Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

-Canada- Northern California·Northern Nevada-Oregon-Washington·ldaho-Utah·Alaska-Canada-Northern California-Northern Nevada-Oregon-Washington-Idaho-Ut taking home the back-to-back wins with second going to Honda rider Brian Branson. The 250cc Junior race found Suzuki of Ventura rider Jimmy Mahue taking the back-to-back wins w!th Greg Giggy taking second and third going to Yamaha rider Mike Williams. Results 81 MINI EX: 1. Doug _ lVom); 2. Chrio '-- ISuzl. 81 MINI JR: 1. Ronnie Denoford lVoml; 2. Kevin Peoploo lVom); 3. Alex Rogorw lVoml. 81 MINI BEG: 1. Milch Sendorw IYoml. PeE WEE: 1. DenilII C_II1tl. 83MINIINT: 1.~CoIIierl~l. 83 MINI JR: 1. Chrio 1M. (Suzl; 2. - . Scott lVom); 3. ~ YOUr.:l. 83 MINI BEG: 1. . SIndon IYoml; 2. lM>ce Good"., lVoml. VET EX: 1. S _ Rogers lHan); 2. 0Ivid Rogers lHuol. VET JR: 1.e.te--lVom). 125 PRO: 1. Rondy _ISuzl. 250 PRO: 1. Jim Domonn lVoml; 2. Doug I..8wrence lVoml; 3. S_ _ IC-A). 500 PRO: 1. llIrin 0Ii-. lVoml; 2. Mike Yllchlk lVoml. .. 125 INT: 1. Dorin twgio IKTMI; 2. Bobby KomnJ'"" lVoml. 125JR: I.AndyEllillVoml. 250 INT: 1. Bobby KOIBnjion lVoml; 2. IlriIn a...on 1Han). 250 JR: 1. Jimmy MIyhue (Sud; 2. Greg Giggy; 3. MikeW_lVoml. 250 BEG: 1. Regen SIIOey lVoml; 2. Eddie Hedge (HUll. 500 INT: 1. Koilh SimliHonI; 2. Mike Abbott lVoml; 3. Mike Antw IHanI. 500 JR: 1. Bryen Kennedy (Hanl; 2. Chrio G-..rt (Han). McKenna, Emery sweep at Marysville MX By Terri Emery MARYSVILLE, CA, APR. 5 Clear skies and warm sunshine made this northern California track the place to be today with a slight breeze keeping things cool. The hot part was the start of the Open Expert race with Allen "Superman" Berluti running away with the holeshot. Eric McKenna was hot on his heels followed by George McNamara and Albert McElroy. Berluti and McKenna were really battling it out with McKenna pushing hard on Berluti. McKenna's Maico made the move and powered past Berluti on lap four and the rest of the race was a futile attempt of catch· up by Berluti. The second moto saw McKenna tall.· ing the holeshot again. Pat O'Donnel and McNamara were the others in the top three positions which didn't change the whole race. An interesting thing happened around the spectators' mound. This mound had a high, fast left tum. None of the riders were going high and fast. At the bottom, a small puddle the riders were going through kept splash' ing water onto the track. By the second motos, this "small" puddle had developed into a track-wide mud bath. It was 20 feet of mud and a two-foot long puddle some 12 inches deep. If you saw some brown rider, he had undoubtedly stopped to check this grand puddle. Remarkably, the Minis did the best. 80cc Novice winner Larry Azevedo said, "I had no troubles in it." A big yellow bomb exploded from the 125cc Expert class. That bomb was none other than Ken McKenzie on his shiny Suzuki. Unfortunately, by lap two he'd bailed. Rodney Smith was happy to take the lead position as Steve Richards and Steve Vlahos followed him. Richards slid out and Vlahos and Mike Whalen decided to go for the money. Whalen bit the dust so Tom Odekerk took second. Rodney Smith tried hard to outmaneuver Vlahos but luck was with Vlahos and in an exciting mid-air pass, he beat Smith. . Smith, Vlahos and McKenzie headed for the holeshot in race two. McKenzie was bound and determined to show that crashing wasn't the only thing he was good at. He took his pl~ce in the number one slot after passmg Smith and chasing Vlahos for four laps. But the hot race was between fourth place Spoof Pena and Smith who had dropped to third. On lap three, Pena and Smith diced it out, switching positions several times. Finally on lap five, Pena took third and kept it. The 250cc Expert class was the last of the day and the biggest Expert class with 25 riders. Randy Pockrandt led the pack into tum one. By tum three, Brad Emery and McKenna had swooped down the spectator mound. These two riders passed the front four bikes in one swift move. Behind them came Pockrandt and Pat Wilson. The race was between Emery and McKenna. Emery was sweating bullets trying to get away from McKenna who was waiting for the mistake that was sure to come. These two riders were 10-12 seconds away from third place. Finally, the mistake came as Emery wobbled and McKenna gassed it into the lead. Emery was now playing catch-up. Was his first gone? Around the track they went, out from the back and it was McKenna in the lead, but not by much. Side by side they thundered. Heading toward the right tum before the mud hole, McKenna got his knobby in front of Emery. Into the mud bath they sprayed each other, McKenna taking a high line, Emery cutting low. Out of the spectator mound, it was Emery in the lead and taking the checkered first, McKenna second, Chapman third. Pockrandt again took the holeshot for race two, then the shuffling began. Out of the mud bath came Wilson, Rick Woodson, Chapman, Emery and McKenna. Chapman's brakes failed and he pulled off. McKenna passed Emery and eyed Wilson who slowed letting McKenna past and in front of Wilson and Emery. The worst thing that could happen did as McKenna slid out. Wilson saw this and compensated by going wide. Emery was so hot on his rear he cut in close to McKenna. It was now Emery and Wilson in the air straining for the lead. Emery's Yamaha hit the ground and got the lead over Wilson whose luck ran out and he crashed. McKenna was trying to regain his lead but to no avail. Emery went in for first, McKenna second and Woodson third. Results OPEN NOV: 1. Mike Petrunt ISuzI; 2. Den Roddewig ISuzI; 3. Tom CIrgiIe IMoiI. OPEN JR: 1. Mike Fertend IMail; 2. Scott Johnouln (Mail; 3. Pete Hem IMBil. 50 NOV: 1. Merk Connelly (Han). 80 NOV: 1. l.Irry Azevedo ISud; 2. Rich J..-; 3. S _ McCrery lSuzl. 80 JR: 1. Ernie e . - UI lVom); 2. Gary Smith lVom); 3. Kevin Snider lVom). 80 EX: 1. r"" _lVam); 2. Randy Koy lVoml; 3. Phillip Slldw-lVoml. OPEN EX: 1. Eric McKenne IMoiI; 2. G_ge _ l V a m l ; 3. P1It O'DonneIIMoiI. 100 NOV: 1. Jemie AJdemen ISuzl; 2. IlriIn Carr lVom); 3. Todd Eckleo lVaml. 100 JR: 1. Robb Foeoberg ISuzl. (Sud. 100 EX: 1. Rev _ PP NOV: 1. Alioe _ I~I; 2. Jeri Merquerdt IHanI; 3. Debbie ~ lVam). PP EX: 1. J.nie Mo

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