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/126433
'I NORTHERN DATEUNE ~ t ~ ~ CN ~ Q) ..c o ..... u o ,. A pair of 125cc Novices run elbow to elbow at Argyll Park. Big racing for a small crowd at Argyll .. By Mel White DIXON, CA, OCT. 7 A modest turnout of riders at Argyll Park, after two weekends of ca'pacity crowds, meant lots of time on the track for everyone 30 (20 minute motos for the Novices in the p.m.) plus some interesting combined classes. Even the weather did a turn about and anyone without a warm jacket suffered from the cold wind, or else stayed inside. The largest contingent of riders was the 125cc Novice class. With two 100cc Novices included, the first race fielded 24 bikes. During both mOlOS, the loss of water on the track was significant - it was mighty slippery. In moto one Brian Peterson pulled out a very long lead which kept him aloof from the furious squabbling going on for places two through six until the last lap when he too went down, losing his whole lead and finishing a fairly inglorious 11 tho john McCapes and Berkeley White traded places three or four times and Ken Cummings was a promising second place rider for several laps. But at the finish it was james Dickman who crossed first. Dickman had taken the holeshot but then appeared in sixth place before trading back up to the front. Kevin Bixby took the holeshot in moto two with Berkeley White hot behind - both of whom were soon displaced by Floyd Ertel who seemed to be running away with it. The first tum claimed two riders and the mud took both Ertel and Dickman out during lap four, leaving the lead in the capable hands of McCapes who carried on across the finish to claim the overall followed by Steve Panevich, Bixby and White. Intermediate and Novice Minis logged the most time on the track, running three motos ~ather than two. The two Experts started ahead and had themselves a race; Tyson Vohland came from behind in the fint moto to win and then smoked the second. The Intermediate and Novices started behind them and raced their allotted laps, but came off the track at the end and staged a mass protest over the management of the start. With plenty of time to spa re at the end of the morning program, the solution was to re-run their race with all due care at the starting gate. Nine Expert riders were on hand and they all raced together - three Open bikes, four 250cc's and two I25cc's. An Open class bike crossed the fmish first in both motos, Bob May in moto one and Will Aken in moto two, but both winnen had smaller bikes hot on their heels. In the f1l'St moto Harold Hutson seriously challenged May during the last lap. Unfortunately, a destroyed rear wheel forced Hutson to DNF the second moto. Tom McKinney, on a green 250cc, was eager to displace the bigger bike ahead of him in moto two, followed by Mike Beier on a 125cc. Among the leaders there was incredibly tight racing. Notable was Beier's 125cc nipping at the heels of McKinney's 250cc, even getting by for a short spell. The Intermediates we,re also combined with only Open and 250cc bikes on hand. Bill Harrison (Maico 250) and Robert Stene (Maico 400) rode two furiously contested motos and traded first across the finish, both scoring fint place in their class. Another interesting duel between a 250cc and an Open bike developed between Steve Gard (Can· Am 250) and Lee Miller (Suzuki 400) both of whom were in second place in the second molO. Gard finally took his orange 250cc well away in front of Miller but never caught Harrison or Stene. The relatively small tum out was a positive boon to the riders, all of whom got long sa tisfying motos on a well prepared track that withstood the moderate traffic - plus an early· trip home! Is this how it was in the 'good old days'? Results 100 NOV: 1. D.... _ I {Suzl. 125 NOV: 1. John McCapes (Suzl; 2. Steve Panevich IS02); 3. B",koley WMelSuzl; 4. Kevin Bixby IVem); 5. B,ien PettlflOn IS02). MINI EX: Tyoon Vohland (Vom). MINI NOV: 1. Shewn Fteiling IKawl; 2. Don Chun:h (Kaw); 3. Mike Albegedle lSuzl; 4. Eric Sendstrom {Suzl; 5. Chrle Stawert lSuzl. OPEN INT: 1. - . Stene (M.n: 2. Doug Murphy Mike Rosa heads up a high sliding pack of Novices at Salinas. (Vam); 3. Lee Miller ISuzl. 250 INT: 1. Bill Harriaon IMai); 2. Steve Gard 1CanAmi; 3. Jack George IHan). 250IOPEN EX: 1. Bob Mev IMail; 2. WiII.Ak.... IV.ml; 3. Tom McKinney (Kaw). 125 EX: 1. Mike Beier l5ozl. VET INT: 1. Roger Bubak (BuO. VET NOV: 1. Greg Voung (Han). OT EX: 1. Jack Lewi.IMail. OT INT: 1. John Fugue IMail. DT NOV: I. Nick Norton. OPEN NOV: 1. Neal NeIeon (Voml; 2. Randy Colijns (Mai); 3. Wayne Finley (~oml. 250 NOV: 1. Dann Silve IHus); 2. Clill COIIltlS IS02I; 3. Lee SeyleiVaml; 4. Jack Eilon ISuz). Moore, Jorgensen and Chandler split Salinas glory By W.H. Spencer SALINAS, SEPT. 30 Danny Moore' won the 250cc Expert main in fine style on the Salinas Airport quarter mile and Kim Jorgensen added padding to his insurmountable strangle· Mid on the top plate while Doug Chandler ran off and hid in both 250 and 500cc Novice mains. Patrick Ballew doubled up on his Pee-wee racing wins while Danny Cahoon won the SOcc Novice and Dean Vincelet bettered his last nights efforts, winning the junior over Eric Mayfield. Kurt Chandler took brother Doug's mount to an easy Expert win, leading many to believe that the Salinas Kawasaki KX 80 rider could very well take over the number one plate in 1980. Aaron Hill held off Chris Carr for the second spot and in the 100cc Expert, Kurt put a fine pass on Hill for another win with Eric Green in for third. An interesting situation might materialize in 1980 when john and Sharon Chandler find themselves chasing two sets of Number one plates. Sponsor jim Chisum is still smiling but may not be thinking quite that far ahead. For Doug, the former minibike champion, it was a big day. Winning both 250 and 500cc Novice heat races, he then came from behind in both mains to do some fancy passing and ran off to hide from the competition. He probably won't last more than four races as a Novice. Steve FISher got his A&D Yamaha running just right to win the 125cc Novice main over Tony Bias while Ron Evans was enjoying the 125cc Junior win in his own separate class. BoJ:>by Nelson liked the starts just fine. He got a good jump off Burt Dinner and won the 250cc Junior over Scott Rose and Charlie Nones. Danny Moore and the Cal Cycle 5,upply ND sparked Champion Yamaha have been itching at the bit to break out and win one. Today the timing was just right and he did it big, taking the checkered in front of Bill Scott and Kim Jorgensen with some right fine moves. Beau Marciel led out the 500cc Novices but seemed to forget to do at least one thing; turn on the gas. When he reached down to do just that, he nearly collected Chandler, who was about to put the inside move on his ancient TM400, but the lithe youngster dipped a tad to pull out a neat trick and a great win. joe Mitchell and Silio Fabbri had a good run in the junior, with joe winning as usual, while Steve Nunes appeared somewhat frustrated with third. Kim jorgensen had to nearly shut off to miss the 500cc Expert stan but he got the green and a big lead into the first tum which he stretched out to win over Pat Seigle and Bill Scott. Doug O'Brien got his Triumph down and clean for the Open class win; and Mark Key and Craig Scroggins had the best race of the day in the Money bash which Mark won as Craig's Monosbock KR was a bit light in the rear. Results PEE WEE: 1. Pat Ballew ISuzi. 85 NOV: 1. Danny Chacon (Yaml. 85 JR: 1. o.n Voncelet (Yom); 2. Eric Maylield (Yam). 85 EX: 1. Kurt ~ IKaw); 2. Aaoo HiIIIKaw); 3. Chris carr ISuzl. 100 JR: 1. Bobby Devis (Vaml. 100 EX: 1. Kurt Chandler IVam); 2. Mon Hill IS02); 3. Eric Green IVam). 125 NOV: 1. Steve _ (Yam); 2. Tony Blae IVam). 126 JR: 1. Ronnie Evons (Yam). 250 NOV: 1. Doug Chandt", IKaw); 2. Todd Stewart (Yam); 3. Joe Aow.s (Vam). 250 JR: 1. Bobby Neleon (Y","); 2. Scott Roea ecAl; 3. Charles JonM (Yam). 250 EX, 1. Danny Moore (Yarn); 2. Billy Scan (Varn); 3. Kim Jor_IC-Al. 500 NOV: 1. Doug Chandler (Vom); 2. - . Marciel ISuzl. 500 JR: 1. Joe Mitchell (Vam); 2. Si~ Fabbri IVam); 3. St.... Nunes (Yam). 500 EX: 1. Kim ~ IC-AI; 2. Pat Seigle IVam); 3. Bill Scon (Yam). OPEN: 1. Doug O'Brien ITn1KING OF THE HILL: 1. Marl< Key (Yom); 2. Claig Scroggine (Yam).