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
__._---_._----.._._..._--_ .._-_ .._ - _ .. ...- ___________ •• E ~.-. ~ • __ . r__ • __ ~rr: ~ ; : , . ~ ~ ~ . - __ ~ J ----.-----.--------.-- ••• -.----- •• - •• Kenny Upp mistakenly got aimed towards the mini· bike course, making it a mere five miles to the finish, as opposed to 34 for everyone else. Realizing his mistake, Kenny circled back to complete the course the right way. This time however he neglected to walk his bike across the road crossing. A tough break for Kenny. Somewhere after the second pit stop, Mike Mulconery was the unlucky reciprocate of a rear flat tire, slowing him down enough for Darren Pritchett, Mike Eckhardt and Howard McCasland to motor by. Pritchett grabbed the lead and kept it, finishing first overall aboard his screaming 175. Mike Ecltardt finished second overall, first 250cc Expen. !khind him was last year's overall winner, McCasland at third overall, first Open Expert. Despite the rear flat, Muiconery finished founh overall, second Open Expen. Fifth overall, first 250cc Amateur was Jeff Hylton. Pie plater Bruce Jones was sixth, seventh was Amateur Greg Scott Atchison, Johnston was eighth, 250cc Expen Jeff Cannon was ninth and Ed Mundy rounded off the top 10. Most riders agreed on one thing, it was one fun Sunday morning race. Results OPEN AM: 1. Scott Smith: 2. Devid Reily. JRJSR: 1. Rey~:2. Tom_. SR: 1. R _ Hug!.NOV: 1. _ ClIrk. BEG: 1.11II _ _ WOMEN: 1. Kim Honoing. MINI: 1.1Iorry e.-. DBrren Ptlrchett lICf8IImed his 17& Yamehe to win 1tMt CRC Golden Bear H&H. Pritchett wins CRC Golden Bear· H&IIona 175 By Olaf G. Wolff RED MOUNTAIN, CA, OCT. 7 When the early leaders ran into bad luck., Darren Pritchett moved into the lead and won the California Racing Club's 20 Golckn !kar point to point hare and hound, doing it on a· screaming Yamaha 175. Why wouuld anyone in their right mind drive up to five hours in to, if not the hean of, at least the pancreas, of the hot California desen. "!kcallle it's there" partly, but mostly becallle it's one hell of a good time. For those who's only experience of the desen goes no funher then from the window of a speeding car along U.S. 395, you don't know what you're milling. The desen can be an enchantingly beautiful place with its barren silence, rugged plant and rock formations, and the durable creatures that dwell there. For someone who hasn't been out to a .desert race in a few years, CRe's Golden !kar is one of the best ways to get reacquainted. The lOO·mile run to Red Mountain turned out to be more like 73 miles. Twenty-eight miles to the first pit, II miles to the second and a fast 34 miles to the finish. What made ·the Golden Bear race such a bonus however, was not merely the excellent racing, but also the obvious good time everyone was having in the pits. The flrSt row of experts were scheduled to stan at 9:00 o'clock. There were clearly marked rows for Experts, Amateurs and Novices; Five to a row flagged off every 30 seconds. Staning positions for each class were randomly selected. A few minutes after 9:00 o'clock, the first row of experts were off. Kenny Upp got the fastest stan with Scott Atchison and Steve Davies right on his dust. Thiny seconds later the second row of expens were off. This time Mike Mulconery got off first to lead the way. Mike was pursued by Greg Cammarman, l.arry Upp, Dean Miller and Leon Price. Each following row of riders Slaned without difficulty. It was a very well organized stan and went off quite smoothly. First into the first pit was Kenny Upp, aboard his 250 Yamaha. Second into the pits was Mike Mulconery, piloting his Tracy's·tuned 390 Husky. After what Mike later told us was his fastest pit eve.r, led· by Walt (The Snowman) Mulconery, Mike was off again, about a minute behind Kenny. Both of them were clearly flat·out smokin'. Most of the riders felt they only needed one pit stop, and flew right past the second. The course was a fast one. Most of it had been used in previous races and parts had merely been reversed. What was now a steep, winding, sandy downhill, was at one time an uphill. At two different spots the course crossed the highway, once over U.S. 395 and another time over Trona Road. Riders were warned before the race that they would have to get· off their bikes and walk them across, or else be disqualified. Riders got off and walked, except of course the nine riders that were disqualified. Six more were also disqualified for missing checks. Unfortunately, current points leader Heath Hibbard was among them. Right after the second pit stop Thomas, Adams take Vipers' ElslnoreGP By Joyce May ELSINORE, CA, OCT. 6-7 The Desert Vipers M.C., under the guidance of Bob Tartter, spent many hours of many days through many weeks to develop a course for this grand prix that would _ be challenging, interesting and as injury-free as possible. According to most rider comments, they accomplished just that. After two h?u.rs of weavi~g, dodging, climbing, s!lding downhill and splashing, no nder was able to say he didn't get his money's wonh. The Elsinore GP, reborn, was a success. Saturday The fint race of the day was a melting pot of almost every size of bike, including l00cc Beginner, Amateur and Expen; Novice, 12511 75cc Beginner, Novice, Amateur and Expen; Veteran 125/ I75cc; all the women and all the Seniors. SRA rider Bob Farr (125cc· Amateur) had the lead by the second lap, while SRA's Steve Miranda (U5cc Amateur) moved through in the second spot. Jim Fishback (I75cc Expen) was third, pushing hard and waiting for Miranda to make a mistake so he could get by him. . Charlie Hamill (175cc Expert) was In founh overall, just biding his time .and letting the others tire themselves out. The "Snake Pit," a double waterhole on the back side of the hills gave "Wild Man" Hamill a chance to fly at little. Behind Hamill was Cliff Thomas (l00cc Expert), working his way up through the pack. Larry Roeseler, riding a 125cc, was pushing Thomas - - - - - hard but Thomas didn't want to give an inch. Coming into the MX section, Roeseler moved around him but the course abruptly narrowed with a section of haybales which Roeseler hit, injuring his shoulder and putting him out for the rest of the race. This duel was followed by anothtor duel between Tonten Corum (U5cc Amateur), Tom Allen III (I75cc Expen) and "Mr. Endurance" himself, Jim Connolly (125cc MX Expen). Connolly has probably held more top spots in more varied types . of motorcycle competition than anyone else in southern California. Clark Coleman (125cc MX Expert) and D.L. Dorman (125cc Expert), along with Paul Krallle 125cc Expen) and Steve Zollinger (125cc Amateur) flew past on the MX stands and on out for the third lap. On the founh lap, Farr had dropped out and Fishback had taken over the lead with Hamill now in second. Thomas was in third with Donnan and Coleman very close behind. By the fifth lap, Thomas had taken the lead and held it for one more lap to the checkered. Hamill and Dorman held their positions, earning first and second in the "C" class. Connolly took founh overall, first MXer, while Coleman passed the checkers next, earning the second MX spot. Gary Chaners was the first Senior and Lynette Zuhtor held on to take tbe Women's Division honors. Bill Saltzman, riding in the Senior MX class, took the laurels there, while Bob Torgerson earned the first Amateur title. Oren Beck, Jr. took second Trailbike Expen behind overall winner Thomas. Denise DeVines (Amateur) was tbe first in the MX Women's class to finish, whileJim McGrath (125cc) was the first Novice and Mark lela (175cc) led the Beginners. The afternoon race was for unclassified riders, on all sizes of bikes. Wayne Manin, on a 390 Husky, held the lead for all five laps. Bill Horn (125 Suz), Chris Vaughan (220 Hus), Larry Holt (250 Suz), Greg Bringle (250 Hon), and Austin Smith (390 Hus) came past the pits next. By the third loop the riders were beginning to tire and Manin was beginning to really. stretch his lead. Vaughan had moved into second while Chuck Canledge (125 Hus) had moved through the pack and was now running third overall. Bob Cordova was now founh overall. The final lap found Martin leading the pack past the checkered, with Ken Matson (400 Hus) moving very well through the pack and taking second overall. Cordova earned a possible third overall with Chathey in the founhspot. Hoyt Statham (250 Hus) took the fifth position with Cartledge stayiDg with the big bikes and finishing sixth overall. Sunday Sunday morning action was provided by the 250cc and Open Beginner and Novice classes. The entry was large, and as usual for this group, the action was wild and wooly, especially in the "Snake Pit" waterhole It was C. Inman on a 570 BuItaco who took the lead and retained it for several laps before C. Vaughan (250 Hon) moved in. Brett Cushing held a steady third. The second lap found R. Skillman (400 Suz) in the founh overall spot