Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

Brian Wright styled to a Class 21 win along with Brad Henson. resat Baja Internacional In Class 20, Kelly and Scott Pfeiffer were dicing going towards Diablo Dry Lake, with Kelly in the lead on time. But Kelly slowed with unknown problems and the Coutts/Pfeiffer team was home free. -::: Between San Felipe and El Chinero, Malocco was running third when he smacked a fence POSt with his shoulder. Nothing was broken, but Malocco reported later that it did smart a bit. Among the leaders, little happened between El Chinero and the firush. Ogilvie and Miller were running fourth, but their Yamaha's transmission was losing gears. A short distance before the pits at Santa Catarina, the gearbox quit for good. Johnson took the checkered flag in Ensenada at 1:26 p.m., and his seven and a half hour elapsed time made it the quickest Baja Internacional in memory indicating the fast nature of the course. Riders got a bit of a thrill, or a scare, a few miles from the finish. A fire, alledgedly a "controlled bum" had worked its way down a hillside until it was burning right on the edge of the course. Johnson held his breath and stayed on the trail, but others, like Wallingsford, rode off on the other side ofthe trail. Wallingsford was the second bike into the finish, congratulating Johnson as soo'n as the engine was off. The third bike to finish was the Wright/Henson Yamaha and they took Class 21 honors. On the last leg of the course, Wright had to get gas from others. "Ogilvie gave me gas at El Rayo ... then I had to stop at Team Husky at Ojos Negros." The only ,, mechanical failure involved with their effori ;tva' I'"n unfohunate-"6ne, however, wben Henson's father, out pitting, had a connecting rod go out on his car. Hateley was the next to finish, having ridden on a flat front tire since Ojos Negros. The XR500 they rode was prepared by Bill Bell and featured a C&J frame built to Bell's specifications, and KYB suspension. Tbe machine performed flawlessly in its maiden voyage. Errol Clarke rode in the Magnolia Radiator/Martin's Landing/ Malcolm Smith 390cc Husky that he and Wayne Martin entered. They finished fifth overall, fourth in class. Park brought his Whittier Kawasaki/ Toro Oil·sponsored Husky into the finish before Kaplan, but Kaplan took second on elapsed time. Both commented on tbe smooth, trouble· free ride of Wright and Henson. "They just had too good of a ride to catch them," said Kaplan. Fourth in Class 21 went, appropri· ately enough, to bike #444, ridden by Mark Zoller and Ed Zarp and sponsored by Anaheim Husqvarna. It was Zoller's first Baja finish in eight tries. They were one minute ahead of the team of A.L. Haydis and Darrell Hutchins on a Yamaha sponsored by Haydis Oil Co. Haydis and Hutchins edged out the Fred Hansen, Jr./Gerald Wirthlin Husky by five seconds, finishing behind them but taking fifth on elapsed time. Hansen had been ahead of both of them but threw a chain with 10 miles to go and it got wrapped up in the sprocket. Hansen had been scheduled to ride with Chuck Rush, but Rush was injured right before the event. Hansen rode 330 miles, with Wirthlin, a Las Vegas area Amateur racer, spelling him between San Felipe and El Chinero The next class winner into the firush was the Coutts/Pfeiffer Husky. They had no problems along the way other than Coutts stopping a few times for soil samples, and they won the class by 20 minutes. Second went to the Randy Coulter/Bob Maxwell Yamaha, sponsored by MacDouglas, 4-M Co., and Bill's Cycle. The Mexican team of Francisco Gonzales (Cota) and Jorge Hernandez finished third on a Husky. "Primol This thing never missed a beat and we had a great ride," said Class 30 co-winner Casey Folks at the finish line. He and Sam Bass beat the Wood/Peterson entry by about 20 minutes, after the latter pair suffered a c,ouple of engine seizures and a flat tire. Class 38 rider Dick Vick came into the finish in an excited state. "Who's got a watch? I just passed the guyl I just passed the guy at the Pepsi stand and I had to put 30 seconds on him." The guy was Cecil Hollenbeck, who was riding a Husky with John Kaplan. Hollenbeck had passed Vick's partner in the mountains and was ahead at Ojos Negros. Vick passed him at the Pepsi stand, but Hollenbeck knew he only had to keep Viek in sight and he would win Class 38 on elapsed time. But fate, in the form of a water truck, stepped in. Hollenbeck was hit by the water truck coming around a blind comer. He was unhurt in the crash, but a shock was bent up into the rear tire. By the time the shock was removed and placed out of the way.,it was too late and Hollenbeck was left to motor in for second. Another solo effort should be noted: Diane Holeman rode a Torco Oil· sponsored Husky by herself to finish 10th in Class 21. Sixty-nine riders started the event, and 48 finished. It was a good day for riders generally, with Malcolm Smith, teaming with Bud Feldkamp, taking the overall four·wheel win on a VWpowered Funco single-seater. • Results CLASS 22 IOPEN): 1. Jack Johnson (Hus) 7:39:35.77; 2. Scon Hardenl8rent Wallingsford IHus) 7:47:59.92: 3. Morgan Malocco/John Hateley IHon) 8:10:38.17: 4. Wayne Martin/Errol Clarke IHus): 5. Dr. John EtchartiSteve SUbith (Hont; 6. Craig Kinnamanl Jody 8elknap (Vam). CLASS 21 125O<:c): 1. 8rian J. WrightlBrad Henson IVam) 7:57:40.50: 2. Rick Finger/Jeff Kaplan IHus) 8:05:05.03: 3. Kem PrklAndy Kirker (Hus) 8:10:38.37; 4. Mark Zoller/Ed Zarp (Hus); 5. A.L. Hvdis/Oarrell Hutchings (Yam); 6. Fred Hansen/Gerald Wirth lin tHus); 7. Jim JacksonJBili Robertson (Hon); 8. Ken MartinI Tim Barlow IKawl; 9. Dennis M. Grisson, Sr.JDennis M. Grissom, Jr. (Husl; 10. Diane HoNtman tHus); 11. Gordon J. ClarklWiliiam D. Rogers IHus): 12. Ralph Griffin/Ron Jordan (Yam). CLASS 20 1125oc): 1. Scon Couns/Scon Pfeiffer IHus) 8:48:38.61; 2. Randy Cou~er/Bob MaxwelllVam) 9:10:13.78; 3. Francisio Gonzalez (Cotal/Jorge Hernandez (Husl 9:59:02.28; 4. Scon AtchisonlOonnie Morrison (Yam); 5. HectOf F. Ledezma/Javier Saker (Hus); 6. Tqrsten Corum/John Langhammer (Yam); 7. Randy Teei/Ed Curran (KTM); 8. Walter NaSh/Kenneth Saudners (Yam); 9. Jesus Martinez RuizlQuesada Acosta Jose (Hus); 10. Carlos HernandezlCesar Hernandez (Hus); 11. Francisco Costa Sanchez/Jesus Santiago CorbJillHusl. CLASS 30 (OVER 30 VEARSI: 1. Sam BassiCasey Folks (Hus) 8:50:33.24; 2. Dave Wood/Lon Peterson lYam) 9:11:40.58; 3. Luis FarelllRafael Auanova (Hus) 9:14:48.42; 4. Richard Jackson tHusl; 5. D.A. Davidson/Jeff Buckamier (Hus); 6. Dennis De Campi Dale Jordan (Husl; 7. Dave Jones/Michael Holbrook (Honl; 8. Ted Jones/Bill Friant (Mai): 9. Bob Reed/Don Holden (Yam); 10. Ron Btshop/Mike Harper (C·A); 11. Red Sanders/Hoyt Statham (Yam); 12. Nick QuackenboslDavid Oberhelman (Yam); 13. Lou Peralta. CLASS 38 (OVER 38 VEARS): 1. Dick VicklJohn Watckis (HusJ 9:03:45.66; 2. Cecil Hollenbeck/John Kaplan tHus); 3. Rod GillilandlZane Prather (Hus); 4. Thumper McDowell/Chuck Sugar (Hus); 5. Kenneth ThonillfGAry Deckert (Hus); 6. Peter Bormanis/Pat Rice (Yaml. 21 . .,

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