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/126421
; •• • ~ NORTH.ERN DATELINE E Waxham wipes up at Watsonville LOP TEAM ISWEARIN' & MXL H"ORON'". CYCLING PRODUCTS GregTlMiI•• LOP TEAM NationQl Hydron Incorporal8d Racing Frames TT - filiI Track Specialties 38 4904 S. 164th 12061242-8878 SEATTLE. WA 98188 PO Box 222-East Petersburg, PA 17520 LDP No. J Does if again 3 J 2/336-0032 By Gerry Reagan WATSONVILLE, CA,jULY 8 "You'll fly so high off of that thing that you'll pop yOUT tiTes when you landl" "This will be a great place to watch - lots of crashes." These were a couple of comments overheard before the first practice session at the Ridge Runner's motoa:oss as riders and spectators discussed the newly rebuilt jump along the front straightaway. The jump wasn't really very high but it had a fairly long approach and a rather steep angle of rise which promised .to launch a hard-charging racer about 10 feet 'up in the air. What's more, the rider was destined to land on a hard, flat straight 'section with no downward slope to ease the blow. As it turned out, nobody popped their tir:es and there were not a lot of crashes, a few, but none of them serious. During the first few laps of practice the riders were cautious going over the big jump and its companion, a smaller one about 40 yards further down the track. But as they got used to the idea they began flying further and further, much to the delight of the many spectators lining the fence. Brad Stoke (Hon) took the win in the 250cc Novice II class but almost lost out on that position at the end of the second moto. Stoke had led .wireto-wire in moto one and was running a strong second behind john Scruggs (Hon) in number two. Scruggs had . finished fourth in the first outing and was no threat for the overall. Stoke figured he had it wrapped up as he entered the 'last tum but. all of a sudden, the engine revved and the bike seemed to drop into neutral. The chain had come off and third place rider jerry Genovese (Hon) was coming up fast. Luckily. the chain gidn't tangle in the wheel and Stoke was able to push the bike across the finish line, maintaining his position and capturing the overall. Phil Douglas (Mai) wasn't so lucky. After finishing second in the first moto of the Open Expert class, Douglas was in good position during moto two when the big jumps and rough track took their toll. Douglas had moved up to second and still had time to catth the leader. Mike Wickersham (Mai), when on the fifth lap, the spokes let go in his front wheel and the bii;e began to wobble radically. Douglas, dis-' appointed, pulled off the track and watched Wickersham finish the moto for a I -I overall win. Dana Waxham (Suz) moved to the front of the I25cc Expert parade early in the first moto to build an I I-second lead by the end of the race. In the second go-around Waxham was down in seventh at the end of lap one as his top rival, Chip Chapman (Hon), led the thundering horde around the twisty course. Waxham began to chip away at the riders ahead of him, knocking off one a lap until he had moved up to challenge Chapman on lap six of the eight-lap event. Chapman did a good job of blocking in the corners as Waxharn tried to find an opening for . the next lap and a half. Then, down by the old windmill on the last lap, Chapman picked the outside line in a tight left-hander. Waxham dove to the inside, driving out of the comer and up the steeprun that followed to power his way into the lead. Chapman