Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Dan Ashcraft rode his Honda to second place in the Open Expert class; unlike Baker and Don Griewe, Ashcraft didn't ride the course beforehand. The flag drops and the pack prepares to scream down the pavement. through a blocked off intersection and out into the open desert. Baker dominates Adelanto GP Sy Anne and Tom Van Severen Photos by Tom Van Severen ADELANTO, CA, JAN. 30-31 It was a winning weekend for Yamaha 250cc hotshot Mike Baker when desert racers took to the streets of Adelanto for the running of the Adelanto Grand Prix. During two days of hectic racing, Baker ran away with the win in the 250cc class, overaIled the Unclassified race, led for most of the Pro race before a broken rod put him out of the running, and then went on to ride his 250 to victory in the Open class race. Baker's Open class win, however, was short lived. Since AMA rules make it illegal to race a 250cc motorcyde in the Open class, Baker went to race organizers and disqualified himself soon after taking the checkered flag. "I was having a good time," said Baker after finishing ahead of all the Open class bikes in the final race of the weekend. "The course was good and rough and everything was going right. This weekend was a lot of fun." Race organizers, AMA's District 37 Desert Vipers M.C., had laid out a challenging seven-and-a-half mile course for this year's event, which drew a weekend total of over 600 riders. The first race of the weekend was a free-far-all Unclassified event, which many of the riders had entered so they could check the course layout before their main event. The racers lined up in waves on one of Adelanto's main streets and when the starter's flag dropped, riders screamed down the pavement, through a blocked-off intersection and headed out into the rollers and open desert. And it was here that the race spectators saw the first display of Baker's sty!ish riding. Baker shot into the lead soon after the start and began pulling away from the rest of the field. Local Adelanto police, who clocked Baker with radar guns, reported that he went into the paved, 9O-degree corner in front of City Hall at 63 mph and had dropped to only 55 mph coming out of it. Baker's 250cc Yamaha crossed the finish line in first overall, with Tom Kelly and Mickey Pascarella taking second and third overall. Baker was out in front again at the start of the Pro race and was soon pulling away for a bid to pick up the 1,000 Pro purse. But Baker's Pro class reign was cut short when his Yamaha broke a rod, forcing him to retire from the race and leaving the checkered flag for Gary Semics. The $600 second prize went to Don Griewe with Duane Summers picking up $400 for third place. Summers was followed in by Don Hoover, Mike Alexander and Eddie Ogden. Baker came on strong again in Sunday's 250cc race. The start was delayed until 12.30 p.m. to allow the local residents to make it to the race after church, and there was a large crowd lining the streets to watch as the riders prepared for the Ii ve engine start. Baker shot into theleadas the starting flag dropped and made short work of the first loop, turning in a time of just over nine-and-a-half minutes and building up a lead of more than 20 seconds over Charlie Morris, Jr. who had his Suzuki in second. Alexander was in third coming out of loop one, with Ogden and Kenji Gauthier close behind. Gauthier put in a fast second lap and worked his way up to third overall and was locked in a back-andforth battle with Alexander for the remainder of the race. But out in front, Baker could not be caught. Morris couldn't make up any time on the Yamaha rider, and Baker took the win after five laps with more than a minute to spare. Second-place finisher Morris said, "I was running about fifth off the start when we got to the end of the pavement and I just started catching up." Third in the 250cc race went to Alexander, who described the course as, "a bit chewed up," with Gauthier just a few feet back in ·fourth. "I had no idea where 1 was going because I 001 y got here th is morning and didn't get to ride the course before the race," said Gauthier. "I basically didn't want to crash, so I was taking it easy_ " Rick Jame put in a rapid run at the head of the Amateur 250cc pack and had his Kawasaki out in front of the class in 14th overall at the end of the first loop. James continued to lead the next three loops and worked his way up into ninth overall before being passed right on the fillish line by Amateur rival Bob Loflin. Mark Brakebill took the honors in the 250cc Novice divison, just ahead of Cale Jardine, who was covered in mud from head to foot after misjudging his landing. "I lucked out and got a good start, and I didn't let too many people past

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