VOL. 54 ISSUE 10 MARCH 14, 2017 P21
TIM HART PASSES
M
X legend Tim Hart passed
away, March 6, and with
him passed a piece of all of us
who raced during the early years
of motocross in Southern Cali-
fornia. Who could forget the im-
ages of Tim Hart railing a berm
on a big square-barrel Maico,
his long hair flowing, with his
name emblazoned on his Hall-
man chest protector? Hart and
his trademark orange Bell Star
helmet, with the white cross-
hatching were a fixture at tracks
like Ascot, Lions and Irwindale
and epitomized everything that
any kid with a dirt bike wanted to
be in the early 70s.
Hart raced a privateer Maico
in the Trans-AMA Series in
1971-'72, before being hired
by factory Yamaha in 1973 and
staying through 1975.
Hart won an AMA
250 National at Lake
Whitney and a pair of
125 Nationals, one at
Mid-Ohio in 1974 and
at Hangtown in '75. Despite fin-
ishing second in 1975 to Marty
Smith in the 125 championship
series, Hart's Yamaha contract
was not renewed. Following an
unremarkable year as a Can-Am-
mounted privateer, Hart retired
from racing at the end of 1976.
He settled into a life as a long-
shoreman, working the controls
of a crane, loading and unload-
ing shipping containers.
Tim Hart was born on Christ-
mas day in 1949 and grew up
in Torrance, California. He lived
in the area his entire life, right
up to his death at age 67. Hart's
lifelong friend, Mike Chamber-
lain, lamented that Hart's death
was the result of liver failure
and that he had just gotten on
a transplant list as recently as a
week ago.
Steve Bauer
Tim Hart was a motocross
icon in California in the
early 1970s.
YOU TOO CAN EXPERIENCE DAKAR
D
anny LaPorte, Jimmy Lewis
and Chris Blais have joined
together to bring rally raid fans
a Dakar-like experience in the
deserts and dunes of Nevada
and California. America's three
top Dakar competitors will teach
navigation, tell stories and give
you a taste of Dakar here in the
U.S. in this Pahrump To Dakar
event.
This event is open to par-
ticipants on dirt bikes, dual-
purpose bikes, adventure bikes,
UTVs and even cars. You will get
a chance to navigate rally tracks
and learn some of the secrets to
successful map-book navigation
and rally racing. The event will
base out of JLR Off-Road Train-
ing in Pahrump, Nevada, and
bivouac with an overnight stay at
a remote location. Most meals
will be catered and an "airplane
box" of camping supplies will be
transported for riders on motor-
cycles.
Pahrump To Dakar is a multi-
day rally experience where you
will get to learn the ins and outs
of map-book-style rally navigation
and get to try your hand at some
sample stages in a non-speed,
non-competitive environment.
Click here for more informa-
tion. CN
If you have ever wondered what
it's like to race Dakar, Pahrump To
Dakar might be for you.
