Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

~ Q,) ..0 e Q,) > o Z " Co-winner Jack Johnson bums knobbies away from the start line on the Johnson/Saker XR500 Honda. Pernod/Score Baja 1000 Baker/Johnson· thump Pernod/ SCORE 1'000 By Karel Kramer ENSENADA-LA PAZ, B.C., MEX., NOV. 3-4 Moments after the sun peeked into the Baja .C alifornia town of Ensenada, Nevada ironman Jack Johnson became the third rider to leave the start line of the SCORE-sanctioned, Pernod-sponsored Baja 1000. Three-time 1000 winner Johnson and 1975 winner Al Baker swapped their pre-production 8 1983 Honda XR500 twice, and 17 hours, 25 minutes and 27-some-odd seconds later Baker crossed the finish line in the Mexican resort and sport fishing town of La Paz. Baker claimed weariness, bu t appear~. f.rc;sh. as he ~ rode 'past the impound area and up the stairs parking his Honda in the lobby of Ensenada's Gran Baja hotel, passing in the process the SCORE officials scurrying to the finish line to assist the skeleton crew sent when word came by radio that Baker would arrive nearly an hour before the finish was due to open. Baker/Johnson were also the overall winners; besting firstfour-wheeler the Mickey Thompson- Terry Smith Class I VW buggy, by approximately two hours and 20 minutes. This marked the first time that SCORE originator and chairman of . the board Thompson has won his own race, or for that matter, finished. Last year's lOOO winners finished in the runner-up spot as they did in '79, the last time the legendary Ensenada to La Paz point to point course was used: Scot Harden and Brent Wallingsford shared an '83 Husqvarna 500XC that was the only vehicle to be within striking distance of the leaders. They stayed within 1015 minutes of the leaders until a bum ignition put them down 46 minutes of real time and 30 seconds more than that in race time by check six. Harden/Wallingsford were a total of 50 minutes behind in real time by the finish . As in 1979, the third vehicle and third bike was a 250cc Class 21. The flying Pfeiffer broth.ers, Kent and Scott, crossed the line in 19 hours, four minutes and change. Since they were the first starters in their class, there was no doubt of their instant first in Class 21 status. Rick .Shirey/Mike Goodwin were the first Class 30 racers across the line. Their 490 Yamaha was sixth across the line behind Thompson and the third Class 22 (Open motorcycle) team of Denby Dailey/Ted Van den Raadt. . Ca~ey Folks gave. all the credit of the Class S8 (motorcycles with riders over 38) win to finish rider Max Switzer. A sheared flywheel key put the team down an hour at the start, and they still had an hour or so deficit when the rider change came. Switzer rode the remainder of the race after missing Folks at the next designated change. Switzer took the lead and won by an hour. The well organized Honda team picked up another class win in the 125cc Class 20. The Honda was in the hands of Bill and Peter Postel with Kevin Hopkins. . Honda also won the three-wheeler class with all three 1983 ATC250R entries finishing and only Honda's entered. Dean Sundahl and Curtis Sparks shared the winning machine. The Matt LandfieldlTrace Willis Yamaha was the first bike to leave the start area at 5:59.30 and head toward check one at EI Rayo, running a short way on pavement twice during the southeasterly course. Unfortunately their XT 550 Yamaha did not make the third check. Jack Johnson blitzed through the check in the physical lead and actual lead 46 minutes later. Brent Wallingsford and the Landsfield/Willis Yamaha hit the check together physically in second place, but in actual elapsed time, the 250 Yamaha of the Pfeiffer brothers was in second place. Third on time was a tie between Class 22 teams Dan Ashcraft/Tom Kelly aboard a Husky and eventual third overall finishers Van den RaaQt Dailey. A Class 30 team was also tied for third, the team of George Earl and Richard jackson, which is not really surprising since the leading team of johnson/Baker qualify for Class 30. The Ron Bishop/john Watkins Yamaha hit the check in the lead physically and in time for Class 38, taking five minutes longer than johnson. Donnie Morrison was first Class 20 on the Morrison/Kurt Pfeiffer YZ125. In the EI Rayo area, Team Honda motocross manager Dave Arnold. teamed with National Champ Darrell Shultz's mechanic Chris Haines in Class 22, crashed his, what else, Honda CR480R between 80 and 90 miles per hour while running fairly well. He said of the first leg," We had a lot of problems, I seized it on the highway and had to ride to San Felipe. I rejetted there." Arnold broke a bone in his hand and bruised himself up, but rode another 250·300 miles. Apparently only one team, a Mexican 125cc entry, failed to make the first check. The rest of the teams headed nearly dead south towards the second check at Mike's Sky Rancho. The course threaded through several little villages, crossed Mexico High. way 3 at Valle de Trinidad then on to Mike's. The French team of Thierry Charbonnier/Daniel Chabanette blistered to the second check with the fastesr time from check to check by 20 minutes over johnson, but they were not in contention for the lead. The burst of speed did not carry to the next check. johnson was still well in the lead, coming in at 8:14 a.m. Wallingsford and Kelly were tied in second on the same minute - four behind the Honda - but were two minutes apart in real time. Dailey had dropped lO minutes off the pace in real time. jackson was about four minutes off the best Class 22 pace, but was still clenching the Class 30 lead three minutes ahead of Bell/Drean who were in at 8:44 a.m. Eventual class winners and runners-up were 10 and 15 minutes off this early pace. The Bishop/Watkins versus Davidson/Grant Yamaha/Husky battle was still leading separated by three minutes. Class winner was still 40 minutes off the leader's.pafe.

• Cover