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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126453
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Gery Denton chooses the dry route over a CRC grand prix water crossing.
(Continued/rom page 19)
SSMMX
lap later Taylor got around also. With
Taylor breathing down his neck,
Hansen pulled out all the stops and
was really flying out in front. Suddenly Hansen's fme ride was ended by
mechanical problems and Taylor
inherited the lead. With Gibson and
Wanket still close behind in second
and third, Taylor wasn't waiting
around for a challenge. He kicked on
the afterburners and blasted the track
for the remaining laps taking the
checkered flag comfonably in front of
Gibson. The averaU win went to
Gibson, however, and Taylor took
home the second place money while
Wanket accepted a well-earned third.
By Terry Whytel
Results
o.con
2!iOa: INT: 1. Bruce
(Voml; 2. Kevin Oloon
IHartI; 3. Chucl< Miler CVIII'll.
12Sa: INT: 1. D8nnio Hulon lVoml; 2. Moe Ben
(K.N); 3. Randy "-1Suzl.
OPEN JR: 1. Roger Guord CHusl; 2. lMr( RinlIV....;
3. All . . . . (Suzl.
28Oa: JR: 1 . ' - _
(Honl; 2. 51..... _
IK.N); 3. Rich Stuolzot (Hull.
OPEN BEG: 1. Joogim Upona (Hull; 2. Richard'
IIeiIey lVom); 3. Grog . - (Moil.
2!iOa: BEG: 1. Mike Fiuvor81d IHuaI; 2. Ff"" Paglia
IK_); 3. Mork AbrIlh8mo lSuzl.
.
Gibson tops
250cc PrOS at
ORANGE, CA, DEC. 22
Team Honda rider Jim Gibson
had his hands fuU winning the
250cc Pro class against stiff competition from Yamaha rider
22
David Taylor and newly-signed Honda
ace Donnie Hansen.
Hansen took the early lead in the
first moto with Taylor close behind in
second. Moto·X Fox/Yamaha rider
Tony Wanket jumped into third place
ahead of Suzuki rider Matt Zigeler and
Gibson. On the second lap Gibson
moved past Zige~r and began to put
pressure on Wankel. The next lap saw
Taylor take the lead away from
Hansen as the two riders were staging
a very close fought battle. As the race
neared the halfway mark Gibson was
still trying to find a way past Wanket
but the savvy CMC number one wasn't
making any mistakes. Suddenly Taylor
went down and Hansen reclaimed the
lead. While Taylor was remounting
back in fifth. Gibson slipped around
Wanket and charged after the leader.
A couple laps later and Gibson was in
full control of the lead and the race as
he roosted his way around the track to
take the checkers-. Hansen finished in
the runner· up spot with Wanket
cruising in for third and Taylor
settling for the fourth position.
Gibson got the hoJeshot in the
second race and led the pack through
the first lap. Hansen followed in
second with Taylor pushing from third
and Wankel in fourth. On lap twO
Hansen motored past Gibson and one
OPEN PRo: 1. BiR K_ (Moi); 2. Mik. _ _
(Moi); 3. Shormon Scholler lSuzl.
2!iOa: PRO: 1. Jim Glboon (Honl; 2. 08vid Taylor
IVom); 3. Tony W8nkol IVoml.
12Sa: PlIO: 1. _
........,. IVom); 2. Sam
_
lSuzl; 3. All l.iook 1Honl.
12Sa: NT: 1. Vaun IIuIIor (SuzI; 2. !lonny
Bord...... _lSuzt. 3. _
o...lSuzl.
OPEN JR: 1. s-t PoullKTMl: 2. Roger Guord (Huo);
3. Ken Gr8Iwn CIIull.
12Sa: JR: 1. Bob Engel IVom); 2. Tom EngollSuzl; 3.
OoIo_CSuzI.
2!iOa: BEG: 1. _ _ 1Suz); 2. - . _
~I; 3.
00ni0I PowIIIllHull.
CRC ends decade
with Indian Dunes
GP
By Nanette Marie
VALENCIA, CA, DEC. 30
The California Racing Club
wound up the decade of the 70s
Sunday with a Grand Prix running through most of the sandwash and International Motocross
course of Indian Dunes, with 30%
trophies and a $1000 Pro purse to
draw a large turnout to the all-day
event.
The first event to get off at 8;00
a.m. was the Mini race. which com·
bined all of the Mini classes. When the
pack of riders came onto the lnter·
national track at the end of the firsl
loop two Experts, Yamaha's Eric
Kehoe. and Louie Franco were running neck and neck bauling for the
lead. The next rider to come onto the
backstraight of lhe motocross course
was the first place Intermediate, Steve
Van Oozen, well ahead of runner-up
Charles Osterday. Next to hit the
course were the Novices and Beginners,
all mixed together. Heading the
Novices was Deana Lynch. just ahead
of Greg Gat, while Jim Spotts ran his
Honda out front of the Beginners.
On the second lap, Kehoe had
pulled a slight margin over Franco,
but after that circuit, Franco ran into
all kinds of problems, witb a couple
falls and bike troubles, which allowed
Kehoe to run away with the overall
victory. Meanwhile, Van Oozen was
putting a huge distance berween
himself and the rest of the Intermediates
as he tried to stay with the ailing
Franco. Osterday held onto second
strongly, but it looked as though he
might inherit the victory as Van Dozen
took the white flag. The front hub on
his Yamaha was coming apan rapidly,
and it didn't appear to be able to make
one more circuit. Van Duzen kept on
going, however, and nursed his ripped
Out front wheel and blown fork seals in
for the victory. while Osterday could
not make up the ground quick enough
to overtake the leader.
Back in the Novice class, Gat overtook Lynch halfway through the lap,
as did Richie James and Frank Darr.
But in tbe last two laps of the race.
James pulled within striking distance
of an unsuspecting Gat, and in a late
nurry, shot into the lead and went off
to the win. Gat remained in second
ahead of Darr, who was busy leading
Shawn Freiling and Michael Knapp
across the line.
Jay Carmody and Dean Fake
slipped around Jim Spotts for the
Beginner lead positions. and set out to
battle for the top trophy. Halfway
through the race Fake began to pressure Carmody's lead. and finally took
over before the white nag. His lead
held and he took the win. with
Carmody, Spotts, and James Ruther·
ford trailing.
Also running with the Minis were
the 50-6Occ Pee Wees, piloted by
Lance Johnson and Don Feeley. Johnson grabbed the early lead, but there
was no way he could pull away from
Feeley. The two ran every lap right on
each other. until the final lap, when
.Johnson got a little breathing room as
he headed for the checkered flag.
In the Pro classes. Erik MacCracken.
Mark Lawrence and Jimmy Holley all
took wins with their Yamahas after an
hour of tough dicing. MacCracken was
a surprise winner in the Open Pros, as
he got through the fint turn before
Tim Locey piled into a tree and the
pack spread out trying to avoid him.
MacCracken was long gone by the
halfway point in the race. in only his
third Pro ride, but Locey was not giv.
ing up as he new past Dave Haugh,
Ronnie Gibson and Doug Taft in his
bid to overtake the leader. All efforts
were futile though, as MacCracken
held on to take the checkers well ahead
of Locey.
In the 2505, it was a runaway win for
LOP's Mark Lawrence. Mike Shoe·
maker grabbed the early lead with
Di,1 Bille Magazine's Kenny Zahrt,
Lawrence, Cycle Guide Magazine's
Dean Taylor, and Tracy Oswell dicing
for position behind. At the end of the
first lap Shoemaker was in control. bUI
that was lhe only lap he would lead, as
Lawrence put his YZ to the stops, and
took over halfway through the next
lap. Zahrt, in the meantime, pulled
away from Oswell who worked his way
around Taylor. The rest of the race
saw Lawrence ex lend his lead to an
outrageous margin over Shoemaker.
who rou~hl to hold off Zahn. Oswell
and Taylor held position for the fourth
and fifth payoff.
The best battle of the day raged in
the 125cc class, as Yamaha's Jimmy
Holley and Gary Denton, who just
picked up a ride with Luft on a new
CR Honda, fought for 45 minutes for
the lead. Denton had the holeshot at
the stan of the race, but in the first
tum at the end of the sandwash, a
downed rider forced Denton wide. and
Gary plowed into the same tree as
Locey had only moments earlier.
Denton's Honda stalled, and Holley
slipped inside, along with Mike
Gosselaar. Gosselaar held the lead at
the end of the first lap, but that was
soon taken by Holley. Behind, Denton
and the Luft Honda were passing rider
after rider at will. and finally he
caught sight of Holley. Denton pulled
right alongsick Holley, and out-powered
him for the lead. Holley came right
back with a pass alongside the river,
but he couldn't match the riding
Denton was performing elsewhere on
the circuit. Denton took over again
before the duo took the white flag, and
seemed to have the race in the bag,
but in the last lap in the section along
the river, Denton's Honda ran out of
gas. Holley motored on by the slightly
disturbed Denton and took the win,
then he, too, ran out of gas just a few
feet after the checkered flag. John
Drury took second ahead of Gosselaar
and Rod Davidson.
•
Results
ATe ClASS: 1. John Creogmoo (Hartl; 2. Chrio lee
(Hartl.
ATC ClASS 2: 1. MicNoI IIooher (Hartl; 2. Robin
8IIIinaor (Hartl; 3. .Wt Corwoy (Hon).
Are ClASS 3: I. MM1
s-..v 1Hont, 2. Mille VIri
(Hartl; 3. Jerry V."mojeF (Hartl.
ODYSSEY ClASS I: I. Honk _ ; 2. Todd
c.mody; 3. John FitzgoroId.
ODVSSEV ClASS 2: I. Scon ~; 2. ShNe
Gleim; 3. J. Jlromillo.
..c:YSSEY U.NLIMITEO: I. Scon
~;
2. Ricl<
125 PRO: 1. Jim . - . , IV....; 2. John Drury IVom);
3.Mille~IVom).
250 PRO: I. _
........,. (l0Pl; 2. Mike
IV....; 3. Ken zatwllSuzl.
!iOO PRO: I. &ik Mec

