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Tim Locey returned from an Injury-inducecllayoff to gamer a second and a third at AME's Labor Day GP.
SImons, Snorfeland
smoke AME/
Budweiser Labor
DayGP
By Judy Greenberg
Photo by Bob Greenberg
VALENCIA, CA,AUG. 51
A grand prix COUTSe using the
International track, sand. hills
and river of Indian Dunes weI·
corned over 600 riders for the
22
American Motocross Enterprises La~r
Day Grand Prix sponsored by Budweiser. A $1,000 purse went to the
Pros, with a host of contingency sponsors awarding prizes by drawings held
throughout the day.
Dead engine starts were used with
surprisingly very few failures off the
line. Willy Simons, Mike Shoemaker
and Pete Snorteland took home top
money for the 125, 250 and 500cc Pro
wins.
As the sports news on Channels 5
and 11 announced the 'AME events of
the day, the 125cc Pros blasted off the
line with Jim Simons' Simi Cycle
Honda in the early lead_ International
Yamaba suppon rider Steve Schmitz
took over the next lap and appeared to
be off with strong control when he
suffered a panial seizure, putting him
on the sideline_ Simons then retired
with problems and the Simi Cycle
Yamahas of John Langhammer and
Willy Simons ran hot in the first two
spots with Sintons making a successful
pass on Langhammer as they proceeded
to run from the pack. ~ark Moscrop
(Luft Racing) and another Simi Cycle
rider, John Drury, were in tight con·
tention for third. As Drury made his
pass. Larry Baker moved into the futh
spot. Schmitz was back on the track
making up ground and positions, finally settling into third. Moscrop dropped
back and Baker ran out of gas on the
last lap with the top five finishes going
to Simons, Langhammer, Schmitz,
Drury and BryanJordan.
Mike Shoemaker (Int.
M/C)
jumped right out in front of the 250cc
Pros and immediately built his lead to
claim his share of the purse. Tim
Locey (Yam. Mtr. Corp), back from
an injury lay-off, diced with Pete
Snoneland (Premier Yamaha) for
second, as Kal-Gard/Yamaha-mounted
Bob Kline moved through traffic while
gaining ground on the Locey/
Snoneland battle. Bill Hagen, Richard
Bunch and Jim Coffey were next in
line for the fifth spot. Snoneland found
his way around Locey with Kline following suit a couple of laps later. In the
final lap somewhere in the back of the
course. Snoneland ran out of .gas.
Kline took the checkered in second
with third going to Locey followed by
Hagen andJim Coffey.
Snorteland took charge of the 500~c
Pros on his DG/Premier Yamaha edging out from the stan. Locey rode an
unchallenged, consistent second down
to the wire, as Steve Hutchens appeared safe in third. Hagen was his
early competition but succumbed to a
flat tire as Shoemaker was picking off
riders, making it past Hutchens into
third by the halfway point. Fred Price
took advantage of the last laps to put
Hutchens behind him and finish founh.
The 500cc Intermediates were won
by 7-jay's Brand Johnson. His only
competition came from the USA
Husky of Dan Smith who stayed with
Johnson for most of the 50 minutes.
Kirk Sturgeon, usually seen in the
top five of the 500cc Pros, switched to
the Odyssey Class I taking home a
three foot first place trophy. Danny
Griffith led for most of the race with
Andy Jannings in second. Sturgeon
made his pass on Jannings and used
the last lap to put Griffith behind him.
Team races finished the day. Using
the same bike the riders switched each
lap for 50 minutes. The team of Bill
Hagen and Pete Snorteland took the
lead in the 500cc class and never looked
back. Jim Coffey and Tim Locey made
their switches without letting another
250cc get by, as did Todd Broussard
and Eddie Green in the 125cc class.
Results
125 PRO: 1. Willy Simons IV."I; 2. John Langham-
"* (Yoml; 3. SIeve Schmitz (Varni.
125INT: 1. John Rogers (Varni; 2. N"H M8Cllonnell;
3. Eddie Groen (Voml.
125 JR: 1. Don Spratt IHonl; 2. Kenny Pitken (Suzl;
3. Mike WolfeIC-A).
125 BEG: 1. Briln 5'...... IVlml; 2. Chuck B",ling
ISuzl; 3, GUY Gowdy (Varni.
250 PRO: 1. Mike,Shoomlk'" (Varni; 2. Bob Kline
IVaml; 3, Tim Locey IVaml.
250 INT: 1. Mark Durand (Varni; 2. Todd Bausch
ISuz); 3. Andy Richard (VarnI.
250 JR: 1. Randy Tottlem,,,, (Suzl; 2, Todd
MacDonald IVam); 3. Rag", Lopez IVaml.
250 BEG: 1. Mark LitelYaml; 2. Eddie Graet (Varni; 3.
Danny Bauch (VarnI.
500 PRO: 1. Pete Snorteland (Yam); 2. Tim Locey
(Vom); 3. Mike Shoomal<", IVam).
500 INT: 1. Brand Johnson ISuzl; 2. Dan Smith
(Husl; 3. Tom Price IHusl.
500 JR: 1. Dave Chase IHus); 2. Buddy Bosh (Vam);
3. Ronnie lewis (Yaml.
VET EX: 1. AI Stinebaugh 15uz); 2. Rick Shirey
(Varni; 3. Loon Price IVaml.
VET JR: 1. Herb Townsend IVaml; 2. George Cook
IHusl; 3. Robert Dahlgren IKTM).
ODYSSEY ClASS I: 1. Kirk Sturgeon; 2. Dannv
Griffith; 3. Andy Jannings.
ODVSSEV CLASS II: 1. William Eveland.
ODVSSEY CLASS III: 1. Jim Burchard.
ATC: 1. Mark Merlin.
TEAM RACE - JR CYCLE: 1. Mouse McCOVI
~~~2~~=J~
Brooks (Voml; 2. Rich Hough~,nglJim Collier IKawI; 3.
Soan RiloylScon Sutton lSuz).
TEAM RACE - l00cc: 1. Pat DoIanIP