Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

nada -Northern California-Northern Nevada-Oregon-Washington-Idaho-Utah-Alaska-Canada-Northern California-Northern Nevada.Qregon-Washington-ldaho-Uta 81cc Jr. BrIan George momentarily Ieada 83cc Exp. Pat Galan at Sprockets Pk. Oliver, Stubblefield and Hopper dominate AME Sprockets By Judy Greenberg BAKERSFIELD, CA, FEB. 5 Darren Oliver, Jeff Stubblefield and Allen Hopper took the American Motocross Enterprises Pro wins at Sprockets Park today. Kern Spon Cycle of Bakersfield donated gift cenificates to first-place winners in the Pro and larger sponsman classes. Oliver captured double wins on his Bakersfield Yamaha for the 500cc Pro class. He got by Phil Taylor's Kern Sport Cycle Husky and stretched his lead to the wire. Oliver took it all the way in the second moto. Taylor overtook Steve Williams (Yam) for second, though Williams stayed on his tail to the checkered. Suzuki-mounted Stubblefield led the 250cc Pros with Gary Neal pressing from behind. Neal managed to snatch the lead a couple times but Stubblefield regained his command. The Fresno Yamaha of Damon Webb fought with Neal behind Stubblefield in moto two. When they slammed together coming out of a corner, Neal moved to second. On the next lap he went over the bars, recovered, but retired from the race. Danny Thompson (C-A) stayed right on Webb, picking up second while Webb finished third. Hopper (Yam) holeshot the first 125cc Pro moto and built a healthy lead to the finish. Neal and Mark Bledsoe (Yam) tossed around second, while the Rosamond Suzuki of Roger Hensley closed in for a fourth-place finish. Randy Lewis led a tight pack out of the second gate, but was bumped back to fifth by the end of the first lap. Hensley then nabbed the lead with Bledsoe and Hopper pressing from behind. Bledsoe got his wheel in front only to lose it when his engine died in the back section of the course. Hensley took the moto win for the second-place nioney. Hopper finished second but topped the class with Lewis and Bledsoe third and fourth. Brent Brown's Yamaha took the 125cc junior win with a 2-1 ride. Mike Wiggins (Suz) had the first moto controlled from the start, finishing first with Brown second and Scott jeffers Oeffers Trucking) in third. In the second round, Brown worked for five laps before overtaking Wiggins. Once in front he stretched his lead and never looked back. The Kawasaki of Shaun McKeown put pressure on Wiggins and moved to second. Wiggins held a safe third with jeffers and the Ventura Suzuki of joe Mejia taking fourth and fifth. Greg Boren took the honors in the 250cc Intermediates with a 1-2 ride on his Bill Boren Honda. In moto one, Boren swapped first place with jim Flowers (Yam) while Richard Phillips (Hon) rode steady in third. On the last lap, Boren charged in on Flowers and took the lead back for the win. Flowers then tbrew a cbain in the turn before the check('red, putting Phillips in second and Tom Brooks (So2) third. Flowers finished first in the second round with Boren second and Phillips third for a second overall. Tim Patton (Yam) went back-toback in the 85cc juniors with tremendous leads in both motos. Chet Tucker (Hon) took second overall with a 2-5 ride, while james Young (Suz) secured third with a 4-4. R&D Racing 'teammates Pat Galan and Rick Hemme shared moto wins for the 85cc Experts with Galan taking the overall. Results 500 PRO: 1. Oarren Oliver (Vam); 2. Phil Taylor (Hus); 3. Steve Williams (Vem). 250 PRO: 1. Jeff Stubblefield (Honl; 2. Danny Thompson IC-A>; 3. Demon Webb (Vaml. 125 PRO: 1. Allen Hopper (Vam); 2. Roger Hensley (Sull; 3. Mark Bledsoe (Vaml. VET JRS: 1. George Cook (Husl; 2. Lee Drewry IMai). DESERT: 1. Ron Hinds (Vem); 2. Mllfk Force (Vam); 3. Kurt Hylton (Husl. 500 INT: 1. Robert Hixson (Yam); 2. Dannv Reider (Vom); 3. Steve Zimmerman (Sull. 500 JR: 1. Tim Conner (Yam); 2. Greg Vittoria (Yam); Z50 INT: 1. Greg Boren (Han); 2. Richard Phillips IHan); 3. Tom Brooks (Suzl. Z50 JR: 1. Den Case (Vaml; 2. Joe Roark (Kow); 3. Kevin Taylor (Varni. 125 INT: 1. Mike Langley IHan); 2. Gary Bowman (Han); 3. John Hemme ISuzl. 125 JR: 1. Brent Brown {Varn}; 2. Mike Wiggins ISuzl; 3. Shoun McKeown (Kow). 125 BEG: 1. TIm Wirwiow (Suzl; 2. James Connors ISuzl; 3. Denny DodIon lyarnl. 100 EX: 1. Chris Md:auIev (Suz). 100 INT: 1. J _ Bennett ISuzl; 2. John Carpenter ISuzl; 3. Gene StePhens !Yarn). 100 JR: 1. lIM Smith !Yaml; 2. Kevin Field (Suz); 3. Mike Pulliam (Suzl. 83cc EX: 1. Pwt GaIon 1Suzl; 2. Rick Hemme ISuzl. 83cc INT: 1. Anttv Ellis (Vam); 2. Katrina Wellis(Suz!; 3. Eddie Hicks !Yarn). 83cc JR: 1. rom Pwtton IVam): 2. Chet Tucker IHan!; 3. .lama VOU"ll (Suzl. 61ec EX: 1. Eddie Hicks IVam!. 61ec INT: 1. Doug FitIher IYarn). 61 ec JR: 1. Chris lara ISuzl; 2. Johnny Hoffman ISuzl; 3. Brien George (Vom). PEE. WEE: 1. Anttv Jeffer.. Sutphin brothers dazzle at M.R.A. trials ~ By D.elbert Longbrake BEAGLE, OR,jAN. 27 Ron Sutphin finessed his way to. victory in the Intermediate class Don Sutphin attacks log In MRA trials. at the Motorcycle Riders Association trials held near Medford, Oregon. Sutphin rode his Bultaco through the 11 sections losing only 45 points. The 11 sections in the course each had two routes. The Intermediate Trials and Intermediate Trails classes rode the hard routes while the Beginner Trials and Trails classes rode the easier ones. The area is rather unique in that practically the entire course was layed ot on a huge slab of bedrock. This rock stretches for about one-half mile and lies on a hillside. Some of the rock is covered with a layer of soil and moss. The rock formation contains many drop-offs, cliffs, crevices and odd formations which offer a multitude of possibilities for a trials course. There's also a creek running through the area which was used in six sections. The other five sections were laid out on the rock, one of which contained a 50-inch log which the rider had to jump over. Sections I, 2, and 5 were rock sections with 2 and 5 containing some mud to add to the fun. Most of the Intermediates had little trouble with 2 and 5, but none of the Intermediates cleaned section I on their first lap. Sections 4,5,6,7 and 8 all went through the creek. Number 8 was the most difficult because the rider had to exit the creek Qnto some rocks which got extremely slick as they got wet. Sections 9 and 10 were the hardest on the course. The Intermediate Trials riders were the only riders to negotiate them. Both of these sections were on solid bedrock. Nine contained a 5·foot venicle rise immediately after entering the gate. Next was a 4·foot rock knob and an extreme off camber turn, then over another rise of about 2 feet. Once over that part the rider had two ruts to cross, both about 2 feet wide and deep. The ruts were solid rock, too far apart to jump and too close together to drop into. Qnly two riders cleaned section 9. Keith Rodrigues and jerry Kafer both did so on their final lap. Section 10 had a rise of about 50 feet which was a nearly vertical, solid rock. After coming up this cliff, the rider made a tight right turn, dropped over a 4·foot ledge, made a sharp left turn and came right back up onto the 4,foot ledge. And if that wasn't enough, the rider then had to jump a 50-inch log before exiting the section. The final section, number II, was another creek section which was filled with big wet moss-covered round rocks. There were a lot of anxious moments in 11. The water is very cold in Oregon this time of year! After all the riders had completed their four laps, the results were compiled. Ron Sutphin was the winner in the Intermediate Trials class receiving only 43 points and 27 cleans. jerry Kaffer received 54 points and had 19 cleans for second. David Griffith won the Intermediate Trail class with 75 points and 8 cleans. Behind David was a Husky automatic rider by the name of Tyrrell Hart. Tyrrell received 91 points and 15 cleans. In the Beginners Trial class, Q.uinion Swank was the victor with only 15 points and 26 leans out of a possible 56. He had no five's or three's on any of his score cards either! Q.uinion had. by far, the least amount of points for the day. Keep in mind however, that none of the Beginners or Intermediate Trail riders rode the very difficult sections 9 and 10. Last. but far from least, Fred Pariani was first in the Beginning Trail class on his ITI75 Yamaha with 85 points and 5 cleans. After all the serious riding was over, Don Sutphin, event organizer and local Expert, dazzled everyone with his trials talent, first by jumping over a can on a completely flat surface, second by jumping on the 50-inch log which had been used earlier and then riding the entire length of the log before jumping off the other end_ The third thing Don did was to stop his bike on an absolute flat surface and then procede to crawl allover the machine with nothing holding the machine up but skill and balance. But the the grand finale, Don promised me the opportunity to take a picture of 4 guys standing on a trials bike wi.th nothing holding the machine up and on a flat surface. Don's not much for keeping promises because just as I clicked my last picture of three standing on the squashed Ossa, .two more jumped on and that made five! • Results Beg Trials: 1. Quinion Swenk; 2. S _ Siler; 3. Fritz Martin. ' Beg Trail: 1. Fred Porioni. In. Trail: 1. David Griffith; 2. Tvrr-Il Hart; 3. Don Rodrigua Int Trial: 1. Ron Sutph;n; 2. Jeny Kaler; 3. Tom Tucker. • 41 -'

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