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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127738
.Pikes Peak
(Left) Pikes Pellk record holder
Cllnl Vllhsholtz powered his way 10
the win In the Open Pro class at
the 73rd running of the "Rllce to
the Clouds."
Photos by Buche
PIKES PEAl<, CO, JULY 4
efendIng champion Clint
Vahsholtz overcame a derailed
qualifying dash that cost him a
front-row start to take the
Open Pro win by a slim three-second
margin in the 73rd Pikes Peak "Race to
the Clouds."
Weather would prove to be a factor
from start to finish in the event. Organizers and participants alike battled
with the adverse conditions over the
four days of practice and qualifying three of which were outright cancelations. And during the racing program
the bikes and carS that had already run
would be shuttled down to get them out
of the bitterly cold, windy conditions
that would prevail on race day.
Two hours before the start of event,
the Board members in charge of the race
huddled in a motor home to hear the
weather report from the 14,110-foot
summit. It wasn't good, and the decision was made to shorten the race for
the first time ever. Instead of finishing at
the customary altitude, the finish was
lowered to 12,78D-foot-high Devils Playground - about nine miles from the start
- immediately following the infamous
series of switchbacks called "the W's".
The scramble was then on to move all
the support equipment from the summit
four miles up the road, down to Devils
Playground, set up timing and be ready
to film and control the finish.
This was the fifth straight year that
motorcycles have been included in the
program, following a lO-year absence.
This year, along with cars, ATVs and
modem bikes, the event also included a
new vintage motorcycle class.
As expected, the race of the day was
the Open Pro class, and the $5000-plus
purse brought out a fine selection of talent.
Qualifying went smoothly for most
riders in the class, but one notable
exception was current Pikes Peak
record-holder Clint Vahsholtz. The local
resident made 'a hurried sprocket
change before the qualifying dash and
D
30
the mountain, but his sixth-place performance was nonetheless impressive.
By far the talk of the event, the new
Vintage class proved not only to provide great racing but also served as a
showcase for some beautiful old
machinery.
Eddie Mulder dusted off his old #12
Triumph and made his now annual trip
to Pikes Peak. In past years, Mulder had
come as a mechanic for his fast friend,
Mickey Alzola.
Scott Dunlavey took his 1972 Yamaha to score the inaugural win in the class
by nearly 10 seconds over Mulder's '67
Triumph, and in addition also won the
best-appearing-bike award. James Sinclair was no threat to the hard-charging
pair out front, but he did manage third
(Right) Don Bruner led the -V In 250
Amllteur racing on the Peak, winning the
cia.. by almost six seconds.
(Below) Chuck Lee (56) dices
Geoff
Cesmllt (85) In the 250cc Pro claas. They
would flnlah first and second,
respectively.
with
in the field of eight on his Rickman Tri
umph Metisse. Timothy Wolf an
Charles Wallace rounded out the to
five.
Of particular note was Greg Frazier
who brought cheers and visions 0
Bobby Hill when he crossed the fi'Dis'~
line in sixth on his 1936 Indian Sport
Scout.
The 250 Pro class found Honda rid
ing Chuck Lee leading a string of Col
oradoans in the form of past state roa
race champ Geoff Cesmat and Stev
Elgard.
.
Riding a fast, mistake-free race Do
Bruner took his Yamaha to first place'
the 250 Amateur class, with New Mexi
co's Scott Lee in second and Honda
mounted Mike Shenk in third. Jer
Bernardo from ESPN2 was on hand t
race in the class and took a few pointe
from another rookie, the above-men
tioned Ty Davis. Bernardo was the to
finishing rookie in the class with
proud fourth place.
Pike Peak HHlcilmb
failed to readjust the chain. As a result,
the chain derailed during the run and
ruined his chance for a front-row start.
The starting grid is arranged in rows
of five, and riders are started at oneminute intervals with each rider being
timed individually. With the WoodRotax rider starting on a la ter minute
than his front-running competition,
there would be no reference for him as
to his pace in relation the.class leaders.
In the end, though, Vahsholtz turned
out to be the class of the class, winding
his way to victory by narrowly defeating the other local racer, Paul Zinke of
Woodland, Colorado, by a slim 3.1-second margin. Third place went to jumping champion Gary Wells, riding a
Kawasaki, who just edged out Camel
Challenge winner Davey Durelle by 1.5
seconds at the line.
Wells raised a few eyebrows with his
spee~. At one point the rookie even
passed Pikes Peak veteran Durelle, only
to realize he was lost running in front on
the road. Wells backed off and allowed
Durelle, who was struggling with a poor
rear tire choice, to lead to within a short
distance of the finish - there Wells
would repass him to take the spot.
Brian Anderson, a frequent winner
and record holder on the Peak, held off
national enduro points leader Ty Davis
on a factory Kawaski. Davis admitted
that he would have to improve his
going-sideways skill for his next run on
Pikes Peak, Colorado
Resulta: July 4, 1995
250 ~ 1. Don BruneT (Y;un); 2. Scot Lee CHon);
Mike Schenk (Hon); 4. jerry Bernardo (Hon); S.
Long (Yam); 6. David Wollaston (Yam); 7. Mar
Ericlcson O