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/143888
(Clockwise from bottom left) Class 30 co-winner Rick Shirey leaves the line. Class 38 co-winner Max Switzer. Class 20 surviving Honda 126. Female French team MartiniAnquetil were the only lady finishers. contention 'with mechanicals .then lost the transmission 100 miles from the finish. The 'Pfeiffers stretched their winning margin to four hours in the final checks, but lost the chance they had at second overall . when Scott began experiencing light difficulties. Scott finally lost his lights about 10 miles from the finish. Class 20 was also a shu~ case. Peter Postel had watched Kurt Pfeiffer banzai down the wrong trail at a fork in the road. The Yamaha also had light trouble which dropped them an eventual hour and a half off of the winning time at the finish. Only two of the tiddlers made the distance, so that class was settled also. The last few section of the race were described by riders as fast and smooth. Lighting troubles were the main difbculties that caused loss of time. By check seven, Baker was aboard the thumper and 45 minutes in the lead. Scot Harden was fighting the 'problems that plagued him and was not letting the Husky fall back quickly; but Ashcraft was plagued by so many things that the Denby/Van de Raadt Honda was creeping closer and would take third. Among the riders that did have trouble with this section was Haines. He seized the Honda's engine and had to push the bike to the next Honda pit. Dave Arnold came along with a new top end and the transplant was performed. Arnold and company headed for the finish, while Haines tried in vain to escape the pit. He seized the motor twice more and returned 30 miles each time to install yet anotber new top end on the bike. He also lost fifth gear. Then while about two hours from the finish, "I almost had a head-on with a Baja Bug, said Haines at the finish line, "When he saw me he swerved, when he swerved he got sideways and clipped a tree when he was about 20 yards away and rolled. When the Bug rolled past I lifted my leg to QIiss it. My heart was going! I read about tpings.rls.~ d\at, 1;)U~../: •••..... Winner Baker did not come through unscathed either. "I did hit a small cow," he admitted, "when rcame up to it I had the choice of throwing the bike down or breaking the lights out on the cow. I slid the bike down and threw my body out like a body block and hit the cow. I rolled around on the ground and when I came up, everything was quiet and dark. I jumped on the bike, but saw a guy with a signal light down the road. I stopped and asked him which way to La Paz, and got going again." He gave much of the credit for the win to Bob Balentine, who worked a pit for Baker, and co-rider Johnson. Johnson said that when a ride went as smooth as theirs, it was hard to beat. The competition would surely agree to thiH. The win put Johnson in the books as one of two riders to ever win the Baja 1000 four times. He joins Larry Roeseler in rhat niche, which is fi tting as Johnson won three of those races co-riding with Roeseler. In all, riders from Australia, France, Mexico, Canada and the United States competed and finished. • Results CLASS 20: 1. Peter Postel/Kevin Hopkins/Bill Postel (Han); 2. Kun Pfeiffer/Donnie Morrison (Yam); 3. Francisco Castro/Alfonso Castro (Husl. CLASS 21: 1. Kent Pfeiffer/Scott Pfeiffer (Yam); 2. William Boyer/Steve Gildea (Han); 3. Dale Vranckx/Blair Sharpless (Kaw); 4. Christine MertinNeronique Anquetil (Yam). CLASS 22: 1. AI Baker/Jack Johnson (Han); 2. Brent Wallingsford/Scot Harden (Husl; 3. Denby DaileylTad Van den Readt (Han); 4. Tom Kelly/Don Ashcraft (Hus); 5. Cyril Neveu/Philippe Vassard (Han); 6. Bill Holmes/Dave Chase (Hus); 7. Philip Lovett/Peter Stayt/Geoff Curtis (KTM); 8. Thierry Charbonnier/Daniel Chabanette (Husl; 9. Raphael DeMontremy/ Pierre Landreaux (C-A); 10. Chris McDade/Robert McCallister (Yam); 1 1. Chris Prickett/Ron Treat (Yaml/Brad Manger (Yam); 12. Chuck Stearns/Lee Scheffers (Han); 13. Dave Arnold/Chris Haines (Han); 14. Timothy Carlson/Kinney Jones/Pat Rice (Yaml. CLASS 30: 1. Rick Shirey/Michael Goodwin/John (Smokebomb) Gaeu(Yam); 2. Hubert Auriol/Francru Gilles (KTM); 3. Chuck Sugar/John C. WhitelThumper McDowell (Hus); 4. George Erl/Richard Jackson/Niles Ussery (Hus). CLASS 38: 1. Max Switzer/Casey E. Folks Jr. (Hus); 2. Dave DavidsonlTom Grant/Hoyt Statham (Hus); 3. John J. Etchart/Dave Wood/Robert Griffith (Han); 4. Lou Peralta/Mike Hollbrook/Bill Friant (Han). . CLASS 33: 1. Dean Sundahl (Hon)/Cunis Sparks/ Michael A. Cae (Han); 2. 'Wes ArnoldlTom Gildea/Harry McDermott (Han).