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/126798
(Above) The first wave of Expert riders head off for the smoke bomb. (Below) Overall three-wheeler winner Randy Ressell (Hon). Chris Crandall rode his American-buih ATK thumper to the overall win in the 1984 edition of Barstow-to-Vegas. 1984 Barstow-to-Vegas' Crandall and ATK take overall By Larry Langley BARSTOW, CA, NOV. 24 Finish-line spectators waiting for the first rider to finish the 1984 Barstow-to-Vegas Hare and Hound were startled to hear the roar of a big four-stroke in the distance. Most had expected a white Husky of favored riders Dan Smith or Dan Ashcraft to be the first bike in but soon the ATK of 8 Chris Crandall came into view and thundered across the finish line. Crandall completed the 155-mile course in just three hours and 12 minutes after the banner dropped near Barstow, California. A jubilant Crandall wheelied down the finish chute to the cheers of the crowd. Three minutes later, the water-cooled 1985 500XC H usqvarna of Scot Harden slid into the finish and the two top riders shook hands and congratulated each other. "It was a good course and the rain made it dust-free" said Crandall. "I had a decent bomb run, top 10 I think and' started picking riders off until I saw Ashcraft (Dan) eat it big time. He hit a sand berm wrong and launched way up into the air. I was sure he was hurt seriously so I stopped but he got up and motioned me on so I took off. I only lost a few seconds." Ashcraft escaped se.rious injury but the crash put him out of the race, his first since he hurt his elbow in the Baja 1000. Crandall ,thanked ATK, Dallas • Baker Racing Products, O'Neal and Tustin Honda. Third overall was Chuck Pettigrew on a new 500 Can-Am who was later disqualified for not stopping at two checks to get his card marked. Fourth was another ATK with Mike Baker on board. "Well, Horst (Leitner) should really be happy" stated Baker. "Not too shabby, first and fourth overall for ATK." (After Pettigrew's disqualification, Baker was moved to third overall.) Crandall survived a crash into a rock pile and an oil leak to rack up the biggest victory of his career. The 1984 B-V was the second running of the race since its re·instatement in 1983 after a nine-year lapse due to environmental protests. Last year's race was in doubt right up to the last minute but this year's event was pretty well assured when the Sierra Club's lawsuit challenging the BLM's issuing of a race permit was dismissed by a Federal Court earlier in the year. Again, AMA District 37 promoted the race led by Chairman Tom Genrid who coordinated the thousands and thousands of hours of work by the race committee. Instead of the usual tank cards, the organizers used a card that was attached to the wrist by a plastic tie wrap and tape to avoid the problems of gas ruining the marks on the card. Promptly at the scheduled 7:30 a.m. starl time, the banner rose for the first of five waves. One minute later, the banner dropped and the first wave of Expert riders were frantically shifting gears in an effort to get the early lead. Overhead, helicopters from the major news stations and D-37 followed the early progress. The helicopter hired by D-37 proved its worth early on when it spotted a seriously injured rider and directed medical help to the scene - it was much faster and more efficient than a bike sweep. The helicopter was also used for another purpose: To monitor the riders to make sure they stayed on course. One rider observed off the bomb run was Duane Summers (Cag) who reportedly cut over a mile off the course during the bomb run. Summers was disq ualified by referee Rick Hammal. FIrst 250 in was Neil Christman (Hon) at seventh overall. Christman thanked Greg Winkle of Desert Sport Center in Ridgecrest for his support. Derrick Paiement (Hus) had the 250 win in the bag but ran out of gas within sight of the Iinish line. Heart break. Husky rider Brett Howell was also leading the 2505 but his bike seized about 20 miles from the finish. Afterwards Howell said it was over a minute belore the next 250 came by, ridden by Paiement. The wet, cold weather played havoc on jetting, causing many of the bikes to seize. Baja 1000 co-winner Randy Morales rode his Baja pre-run Honda fourstroke to Iifth overall and finished with a front fiat tire. Nevada racer Anthony Pasqualotto (Mai) took sixth