Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

TEN· YEARS AGO The 100-mile AMA Grand National Championship Series road race at Loudon went to Triumph Tridentmounted G a r y Nixon. The win marked Nixon's return from injury and ill fortune , as he took the lead 11 laps from the finish when Mark Brelsford (H -D) broke a piston. Dave Smith (Kaw) and Don Emde (Yam) finished 2-3 . Earlier in the weekend , Nixon and Yvon DuH amel had a hard-fought dice going in the 250cc Lightweight event on Yamahas, but Nixon's quit just before the end of the race . In Novice action, Mike Lane lapped the entire field in his first professional race, and Rusty Brad ley earned another $2500 in Kawasaki contingency money by winning the Am ateur race. Riding a 400 Husky, Bill Silverthorn and Gene Fetty topped the motorcycle classes in the NORRA-promoted Baja 500 off-road race. The pair missed the overall win, which went to P a rnelli Jones' Bronco, by 40 minutes. Preston Petty and Bob Ewing had the second best motorcycle time on their BSA Metisse , followed by 250cc winners Armond Caprio and John Kenyon (Yam). Malcolm Smith and Whitey Martino were leading until the oil escaped from the gearbox , which then seized while Malcolm was crossing Diablo Dry Lake. He had no oil with him , so he transferred oil from the forks and topped it off with gasoline to get going again. They finished fourth . With many riders' competing at Loudon, Alex C hinowski topped the Expert class at Ascot's weekly half mile, beating Sam m y Tanner. Joh n Hateley carded the Amateur win , and after another close battle in the Novice class, Kenny Robe rts edge Gar y Scott. Edd ie Muld er took the Expert class win in the monthly TT race , besting Skip Van L eeuwen, Dallas Baker and J ohn Hateley in the combined Amateur/Expert main event. In the Novice race, Gary Scott appeared to have the win locked up , only to seize on the last lap and turn it over to Kenny Roberts. W h i te y Martino (Hus) was'the overall winner in the Desert Turtles' 0 -37 hare scrambles held near Hi Vista. Rich Thorwaldso n led much of the race, only to be delayed when a bush turned 01I the petcock on his Rickman Metisse. Jack Morgan took the 100cc laurels on a Hodaka. IT'S HAPPENING -JUNE 29 at Northern California's Golden State International Raceway . (at Sears Point) Highways 37 & 121, Sonoma, CA 95476 AMA 125/500 National Motocross Championship ~ OL:::J Golden ~-W5tate INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY ~ ~~ \ ) TOP 500cc RIDERS - CHUCK SUN, wlnne!r.. Mt. Monts; GnsIn Gaylon Mosler; Jimmy "Tile Jemmer" Weinert· Rick Bursett; Steve Sbckeble; Merty Moates; Mickey Boone end Gary Sema. TOP 125cc ENTRIES - He..pown winner Mark Bernett; Broc

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