Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

._._._._._._._._._._._. "t ~ '! ,,1' ..- .. .. -~ Jim Gibson gasses it underneath another rider on his way to an SSM win. Lawrence, Gibson,. Rhyanroo$t SSMMX ByTerry Whytal ORANG~, CA, Bob Elliott took two class wins at CMC Saddleback. EII'ott ends dry spellatCMC Saddleback By Mike Klinger: ORANGE, CA,JULY 29 U.S. Suzuki's Research and Development rider and t~e Suzuki School of M0.tocross mstructor Bob Elliott turned in fine racing by winning the 125 and 250cc Pro daMes in Continental Moto·spons Club .. 28 MX racing at Saddleback. This was Elliott's first overall victory on a I25cc at CMC in over five years. . Yamaha support .rider a~d Tahiti fbsh Rick Johnson turned an a good ~onnance in the first I25cc Pro moto. He grabbed the lead, closely followed by Elliott and Craig Dale (Suz). On lap two, Dale snuck inside of Elliott· and now pursued Johnson at full force. For three laps, Dale- was within one bilr.elength of Johnson until Dale was reluctant to corne out of the north section of the track. Dale had bailed which left Elliott now the . second place runner. Rick Maki (Yarn) and Tim Lunde (Yarn) were neck and neclr. for third b,ut Maki hung on. Johnson won decisively, Elliott was ~nd than Maki, Lunde and Ron Blanton (Hon). . In moto two, it looked as if Johnson was $Oing to make it a perfect day. He was m the lead with Elliott and Maki ag3in close on is tail. On lap three, Johnson disappeared. He was o~t when the Yamaha's frame snapped m baH on the downtube in front· of the exhaust pOrt. Elliott now had a chfnce for a 2-1 finish and first overall if he could outlast the hot pursuit Qf Maki. At the end of the I4-lap event, Elliott did win and won overall also. Ma1r.i gained second overall and "Lunde Was third. In the 250 Pros, Marty Miller (Spz) was the front runner in moto one with Lunde, Elliott and Arden Hadley (Ma.i) bringing up the other top positions. Lunde and Elliott were side by side in a heated battle, which pushed Lunde ahead of Miller. On lap seven, Elliott gained second and now Hadley was knocking at Miller's door. As the laps wound down, Elliott passed Lunde on the south downhill to go on to win moto one. Lunde was second ~head of Hadley and Miller. Moto two was just another success story for Elliott. After sitting in the' blazing heat of the pits an4 sucking on a bottle of honey, he went out for his fourth moto that day and blew away the other 250cc Pros. Elliott won by half a lap over Miller. This gave Elliott the overall victory in his second class. ~unde sported a 2-!l day for second overall and Miller was third. In the Open class, Maico-mourited Mark Brooks turned in two good moto rides to outlast I!l. other Open Pros. In moto one Andy Jannings (Mai) had the' lead but Brooks spoiled that on lap two. Rick Maki (Suz) brought out his big bore and chased Broo~s a~d Jannings. Brooks went on to wan Wlth Maki slipping past Jannings for second. . In moto two, the story was slightly different. The characters were the same though their standing were differem. But after all the dust had cleared, Brooks came out on top with Jannings second.rhen Maki and Tibor Papp (Mai) .was fourth. Results ' MINI JR: ,. J. McMonusISul); 2. R. Rundle IVam); 3. T._lV_1. _ MINIINT: 1. J. FoureCKew). - '. MINt INT: I. C. Swift ISuz); 2. R. Sends ISulI. !00cc JR: I. K. Welhringlon (Sul): 2. R. Atieman lVemI; 3. M. VenCemp.ISuz). lOOcc INT: 1. T. Totone 1Suz); 2. S. Grlhem IVam); 3. D.~ISuz). 1)5ix: JR: 1. R. Veno ISulI; 2. L Thomes lVarn); 3. H. Wright ISul). 2!lOcc JR: 1. T. Mortinet (Hon); 2. B. " - lV_); 3. D. DeVoung CMei). 500cc JR: I. W. _1Suz); 2. K. Loyboume IHusl; 3. D. Rend lV_I. . 125cc INT: l. D. Dubech lVarn): 2. S. "'0 1Suz1; 3. R._CKew). 2!iOc:c INT: I. K. Dully IVam); 2. J. Lyodele IHon); 3. D. Penigrew I M e i I . ' . 500cc INT: I. T. Thoma IVem); 2. F. TodweM (Mei); 3. D. OhIISuzI. 125cc PRo: t. B. Elliott ISul); 2. R. Melli IVarnl; 3. T. Lunde lVam). 250cc PRO: I. B. Elliott lSuz); 2. T. Lunde IVarnl; 3. M. Millet 1Suz). 500cc PRo: I. M. Ikoob IMei); 2. A. Jennings IMei~ 3. R. Melli lVlm). JULY 28 Maico rider Steve Rhyan edged out Anaheim Suzuki's Scott Cavness for the overall Open Pro win at this week's SSM ·MX. Cavness won the first moto ahead of Rhyan but the tables were turned for the second race and Rhyan tooll the checkers first. , Grabbing the early lead in the first moto was Ed Arnet (KTM) followed by Yamaha-mounted Jim Tarantino and Cavness. Rhyan completed lap one in fourth place and Bill Hagen had his Maico in fifth. For three laps the positions stayed the same but Cavness found a way around Tarantino to move into second and pressure Arnet. Arnet was riding very well and it took Cavness five laps to find a way into the lead. Tarantino DNF and Rhyan moved into third, only to fall and remount far downfield. Rhyan quickly began regaining places and moved back into third in a few laps. Arnet repassed Cavness and then Cavness returned the favor a few l,aps later. With a tremendous charge, Rhyan moved up onto Arner's rear wheel and with the end in sight, took over second to finish just behind Ca,vness. Rhyan must have figured there was an easier way and promptly grabbed the lead at the start of the second moto. Cavness held down second ahead of Arnet and Husky rider Brent Wallingsford. The front three riders were staying very close as they worked their way around a surprisIngly tacky Saddleback course. Halfway through the race Rhyan began to open up a little breathing room as Cavness and Arnet seemed to tire. Rhyan just motored to the finish ·from there and Cavness kept second away from Arnet. Hagen finished fourth and Wallingsford fifth, but the overall went to Rhyan ahead of Ca.vness and Arnet. . . In the 125cc Pro class, Team Honda's Jim Gibson did his usual runaway with the race in both motos, keeping 'the challengers far hehind. . Results . OPEN PRO: I. Steve Rhyon IMei); 2. Scon ClNneA ISuzI; 3. Ed Arne! lKTM). 250 PRO: I. _ Lawrence lVom); 2. RoberT Reilinger IKewI: 3. Greg _lMei). 125 PRO: 1. Jim ~ IHon); 2. Crlig Dele lSul); 3. Arwtv Kirker lV_I. OPEN INT: 1. Mike Hudson ISuzl; 2. Jim IleItinck IMoil; 3. Frank Said {Mail. ' . 250 INT: I. Dennis Ramsey {Vaml; 2. Jeff Eaton IMoil; 3. Mike Godfrey IMail. 125 INT: I. Rik Nielsen (Kawl; 2. Jose Hernandez IKawl; 3. Foster Edwards (Vam). OPEN JR: I. Brad Thompson IMail; 2. John Larson ISuz); 3. Jeff Francis (Hus). 250 JR: I. Darryl Bowl.. (Hus); 2. Jon Nichols (Suz): 3. Mark Johnaon l:Vem). 125 JR: I. Clay Lawrence lVam); 2. Chris Bateeu ISuz}; 3. Merk Sunon IVlm). . • 250 BEG I. John Rlython (Honl; 2. Steve Beeuchamp IVlm); 3. Scott Myers (Vom). 125 BEG: I. Ken Meyes (VarnI; 2. IlPb Johnson ISuzl; 3. Cun Martin lVem). WOMEN: I. Debbia Methews IV_I; 2. PIu~ne Pitt IMaiI; 3. Myriam Kirbey lVem). Lounsbury, Coon score at Speedway JJ7MX By Rod Eschenburg CHULA VISTA, CA,JULY25 Ron Lounsbury (Yam) came back from a distant third place finish in the first moto of the 250cc Intennediates to squeak out a close tie-breaker second moto win over Peter Sampo. Ae.tually, it was co-point leader Mark Seymour who could have spoiled it all for Lounsbury because he was right with Lounsbury all the way in the second moto after a dismal fourth in the first round. The second overall placing by Sampo moved him into a two-point lead over' Seymour in ';lDe of th~ tightest of the 1979 class poant races. In the 125cc Intermediates, a surprise winner in the form of Ke~ Coon popped up at the checkered flag in the second moto. The first moto saw "Wailin' Woody" Carlson corne back from a very hard endo in practice to take a wire to wire win over Coon, who came from fifth to second in the last two laps. In the second moto Carlson once again blasted to the lead with Kevin Graves in second and Coon in third, but on the second lap Woody's Kawasaki gave up - apparently proble-ms from the practice crash and it was then Graves in a tie-breaker over Coonl Then, the very next lap, Graves overcooked it and went down and it was Coon all the way. Graves managed to get back up immediately, however. and came back for second overall. . Clint Hardick's two for two go in the 250cc Pros was exciting for only one lap in the 'seCond moto, since Hardick flat ran away with the first moto. In the second round, however, Kirk Grissom jumped into an early lead, but could only hold it for a lap as

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