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/126555
a . - V...., - Red .....tM - .....ter CItJ - S"'chll&ht - Sldewillder R.... - Superstition M....... - jean -1bIIII--.tllnl - Desert 00 0') a . - V...., - Red M otline Stearns hangs on to take SGVMC Beatty to Vegas By Shirley Upp BEATTY-LAS VEGAS, NV, NOV. 28 A very cold and wet Chuck Stearns came across the San Gabriel Valley M.C. Beatty to Las Vegas H & H finish line first, in what turned out to be a race with any kind of weather you could imagine. The moming was cold and cloudy and when the banner dropped at 8:00 the riders were eager for the start. At the bomb it was Open rider Dan Smith (Hus) and 250cc rider Cliff Thomas (Yam). For Thomas it wasn't to be his day and he got off hard just after these two riders started on the main trail. Most all of the front runners stopped or slowed down to make sure Thomas was OK before continuing the race. Chuck Miller (Hus), Dan Smith (Hus), Stearns (Hon), Dan Ashcraft (Hus), Brett Howell (Hus), Greg Thomas (Yam) and Jeff Kaplan (Hon) were all running well up front. Howard McCasland (KTM) had seized on the bomb run but not enough to keep him out of the race. Ashcraft also seized but he was out for good'. First 250cc Amateur Ted Hunnicut was running well'up front at this point. First 250cc Vet was Jim Bringhurst and Jim was really going for it today. Trailbikes eete Andelman and Bobby Charters were dicing it out for positions now. First 250cc Senior was Al Guzman and first C bike Expert was Scott Anderson. First C bike Novice was Dan Chumney. First woman was Jolene Payne, having a. great ride today. Coming in to gas one it was speedster Miller running first with fellow Open rider Stearns in hot pursuit. Third Open was Smith, riding hard and trying to gain some time. Fourth overall and first 250cc was Kaplan. Fifth was Murray Kapko and Howard McCasland, putting in a truly great ride, had moved up to sixth: Between last gas and finish the riders were put through a test of physical endurance. The weather along with the terrain made riding rough going even for me best of riders. Speaking of the best, Miller's luck didn't hold and in the mountains where he could work on his bike in the snow, his rear brake rod broke. While Miller was working on it Stearns came flying through the snow. After these two speedsters had a chat Stearns was on his way with the lead in hand. Bobby Charters had' trouble: running first in class seven miles from finish, the teeth broke off on his counter sprocket. Forgetting all about the wet and cold when he saw the checkered flag, Stearns took frrst overall. Miller, who had to ride almost 50 miles without a back brake, took second overall. Third was Smith who was glad to see that checkered flag. Dan's comment, "I don't even want to tallt about it." Fourth in the frrst 250cc was Kaplan. Thomas, who had a great ride, was futh. A frozen Howard McCasland was sixth. Inman, first 250cc Amateur w~o won. his .battle for the day, WIth Hunrucut nght behind him and Brown was a close third and II th ov~rall. First 250cc Vet Jim Bnnghurst, was 12th and first Senior Heavyweight was Lewellyn. First C bike Expert in was Tom Elias who had a super ride. Scott Anderson stayed in there for second C bilte Expert. Vet ~ateur, Ron Gray, was another nder who had a super ride having moved up to first in his class. First Trailbilte was Bobby Charters, who after losing his counter sprocket ~nd ~aving to push much of the way m, sull managed a first in his class. Hats off to you Bobbyl The first Vet Novice was Hoyt Statham. First girl was Jokne Payne, tired and cold but h~ppy.. Ray Conway managed a finish WIth his flat and Ed Waldheim, after running hucjl of the way on a front flat, held on to get the finish. His wheel didn't have any spokes left, so Ed was lucky in Vegas. Most riders enjoyed the rain, hail and snow for a change, a big difference from our desert he" tI Miller masters SoCaIH&H By Shirley Upp FREMONT VALLEY, CA, NOV. 22 SoCal M.C. chose Fremont Val· ley to put on their first hare and hound in a few years. Mter taking the lead past the smokebomb, Chuck Miller (Hus) held it all the way home. At 10:09 (the start of the race was held up an hour because of two riders hitting head on during a practice run to the bomb) the banner dropped and a super race was underwayl The bomb run had plenty of ruts and gullies to keep you on your toes. Miller, and another Husky rider, Dan Smith, got to the bomb at the same time and for a distance they did some dicing. Ken Upp (Yam), Dan Ashcraft (Hus) and Cliff Thomas (Yam) were trying for the lead in the 250cc class. Chuck Stearns (Hon), Brett HowelI (Hus) and Rich Zajic were alI being pushed by Lee Scheffers (Yam) a mile past the bomb. Meanwhile, Miller had jumped in front of Smith and had taken the lead. By the time the lead riders got to Whitey's Wash, they set· tled down to some super riding. Thomas had the lead in the 250cc class, wi~h Ashcraft and Upp next. Other riders that were starting to move up were Stearns and Jeff Kaplan. Miller had the lead at home check with Smith in hot pursuit. First 23Oc:c rider Thomas was next with Ashcraft running fourth. Stearns, riding his first District ! 7 race on his factory Honda, had moved up to fifth overall and third Open bike. Kaplan had moved up to sixth with Upp seventh overall. Howell, Zajic and Scheffers were next.