Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Er;~;;~';;'l i! i Ii! NOTHING!!! i ~ ,""XI,"" I i i ~ ~~ ~ - SCOT HARDEN 1 WINS AGAIN! Desert Hotline Harden takes his fNth Moapa to VegasH&H ! By Wayne Gales I t' 1 CIS - For the fifth time in its 11 year history, factory Husky ace Scot Harden brought in the overall victory in the Groundshakers an- • _ _ 1 • _ I _ 1 _ 1 1 - 1 ~ 1 1 1 • 1 ~ ~ _ ~ Veley - Red Mounteln - .....ter City - s..chnpt - SIde.lnd.r R. .d - Superstition MounbIn - " - - R . - . - · - ! SCOT HARDEN I-I 1 1st OVERALL MOAPA to VEGAS i HARE & HOUND -I _ i GARY PUSTELAK ! i WINS AGAIN! ! - · 1 i ~ - . 1 I I 1 I I ! 1 - _ I _ 1 _ _ I _ I _ I 1 GARY PUSTELAK 1st OPEN PRO FLORIDA WINTER AMA SERIES 3rd ROUND i - -. -. _ • 1 WRITE OR CAll FOR FREE BROCHURE-I - Il'IallIrM I'et'forIMnce PIoducta L ._._._._._._.-- 11401 PIoneer Wrq #14· B - c.;on. CA 92020- (714) 442-9723 DEALER INQUIRIES WELCOi'IE =======,S'''I£=== ~ 1 __ G.,I.nd Suzuki 18rgest Parts Inventory in OellaslFort Worth Metroplex Ovemight delivery via bus available in most parts 01 Texas, Oklahoma, & Louisiana 300 Lavon-Hwy 78N G.land, Texas75040 2\4-494·3374 MOAPA·LAS VEGAS, NV,JAN. 18 nual Moapa to Vegas race. Harden powered his Randy Chamben-prepped Husqvama 450 XC [0 a 15 minute lead at the finish line over some of the best ta~nt that Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and California had to offer. The 130-mile race stretched from just south of Moapa, NV, to a finish near Nellis AFB, within sight of the Las Vegas skyline. The normally chal· lenging Nevada desert was especially treacherous due to a very dry winter. Everyone but the leader rode in a cloud of dust from start to finish. When the Experts left the line shortly after nine, it was Nevada's own Italian Stallion, Anthony Pasqualollo forging his 490 Maico into the lead with 'Jumpin' Jack" Johnson right on his taiT, also Maico mounted. This was Jack's first ride on the Gennan marque, and along with Pasqualollo, Kevin Welch, and superbiker Kevin Davis, Team Maico will pose a for· midable front to the Nevada desert scene in 1981. Close behind Johnson was Harden and Husky rider Chris Morgan, who dropped south out of the Utah fog for a litde Nevada sunshine. As the racers pulled into the first gas, Anthony was still in the lead, with Harden taking over second. Johnson's bid for a maiden voyage Maico victory ended before the first gas stop with a shredded rear tire. Jack limped in to the check riding on a rim, and was no longer a threat to the frontrunners. Shortly after gas one, Harden began reeling in Pasqualollo. Then Anthony crashed and just remounted in front of Scot, who started really putting pressure on the Maico rider. When he crashed again, this time through a tree, Harden slipped by and it was clean goggles for the premier member of Team Husky for the remaining 85 miles to the finish, followed by Morgan and Kevin Welch. Since Harden will be the only sponsored Husky rider to campaign in the Open class this year in Nevada, a victory against the awe· some red threat of Team Maico was especially pleasing. In the 250cc class, it was Yamaha· mounted Kevin Steele running wire to wire and bringing in fourth overall over Bobby Davidson. The 125s saw Daryl Folks continue his winning ways with an easy first place and seventh overall over Danny Anderson. In the Over 38 class Preston Gerber surged to the front of the old timers' group with a win and a brilliant fifth overall. In Class 30 Cherry Creek promoter Don Fuller will take the brass back to Utah with Al Hoskins bringing in second and the legendary Max Switzer taking third. Results OVERALL: 1. Scot "-den; 2. Clvi. Morgen; 3. Kevin Welch; 4. Kevin S _ ; 5. Pt..ton Gerber; 6. Anthony "-uoI<>tto; 7. 0eryI Folks. OPEN EX: 1. Scot _ ; 2. Chris MorlJlln; 3. Kevin Welch. OPEN AM: 1. G. Wen-en; 2. Jef e.-.; 3. J..RImo. OPEN NOV: t ..G. T~2. John ~i~' Ottley.. 250 EX: 1. Kevin S_; 2. 8obb¥ . - - x l ; 3. Mille -.. _. -- _. 250 AM: 1. An l.onier; 2. Ty B _ ; 3. M. Hanley. 250 NOV: 1. Lorry Brown; 2. John Popjoy; 3. OlIn Johnoon. OVER 30 EX: 1. Don FulIor; 2. AI Hookins; 3. Max Switzer. OVER 30 AM: 1. Ed Sivon; 2. Joke Send; 3. Jon Ogren. OVER 311 EX: 1. Ptooton Gerber; 2. Som lIMa; 3. B. Cole. 125 EX: 1. Deryt Folks; 2. 08my -.on; 3. Rendy Honeycutt. 125 AM: 1. Floyd ~ 2. Todd.Jollr-.; 3. Jon AInwg. 125 NOV: 1. R_d ~; 2. Dove McDonough; 3. Ronf'uMna Miller slleles to Sled Rider win By Joyce May LUCERNE VALLEY, CA, JAN. 11 MUd-spattered Chuck Miller earned the Sled Riders' overall win at the first'D-S7 desert race of the new year, mounted on his new mount out of Premier Yamaha. Saturday night was exceptionaUy warm and at about 4 a.m. a warm, gentle rain began falling. By 8 a.m, however, a cold wind had descended out of the north and had dropped the temperature into the low 401. The rain continued to fall, ranging from a mist to a saturation. The ground was well soaked, malr.ing the start one of thOle rare, beautiful ones with no dust at all. The Amateurs and Experts took off with a roar at the drop of the banner, but the Novices and Beginners were still waiting on the start line when the ftnt Expens came off the first loop and stopped for gas. Several riders had been hurt and Rescue 3 was busy getting them out of the way for the next wave of riders to go by. For the Amateurs and Experts the lead had been taken, almost immediately, by Miller. A- number of other top riders had seized their machines either on the bomb run. or just past it, becauae of the flat-out speed attainable with no dust. Cliff Thomas moved through check two behind Miller followed by Dan Ashcraft, Darin Cart~ght, and Dan Smith. In tbe sixth slot was Mike Sixbery who had decided to retain his "666x" plate for another year. He was followed by Chuck Steams, Kent Pfeiffer, ftnt Senior l07x, and Tom Mallox, rounding out the top 10. Direcdy behind these 10 Experts was the first Amateur Tom Bullock (Open), with the next Amateur Tony Megla (250cc) seven slots back. The first "C" machine was piloted by Pete Postel. He was battling with another "C"er, Bill Mattox. By the second check Greg Miller (250cc) had the Novice lead with Randy Jones (25Occ) c10se behind. "C" rider, Mike Jones. was the next Novice in and out, followed by three more 2505 piloted by Leon Kipwood, Scott _ Henderson and Ray Conway. First Beginner racer with a District number was Steve Ocheltree (Open) with Steve Thomas (250cc) only a couple of bikes back. With the ground so moist it was difficult to see where the riders were. As the estimated time drew near for the completion of the ftnt loop by the leaders, pit crews and spectators began to search the desert to the north and east to see if they could spot the leader. It wasn't until the first machine was heard, however, that the leader could be spotted. Miller had the lead with Dan Smith a few seconds behind. The banner dropped for the Beginners and Novices aa Miller, Smith and a few others were gassing up for their second loop. The ftnt loop trail paued between tho .aRc Ii_ aa4 roecI. -As spectators and pit crews moved ont the road from the start, they had [ cross the race course. One almost "severe" crash wa averted at the last second as a ride was moving fast along the course goil! into the pits and a truck with campe pulled out directly into his path, th rider started to go around [he front 0 the truck, but the driver just k moving, forcing the rider to lay h' bike down at the last second, with th front wheel sliding up against the fron wheel of the truck and the rear wheel under the truck. Everyone sighed a sign of relief when the rider jumped up. He fmally got his machine cfuentangled and started it up again, and was off. What could have been an extremely bad scene, happily tumed out all right. Out on the second loop Millet continued to hold the lead with Smith and Ashcraft having a battle for the second spot. At check four Smith had it, by checlr. five it was Ashcraft moving through in the second spot. By checIr. six, however, Smith was back in it again. The riders found the sand to be great for traction, but the wet rocIr.s were a different story. Some parts of the course the riders encountered rain, and in other pans there were only clouds and cold wind. The dry lalr.e was _, dry. The couple inches of standing water made the crtlIIing of the laIr.e an experience to be remembend. While the hont wheel flipped spatters of mud into the rider', face, the rear wheel slid sideways, making forward motion a real challenge. On top of this. there were also numerous bomb craters in the area to make things really interesting. Goggles were discarded one way or another early in the race. They were either fogged up or totally covered with mud. Halfway around the second loop, through check five, it was Miller, Ashcraft, and Smith, as reported earlier in this story. Following them, in hot pursuit, were Howard McCasland, Sixbery, Steams, Pfeiffer, Bill Mattox, Pete Postel, and Ken Upp. The top 10 finishers were spread out quite a bit. Miller (Open) still led the pack past the checkered, with Smith (Open) finishing in the second spot. Sixbery (25Occ) had made some good moves and took the checkered in the third slot, pushing Ashcraft (250cc) into fourth. Three more 250s followed in ftfth through ieventh place; Cartwright, Steams, and Pfeiffer. Piloting "C" machines in the eighth and ninth slots were Bill MattoX and Pete Postel. Ed Whisenant (Open) had moved into the 10th slot. First Amateur acJ'Olll the fInisb line was Heavyweight Tom Bullock 14th overall, followed by ftnt Amateur 250cc Chris Crandall, two positions bad. In the 19th slot was the first Amateur "C" machine piloted by Kurt Pfeiffer. The first Exp"rt Senior to take the checlr.ered was 10126 (Open) in the 20th overall spot with first Expert Vet Monte Lee (a 250cc Vet ace who's moved to the Open class this year) right behind him. The first Trailbiker was back in the pack at the 57th overall position, well ahead of the next "T" bike piloted by Amateur Chris McDonald. Randy Jones (250cc) had moved to the head of the Novice pad with Greg . Miller (25Occ) not far behind. Mike Jones was third, first "C". First Novice Open machine was piloted by Dean Criske. JI , • rI • I J t, , •

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