Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126553
Larry Hooper jumped his way to the Timber Mtn. hare scrambles win. Chris Plain fast at SHRMX' By The Ranchhands BRENTWOOD, CA, NOV. 15 The race of the day was the 125cc Juniors, taking full advantage of the sunny skies at the Sand Hill Ranch motocross as the rest of the county was drenched in rain. Chris' Plam, the Oakland Yamaha pilot and riding his first Junior race, was smoking! He fell twice during the .first moto and was still able to close on the last part of the last lap on leader Robert Conner. Third place went to Scott Perry. The second moto was no contest as Plain.blew away the competition. Steve Nauman, last week's' 125cc Novice winner, again came to the lead in the first moto with· Todd Mithcell taking second. The second "art found "Steve-O" witil an unbelievable holeshot, and by the end of the second lap, he was a full half lap ahead of second place Lance Link. Mitchell did hold on to fifth position for a second O\'~rall. This should head Steve for the Junior class soon. Bad luck for Don Hall kept him out of the winner's circle again. A third in the first moto started the day off well, but a second moto fall ended it all. A fall is bad enough to help you lose a few places, but to be used as a berm and then a jumpl Tony Flores was back as a Mini Expert and had only Marty Cooper. to deal with. Cooper gave him plenty of tr.ouble, but Flores won the first moto. The second moto, Chris Stewart had the lead and held Tony at bay. until a lapped rider caused some problems. Tony took the best way around and continued on down the road for the win. Mike Preston, last week's 125cc . ExPert winner, had to come from fifth place to, win the first moto:>. After leader Mark Hearns fell, Mike took over. but Mark was ~g as he caught Mike and fell againl.He quickly picked it up to finish second. Scott Rebuck had problems all day. His bike failed on the first lap after running excellent in practice. In the second moto OB a borrowed Rancho Cordova Suzuki, he had problems _ a ' . The second moto looked like Hearns would be able to move on Preston again, but this never happened as the Suzuki rider went for the win. Hearns out of Oakland Yamaha finished second. Who can beat Ope!1 Junior Kenny Kleiq, the Rancho Cordova rider? He won both motos last week and today took the first one easily. The second moto found him closely pursued by Scott Johnston. Johnston passed for the lead until the seventh lap with Klein breathing down his rear fender. Gear shift problems for Johnson saw Kenny running away with the win again .this week. Vets and Old Timers had a good turnout. Jim Santone had to come from way behind to pass all the competition, but win he didl Rich Locke' led the Vet race for about six laps until a flat tire pulled him to the side. Peter Dill ran a terrific race on his new one'shock Maico to win. Dill also rode .Open Novice and won but was disqualified for riding out of class. The Open and 250cc Expert race was close as Dave Mythen led the first moto until having motor trouble and letting Larry Dishell take over the lead. The second moto, Don Clark had a' full 12 laps to catch and pass everyone for the win. Results ' 125 NOV: 1. Steve Nauman (Honl; 2. Todd Mitchell (Varni; 3. Bob Zo"""oni (Vam). 80: 1. D",in PaIaey (Vam); 2. Robbie Duhaya (Vaml. 250 JR: 1. Dan Wheley (Varni. OPEN: 1. Kanny Klein (Suz); 2. Don Wilaon (Yaml. 125 EX: 1. Michael Preston ISuzl; 2. M"'k Hearns IVam); 3. Michael Whelan IVaml. 250 EX: 1. Don Clark (Varni; 2. Craig Christian IVaml. OPEN EX: 1.08\18 Mythen (Mail. OTNET: 1. Jim Santone; 2. Bill McClinton. 125 JR: 1. Chria Plain IVam); 2. Robert Connor (Suz); 3. Scott Perry ISuzl. OPEN NOV: 1. Kurt Jorgesen IMail; 2. Dan Roddewig lSuzl; 3. Mike Magann (C-AI. 250 NOV: 1. S. Pimental IVaml;. 2. Mike Mulahy (Suz); 3. Ron 8JodIey (Vam). Hall, Michlitsch, Heitman maul EugeneM~ By Clay Light EUGENE, OR, NOV. 8 Washington riders dominated two of three Pro clas.ses a t ERA MX. LOP's Eric Hall of Camas, WA took the 125cc Pro class, and Arne Hettman of Woodland, WA took his Pro- Link to uncontested wins in the Open Pro class. Tim Michlitsch of Newberg, OR took the 250cc Pro class with his 1-1 tally. Just as in the movie The Fog, the fog crept in farther all day to make visibility near zero and take many a victim on this long 2-miJe course. In 125cc Pro moto one, Jimmy Wiant (Yam of Springfield) took the holeshot followed by Rodney Keller (Eugene Suz), Steve Pless (Suz), Eric H~II (LOP Yam) and Richard Earle (DG/Cycle Country Hon). The second lap had a reversal; Ke~er got by Wiant, it was too foggy to see where, but Wiant definitely had the track wired as did Keller. Pless was also there when opportunity came knocking and moved into second. Wiant was now left with Hall, Robby Watilo (RW /Yam support) and Mike McCormick (RW/Yam support) while Ted Harry (Suz), Earle and Wayne Church (Valley Cycle Yam) made up another dice in mid-pack. Keller and Pless were swapping spots as Hall made it a threesome. Hall got by Pless, but Keller, who is one of southern Oregon's best 125cc riders, held for first. Hall worked to second, Pless third, Wiant fourth with Watilo, McCormick, Baker and Earle following across the line. Moto two had Wiant again take the holeshot, Pless second, McCormick third and Keller in fourth. The fog . just kept getting worse and was now completely engulfing the entire track just shy of the tower making it hard to follow the riders swapping for the lead. Hall said between motos tha t he was going to win this one, but at this time was busy challenging Ted Harry and Watilo for fifth. Hall did get by the duo and set his sights on Keller, who was closing in on. McCormick, until Mike bit it big-time, dropping to 10th spot, letting Keller into third. Harry was moving up rapidly, but he also took a southern Oregon soil sample and rejoined the group in ninth, sandwiched between Earle and McCormick. Pless finally took Wiant for the lead, and Hall took Wiant after a five-lap dice that went do~n to the la~t lap of the 20-minute moto. Hall was 'low free to close in for the kill. Pless knew the overall would be his if he could hold on one more lap, but .coming into the final set of whoopde-doos, he bailed off. Hall took over for the iead and took the win. Pless remounted quickly enough ·to hold off Wiant by mere inches and was obviously in some pain. Keller took fourth, Baker fifth, Harry sixth and McCormick. seventh. In 250cc Pro racing, it was the Tim Michlitsch show. The Kawasaki support rider mauled the start over Steve Williams (Herb's/Yam support), Skeet Hise (Eastside Kaw), Rod Huffman (Roseburg Yam) and Gary Bault (Roseburg Yam). Michlitsch had a brief encounter with close racing between himself and local ace Williams, but then went his own way to leave the pack all to themselves. Hise held down third until his scoot developed problems and dropped to fifth. Michlitsch was putting on a good show for the spectators with a 15-second lead over Williams who usually dominates the area. After Hise dropped back, "Hot Rod" Huffman went to third for the remainder of the race with Bault fourth and Hise fifth. Moto two had Michlitsch and Williams again jump to the lead with Hise putting on the pressure for third. Hise did pass both Williams and Michlitsch for the lead in the triples, but was just as soon repassed. Michlitsch shook Williams off and was soon on his way doing one-leg-out kamikaze antics off the big jump. Williams crashed and packed it in for the day, not wanting. to re-injure his healing leg, letting Hise into second. In Open Pro, Hettman put his Newberg Honda into the lead over Dana Hansen (Roseburg Yam) and AMA/ Winston Pro Series flat tracker Billy Oliver (Fred's Suz). (Eugene MX seems to be a haven for flat trackers; John Wincewicl, Gary Davis and Oliver are regulars.) H.ettman showed his real dominance as he roosted to the moto win over a distant Hansen and Oliver. Moto two was a repeat as Hettman blitzed into the lead, and that's all the others saw of him. Hansen gave chase but to no avail, as Hettman went I-I, Hansen 2-2 and Oliver g.g. To top it off, all three Pros that won their respective classes rode together in the samevanl Results 125 PRO: 1. Eric Hall (LOPI; 2. Steve Pless (Suzl; 3. Rodney Keller ISuzl. 250 PRO: 1. Tim MicH1itseh (Kaw); 2. Rod Huffman IVam); 3. Skeet HiseIKaw). OPEN PRO: 1. Ame Hottman (Honl; 2. Dana Hansan IVam); 3. Billy Oliver (Suzl. 30-40: 1. Bill Row IVam); 2. John English IKTMI; 3. 08\18 W_ tHusl. OPEN INT: 1. Mark Esterberg IHus); 2. Derek Louvring IV","I; 3. Grant Huakins (Hua). 250 INT: 1. Joe Santich (Hon); 2. Undsey Wurn (Suz); 3. Robert Hansen IHonl. 250 NOV: 1. Frank Smith (KTM); 2. Bill Mima (Suz); 3. 08\18 Steele (Y","I. 125 INT: 1. Jeff Toedtmier (Varni; 2. Lenny Sayles .(Yam); 3. Rick Gunderson ISuz). 125 NOV: 1. Caeav StonejSuzl; 2. Brett Gilkaon ISuzl; 3. Bryan Springer ISuzl. 100 INT: 1. Scoot Adair (Vam); 2. Dennia Rotham IV","); 3. Kevin Maillard ISuzl. 100 NOV: 1. Kirk Palanick (Varni; 2. John Sand.... (Suz); 3. David Grady (V","). PEE WiEE 75: 1. Jeff Dailey (Varni; 2. Ryan Huffman (Varni; 3. Jimmy Row (Varni. PEE WiEE: 1. Ryan Huffman (Varni; 2. Chuck Standlord IVam); 3. Chria Renard ISuz). Hooper takes Timber Mountain Nat'l~ Hare Scrambles By Delbert Longbrake . JACKSONVILLE, OR, NOV. 8 "I liked it; I had fun." That's how motocross rider Larry Hooper sumIJ.led up his feelings about' the first National win in his racing career. The event was the National Hare Scrambles held at the Timber Mountain Cycle Park near Medford. Hooper had transmission problems the three-hour race, but he still had time to spare throughout the run. Sadly, only 24. riders participate!i in the Motorcycle Riders A5s0ciation's first National Hare Scrambles. The 12mile course covered a variety of terrain which included wide granite roads, narrow fire roads and wide trails. A Grand Prix start was used, and the riders had to run 157 feet to their waiting ma~hines. The first class to start was the Exhibition class. Hooper elected to kick start his Maico while P,ortland Husky rider Ken Maahs decided to push start his machine. Hooper's method worked best, and he was out in first. Maahs, Vern McAlI and Mike Ritchie followed. One minute later, the next wave of riders, the Open class, were away. Tim Reha took his KTM out in frist. Behind Tim was Maico rider Joe Stagg. Stagg thought he saw his big chance to pass when he saw Reha do one of his famous flying Ws. To avoid a collision (or to get more speed for the pass), Stagg stuffed his Maico tranny down a notch. In doing so, his size IO~ Hi-Point boot went right through the shift lever, tearing the important mechanism off his bike and sidelining