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/126405
feet as they neared the end of the first lap. James Brown (Yam), Bill Tarling (Yam), Steve Wiseman (Suz). Charlie Hammill. Jr. (Yam) and Phil Stumbo (Yam) followed the leading duo. Nearly 12 miles later, Roeseler had dropped to third, with Fishback fourth . "M y front brake was adjusted too tight and it was locking up over jumps. I was adjusting it when those two guys passed me, " said Larry after the race. Wiseman was leading with Tarling, on his firs t 125cc ride, second. Roeseler soon took command, and W iseman lost a la p when he ran out of gas . Cooper Wallace (Hus) , who had started back with the 125cc Juniors (or Intermediates to those unfamiliar with the AMA ranking system), was blazing his way through the pack. Pro motocrosser Goat Breker (Hus) got up to fourth place before problems set him back. Fishback reportedly had recurring c h ain problems. Roeseler continued out in front, going on to win easily. "That was fun ," he grinned afterwards. Wallace's pace carried him past Tarling for second overall, with Tarling taking first 125cc Expert in spite of stripping the shift lever splines on his borrowed machine. Mike Baker finished fourth overall, winning the 175cc Junior class on a Can-Am . In fifth , Rick Rogers (Kaw) led Jim Connolly (Hon) , Robert Pfetzing (Yam) , Hamill. Troy Lee (Suz) and Brown, who comprised the rest of the top 10. In the Women's class, Carey Steiner led it all the way on her 250cc Yamaha. Trudy Beck, similarlymounted, gave chase all the way with Rhe Helms (Suz) overcoming start line troubles to finish third . Novice class wins went to Robert Johnson (175cc KTM): Kevin Brooks (125cc Suz) and Da le Karell (100cc Yam ). ..... .... l-o 0.. <: Saturday afternoon IAbove) Shown on his 175cc bike. Larry Roeseler won two classes. Unset! Balentine goes around the ailing Roeseler. , Great BearGf": Roeseler 2, Balentine 1, Harper 1 By Dale Brown RIVERSIDE. CA. MAR. 51-APR. 1 Team Husky's Larry Roeseler combit d a "fun" me win in the small-bore class with a rougher, come-from-behind victory in the big-bores to . emerge as top n.d er In th O eounty e range Motorcycle Club's Great Bear Grand Prix . The Great Bear, sanctioned by AMA D-S7, was run at R iverside International Raceway , as it has been since its inception in 1975. Using the road cou rse and the surrounding fields , aCMC managed to pack a ser ~ntine 12-mile course within the .- confines of the facil ity. Races were run eigh t laps each, nearly '100 miles . It was estimated that over 1700 riders participated. With Roeseler winning once each day , th e other two over all wins went to Bob Balentine, whose KTM blasted the Sportsman class in a warm -up for a co n fr on t a ti o n wi th . Roeseler the -- --.-.-.- - _ ----.- --~- .- --- ------_ .. _.. ------ - ------_ - --.-"'" .. following day. and to Steve Harper. who rode a Yamaha to victory in the D -57 classified big-bore Novice/ Beginner class. Saturday morning The previous week's rain left the Riverside fields in a fairly moist condition. and as the first race of the weekend , riders in the 100-175cc Classified and Women's classes would discover where it was really moist. A couple of bike-swallowing mudholes did develop and a couple of bikes had to be pulled out by four-wheel -drive vehicles. Usually , though , the bad mudholes had a passable line. Many-time Great Bear winner Jim Fishback, ast ride a Yamaha IT175 . led Roeseler's li5cc Husky by about 20 _----~ _ - _ - ---_ . The second race on Saturday was for "Sportsm en." Basically meant for riders who don't ha ve recogni zed rankings , this year it offered a few D57 Experts th e chance to get used 'to the course before Sunday's showdown, the 500cc Expert event. But the event started out the way it ended last yea r . Mike Gillman, brother of Suzuki factory motocrosser Scott Gillman , and the defending champ in th is event, had already amassed a .huge lead with his 400cc . Suzuki three-quarters of the way through the first lap. Chasing him were Jay East (KT M), Horbart Bowers (Yam) , Charles Roller (Mon), Alan Fletcher (Yam) and Chris Kilpatrick (Hus). Gillman continued to lead right up to and past the halfway mark, but ended up pushing back to the pits when his ignition went out on the fifth lap. • That put Balentine and Larsson into a fight for the lead. and the two traded places back and forth for awhile. Finally Balentine shook Larsson after a sixth-lap pit stop and continued in the lead until he received the checkered flag in the Great Bear's single-file scoring chute. Larsson took second overall, second 500cc. Coming through from the middle of the pack (nearly 500 riders started in front of him) was Don Griewe , who put his Maico into the third overall slot and captured first in the 250cc class. Steve Rudd (Bul) finished behind him for third 500cc honors. Finishing fifth through 10th were Shawn Underwood (590cc Hus), Tom Jenkins (400cc Yam) , Eric Watral (250cc Yam), Steve Trampus (490cc Yam), Terry Smith (400cc Yam), and Greg Mayer (250cc Hus). All sizes of bikes ran in this race and the 175cc win went to Michael David (Her) , the 125cc class to Steve ~I ~ • ~ ..... . 1 '1 '" 4 .. .. '" I '"