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/126435
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Jim Burges was on hand for Tulare's MX season opener.
the overall win. Phil Larsen claimed
the second place money and
Michletsch got third.
•
Results
Cropper, Didier
and Eaton bring
the season to a
close at Washougal
ByAetionOZ
WASHOUGAL, WA, OCT. 14
Everybody held their collective
breaths to see what the weather
would do on the last race day of
the MX season: It didn't do any
good -
it rained anyway. What
surprised most of the regulars was that
....30
the competition turned out to be quite
good, despite the mud.
Since the Open class turnout was
down, they ran with the 125cc Pros.
Phil Larsen on his Hi Point Kawasaki
got the holeshot and didn't bobble. He
wired it to the line io win the first
125cc moto. Tim Michletsch, LOPI
K&B Yamaha, .was in second and
gaining up to the sixth lap; then he
blew an engine and that was it for the
day for Tim in the 125cc class. Jeff
Cropper, Gresham Suzuki, ran second
and third for a lot of the fust moto,
and fmally wound 'up third. Darryle
Zumstein, Woodland Honda, ran a
fme moto after dumping it near the
start to finish fifth. Jady Becker blew
across the line just in front of him for
fourth.
Meanwhile, the Open class Pros
were doing their thing with power in
the mud. Eric Eaton Maicoed his way
to the first spot the first moto. Tom
Poage, Yamaha 1nt., down from
Tacoma Tade a very steady moto to get
a second in the first moto. Mark Kim
(Mai) who has hung in there all year,
was able to stay upright and consistent
to place third.
Jimmy Anders ",1 is still around and
riding for Longview Suzuki. Jim's
feding stronger now and he's starting
to come back. He railed it to the
second moto win - no problem.
However, Jeff Cropper ran well
enough to pick up second and the overall win for the day. This is Jeffs first
overall win at Washou!!,al this year. A
good way to fmish the season. He has
to be a top choice for next year. The
125cc class also had Phil Larsen pick
up a second overall while Jady Becker
managed a third. Doug Taylor got
fourth.
The Open Pros saw Eric Eaton win
the overall and Tom Poage got the
second spot. Mark Kim was third on
his Maico. Rory Mooneyham, in his
first race as a Pro rider, came in fourth
on his Artmans Painting Yamaha.
When the 250cc Pros lined up for
their first moto, Allan Pitts, Gresham
Suzuki, came off the line possessed.
For two laps, he was able to hold off
Rick Benek before Benek made the
pass. Pitts dropped to futh by moto's
end. Benek, on his Honda, was
coming off a rather bad wrist injury
suffered in a race the day before but
the man of steel made the mudder
look dry as he took it to the flag. Phil
Larsen (Kaw) got close, but couldn't
pass, so he settled for a second. Dave
Didier. Moto-X Yamaha. just keeps
getting better. He stayed upright to
the flag and was able to get a third.
Kevin
Jansen,
Naomi
Currie
Kawasaki, played it cool and made up
his time through the famous
Washougal whoop·dee·doos. He really
has the line on that section of the
track. Fourth was his position at the
flag.
The secomJ time around, Tim
Michletsch, Yamaha LOP. held it
together after a very frustrating day
and led most of the moto. He was
finally overtaken by Eric Eaton three
laps before the end. Jansen finished
fourth again in the last moto. Dave
Didier was the overall story as he
proved that consistency is the answer
in motocross. He picked up a third
which was good enough this day for
P£E WEE: 1. Greg w_ CSuzl; 2. BrOIl /\moo
IVaml; 3. l.oIond Hotonbudd lSuzl.
MINI NJ(JV: 1. Ronny HopIo IVaml; 2. Craig Brown
IVaml; 3. G