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/127246
Dewey Belew piloted his ATK to a f ourth overall finish and second. in the Open class behind Funk. Todd Kennedy finished eighth overall and took a commanding win in the Vet class over Dean Dlouhy. Nolin rolls at Barking Spider By Tony Alessi and Kim Scott YUHA, CA , JAN. 4 Rob Nolin, District 38 Champion for the past three years, cruised to the overall victory in the 11 th Annual Barking Spider desert race held near Yuha, California. A rough and rocky track was designed for th e compe titors in · d T Shi t h e D rarrrori irt-sponsored even t. The course was a 16.2-mile loop th at riders had to circle five tim es. There were three checkpoints, a long stretch o f th e Yuha wash , a few ro u gh uphills a n d six 100 mph-plus s traigh ts, that th e 120-man field had to co nten d with. While rain drenched much of southern California, it failed to reach Yuha and th e riders faced a dry and dusty co urse. . '. T he start was set In a StX row format , with a ll experts and a mateurs on row one, ATVs o n ro w two, nov ices lined u p in th e third ro w, more AT Vs on rows four a nd five a nd fin all y a ll beg in ners on th e final ro w. Tim Funk, riding a Duncan Cycle prepared Honda CR500, blasted off th e front row an d into th e lead at th e start of th e race. Yamaha sup- ported Nolin follo wed a nd was carving his own tra il th roug h the b ush es and th e rest o f th e pack . Troy Pi erce was st uc k in m id pack a nd was dodging roc k roost an d heavy dust. Abo u t two mi les into th e race Noli n was a ll over Fu n k, a nd as th e two riders drag raced th ro u gh a long stretc h of the Yuha wash , No lin passed Fun k for th e lead. "His b ike was faster th an mi ne," Fu n k sai d. " I can' t believe Nol in 's 250 pulled m y m odified 500 in the 'lo ng Yuha san dwash." "I used a small rear sprocket, that's the secret to my speed," sa id Nol in. "T he co mbi natio n of m y P ro Circu it motor an d gea ring m akes it hit harder a nd ou t-rev the 500s. " I closed down on Funk a few tim es, he seemed to be bouncing all over th e pl ace, wh ere 1 was stay ing low and h ook ing up, my b ike just stayed o n the gr ound m ore, and 1 mad e a clean pass in th e fastest part o f th e track," Nol in added. T he Kearney Mesa Yamaha , Race T ech -supported rid er used co ns istent lap times of 21:30 to put abou t a minute a nd a half eac h lap o n Fun k. Funk seemed to slo w down a fter bei ng p assed , and tried to maintain hi s lead. "This is o n ly m y third ride since 1 broke m y wri st la st year a t th e Budweiser 250," Funk sa id. " I felt a litt le stiff, a nd th e track wa s ro ugh , a nd rea l fast." Funk held do wn seco nd, o u t was pursued late in th e rac e by a hardch arg ing T ro y Pi erce. " I got a bad start, co u ldn' t see a thing a nd th e rocks we re rea ll y flyin g ," P ierce sa id. "'After a while 1 got u p to third , a n d by th e wh ite fla g 1 was on ly 30 seco nds beh ind Funk. 1 was ca tching h im th e wh ol e race." 'No lin went o n to win by more th an five m inutes. He was followed by Funk, Pi erce a nd Dewey Belew. 1n the Vet class, it was 1984 a nd 1985 District 38 Champion Todd Kenned y a ll the way. Kenned y ro de fast a nd smooth an d po wered to a co m ma n d i ng win a n d e ig hth o vera ll. "Sorry 1 ca n' t sh a ke yo ur hand, after this race I don 't have a ny grip left," Kenned y told race promot er an d D-38 president Fudpucker. Roy Basin rode hard in the 125cc class a nd won in a very co n vinci n g manner. H e was pursu ed ea rly o n by Cr aig Smi th. Basin fini shed fir st a n d 10th overa lI. • Results 0 / A : 1. Bob Nolin (Vam); 2. Tim Funk (Hon); 3. Troy Pierce (Yam); 4. Dewey Belew (ATK): 5. Joe Lane (Kaw); 6. Gerry Campbell (KTM); 7. Bill Atlit (KTM); 8. Todd Kennedy (Vam); 9. Dean Dlouh y (Vam); 10 . Roy Bafin (Vam). OPEN: 1. Tim Funk (Hon);2. Dewey 8elew(ATK); 3. Bill Atlit (KTM). 250: 1. Rob Nolin (Vam); 2. Troy Pierce (Vam); 3. J oe Lane (Kaw ). 125 : 1. Roy Basin (Yam); 2. Craig Smith (Vam); 3. Keith Steven s (Yam). , VET: 1. Todd Kennedy (Vam); 2. Dean Dlouhy (Vam); 3. Tom Nolin (Vam). SR: 1. John Bilkey (Vam); 2. Mike Govern (Vam); 3 . Tom Nolan (Vam). VINT: 1. Harry Bran in (BMW). BEG: 1. Rodolfo Ol ivares (Hus); 2. Dave Folstad (Hon); 3. Jeff Clabby (Hon).