Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

(Above) Third overall Jeff Russell. (Below left) Wally Wilson. the 500cc Intent winner, (Below right) Top four-stroke pilot Larry Roeseler. countless kicks trying to get the engine lO run. With few problems on the trail for the top riders in each class, the battle came down .to specia I test scores. Ballard edged Fredette by one point in the first test, but Fredette still maintained a comfortable lead at the lOp of the result sheet. Lady Luck threw a curve at Ballard during the third loop and the 24 minutes he pent curing the problem erased any hope of a lOp placing. He was running third overall at the time. A rag became ensnarled with his chain and front sprocket. "I spent 20 minute trying lO get the rag out," said Ballard. "At one point I became so frustrated I actually thought of trying lO burn the thing out only I didn't have anything to light a fire with." If the problem had shaken Ballard it didn't show as he was the quickest rider in the econd spe ial test by a full 12 seconds over Fredelle and Kadlec. James Gunse\man was the second and final retirement for the day. His ride ended two checks from the finish. Bob Shillinger received a special welcome at his final gas stop in the form of a banner wishing him a happy birthday. Shillinger's present was a trouble-free day and a move from fourth to third in the 500cc class. Before impounding his bike at the finish of day two, Jeff Russell opted for a new rear sprocket. Hyde went for a rear sprocket and new back tire. Kadlec almost had his ride end when he crashed late in the final loop. "The throttle slide twisted in the carburetor and then I lost the spring which holds the needle in. I thought I was out for sure, but the bike kept running and I made it to the finish without losing any points," said Kadlec. "I was within a mile of the finish," said Alvin McCannon, "when I broke my chain and then had two spark plugs foul. That cost me 360 points for the six minutes I lost fixing things. Up to there I had zeroed the course." 14 minutes and added 3300 points to his overall score, Flat tires took Frank Stacy out of action for good, Stacy, with three flats in a row, ran out of air b<;>l!les and then found there.,were no more riders behind him. He rode backwards on the course until he found a checkpoint where he was able lO repair his tire, but by that time he had houred out. Kevin Davis was in the pits for good. "I thought I had cured my bad luck," said Davis. "I was finally going good, but I hit a tree and broke the right side radiator on my Husky. That ended my day." Cunningham had a radiator problem of a different kind, but the result was the same. "I crashed in a rocky section," said Cunningham. "The exhaustpipemusthavebeenlmocked out of line a bit because it pinched a radiator hose. I didn't know anything was wrong until I ran the second special test. The bike kept running slower and slower until the engine seized." Hyde led the l25cc Intent class standings at the end of the day with Fredette on top of the 250cc results. Wally Wilson held the top spot in the 500cc results while Roeseler was the top 500cc Four-Stroke rider. The atmosphere in the work area next to where the bikes had been impounded for the night was very serious for the next 38 riders starting day two, The weather was clear and cool. The trail was run in the opposite direction for day two with some new . ---------------~ sections added in, The mileage was again 139,6 Everyone lOok advantage ofthe 10minute work period before starting, with some trying to do major repairs. Keith Moore worked feverishly on his Kawasaki to put on a new front brake assembly after having mounted a new rear tire before impounding his bike the night before. He barely made it through the start on his minute. His work was in vain and he was out of action with brake problems halfway thl'Ough the day. One rider who had a large gallery watching him work was 17-year-old Randy Hawkins. He wa being initiated inlO the an of quick tire changes under the watchful eyes of Hines. Barry Higgins and George Burch. Hawkins was riding his first ISDE Qualifier, but vou wouldn't know it from watching him as he absorbed all .the information and never skipped a beat in his work. Higgins had prepared Hawkins' Husky and was handling the overall pit crew work for Hawkins and Hines, until Hines bowed out. Most riders changed rear tires. Fredette replaced his rear sprocket, but not the rear tire. Drew Smith went with new 'rubber, a new chain and rear sprocket. Vic Ely was one rider whose work didn't go as planned. He missed his key time by seven minutes while he tried in vain to get his bike to start. "It's not the ideal way lO start the day," said Ely before charging off. Roeseler's bike wouldn't start either. He spent nearly five minutes and .....•...........•.•.... _ ... ---------- Fredette, with 1617 points, led the day two standings and was on lOp of the 250cc class. Hyde held the top I25cc score and was second overall at 1658 with third overall to Kadlec at 1662. Russell, at 1710, was fourth over 500cc Four-Stroke class leader Roeseler's 1717 points tally. Wilson continued to lead the 500cc class and was sixth overall with 1780 points. Overcast skies greeted the 36 starters on day three. The original schedule called for three loops (103.9 miles) to be run with one grass track special test and a MX-style final test with 10 riders per five lap mota. Trail master Paul Roddon told the riders they would ride only two loops if there was heavy rain. Hyde began his lonely ride as the first rider out while Roeseler was the final rider away from the start. Tony Mitchell was the only rider to retire on day three. He was only two miles into the first loop when his engine began to run raggedly. He returned to the pits and spent half an hour trying to trace and repair the problem. When none of his changes worked he parked his bike, Halfway into the loop it began to rain heavily and the wind picked up. Word went out to cut the ride to two loops. Shortly afterward weather service reports had the path of a tornado headed toward the general direction of the ranch and the trails. It was quickly decided to halt the event at the end of the first loop, impound the bikes, run the special test, impound the bikes again and then give all the riders a IO-minute work period before running the final test. One rider who wasn't taking any chances was McCannon. He pulled off the trail into a ravine and waited some 10 minutes "until the wind stopped snapping the tops of the trees off." It was Hyde's turn to shine in the special test as he turned in the best time. Thecour e,turned IOslick mud by the heavy rain, gave most riders fits. Ballard crashed in the middle of an uphill section and manhandled his bike upright, then ran alongside it the rest of the way up the hill. Fredette headed into the final test with a 40-point margin, 2072 to 2112, over Hyde with Hyde holding an 11point edge on Kadlec's 2123 score. The first moto was run in a heavy downpour. Hyde lOok an easy win by 27 seconds over KTM's Jack Penton, who had encountered problems on day one and picked up 1560 points 10 end any hope of a lOp finish. Hyde's 1158 score was the best of the day. Russell won the second molO and turned in an 1184 performance which was second best for the day. The third moto was the qec.isive one. Fredette and Kadlec were joined by Ballard with Ballard taking the holeshot, but losing the lead to Fredette halfway through the first 1.5mile lap. Fredette quickly pulled away and was in IOtal command for the first two laps. On lap three, his hopes for the overall win were erased. "The bike was running fine and then suddenly the engine wouldn't run any stronger than an idle. I think some dirt got into the carburetor and clogged the main jet. Whatever the problem is, I feel like shooting myself. To be within two and a half laps of the overall win and then to have something like that happen is heartbreaking." Fredette finished the maIO at a snail's pace. Ballard reeled in Kadlec for the maIO win, while Wilson and Roeseler won the remaining two sevenman motos. When the final results were posted it was Hyde's 65-point better final test score that moved him into the lOp spot over Kadlec. Third overall went to Russell with Four-Stroke class winner Roeseler and 500cc class winner Wilson rounding out the top five. Fredette finished sixth overall. ''I'd like 10 thank Dick Farris for all his help and also my wife Betsy, my sister Marsha and Terry Cunningham," said Hyde. "This is my first win in a National cali bel' event and it feels good. Jeff (Fredette) lost it the lOugh way and I know how he feels because I've been in that position myself." "Since I moved to Colorado from Minnesota a year and a half ago I've really gotten good at riding rocks, but I've lost my talent for mud riding," said Kadlec. ''I'm glad the run is over, although I had a lot of fun. Fredette was really in command and it's hard to lose like that. Ron's Husqvarna in Colorado Springs has been a big help to me and I know they'll be happy to hear how I did.". Results 125cc GOLD: Mark Hyde IHus) 3270. SILVER: Randy Hawt

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