Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

SldewL dirROIId - ........tItIon Mowblli- ..... -R.... McMIUIM - Balentine again' at '. SGVMC's B-to-V HaH By Joyce May BEATTY·LAS VEGAS, NV, NOV. 29 It was Bob Balentine, aboard his trusty KTM. who was fIrst to take the ~heckered flag at Sloan. near Las Vegas. in the San Gabriel IAboveI Bob B.lentine. . . . _king to triM. lBeiowI Mom. Nornwn I'KOV-.cI from • 14 won the SGVMC B-to-V. ..m- to fInIM.IFlle photoa.l Valley M.C. replacement B·to·V (Beatty to Las Vegas) hare 'n' hound. The action staned on a very cold morning after a most spectacular and ,colorful sunrise in the Amargosa Desert south of Beatty, NV. Only bet· ween 75 and 80 paid entries were on the stan line, so all but the three four· wheeled Odysseys staned at the same time. The first leg of the race was the roughest on the machines as it contained the most sand. . Dan Ashcraft came into the first gas m the lead, but Balentine was rijtht behind him, giving him no slack what· soever. Seniors John Watkins and Jack Puckett came in with flat front tires and both' decided to head out on the next leg with the tires still flat. The only Trailbike entered, Pete Andelman's, seized, ending his ride. Paul Palmer was in the top five as he headed for his first gas stop, but also seized before he made it. Out of. the first gas Balentine blasted past Ashcraft as the flu bug staned to react quite strongly in Ashcraft. He had suffered with it all night before the race, but felt it wouldn't affect his ride. The course to the second gas led south from Hwy. 95 almost to the California border acro.. a dry lake to the gas pit outside of Pahrump. Balentine had an exceptionally quick pit stop and was wdI on his way to the third stop when Ashcraft's machine was heard coming into the area. Dan Smith was next, followed by a pie plate rider, Anthony Pasqualotto from Las Vegas. Heavyweight Amateur Dave Hornbeck hit a rock outside the second gas pit, punching a small hole in his cases. By the time he entered the pits for gas, his tranamiuion was stuck in second gear. He decided to try and finish anyway. . The stretch from second to third gas was a rocky one and ended just before the Spring Mountains. along state Hwy.160. Balentine had pushed to a strong 4~·minute lead over Ashcraft, his dust almost out of sight up the valley by the time Ashcraft came through. Smith was next, followed by Pasqualotto. It was at least another 10 minutes before the fifth rider came through, KenUpp. AcroU the valley from the third gas the course followed a fast powerline road. Upp crashed and totaled out his rear brake. Hornbeck came through the pits still leading the Amateurs and still stuck iq kcond gear. Jitn Bringhurst was another rider that lost his rear brake after third gas. John Watkins, who had ridden almost the entire race on a flat front tire. now got a rear flat, too. Morris Norman bad seized on the dry lake, and so he stuck his thumb out to hitch a pull. Finally "C" bike ace Pete Postel stopped and gave him a pull until Nonnan's engine broke loose and staned again. Darin Canwrijtht had been running ~ v..., - R......... sixth overall until he lost the trail. Howard McCasland followed him, but soon realized something was wrong, so he turned around and headed back in the direction he had come, meeting Chuck Stearns who was alsQ going the wrong way. The SGVMC had sent a pilot rider on the course ahead the racers to make SlUe trail markings hadn't been tom down as in the previous year, so those getting lost just plain missed the markings. Into the fmish and .the long powerline road came Balentine with a lead that had been extended to six minutes. Smith bad taken over the second spot. Pasqualotto got by the very sick Ashcraft only about 1'0 miles from the finish. Ashcraft, first 250cc Expert, was also now struggling with a flat tire. It was 16 'minutes until the dust, churited up' by Upp's machine. was visible. and another six minwe wait for Russ Jones , first 250cc Vet. McCasland finally showed up, followed by Stearns. Then there was another wait. Two riders then crested the hill, racing side by side down the road. Las Vegas Senior Sam Bass got the upper !land fmally and put Canwright, who was fighting a rear flat, into a cloud of dust. Another Las Vegas rider, Daryl Folks, was next to take the checkered. Following him was Open Amateur Dave Hornbeck, wbo had ridden all the way from iecond gas in second gear. His clutcb case was now cracked and smoke was curling out· between the cracks. Dave earned the special contingency prize of a helmet, goggles and gloves given to the first Open Amateur in memory of SGVMC member JdfFries. It was Senior pie plater Charlie Hennanson of Desert M.C. who took the checkered next. followed by Vet Bringhurst. In the 12th spot was SenIor Watkins with his two flat tires still miraculously on the rims, followed by pie plater and 'second Amateur. Larry Woodruff. Morris Nonnan beat his benefactor, Pete Postel, in by six bikes as he bad powered away from the little "C" once be got his machine running. Senior Bruce Lewellyn Wat Dnt, fmishing ahead of Bruce Jones (Open) and a pie plater from Las Vegas, Ddmis Stevena. Then over the bill came tbree machines, all very clOR together. Past the finish it was C bike super man Cliff Thomas, riding his first race since be broke his wrist. Directly behind him were the brothers Postel: Bill followed by Pete. John Reed (25Occ), who had been pushed off the staning line, earned first Novice honors. Staunc;h 1>-57 support~, Wyoming's Ken Gwo (Open Senior), was next. followed by the second Novice. another Vegas pie plater, David' Stephens. Amateur Ron Hennanson was next with a front flat, followed by dw first Novice C bike piloted by Gary Goudy. First Beginner, and probably the only Beginner to finish the long race. was Eddie Graf. This gutsy young man had gotten off hard before third gas, and yet be forced himself. to keep going, even though his neck became stiffer and stiffer as he went along. Fifty-eight riders earned the big SGVMC bell finisher pins. The San Gabriel club wants to especially thank the Four Aces. Onen Barbarians. and the Checkers for their club suppon. and all the riders that also made tbe race. • of

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