Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

._-> W -~ ..J Cl Z ~ > a: a: ~ > CD e rJl e fe :I: ~ 00 0"> - "- C\J .... Q,) ..0 S Q,) ;> Z Second overall finisher Mesecher (left) and Last Chance winner Palenske were among the finishers awarded "crying towels" for their efforts. Grant Palenske beat Robb Mesecher to take the overall for the second time. John McCormick (below) was first B rider overall. agreed the "c" loop was way too fast. While the CEA put in a tremendous amount of work into the course, most riders felt the speeds were excessive. Sunday's "C" loop was run mostly backwards at a more sedate 24 mph average and the riders that were left thought that it was much more realistic for the "B" and "C" riders. D-37 number one nior rider Harry Keast (Dura]ube/Maico) crashed hard and went home even though he was in contention for the number one plate again. Harry's long-time Senior rival Ron Fry (Hon) knew Harry had dropped out and rode conser'vatively fOrlwodaystoclinch the 1984 number one plate. Dana Bell (Hus) blew a shock out on the first loop aturday and dropped out but came back and rode Sunday to pUt many of the male riders to shame. Another woman, Training Wheels MC referee Anne Crawshaw, went 10 miles, decided she wasn't having fun and retired. She worked a check Sunday. Honda-mounted Randy Kemp hung in for twO days with bloody, blistered hands fora top finish. Young Kemp wa really getting tired near the endSunday when Palenske passed him - that revived him enough to stay on Palenske's tail right into the finish. Four-stroke class winner Vernon Gabbert (Hon) struggled into the finish very exhausted but glad to have survived, being the only fourstroke mounted "A" finisher. 0 "A" 200s finished. Overall "B" was john McCormick on a Yamaha. UENs Charlie Brown (KTM) lost over ]50 points Saturday but motored on and became one of the elite finishers. ewly-elected D-37 Enduro teward An Moore (KTM) burned his bike's clutch up Saturday, decided LO ride Sunday anyway but had LO go around one particularly-bad uphill due LO his slipping clutch and missed a check. He still stands a good chance for a trophy since he got so far. Why was the course so tough? The CEA has a reputation for putting on extremely-challenging courses - read "rocks." Rock at speed really wear the riders out. More than one rider commented that more-reasonable speeds Saturday would have conserved rider energy and allowed more to finish. Of course when the riders received their finisher award, the assumption that the club anticipated a LOugh • CEA/AMA Western RegioJIIII ChGm2ionshi~ Two Da~ Enduro: Palenslle wins one more time By Larry Langley LUCERNE VALLEY, CA, NOV. 3-4 CR500 Honda-mounted Robb Mesecher slid and bounched his way down the last rocky downhill into the finish of the California Enduro Club's two day Western Regional Championship enduro, rested a minute and waited for Grant Palenske (Hon) to finish. "Grant has to be pretty late here 42- for me to have a chance" said Mesecher. "He beat me in the special test in the third loop and it's all going down to the finish check." As the minutes ticked away, a few exhausted riders made their way down the hill until finally Palenskecame into sight. He knew he had to have a good score at the finish to win and was bouncing '0[[ thl! rocks en

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