured pre-mix from the Badgers and led Dave Matus out of pit TOW . Keith Smith passed the old smouldering bomb ahead ' of "Wyoming Kid " Rich Jackson . who was getting back into the dez from a long layoff. Chris Austin was moving along well as he followed Saltzman into check one. Of! It was at the bomb where the big upset took place . Balentine led through the pits but charging over the second loop , he was unaware he was not leading the race until check four when he was signaled the two position. Pouring the coil I to the big KTM , he did all he could to close the gap but Wright cleared the checkered about' 10 seconds ahead of Bob for the overall win . Ogilvie bagged second 250cc Expert; the new Harley pilot was next. Chuck Miller. Charlie Hamill was fifth and Crown Cycle's Mike Eckardt sixth. Jim Delliplaine won the 250cc Amateur battle beating Ric h'" Zajic and Fred Strong. Chris Austin") was second C bike, Ron Hall third. fI~ no .' . Novrce/Begmner race When the dust began to settle. the first one to check on e Dave Woolmore .~ Larry Spaeth and Steve Brookshire were close ' behind . Jeff Moeller was