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Old Timers Mammoth MountainMX MOTOCROSS ~ ~ Olson bests Mammoth MX Old Timers By Roy Knight Photo by Donn Maeda MAMMOTH LAKES, CA, JUNE 20-21 Ian Olson withstood the pressure of some of the best Over-4O racers in the countrY, including former factory stars Rich Thorwaldson and Gary Jones, to win the Masters class at the 20th Annual Old Timers Mammoth Mountain National. Not to be confused with the more famous Mammoth Motocross Classic, this two-day event took place on the same beautifully prepared track one week earlier and was hosted by the Los Angeles chapter of the Old Timers Motocross Association. It was clear that as many of America's motocrossers have grown older, as the ranks of this country's Veteran and Senior classes have begun to swelL Over 350 racers showed up for this year's gathering. In addition to the Old Timer racers, which included classes for riders over 40, 50, and 60 years old, the Los Angeles Old Timers Association also invited the Over The Hill Gang Association (for riders over 30 years old) to attend the annual event In the first of Saturday's three 20minute Old Time Masters motos, last year's winner Rich Thorwaldson looked like a good bet to win again as he holeshot his Honda into the lead But his problems soon began as he went down just before the famous Mammoth downhilL Yamaha-mounted Jon Miller quickly took over the lead with Terry Sage, Alan Olson and Gary Jones close behind Olson and Jones soon got around Sage while Thorwaldson started to work his way out of the pack. By midway, Thorwaldson was running sixth. The checkered flag saw Miller arrive first, followed by Olson and Jones. Unfortunately for Miller, the second moto marked his downfall, due to problems with his brakes. Miller was forced to pull off the track and suffered a DNF. Olson, riding the same Team Peak CRSOO that was used by 500cc World Champion Georges Jobe in this year's USGP at Glen Helen, notched the win with Thorwaldson second and Jones third. Saturday's third moto saw Jones holeshot another Team Peak CRSOO into the lead, with Olson right behind. Thorwaldson was next in third, and Miller was fourth. Olson quickly grabbed the lead from Jones who eventually fell back to fourth. By the halfway point, Miller had moved up to second place and set his sights on Olson. Then on the last lap, Olson went down in a tight l~ft-hander, letting Miller by. Olson quickly remounted and went after Miller whom he soon repassed. Miller hung in for second while Thorwaldson, Jones and Bob Krah of Idaho followed Sunday's first moto saw two Team Peak machines once again shoot into the lead, this time with Olson taking the holeshot and Jones right behind Miller ran third ahead of Tom White, and Thorwaldson. By the fifth lap the top three riders started to leave the pack as they engaged in a three-way battle for the lead. Within a couple of laps Miller had gotten around Jones and set A out after Olson. Olson soon succumbed to the relentless pressure of Miller, who took over the lead just before the white flag. Olson held second place ahead of Jones, Thorwaldson, and Ratzloff. In Sunday's second and final moto it was again Thorwaldson's turn to take the holeshot, but this time he held the lead for most of the race while a battle raced behind him. Miller secured second and Larry Kellerhals ran third ahead of Olson and Jones. Kellerhals eventually dropped back while Jones made his way around Olson, who needed only a topfive finish to earn the overall win. Meanwhile some major dicing was going on between Thorwaldson and Miller, who were still running first and second On the last lap, Miller dove underneath the former factory Suzuki rider as the two rounded the sweeper at the pit board area. Thorwaldson hung on to the second spot with Jones, Olson and Ratzloff following. When all five motos were tallied, Olson came out the winner with Thorwaldson finishing second overall and Jones earning third Due to his one DNF, Miller had to settle for fifth overall, behind Ratzloff. Olson was obviously pleased with his win and gave much of the credit to his sponsor. "Team Peak was great," he said "Every time I took the bike out for another moto it was like riding a brand new motorcycle." Jones also seemed quite happy with his weekend of racing. Though some racers said that the track got too rough. Jones said that it reminded him of the National-ca.liber tracks that he used to race on in the '70s. Jones who now spends much of his time racing offroad cars, said he felt a little out of shape and that racing this event was a lastminute ordeal. "I just turned 40 in April," he said, "and I only just barely got my three qualifying races done in time for this event" Other racing action included the Over The Hill Gang Pro and Expert classes. In the Pro class Mike Bosworth, who was recently bumped up to pro status, easily won all four motos of the weekend The 36-year-old veteran has been racing at Mammoth for over 20 years, but said he is uncomfortable racing for money. Bosworth spent much of his time helping his fellow racers work on their bikes. Jon Marshall placed second in the Pro category, while Steve Rawson scored third The OTHG Expert class saw Scott Smith take the overall win after getting a lucky break from Darren Oliver who, despite winning all four motos, was bumped back to last place in moto one for not wearing the proper club jersey. . That gave Smith the first moto win which, along with his three second-place finishes, allowed him to take the overalL Rick Richards and Brian Allen, staying consistent all weekend long, eaIlled the second and third spots respectively. The Over 50 Old Timer Senior Master class showed very few signs of age as they blasted out of the gate. Bob Millner took the holeshot with Jim Lamkin and Over 350 members of the Old Timer's Motocross Association raced through the trees that line the Mammoth Mountain MX course in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Ken Hodgson close behind Millner soon faded to third, leaving Lamkin and Hodgson to battle for the lead Within a couple of laps Hodgson made his way into first, which set the stage for the rest of the weekend Moto two saw Philip Frisbie fire his big Husaberg thumper into the lead for the first of several holeshots he would take over the weekend Frisbie held the lead till near the end of the moto when Hodgson finally got by. Frisbie hung on to second in front of Lamkin. Saturday's last moto saw Hodgson once again take the checkers, this time with Lamkin finishing second and Frisbie third Moto one on Sunday again had Lamkin and Hodgson chasing down Frisbie's Husaberg. By midway Lamkin and Hodgson had gotten by Frisbie and started a major battle of their own. At one point Hodgson got in front of Lamkin and held the lead for a couple of laps, but by the white-flag lap Lamkin retook the lead and held on until the finish. Hodgson scored second with Frisbie third . The final moto had Frisbie's thumper once again tractoring up the hill into the lead, this time with Don Swearingen in second place and Hodgson holding down third A determined Hodgson soon got around Swearingen and went after Frisbie, while Lamkin was stuck back in fourth. Before long Hod~n once again made his way to the front where he stayed until the finish, ~ring the overall win. Frisbie clung to the second-place position, which gave him third overall, while Lamkin, who stayed in fourth behind Swearingen, took home the second-place trophy. The OTHG Intermediate class was so large that it had to be split into two divisions. Division one saw the Reno chapter clean house as they earned the top five positions. Steve Zanone took home the gold after winning both of Saturday's motos and staying consistent on Sunday. Dan Harold and Scott Bens earned second and third respectively. In division two, holeshot-artist Glen Wilkins from the North chapter nailed down the win with 3-1-2-1 motofiniShes after battling hard with Bob Bang all weekend long. Also riding strong was the North Chapter's Scott Creager who came in third, just one point behind Bang. Of Results OTMX MSTJl: 1. Alan Olson; 2. Rich Thorwaldson; 3. Gary Jones; 4. Ken Raaloff; 5. Jon Miller. ona EX: 1. Olarles Collins; 2. MarIe Cook; 3. SIeVe Machado; 4. Art McDade; 5. Phil Mascorro. ona AM: 1. Jim Gladish; 2. JacIc Roten; 3. George Webb; 4. Jim Swendsen; 5. SIeVe Shindler. OTMX NOV: 1. Qluck Wall; 2. Gale Webb; 3. Richard Kroske; 4. Rod Gass; 5. Alan Stephens. OT SR MSTJl: 1. Ken Hodgson; 2. Jim Lamkin; 3. Philip Frisbie; 4. Don Sweringen; 5. Bengt Johansson. OT SR EX: 1. Tom Mula; 2. Bill Oliver; 3. Tony Armada; 4. MeaiI Kempc:er; 5. Jim Keeton. . OT SR AM: 1. Ron Scott; 2. Gabe Gutiene; 3. Ron Qawson; 4. Millon Roybal; 5. Barry Simon. OT sa NOV: 1. Norm Shields; 2. Bob Rasmussen; 3. Otarles Watanabe; 4. Bill Weltman; 5. Clarence Machad. SlSR AM: 1. Fred Parson; 2. Asker Umkjaer; 3. Al Fittgerald; 4. Don McKenzie; 5. Steve Pyle. SlSR NOV: 1. John Webb; 2. Bob Klatt; 3. Richard 0rriI; 4. Wendell Paik; 5. JacIc Biery, Sr. OTHG PRO: 1. Mike Boswonh; 2. Jon ManhalI; 3. SIeVe Rawson; 4. Larry Brown. OTHG EX: 1. Scott Smith; 2. Rick Richards; 3. Brian Allen; 4. Darren Oliver; 5. Rob Martindale. OTBG !NT I: 1. Steve Zanone; 2. Dan Harold; 3. Scottllerry; 4. Randy Appleton; 5. Munay Miller. OTHG !NT 2: 1. Glen Wilkins; 2. Bob Bang; 3. Scott Creager; 4.Mark Howard; 5. Kenny Thoreson. OTHG NOV: 1. Dan Schaller; 2. Elliot Brainard; 3. Reinhard Albrecht; 4. Danny Lowers; 5. Donald Carver. OTHG BEG: 1. Perry Gail; 2. Ronald Garcia; 3. Debbie Mathews; 4. Steve Basmajian; 5. MichaeI Paisley. 17