Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

1"""'II""""""'.""'_""" "_I.'I'lla'I"""a••• ""'I' ••"."'.II"I'••••'""", •••••,."","'1." Ce.....1 PipeliDe a littl~ less traction and some spin to giy~ th~m the mom~ntum to malt~ it oY~r the I~~. Things loolt~d b~tt~r wh~n Erik Goehrs (WI) toolt his 125cc Suzuki oY~r in 7:90 ~onds. But that was just a teasa. J~ Watt (IA) and Gail~n McGraw w~r~ th~ only oth~r rid~rs to mak~ th~ top ~o~ the 570cc class chall~ng~ th~ hill again. McGraw wmt 0Ytt in 9:22 ~onds on a 200cc Bultaco and Watt mad~ it in 8:65 ~onds on an Ossa. would ~ wh~el MIcheeI JoMs on his way over lit the AMA NatIonal Championship Alford tops at Mineral Wells Hillclimb By Diane Polley MINERAL WELLS, TX, SEPT. 9 Will Alford continued his win· ning ways by getting another top time to go along with his win at the Peoria National. His seems to l~ad a or mayb~ Gl~n Waters, at Bultaco Sales of Dallas, has a magic touch whm it comes to Alford's machin~. H~ topped th~ 550 foot hill in 14:21 ~onds for th~ win. H~ alao took first on his 7SOcc Kawasaki with a 14:52 ~ond run. Henry Poll~ and Clev~ Maron w~r~ th~ only riders to com~ close to Alford's times. Manin ~t a tim~ of 14:84 ~onds on a 560cc Bultaco to capt~ RCOnd in th~ 570cc class. Poll~ tri~ ~al hard with his 500cc Yamaha, but 14:86 ~onds was his best efron. 570cc Bultaco charm~ lif~ Results MINI MINI: 1. Rodney 0.-; 2. John HMdridka; 3. Crioty 0.-; 4. Dannie_. MINI: 1. Troy DoIenw: 2. Tony 0Idt.m; 3. Rodney - Deewo;C.... ~ 125 ENIlUlIO: 1. C _ Goodnillht: 2. _ - . ; 3. ~s.ndon; 4. OPEN EM:lURO: 1. Corley 0 - : 2. ~ AlIn_. 100: 1. [)..,;II _ ; 2. John AIlonl; 3 . _ -';4.'-'_ 125: 1. _ s.iley; 2. C _ _ 4 . Rodney 0.-. Goodnigh~ 3. DlIvId 200: John 1Ilomoo; 2. ~ - . ; 3. _ s.iley; 4. Horb Aoh. 2!iO: 1. [)..,;II _ ; 2. [)..,;II Corder; 3. Mike ElIwidge; 4. John-. 370: 1. WiI AIbd; 2. a... Monin; 3. Mille Polley; 4. c [)..,;II C8rd0r. 500 1. WiI Alford; 2. Hony Polley; 3. a... Mertin; 4. Tom_ 1liO: 1. WiI Alford; 2. Jim _ ; 3. ~ CerWe. OPEN: 1. WiI Alford; 2. Hony Polley; 3. George CerWe; 4. Mille Polley. EXHIBITION: 1. WiI AIlonl; 2. JIm _ ; 3. Tom Hony Polley. _4. 1I0ld Ugly" a real National Championship HiIIclimb challenge By Daine Polley PEORIA, IL, SEPT. 1-5 The 1979 AMA National Hill· climb Championship took place on a 240 foot hill called "Old Ugly." The Peoria Dirt Riders 36 built th~ hill which had not had a motorcycle on it sintt Oeto~r. All 223 riders had to admit aft~r ~ climb ~b. that it took a lot of ability, not just ho~po~r, to mak~ it oy~r th~ top. "Old Ugly" had a st~p at about 100 f~t with a 10 foot very steep l~dg~ l~aying it. If th~ riders hit th~ ledg~ too hard and jump~d, when th~y land~d, the back tir~ would not br~ak l~. Th~ would ~ith~r kill the bik~ or flip it. In two days of riding th~r~ w~r~ only 29 oy~r th~ top rides and only six rid~rs were abl~ to make rep~at perfonnances. On~ unusual as~t was that evm though a 125cc and two 200cc riders mad~ it, no 250cc rider could find the top. Harold Van H.oy (MD) was th~ first man to go oy~r. H~ took his 570cc Bultaco oy~r in fin~ styl~ but th~ timing lights w~re so surprised tha t th~ forgot to worlt. On his ~run h~ r~~t~, for a tim~ of 8;66 ~onds. This was th~ only tim~ a rid~r had to r~~at a rid~ b~caus~ of a light malfunction during two days of riding. Two mor~ rid~rs mad~ the top in this class during th~ first round; Phil Stoclt (IL) and his KTM in 8;48 ~onds and Will Alford (TX) riding a Bultaco in 8:57 ~onds. B~a~ ~ hill was rough th~ big irons w~~ at a disadYanta~. Stev~ Howard (MD) ~t th~ fastest tim~ of th~ day Sunday when h~ w~nt oy~r in 8:89 ~onds on a 500cc Yamaha. H~ was clos~ly follow~d by Robbi~ Alman's (CO) Suzulti and H~nry Poll~y's (TX) Yamaha. Th~ 1977 500cc champion, J~ Townsend (WV), mad~ it to th~ top of the hill but his rid~ of 8:72 ~onds only put him in fifth place a t th~ ~nd of th~ first round. In ~ 750cc class som~ of the favorites had more than their sha~ of troubles and only on~ rid~r mad~ it ~r. Jim TttLouw (IA) found the groov~ and toolt his Kawasaki tripl~ oy~r in 8:97 ~onds. Som~ of th~ ~t, or worst. crashes cam~ whm th~ big bikes would ~t a big bit~ and do flips ~y~ral f~t in th~ air. It's almost impossibl~ to irnagi~ that these bikes can ~t compl~tely upsi~ down in mid-air. Tom Elmor~ (IL), th~ hom~town faYorit~, almost r~ard~ his ch~ring ~ction's efforts with his rid~ on a Kawasaki. H~ was flying wh~n h~ wmt through th~ finish lin~ but his 6:97 ~ond rid~ was just a hair slow. H~ wasn't too worri~ though - it was his hill and he had anoth~r try coming. Th~ w~re th~ ~t clim~rs in the U.S. Th~ had to rid~ oth~r climbs and place in the winn~r's circl~ in ord~r to win an invitation to th~ National. Most of th~ w~~ hoping th~ hill would dry out som~ ~fo~ th~ ~ond round stan~ Monday so th~~ The top two riders in ~ 570cc class wait~, watching and trying to figur~ out whe~ to hit the hill for th~ ~t chanc~ of going o~r again. Two mor~ riders wmt oy~ in this class but th~ did not chan~ th~ ord~r of th~ top th~. David Douglas (TX) mo~ up to futh pla~ with his 9:07 ~ond rid~ and Mitch~ll H~nsl~ (IL) w~nt oy~r in 8:98 ~conds to stay in fourth. Will Alford brought his Bul to th~ lin~ for his final challeng~ to "Old Ugly." His fellow Texans kn~ he had a good chanc~ to ~nd the run in first place and th~ w~~ trying to make ~y~rythingwork ~rf~tly for him. Th~y had b~m telling anyon~ who would list~n that "Old Ugly" was Alford's kind of hill. In his usual smooth, straight styl~ h~ rod~ his 570cc GI~n Wat~rs of Bultaco Sales of Dallas built and tun~ Bultaco up and oY~r. A hush f~1I on th~ crowd as th~ wai~ for his time. Th~ Itn~ it was fast. Th~ cloclt had stopped at 6;85 ~onds, the fastest tim~ of th~ climb. But Alford had a long wait to RC if h~ could lt~p top tim~ in addition to th~ 570cc class championship. Th~ 500cc class riders thought that it would ~ ~asy for on~ of them to talt~ 0Ytt the top spot. But only two of the fi~ rid~rs who wmt oy~r Sunday w~ abl~ to ~~at, andJ~ Townsend (WV) was the only on~ abl~ to go any fast~. His tim~ of 7:42 ~onds on a Yamaha ~ him from fifth to third. H~nry Poll~y loolt~d good on th~ bottom but h~ hit th~ ground too hard on top of the l~~ and that was th~ ~nd of his rid~. Dick Dfiosa ma~ it to th~ top again but wasn't fast mough to improv~ his position. Th~ sus~~ r~ally in~~ as th~ big irons got ~ady to go. Eym though a f~ mo~ wmt o~ in ~ 750cc class, and on~ mo~ in th~ 75Icc·0y~ class, no on~ was abl~ to come close to Alford's tim~. Tom Elmo~ was th~ last man to try to Itnoclt Alford off his p~rch. His Op~n class Kawasalti sound~ good as he ldt the ~ but his tim~ was 7:57 ~onds - nurly half a ~ond sloWtt than that of Alford. Only 16 of th~ ridus cam~ from th~ westun half of th~ nation but 11 of ~ returned hom~ as winners. Texas rid~rs captu~ seven wins, plus top tim~, whil~ Colorado's two rid~rs both took hom~ wins as did California's two riders. Charles Ford (CO) toolt first platt in ~ 250cc class on a SuzuIti by going 212 fttl up th~ hill. Dick ~Rosa of California toolt fifth in th~ 500cc class whil~ Duane Vinson captu~ sixth in th~ 750cc class. Results Gerdoe IWl Suzll97 II; 2. Jeff Roh ITX 100: 1. _ HanlI72; 3. lion IIownwlIN8 SuzlI71; 4. Mille Wood IWl Suzl Hili; 6. 0.. Dielz IV-m 1 . 125: 1. Erik GoeIn IWl Suzl 7:90 _.; 2. _ Ileiley ITX Y-m 191 It.; 3. Rodney _ . III Hanl 1118~ ft.; 4. Mille Juhlin IMN HanII118ft. 200: 1. Joe _ flA Ooel 8:83 -.; 2. GelIen McGrew lNB 8uIl1I'.22; 3. MIcheoI Jon. lin Yern) 201 ft.; 4. Chuck "-'-IOH IluIll 97; 5. John B _ ITX 8u11174. 2!iO: 1. CIwlee Ford ICO Suzl 212 ft.; 2. Joe _ (MA Yernl204; 3. Mille CIlne IKY Han) 1.; 4. Scott Juhlin IMN HanII97. 370: 1. WiI AIlonlITX 8uIl8:1I5 _.; 2. PhI S10Cklll KTM) 7:114 _.; 3. _ Yen Hoy IMO BuI) B:8Il; 4. M_I-Ierooley IIW B:98; 5. DoIIIid DougIeo ITX Yern) 9:07. T_ 500: 1. S _ -.:lIMA Y-m 6:lllI_.; 2 . _ Almen ICO Suzl 7:114; 3. Joe fWV Yern) 7:42; 4. Hony Polley ITX Yernl 7:73; 5. DicI< Derou " (eA Yern) 8:1 O. 750: 1. Mike V _ flA Kewl 7:02 - . ; 2. ___ IIIenlon ITX Tn17:98; 3. Den - . 1 I A BSAl 8:30: 4. Jim TerLouw (IA Kewl 8:97; 5. _ Koin IMN H-Dl 11 :23. 751-ovE1l: 1. Kyle _ IMO Kewl B:37 -.; 2. _ _ IOH BSAl9:C)4; 3. DertDoccl ',.Jr. 1M! Tril In ft.: 4. Henry KoIIy (IA Y-m 182; 5. Ted _IOHBSAll81. OPEN: 1. Tom _ I l l Kewl8:97; 2. Gereld TiIoon lNB Kewl 8:37; 3. PouI ~ 01. Y-m 6:lllI; 4. _ Utwin (Il Yern)II:1iB; 5. K_ - . (IA Kewl 193ft. Mcintyre and Logston top Star Track EL PASO, TX, SEPT. I, 1979 Yamaha of EI Paso's dynamic duo of Maby McIntyre and Scott Logston took top Expert honors at Star Tfack MX Park. Mac (Yam) won all four motos in t6~ 250cc and O~n Pros. His only com~tition cam~ from Eddi~ W~ardon (Suz) in the first 250 moto, how~~, Eddie stuclt his h~ad in th~ din halfway through th~ moto whil~ in the l~ad. In th~ O~n, D~an Uly~ (Yam) I~ for half a lap but Mac took oy~r and ran away with it. Uly~ hung in for ~ond. riding a good rac~ aft~r coming back from a brolt~n foot. Th~ was a big turnout in th~ U5cc Pro class with lots of action~ Aft~r thr~~ false starts, Eddi~ W~ardon (Suz) toolt the lead in the ftnt moto with Tracy Mclnt~ (Yamo~ of th~ th~ Mdn~ in this ratt) in RCOnd and Scott Logston third. Logston moY~ into ~ond on th~ first lap and lost it to Maby MclntyT~ (Yam) th~ next lap who wmt by W~ardon as w~Il. On the next lap Logston p~ W~ardon and ad out aft~ Mac. Both ~ogston and Mac ldt ~ pack ~hind. W~ardon finish~ third with Jimmy Wolelagl~ (Suz) founh on a 1980 Suzuki. Logston grabbed th~ holchat in th~ ~ond moto with Brad Tabor (Yam) ~ond. Tabor f~Il in a tum on th~ filSt lap giving ~ond to Maby. Logston and Mac start~ to run away with it. Mac, pushing hard, f~ll down whm he nick~ Scott's r~ar w~1 in a dusty ~nn. Mac was up and running again, trying to catch Logston, but crashed ahrd again giving Logston a big lead. Logston cr~ th~ finish Iin~ with hiS fISt in th~ air, obviously happy to ~ ~tting his speed back afttt his long lay off with a ltn~ injury. Mac foIlow~ a distant ~ond whil~ way back, Mik~ Park~r (Suz) cam~ in third with Brad Tabor coming back for founh. Comm~nts w~r~ heard that it was lilt~ old times watching Maby and Scott battlinjt it out. In th~ U5cc Amat~r Danny Suggs riding for Anni~ D. SuzuIti/T~am Fast dominat~ both motos from stan to finish. Watch for Danny to ~ in th~ Pro division soon if h~ lt~ up his winning rides. • Results _T_ 125 EX: 1. Scott lDgelDn IV-m; 2. Meb¥ MdnIyq lVern/; 3. CSuzl; 4. Jimmy '(oJ I I iJb ISuzI: 5. IV-m. 2IiO EX: 1. Meb¥ Mc:lnlyre IVern!; 2. _ W_ 1Suzl; 3. Rob o.iee IVernl; 4. _ lVern/; 5. ,... T_ IINder oc-I. OPEN EX: 1. Meb¥ Mdnlyre IVern!; 2. 0-. UIw . IVern!. 125 AM: 1. Denny Sugga (Suzl; 2. lJooid a-. 1Han~ 3. Rend'( SmIth CSuzl; ,CR. " - (Suzl; 5. Chrie Pric CSuzl. 2IiO AM: 1. Bobby Nicholl IV-m; 2. Tony alVern/; 3. Mille McGreth IVern). OPEN AM: 1. ClMIe IIrumIey IVern). 125 NOV: 1. GWt.t " - 1Suz1; 2. Suoie LiYingemn lVern/; 3. Ruby _ _ IVernl; 4. . - . . . livingoIIon IV-m. 2IiO NOV: 1. lSuzl; 2. ClMIe IlnJmley IVern); 3. Kim 0Iwe lPwn~ 4. Ruoty _ CSuzl. 100 SCHOOlBOY: 1. _ _ IV-m; 2. DlIvId Ennie IV-m. WOMENS: 1. . - . . . lMngeIDn IVernl; 2. c;.yIe _ IV-m; 3. Shelly NicI1c* IV-m. MN MINI: 1. Ennie IIlll; 2. lily Ennie CSuzl. e-- a-er

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