Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

-----_.------ 00 0') ~ CN Sunday .!-C QJ ..0 e QJ U CIJ c:l George Hollend domln8ted the 121icc Pro .... completely to help the SoClll effort defe8t their north.-n vWtora. S.cal outscores the North in AMA Calilorni.a . State'MX Championship . By Terry WhytBl' ORANGE, CA, NOV. 21-22· After weeks of qualifying, over 250 northern California riders travelled south to the Saddleback hillsides to <;ompete against the top SoCal pilots in the AMA State MX Championship. The Novice, Intermediate and Mini classes ran on Saturday while the Pro, Veterans and Womens cl~ competed on 6 Kawaski teamster Paul Denis kept within striking distance of Hemme to earn third overall and Suzuki rider Bruce Bunch had to settle for fourth when mechanicals difficulties slowed his drive towards the lead in race two. Little William Surratt piloted his Kawasaki to the Mini Intermediate win ahead of Kawasaki rider D. Camely. Suzuki rider Steve Kalos topped the ~ni Novice clash with Jeff Puliti taking second overall on his Kawasaki ahead of Yamaha rider K. Morabito. Sunday. The weather was excellent for both days and the approximately 2500 spectators witnessed ·some of the finest Amateur and Novice Pro racing ever seen on Saddleback's International course. Yamaha rider Greg Zitterkopf ran away with the Open Pro race while Honda'sJim Tarantino, Can·Am rider Juan Benavidez and Yamaha ace Jim Andenon fought a tremendous duel for top placing in _ 250cc Pro race, the with Tarantino getting the nod. Suzuki's George Holland made the 125cc Pro race a "no contest" with two strong rides that dominated the class. The Women's race was of special imponance this year since -the Women's National had been cancelled and this was the biggest race of the year for woman competitors. Suzuki rider Kim Douglass topped the 125cc Pro race ahead of Mercedes Gonzales . and Jan Murray while a protest was filed against 250cc Pro winner Barbara Spielman, leaving our results for that race unofficial at presstime. Seturday Suzuki rider R. Robenson powered away with the first moto of the Open Intermediate class while Don Adkins pushed his Suzuki in for second ahead of the third place battle between Yamaha rider Eric Von Urff and a charging Alan Olson, who had dropped his Maico on lap one and worked his way up to fourth at the checkers. Olson had more problems in round two but Adkins found the pace to his liking and grabbed the lead away from Robenson to reach the checkers first. Adkins took first overall ahead of Robenson, Von Urff, Olson and Yamaha rider Jim Domenghini. Rich Roarck piloted his Suzuki Floater to a consistent runner-up position in each 250cc Intermediate moto to claim the overall victory and earn his share of the thousands of do1lars in prizes from Hi-Point, O'Neal and Richter. Yamaha rider Jorgen Hansen topped the second moto to place second for the day while fU'St moto winner N. Labord (Yam) posted C\1ough points for third place. Kawasaki rider Tracy Meeks was untouchable in 125cc Intermediate action, besting the field in each moto. Behind Meeks a duel raged between Yamaha rider Tim Aston, Kawasaki pilot Taylor Marcell and Suzuki's Rudy Dickinson. Marcell grabbed second in the first round but mechanical problems dropped him to 15th in round two and Aston earned the number two overall placing with third going to Dickinson. Open Novice action consisted mostly of. watching Yamaha rider Dave Creech win both motos ahead of Suzuki pilot W. Maninmaas who followed Creech to the checkers in each outing. Maico rider Paul Ikeda and Yamaha-mounted Kenny Noland split third place fmishes with Noland taking third overall and Ikeda earning founh. Kevin Green handled the 250cc Novice class in moto one and then placed' his Suzuki second the next round to clinch the overall win. Brett Flory pushed his Suzuki to a 3-3 placing . and second overall while Yama'ha rider Mike Sterling's second moto win vaulted him to third. Honda rider Steve Nouman topped the 125c'c Novice race ahead of Yamaha-mounted M.S. Lieber who score 1-3 to earn second overall. Manny Arnellos just aced fellow Yamaha rider Chris Palin for third place. Toughest and tighest action of the day came in the Mini Expert race. Suzuki's Rick Hemme eventually topped the field with a 1-2 score but not without some tremendous competition from Yamaha rider Larry Broolr.s, whose thrilling second moto win pushed him to second overall. Suzuki rider Barbara Spielman and Yamaha·mounted Dorene Payne battled for the lead in moto one of the 250cc Women's Pro class while Yamaha riders Debbie Matthews and Charleen Ho dueled for third. Spielman fell and had the bike land on her and some spectators lifted the bike from her and she remounted to finish just ahead of Matthews and Ho as Payne went on to reach the checken fIrSt. Conflicting eyewitness accounts ha the spectators, including her father, either lifting the machine from her and letting her start it, or lifting the bike, staning it and then letting her - ride away. A protest was filed against Spielman for outside assistance and official results are pending the AMA's decision. Unofficially, Spielman charged back in round twa and reached the checkers fint to claim the win. Payne stayed close to place second and earn the runner-up share of the purse (not yet paid pending protest decision) while Mathews rode to a strong third overall and Ho placed fourth. Suzuki rider Mercedes Gonzales had some problema keeping the rubber side' down in the l2See Women's Pro race and Kim DougIasa danced her Suzuki to the fmisb line first in each moto. Gomales followed the smooth· riding DouJ(1ass to the 'checkers both rounds to claim the runner-up money while Team Newpon's Jan Murray pilot~ her Yamaha to third overall ahead of Suzuki's Alice Tanner. Honda rider Judy Grisham topped the Womens Intermediate class ahead of Yamaha-mounted Tam Tracy and Barbara Warch also riding a Yamaha. • Linda Sman powered her Yamaha to the Women's Vet class win ahead of Siuuki rider Dee Granger and Maicomounted Teri Marquardt. Suzuki rider Nina Bevilacqua: bes~ed the women's Novice division while Yamaha riders Tracy Gallo and Linda Christensen placed second and third. T. O'Niell won the Beginner race on her Yamaha while Husky-mounted T. Han placed second and Nancy AndrtlS pushed her Suzuki to third. Maico rider Alan Olson had smooth sailing in the Vet Expert class after Jim Beltnick pitched his Maico and was hit by another rider. Not seriously injured, but huning, Beltinck dropped from the moto and Olson powered to a commanding lead. Olson came back to repeat the performance in round two to take the overall. Maico rider Ken Ratzloff posted a 2-2 score for second overall and John White pushed his Maico in for third. Nonhem California rider An McDade topped the Vet Intermediate class on his Maico while Ed Smith cruised to the second moto win to earn second overall honors on another Maico. John Tartaglia placed third on yet another German wundermachine. Yamaha rider Robert Rivenbark aced the Vet. Novice class ahead of Suzuki-mounted Tim Helming. Rocky Williams had time to walk his pet racoon through the pits and still finish third overall on his Wheelsmith Maico. Suzuki rider Bob Elliott pulled a killer holeshot in moto one of the

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