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/126344
The Prospectors are very proud of him a nd a bright future is wa iting ahead. Best overall finish: 3rd Class wins: 20 Age: 18 H eight: 6'2" Weight: 165 Hobbies other th a n racing: Baseb all , water skii ng and sno wm obiling Hometown: Full erton . Sponsor: Up-Tite Most respected r iv al: Greg T homas R eason (o r racing desert: It 's neat Mike returned to the dusty trail, rais ing commotion in the top 10, just where he left off. Riding a Husky for most of the season , he switched to Yamaha and proceeded to win a first 250cc Expert trophy with a second overa ll fin ish , Mike is a plea su re to wa tch in a race . He is sm ooth , cunni ng , and faaaast. He says his Terry kit a nd Benny Pa d illa -reworked shock made it possible bu t we know the rider has a lot to do with it. This gu y is on e of the big guns in th e desert. Best overall finish: 2nd Class wins: 1 Age: 19 Height: 5' 10" Weight: 160 Hobbies other than racing: Skiing Hometown: Bellflower Sponsor: Crown Cycle Most respected rival: Paul Christensen Reason (or racing desert: Fun peeted of him and more, Moving up to Division II (125 ·175cc) a fter dominating th e Trailbike d ivision , Charlie has had to fight some tough competition to maintain the points le ad in the C b ike cl ass . An accompl ished ra cer and a r e a l ge ntlem a n, it's a pleasure to see him com e to the start line each week. Best overall finish: 4th Age : 20 H eight: 6' Weight: 168 Hobbies other than racing: W a ter skiing Sponsor: Yamaha Mo tor Crop. , DG Mos t respected rival: Rick Schumaker Reason (or racing desert: Loves it Kevin Hopkins The best way to describe Kevin is quiet, dedicated. and damn fast. This young man is just as famous in the desert as Balentine. Eddy or Henson. The difference in wins this yea r have been a missed shift, a slideo ut wit h th e fin ish in sight or a fla t. Kevin made a name for h imself th e ha rd way, in the 100cc Trailbike class. His high overa ll finishes will clue any savvy dese rt fa n to what th e young man had to do to get u p there litera lly ride his buns off. He has been see n m ingled with the big bikes runni ng sixth ov e rall a t th e smokebomb , and finished the Shamrocks' ha re a nd hound an amazing third overall. Best overall finish: 3rd Claas wins: 10 Age: 17 Height: 5'11 " Weight: 130 Hobbies other than racing: Water skiing , swimming, working on his truck Hometown: Canyon Country Sponsor: Rex Hopkins Most respected rival: Joe Lockhart Reason for racing desert: Fun and friends Jim Delliplaine Jim Delliplaine Jim has kicked around the desert for some time but never really got serious. Suddenly he climbed aboard a YZ250E and finished the Stump Jum pe rs H are and Hound in thi rd ove rall. He has been kn ock in g a round in the top 10 ever since, to the dismay of th e hot shoes . J im ha s matured int o a very hea ds- up racer ·~ho makes very few mi stakes. T his you ng man loves desert racing and will be one of the big na mes in th e fu ture . Best overall finish: 3rd Class wins: 3 ge: 17 Height: 6'2" Weight: 170 . Hobbies other than racing: Jet ski ing Hometown: Glendora Sponsor: Self Most respected r i va l: Gr eg Thomas Reason (or racing desert: Loves going fast. Max Eddy Chuck Hermansen Max Eddy Chuck Hermansen Max won his first overall at Olancha in 1976 aboard a 400 KTM. That win kindled the spark that bring-s him back week aft er week to th e desert. The main man of th e Viewfinders M.C .. Max 's goal is to beat Bob Balentine fai r and sq uare, Rid ing a 400 Yamaha , Max is a grea t desert racer. Overall wins: 2 Class wins: 10 Age: 22 Height: 5'10 " Weight: 175 Hobbies other than racing: Fourwheel racing Hometown: Barstow Sponsor: Max Eddy Most respected rival: Bob Bal entine Reason (or racing desert: T o be the best A member of the Desert M.C . • Chuck ca rries on the tradition of being an aggressive racer. Moving up to the 250cc class, Chu ck began locking handleba rs wit h G reg T homas, J im Dellipl ai ne and Fred Strong . A getoff put a crimp in his winning sty le but the young man d idn't th row in the towel. He is a r espe c t ed a n d we ll -liked you n g com petito r with a bright fu ture ahead - no matter what class he rid es, Best overall finish : 18th Class wins: 3 Age: 16 Height: 5'11 " Weight: 160 Hobbies other than racing: Snow and wa ter skiing Hometown: Glen dora Sponsor : Yamaha of Sa n Luis O bispo Most respected riva l: Dan Ashcraft Reason (or racing desert: T he people and his friends in the dez Kevin Hopkins Mike Eckardt Mike Eckardt ,Back in '76 , Mike Eckardt was tearing up the Amateur class . At the end of the year he sort of faded out of the desert scene. Realizing he really m issed .the dez , Sheila Hopkins Sheila Hopkins T he Scott fa ce protector on the girl with the green Prospector swea tshirt hides a very pretty lady. Also a very fast lady. Sheila rides a Yamaha and wastes no time getting from the start to finish. J ust bum ped up to Expert , she has a go a l of closing th e gap betwee n herself and Trudy. W in n in g se ve ra l overall Women's Division titles, she is an ac complished racer. Best overall finish : 41st Class wins: 11 Age: 18 H eight: 5'3" Weight: 115 Hobbies other than racing: Water skiing, cerami cs Hometown: Saugus Sponsor: C&C Ente rprises Most respected rival: Trudy Beck Reason (or racing desert: It's fun Joe Lockhart Charlie Hamill Charlie Hamill Picking up a sponsorship from Yamaha Mo tor Corp . , USA , Charlie is doing all that is ex - Joe is one of t he most admired young men in desert racing. T he Trailb ike class is nowhere near the size it used to be but the on es who hav e stuck it ou t are just a~ famous as the overall winner. This man has been seen running sixth 11