Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

.·.,.,.,.,",.,.,.,.·.,.,.,.,.,.,,n.r.,.· ,A,A .".·., ,.·•••',.' '••" .. ".'••.r ",.',.'.·.·.'."I.·.'I.V '••••W'•••' ••.T.'.r•••',.T.'•••••',.'•••••'".'.' , •••••'•••'",.'••, •••••'•••• Desert Hotline IAbove) Mike Sixbery led an the way to win the CRC Reindeer hare scrembles.lBelow) The Lucerne desert claims another victim. Sixbery sizzles at CRC Reindeer HS By Terry Rezek LUCERNE VALLEY, CA, DEC. 2 Lucerne VaIley fought back for a year of hard use by bringing up its most formidable weapons dust and rocks. The start line 20 was on the northern edge of Anderson Dry Lake. The dust stirred by the start line traffice was trapped by the cool, still morning air and hung over the valley like bad breath at a cocktail parry. Vehicle after vehicle slid into the brown miasma that groped now in the direction of the course. This race would be very, very dusty. From the start, the course went directly east through some fast. fun rollers and under the powerline. The rock-strewn pass through the 'll0untains was looming fast and, just as your attention was diverted to looking at them, whooompl the ground disappeared. One of Lucerne's little surprises. a one-sided wash with a four foot ledge. More than one rider was tossed off by this little drop in awareness. Acrobatic Award of the day goes to Rick Jones, who blithely sailed off the edge, hit the whoops that followed, and proceeded to do a 50·yard pas de , deux with his bike, during which he performed not less than five flawless "Flying Ws." The judges only gave him a 9.8 because he did not actually crash. He looked like a Russian dancer with a case of Rasputin's Revenge. The stan of the Expen/Amateur affair raised a dust devil that asphyxiated three turkey buzzards and didn't settle until Tuesday. Out of the dust came a hearty "Hi Yo, Yamahal" and Sinlin' Six came shooting by, pursued by High Speed Gary. Almost even with Mike Sixbery and Gary Mu1conery was Rick Jones - at least until he went into his song and dance I mentioned earlier. That slowed Jones a bit and left Mulconery and Sixbery to elbow it out for the top spot. In the position jockeying that went on in the rocks, Mu1conery was the loser, getting off in a bad way. He came out of it alright, but his bike was through for the day, leaving Sixbery unchallenged for the lead. It also removed one of the contenders in the "Battle of the Superfriends." Gary and Mike Mu1conery, Gary Davies and Scott Smith, all of High Speed Bail, and Heath Hibbard of Clean Sweep an~ all close friends and are the top riders in CRC. Today's race would determine the II plate for 1980. Davies was unable to ride today, Gary Mu1conery was out with a broken' bike and the battle resolved itself to Mike Mulconery and Heath Hibbard who were closest in points. Ironically, both got mediocre starts and came through the powerline dropoff well back in the pack. At the end of the first lap, Mike Sixbery came sizzlin' through with a two minute lead over second place which turned out to be Rick Jones, having survived his exciting start. Ed Mundy had firm control of third at this point and was staying about a minute ahead of Mike Mulconery, who had fought his way up to fifth. Close behind Mulconery was Doug Beisner, who was now sixth overall and second 250cc. Sixbery's Zuber tuned Yamaha was easily five minutes ahead. Scott Smith had gassed his well-prepared Dick Allen Yamaha into eighth with the first lightweight of Bill Mattox only seconds behind. Heath Hibbard was having problems back in the pack and, unless he could make a spectacular charge, Mike Mu1conery would take the II plate. The gremlins continued to follow Hibbard and he could not move up substantially in the second lap. In fact, the only major change occurred when Beisner got by both Mundy and Mu1conery to take third. He also got the points for first 250cc since Sixbery was riding as a pie-plate entry and does not earn points. The final order then became Sixbery, Jones, Beisner, Mundy, Mulconery, Smith, and Mattox. The II 250cc plate as well as the one for the Senior class had been decided some time ago. It was another family affair. Larry Upp and son, Kenny, had their 1980 numbers well in hand but raced today anyway. Larry added to his point total but it was a good thing that Kenny didn't need any more points. His bike seized on the powder slopes leading to the farthest point of the course. A rather anticlimactic finish to an otherwise great year. I missed the start of the Beginners class but caught Steve Clugston coming through as first Beginner at the end of the first lap. At the end again it was Ray Zylstra for another win. Is it possible that Zylstra will not ride in 1980 as a Beginner? First woman almost was Helene Bernbaum but in the two miles between here ann the finish, she threw a chain and Sherri Merrill, who had been dogging Bernbaum, grabbed the opportunity to slip by and fmish just ahead of Bembaum to take the fmt woman spot. Amazing what a little publicity can dol And SO the 1979 desen schedule comes to a close. In this year, I've had the opportunity to work with some fine people, some of whom 1 hope call me friend. 1 have always thought of the desert racing community as an extended family and it seems to be even more appropriate at the Christmas season. I don't yet know what I'll be doing in 1980, but there is a strong possibility that 1 will not be reporting desert races. Whatever happens, I want to leave you all this thought: May Peace and Joy ride with you this season and accompany you past all the far horizons of the New Year. Results OPEN EX: 1. Rick Jones (Yam): 2. Ed Mundy: 3. Mike Mulconery (HUll; 4. Mike Ma-tin; 5. H88lh Hibbard. OPEN AM: 1. Scott Smith (Yaml; 2. Rod Hewt

• Cover