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/126415
..........."'J,..•..",.......YI.-.-.-.-.,.r.,.-.,._.-....,.-.-.-:.-•.•-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-A-.-.-.·.V,.-.·.-.-.·.·.·,.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.,.__.-•.•-.-.. . -.'.-,.-.-.-.-.-,.'.'•.:.'" _'.'.'.'.'.-.-.. . -.-r/~ Desert Hotline Now decidedly off the pace. Morrison was quiCkly gobbled up by Roeseler. followed by a closing Balentine. Working their way through the balance of the pack were Amateur Can-Am 175cc rider Mike Baker, Great Bear GP Novice winner and son of former class C TT and flat track specialist, Dallas Baker, and Dirt Bike test rider Jim Connolly, riding a l25cc Honda CR. The two leaders put on a terrific struggle for the entire eight laps and it seemed Roeseler was maintaining enough of an edge to take the checkered as they started their final lap. But. the power-sapping soft sand. and the constant pressure of a challenging Balentine combined with the possibility of not being topped off at his mid-race gas pit, Roeseler ran out of gas a few yards from his pit and half a mile from the finish. Balentine stopped and asked Roeseler if he had run out of gas. Roeseler said yes, Balentine pulled off his gas cap and checked his. then raced away to the checkered. Roeseler gassed and motored in second followed by Baker, Din Digger Connolly and Dave Hollenbeck. Early leader Morrison held on for sixth overall and 175cc Amateur. The next race included the 250cc Novice/Beginners/unclassified riders. While a reasonable number of the smaller bikes had water problems. for some reason the 250s were dropping like lemmings at each water crOsSing. The ultimate survivors included overall winner Chris·Wilcox. followed by Don McNulty, Bill Franchez, Tony Meyla, and Mark Durrand. The final race of the day, the 250cc Amateur/Expert event, really epitomized the phrase "the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat." The agony portion came early in the first turn of the first lap. where front runner Roeseler tangled with another rider. causing the desert ace to fall and injure his troublesome left knee. After a few moments of excruciating pain, Roeseler remounted and tried to proceed but soon dropped out. Roeseler said later that he' would not compete in the next day's Open class event and would probably not ride the upcoming Baja 500 with regular teammate Jack Johnson. He felt he needs to take care of his knee problem, once and for all. Out in front and pulling away was long-time desert vet Cordis Brooks riding a Bellflower Yamaha YZ250. This was Brook's first ride in six months but you could not tell by the way he kept pulling away from the pack. At the finish, the well deserved victory went to Brooks. followed by Mark Nation, Dan Ashcroft, and hard charging Eric McCracken. Making a rare appearance on a 175cc, KTM's Bob Balentine won the class. Viewfinders host 11th annual GP Bv Skip Johnson VALENCIA, CA. JUNE 2-S Tough breaks or lucky breaks. These were the mQst important factors coloring the outcome of the AMA District 37 sanctioned 30 11th annual Viewfinders Grand Prix held at Indian Dunes. The action in the .Expert classes kept the formidable crop of competitors and a sizable crowd of spectators on their collective toes as Bob Balentine, Cordis Brooks. Bob Rutten and Bill Saltzman eventually won their respective 175. 250. 500cc and Senior Expert classes. Adding to the anxious aura engulfing most of the racers and spectators was the deceptive nature of the seemingly simple race oourse. The 10 mile European Scrambles style raceway slithered its way around segments of both the International and Shadow Glen motocross courses, zipped down stretches of pavement, bounded up and down strenuous, sometimes rocky and steep hills, strung its way through ribbons of sandwash, splashed across the Dunes' stream and soared over the infamous Viewfinders water jump. Most of the events were run for two hours with a dead engine drop-thebanner desert style start, and the excellently marked and prepared track soon turned into an energy and ... ~ "' horsepower robbing arena of sand, water, mud and sun. Saturday Racers sparked up at 8 a.m. sharp for the first of four events scheduled for today. At the drop of the banner the 100-175cc Novice-Beginnerunclassified riders were off and charging. It soon became apparent the Viewfinders' system of assigning numbers to each of the racers for each of the races would make it easy (or the scorekeepers. However, the tedious chore of plugging the Viewfinders' number into the name and classification of its owner would take considerable time. Thus. all reported results are the unofficial overall finishers including class breakdowns where known. First overall in the first Novice race was Peter Postal, followed by Dennis Maxwell and Kenneth Westergood. The next race included the 100175cc Amateur/Expert riders and also illustrated a number of the perils of grand prix racing. Just a Iew miles into the first lap, Team Husqvarna's Larry Roeseler, riding a very crisp_ Husky 175, roosted his way into third aIter a mid-pack start. KTM Team rider Bob Balentine grabbed on to Roeseler's tail and they began a drive which soon put them into second -and third overall, Out in front' and maintaining a healthy lead was Amateur Donnie Morrison, aboard a Dick Allen Yamaha IT175. His formidable lead quickly diminished as the exhaust pipe loosened and began rubbing on the rear tire and one of his grips carne off. , , . Sunday .. The first race of the day. for Open Novice/Beginner/unclassified riders. took off on a freshly prepared track. All too soon the sand seemed to slow all but the very front runners. Appearing very happy to see the checkered was first overall Steve Harper (Yam) followed by Huskymounted Jeff Mathews and Rex Haeelson. The next race combined the Senior riders with the women. First to take the lead was Jim O'Neal, of O'Neal Distributing. riding a Kolbe Cycles S70cc Can-Am. Slicing his way through the pack and battling a floundering ignition system at every water crossing was Bill Saltzman riding a ferocious 440cc Maico. Saltzman was coined "Ironman" beca use he was one of the few to , ~ . challenge the demanding Viewfinders course in three different classes. Saltzman took the lead. lost it back to O'Neal. regained it again after drowing out and running out of gas, and held on for the overall win. O'Neal tried valiantly but seemed to be having fuel problems and finished a close second. The women put on quite a battle with Amateur rider Dena. Silicato recovering from forgetting to tum her gas on and drowning out in the water to challenge the overall women's leader. Expert Lynette Zuber. They raced within inches of each other for a nubmer of laps but Silicato had more water troubles and Zuber went on for the win. Also finishing aboard a 250cc Can-Am was the team of John McCown and his pup "Kookie III." Welcome back. John. A record crowd of 24 sidehacks put on an excellent show. racing with the four strokes and each other. Early leader Summers/Wilcox aboard a 750cc Honda rig were soon reeled in by th~ radical John Palfreyman/Tom Lund team. They were the only team to launch their 750cc Norton across the water jump every lap, much to the delight of the sunburned. happy crowd. Summers/Wilcox made a late charge but nearly lost the monkey when his hand hold broke. Jim O'Neal ran away and hid from all of the other four stroke riders aboard a Kolbe Cycle 440cc Honda. The'final race of the day looked like a runaway for Bob Balentine as he cruised from the pack on his new 420cc KTM. Even Roeseler. who was spectating said. "He's got it too eisy, nobody's even pushing him." But the water crossings got to Balentine. too. He drowned out. which gave Bob Rutten. riding an Up-Tite-sponsored S90cc Husky, the lead. Balentine restarted but dropped out soon after his pit with clutch troubles. Amateur Eric McCracken pushed his S90cc Husky into second overall but dropped out on the second to last lap with mechanical woes. With McCracken gone, Jim Connolly, this time on a 440cc Maico moved into second behind Rutten for the finish. Saltzman finished third followed by Pancho Spain. riding a DMG Maico. This final event had a surprising twist - during the last lap as someone inadvertently locked the gate which crossed the course entrance to the Shadow Glen course, and that sent many riders in circles. Race officials backed the results up to the prior lap because some riders received the white flag twice before the leader came in for the finish. The Viewfinders put on an extremely smooth and ·professionally run event. and everyone who attended is anxiously a~aiting their next event.• Results OVERALl l00-175cc NOV/BEG/UNCLASSIFIED: 1. Peter Poo"'; 2. Dennio _ I ; 3. Kennth W_good. l00'l7Sa: AMIEX: 1. Bob Balentine C175 KTMI; 2. l.arry R_II75 Hull; 3. M"llte Baker. 1st Am. 1175 CoAl; 4. Jim Connolly (125 Han); 5. Dave Hoenbecl<" 2SOcc NOV/BEGIUNCLASSIFIED: 1. Chris Wilcox; 2. Don McNulty; 3. Bill Frenchez; 4. Tony Mvelo; 5. Mork DUffand. 750cc AMIEX: 1. Cordis Brook. (125 Varni; 2. Mark Natto"; 3. Dan Aahcroft; 4. Eric McCraken;"S. Paul Port. OPEN NOV/BEG/UNCLASSIFIED: 1. Steve Harper (400 Varni; 2. Jeff Mathews (3S0 Husl; 3. Rex Haeelson; 4. Terry Mazchiondo; 5. Jessie Jamei (400 Mail. WOMEN/SR: 1. Bill Saluman (440 Mail; 2. Jim O'Nea11370 C·AI; 3. Nate Sicagua 1400 Varni, 4. James McGraw 1125 Suzl; 5. Gary Chart",s1125 Suzl; lynette Zub", Ilst Women Ex). • SIDEHACK: 1. John Pa~reymanfTholTiaslund INorl; 2. Robert SommerJlKris Wilcox IHon); J. Ken Malerl ~ Dean Johnson (Yaml; 4. Robin Dickson/Kelly Whitaker tHon'; 5. Tom Whitney/Pete Whitney (Yaml. FOUR STROKE: 1. Jim O'Neal (Honl. 2. G. lyle (Varni; 3. H. Mitchell (VarnI. OPEN AMIEX: 1. Bob Rutten (Husl; 2. Jim Connolly (Mail; 3. Bill Saluman (Mail; 4. Pancho Spain IMail; 5. Joel_hart.