Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

Cycle News 1978 12 13

Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles

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(Above) Magnificent panoramas were part of the Desert M.e. '8 Diamondback enduro. There were also rocks comi~g and going (below). Webb wins Desert M.C. D-37 enduro . . By Larry I:.angley LUCERNE VALLEY , CA , DEC . 3 Yamaha mounted Tom Webb won the Desert M.e.!AMA P-37 Diamondback Enduro when Team Honda's Jay Tullis arrived at the last secret check two minutes early, costing him 8 four points and certain victory . Tullis was riding one of Honda's new four stroke enduro bikes , anXR-185 in pretty much stock form, The enduro was Desert M.C .'s second attempt at promoting D·37 end uros and th ey did an excellent job. The club was conc erned th at some of th e District enduro clubs were not tak ing the "C" rid er riding skill level eno~gh int o consideration so they worked extra hard on the "C" loop. The result was a very enjoyable and int eresti ng "C" loop which wasn't boring for the " A" and " B" riders yet wasn't over the riding skills of the "C" riders. Three "C" riders lost just one second to earn top honors. W . Keller, R. Furant and E. McDonald all came within a tick of the clock in registering a perfect score. The entire first loop was run at an 18 mph average. Bobby Langley (Hon) took youngest finisher with a two point loss. Pam Lehman (Yam) took top woman honors with a 16 second score. Pam will probably be a " B" rider next year. Candy Handy (really!) took second woman. The second loop schedule looked tough and was. An ' 18 mph average down Checkpoint Canyon into a check run by a grizzled old prospector who claimed he was Stan Baldwin had most of the A and B riders late. The clock was also off a minute much to theembarrassment - of the crack check crew . The course then went East across Bessemer Mine Road which led into a fast 32 mph section : A check at the start of the section made sure that a rider couldn't gamble and come into the sect ion a little early to try for an advantage. A posted sign which stated "SPECIAL TEST SECTION" cleared up any doubts whether th is was the section designed to take away points. And it did. Tullis had the fastest score on his little four stroke with Webb about 10 seconds behind. The Enduro Squid surprised everyone including himself with the third best special test ' score. . Team Honda's Rick Munyon was expected to do well but killed the engine when it loaded up and then had the kicksrarter jam up in a bent footpeg which cost him valuable points. Mike Godfrey (Mai) missed a turn and ran up into a wrong canyon which cost him points. When Munyon got going again a slower rider wouldn't let him pass (the section was extremely tight), Rick finally stuffed it under the guy MX style in a turn . The rider, Tom Trudeau (Yam) apparently took offense and waited' for Rick near the finish . Along came Fred Hayes on his XR -250 dressed similar to Rick and Trudeau centerpunched Hayes , knocking them both down l Trudeau got a closer look and told Hayes . " Oops, sor ry, you're not the gu y." What Trudeau got out of it was a disqualification from the club for unsportsmanlike conduct. He is extremely fortunate that Hayes was not hun. The second loop consisted of wet sand .(goocJ. news), whoopers (bad news) and rocks (more bad news). And it was fast . The average "A" score was probably around 10 points while the average "B" score was around. 20. About six miles from the finish , a check back into the same special test section (backwards) along with another "SPECIAL TEST' sign psyched out a lot of riders and they didn't realize this time the speed average was only 18 mph instead of the 32 mph earlier. Rick Munyon hit the check at the end of the section three minutes early, while Tullis lost the enduro with a two-minutes-early penalty. Mark Heacox (Hus) could ha ve won also but he hit the check just on e minute early and it was enough to cost him' the victory also. Webb hit it on time and ended up with the win . Ken Lewis Jr . was riding on minute one on his brand new DMG 450 Maico. When Tullis got around him riding his little 185 Honda Thumper, Ken put the Maico to the stops trying to catch Tullis . Surprise ... Tullis stayed in front of himl Ken now respects the little four stroke a whole lot , not to mention Tullis' riding ability-. Randy Liebig (KTM) took second overall , ca pping a fine year in his first "A" season. Randy looks to be the 250cc number two rider behind Mike Adams. Harry Keast (Ma i) took - third overall, first Senior and will wear the number one Senior plate next year . Tullis wrapped up his 200cc c1a55 number one plate also. Final points tabulation will determine the Open class number one but Ken Lewis Jr. looks to be the favorite. Tracy Walters dominated the B riders and earned a transfer to A rider for the next season . Tracy dropped just seven points in a fine ride. Unofficial Results . A: I . Tom Webb. 6:186 IYaml: 2. Randy Liabig. 6:209 IKTMI: 3. Harry K_. 5:210 lMaiI 4. Mark : H-.:ox. 6:212 IHuoI: 5. Ron Bishop. 6:215 ISuzl;6. Ken Lewis. Jr.. 6:248 (Man: 7. Jav Tullio. 7:178 (Honl: 8. Mike Adamo. 7:304IHonl. . B: 1. Tracy We~er. m: 2. Tom DiDomenico 1111: 3. Dele Brassfield 1121; 4. R. Brossfoald 1131: 5. Tad JOhnson 1141; 6. Jim Townsend 115; 7. Mark 1 • Rosendahl 11 51 8. Mike Hollidav 116. : 1 c, 1. W. Keller 10.11; R. Furant 1 E. McDonold 0.11: (0.11 4. Ken Yinger 10 : 5. Norb Winkler 1 ; .51 0.91: 6. Dinnia Saba 1 I:7. Daryll Thomann 1 0.1I 0.171. WOMEN C: 1. Pam Lahman !Y em. 0.16); 2. Candy Hand~ 11 .131.

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