Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

a four-stroke rider. Gene was on a HondaXR751 The second most prized trophy of the day, the Fickle Finger of Fate Award, displays an internationally recognized digital message. The "bird" trophy goes for the Worst Possible Performance. The proud awardee was Harley-Davidson's Bill Dutcher. Parkhurst prefaced the award by indicating it was for the rider who really kept trying in the face of adversity, or insufficient talent, or both. Bill, who hadn't been on a dirt bike since leaving Bultaco four years ago, had ~t·lagged in from the east coast and borrowed a well-worn Sherpa that first shed a chain, then whiskered a plug and kept missing THE OIL AUTHORITY TORCO SWEEPS THE LONGESt TOUGHEST RACE IN NORTH AMERICA. The BAJA 1000 - Ensenada to La Paz fourth~ar. The Most Spectacular Crash Award, a bottle of scotch from Ken and Judy Maley, went to Cycle World Editor Alan Girdler. Alan also picked up the worst rider on a street legal motorcycle award and proved his eligibility for that bottle of brapdy by riding the bike home. Hopefully, he didn't mix the scotch and brandy before departing. A bottle of champagne went to Yamaha's R. Enda who may be seriously considering changing the last syllable of his surname from A to O. His award winning category was Most Crashes. Unclaimed this year was the Christopher Columbus I Tell You India Is Right Around Here Someplace Navigation Trophy. Last year one magazine editor got lost and was discovered upside down beneath his bike. Then there was the contestant who DNF one year en route to the first section. Henry Manney donated a bottle of Beefeater's gin for best performance by a journalist. That went to Len Weed. Thanks, Henry. And S & W . Engineering presented a bottle of champagne for the oldest contestant - Roy Richter. Roy, eligible for Social Security, founded Bell Helmets. He's ridden all but the first Laugh- In. People What Make It Happen Department: Brian Slark was Clerk of the Course while Saddleback's Rich Kimball contrit5uted his services as High Mogul. Max Maxstead' was Meeting Secretary and jokester. Joe Parkhurst acted as Grand Marshall. The catering was handled by Judy and Ken (Steel Shoe) Maely. Ken did not try to ride any of the sections on one of his Maely speedway .bikes. (However, Doug Bingham of Side Strider did try a few sections with one of his sidehacks.) Cycle World's Henry Manney was an active participant in section seJection. . So, seven hours after it began, it was over, capping a decade of industry 'antics - a day away from the salt mines. Ten years - ten days. That's a two week vacation with laughs. Seems fitting enough. • Results OVERALL PERPETUAL WINNER MALCOLM SMITH TROPHY: Tcd Peterson lOG ~ 2nCl OA-waI

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