VOL. 50 ISSUE 44 NOVEMBER 5, 2013
changes, making things even
more interesting for the racers.
As it turns out, the format has
been a hit with the riders and
spectators alike, as this year
over 800 entries filled the starting lines over the three days of
competition with close to 4000
spectators enjoying the race
from across the fence. It didn't
hurt that the weather cooperated! There are a few riders who
make the Gold Rush their only
race all year!
"We wanted to have an event
that was fun and most of all we
wanted an event that was family
oriented," said McDonald. "It's a
real laid back atmosphere and I
think the riders and spectators
appreciate that.
"As far as the racing, we patterned it after some of the races
I grew up with, namely
(Above) The
X-Country race
featured a deadengine start.
(Right) Wayne
Shakleford won the
Vintage Pre-76 class
on a very sano KTM.
His son, Jason,
finished third on a
1975 Husqvarna.
P69
the Elsinore Grand Prix, the Catalina Island Grand Prix [a race off
the coast of California in the late
40's and 50's], the Tecate Grand
Prix in Baja and the San Diego
Grand Prix," added McDonald.
Some of the riders who attend the Gold Rush can enter
as many as six or seven classes
over the three days of racing.
But the most popular race of all
is the team race, which this year
was won by former AMA National
Hare Scrambles champ Jason
Raines and local Pro Tony Joiner.
Joiner was on sort of a hot
streak after finishing fourth overall and winning a test at the Oklahoma round of the Rekluse AMA
National Enduro Series just two
weeks before.
Raines was also on hand with
his Yamaha demo program,
which allows potential buyers a
