Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

·'rrl:.-.-'.-,.·.-,.. .-.-.·.·.·.r.-.-.·.-'A.. f . comments . Nevada 's fam ed Max Switzer, a vet eran of more races than an yone ca n remember, commented that it was the best race he'd ever ridden, Bob Shepherd, from Tempe, AZ, who d id an impressive j o b grabbing fifth overall , said it was his first MRAN race. but he enjoyed it so much he hoped to be able to get back for more, . Mel Cha pm a n rod e a steady eighth place until he had a skirmish with some barbed wire . and dropped two spots , He 'had to hustle to regain his position. but he did it. finishing eighth overall , . Leonard Sikorski ha d an.interesting time on his way to first 250cc Expert. 10th overall, He was riding fifth when he ba nged into a wash full of rocks and his Yamaha started vib rating, He knew somet hing had to be wrong. because his hands kept going to sleep . At the second gas he discovered his frame was cracked in four places. He decided to ride till he finished or broke in half. The second 250cc Expert. Mark Stanley. caught up with him not far from the finish . and Sikorski poured it on and ' made it to the flag first . When he looked at the frame afterwards. he was more than amazed that the bike had su rvived . He still hardly believ es it. Art Lanier . thi rd 250 cc Amateur. 41st overall . go t the honors for being best prepared . He rode in to the finis h with a large com b tucked int o th e ba ck pocket of his mud-encrusted lea thers. "Well." he ex plained . "You neve r know when you might need it!" Bu tch Laswell kept his str eak going . finishing a strong fourth overa ll. It was only But ch's third race on an Open bike. and he ha s finished up near th e top each time. In his first ra ce as a n Expert . you ng Darryl Folks, 14 , finished 35th overall , second I25cc on his Suzuki. And Amateur Benny Brown rode a grea t race. his first on a 250cc, finish ing 15th overall; first Amateur. Kevin Welch . MRAN's number one - 125cc Expert. rode his first race on a Husky 390, and finished seventh, right beh ind Utah's Preston Gerber . . It was a good day all around for. Valley Cycle. Rich Capri . owner and operator, fin ished first Novice . and will now make th e mo ve to Amateu r. Bill Putman . desert racing's good friend f ro m Caspar . WY . who sponsors the Las Vegas 400 . rode this one . and finished 18th overall. l Sth Open Expert. (T he Las Vegas 400 . by the way. is coming up April 21·22 .) With 20 1 entries and 145 fin ishe rs. there was a 75 % fin isher rate. T he rate was so high beca use the course and racing conditions were so neat no one wanted to stop. The Nevada BLM . whose coopera tion Casey highly p raised during the rider's meeting . had reps observing the 'ra ce . They were pleased with what they saw - a tribute to what cooperation can accompl ish . The California BLM should take some lessons from these guys. • Results OPEN EX: 1. l.e

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