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/127143
Ul ~ ~ ~ « a: « '" > -c a: > Z Z w :I: > '" 0 0 ..... 00 00 O"l :I: I""'"'l ...J e, w u:: ~ t- C'J >........ ;j ~ Dave Roper placed second in the Premier 500 class on the 1959 Team Obsolete Matchless G-50. Roper dominated the 750 GP rac ing action. Craig Mclean won the 350 GP class on his Norton Manx. He passed Scott Borem on the next-to-Iast lap after trailing most of the way. By Tyrone van Hooydonk Photos by Mike and Dennis Scully • MONTEREY, CA, JULY 9 Pete Johnson and Dave Roper traded wins and second-place.finishes after obliterating the rest of the competitors in the Premier 500 and .750 Grand Prix historic classes a t, Mike Green (1 G) easily won the 250 GP class on his 1965 Ducati Diana . Scott Obermuller (492) grabbed seventh place in the 350 GP class. . . . Scott Borem led most of the way in the 360 GP class on his 1970 Ducati Desmo. but was passed by Craig Mclean and lost by inches. 18 Laguna Seca Raceway. Johnson claimed the closely con teste d 500 c Iass an d .R oper . ran away WIth the 750 VICtory. The Premier 500 class lived up to its name as Johnson and Roper diced for the lead in five of the race's eight laps. The intense Roper fell back only after getting his 1959 Team Obsolete Matchless G-50 loose in turn II and running off the track coming out of turn six. " 1got a little carried away," Roper said, grinning nonetheless. ' 'I'd much rather take second in a close race than take a runaway victory. Pete and I have done a lot of close racing, and we trust each other completely." It was Johnson's second victory of the day, as hewon the AMA Modified Pro Twins race ear lier. This one didn't come easy. "He's a very competitive rider," Johnson said of Roper. "1 rode equally as hard as I did in the P ro Twins race. It's a rea l good feeling if I can beat Dave one time. It's an accomplishment in my book. " Historic National Champion Johnson started the 500 class from the pole position, aboard his 1969 Fast by Ferracci Honda CR450. Into turn one, he led Roper and BSA Goldstar-pilot Michael Wilson; who nearly ran over the edge of the track in turn three. . At the start of lap two, the tightlyspaced Johnson and Ro p er h ad already opened an eigh t-second lead: J They were side by side going into the corkscrew as Roper looked for a way through. The leaders were turning lap times' in the 1:47 range as they increasedthe gap on third place to 28 seconds. Rope r passed Johnson on the inside of turn six going up the ' hi ll. But Johnson answered back, going inside in turn II as Ro per clamped on his fading drum brakes too late. The duel raged on through the backmarkers until lap seven, when Roper went into the dirt outside of turn six . "It wasn 't really that scary, " Ro per said. "But it was definitely a big time . waster." H e lost touch with Johnson, whose Honda twin showed better acceleration than Roper's Matchless ' single. But Roper was still over one" minute ahead of Wilson in third place. : Johrison crossed the finish line nearl y five seconds ahead of Roper, with Wi lson, Craig McLean, and Dan Phillips rounding out the top five. . The 750 Grand Prix race wasn't ' nearly as close with Roper taking a wire-to-wire win. Off the line, he led Johnson, on a 1969 Fast by Ferracci Triumph Trident, and a q uickstarting Allen Satterlee.