Racing Review
RACING REVIEW
BARSTOW-VEGAS RUN
J.N. Roberts took his 3rd consecutive victory in the fourth annual Barstow-to-Las Vegas Hare and Hound. More then 2000 desert riders either followed him across the finish line or called it a day somewhere along the 140-mile course.
In the biggest turnout yet for this San Gabriel Valley Motorcycle Club sponsored event, literally thousands of California and Nevada motorcycle enthusiasts were on hand to see Roberts complete the rough course in 3 hr., 46 min. The 28-year-old movie stuntman took the lead at the first of three checkpoints and never relinquished it. Roberts was 3rd near the start and didn't realize he was leading until checkpoint two. “No one told me," he said later. “I knew two people were ahead of me at the smoke bomb, but I only remembered passing one.”
The race started beside the Las Vegas freeway, some 15 miles east of Barstow, Calif., and ended just a few miles west of the famous Las Vegas strip. This year the course had been changed to include
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much rougher terrain, and, as expected, the changes took a heavy toll in bikes and bodies. Fewer than 50 percent of the contestants finished the race. The rewards of Las Vegas, however, quickly soothed the disappointments of not finishing.
This race highlights desert competition in this part of the country, and annually attracts more entries than any other similar event, including many of the area’s grands prix. Desert riders anti non-desert riders alike are on hand for this one.
Roberts said he had absolutely no problems along the way, although he had fitted his Husqvarna with a new 400-cc engine the night before the race and was worried about seizures. He was followed across the line by Steve Kirk and Rich Thorwaldson.
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DALLAS TRANS-AMA
Just the other side of the Dallas Speedway grandstands, in what probably serves as the parking area, Joel Robert again ran off with two 1st places in the 5th Trans-AMA motocross event. Robert’s teammate, Olle Pettersson, took 2nd place. BSAs followed in the Suzukis with Smith and Banks in 3rd and 4th spots.
As for the rest of the BSA team, Nicoll fell victim to a folding footpeg that stâyed folded, but managed 6th overall. Hickman spent the day cursing his chain which clipped off in both motos. Top scoring American was Brad Lackey in 7th overall.
The spectators wore themselves out running from one side of the fence to the other watching the American battlefront. A hot duel between Bryan Kenney and Ron Stockman gave Kenney a well-earned first American and 7th place in the first moto. In the second moto Lackey held onto 6th, and DeFeo was 7th.
Despite its parking lot flatness, the Dallas track consisted of several carved out ditches, five or six man-made jumps and a rather steep mound. Considering the number of spills, it would be safe to say the track demanded intense concentration. DeFeo and Tom Rapp had a hard time staying clear of ditches, but sheer determination or an incredible “bounce-ability” set them up in 9th and 10th spots for the day. Jim Weinert’s efforts typified the “battle of the track”: he fell five times in the first moto and about as many times in the second. Jack O’Leary (Yamaha), a local Texas hot shoe, rode fast in the early laps and into the European ranks. This open-throttle technique, however, just didn’t work through the rough stuff.
HOPETOWN
The 12th Annual Dirt Diggers Grand Prix and International Motocross drew 1000 riders and close to 20,000 spectators for two days of hard racing at Hopetown.
Parts of the picturesque course resembled the barren wastes of the moon, no thanks to the recent forest fire holocaust that swept through the Southern California area. But the 2.5-mile course was about the same as it has always been, the only exception being that the “Old Town” section was bypassed, due to what the insurance inspectors called “unnegotiable terrain.”
None of it slowed the fast bikes and riders in the International Motocross Exhibition, a trio of motos with a $2500 purse to be divided amongst the professional riders.
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Entries in this three-race series included Dusty Coppage (Yamaha), Rich Thorwaldson (Rickman-BSA), John Hateley (Triumph), AÍ Baker (Yamaha), Bill Clements (Husqvarna), Bob Bailey (Maico), Keith Mashburn (Yamaha), John Rice (Maico), Bob Messer (Maico), and Preston Petty (Maico). A post entry was Russ Darnell (Husqvarna), recently returned from his European sojourn.
The first lap of the first race set the stage for the rest of the day as Preston Petty moved out smartly into the lead aboard his swift Maico. The other experts jockeyed for position, but they were outshone by a brilliant ride turned in by 14-year-old Martin Tripes (CZ), who moved into 2nd place and held it to the checkered. Third up was Russ Darnell.
The second moto was a repeat of the first for Petty; the quick computer programmer took command immediately and did not relinquish it until the race was over. This time there was wheel-to-wheel in-fighting between Darnell and Billy Clements for 2nd place. Russ held him off to take 2nd, with Clements a spoke’s width behind.
The last moto was a change of pace. Petty ran 4th throughout, letting John Rice run away for the win. Petty had the 1st place points total securely in his back pocket, and his riding was as smooth and effortless as ever, but it appeared that fatigue was setting in and Petty was content to “sit” this one out.
Rice and Messer had a good shootout in this race. Messer actually passed Rice for the lead, but dropping the bike put him in 2nd. Bryan Holcomb was 3rd.
The final totals had veteran Preston Petty lst'for a SI000 share of the purse,
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Darnell 2nd ($600), and Clements 3rd ($425). Bryan Holcomb (Greeves) was a consistent spear-carrier and placed 4th overall for $225. Rice claimed $150 for 5th.
Some 900 other riders participated in the two days of racing, many showing heads-up racing skill and professional caliber. Sidehacks and a powder puff race pleased crowds, particularly at the dreaded Dirt Diggers’ mud hole, where the slosh did its part in separating the men from the boys and, appropriately, the women from the girls.
The course was well prepared, though the old nemesis, dust, raised its dirty head on portions of the track. Communications were quite good: announcer Gary Andrews gave a blow-byblow account over strategically placed loudspeakers, so everyone was filled in on the happenings.
Hopetown is becoming a traditional event. There are more bikes, races and spectators every year. Talk of expanding the event to two weekends is inconclusive, and only 1971 will really tell. But Hopetown will definitely be thereprovided another holocaust doesn’t sweep through first!
NATIONAL CYCLE DRAGS AT ATCO
Ateo Dragway and the American Motorcycle Drag Racing Association’s 4th annual National Championships for bikes turned out to be the biggest and longest event of its type in the history of the sport. A list of states represented would be too long to include-suffice it to say they came from everywhere in the U.S. and even from Canada.
More than 500 entries tried for their share of the more than $5000 at stake. The House of Wheels from Houston, Tex. brought a stable of Yamahapowered machines. In their search for low e.t.’s, they put together a six-cylin-
der gas burner. Three 350-cc road race motors rated at 65 bhp each power the screaming digger, but a narrow powerband coupled with a high-gear-only transmission made the machine almost impossible to get away from the line. A six-cylinder BSA (two Rocket Threes) from Oklahoma City was also entered, but had too much power for its clutch.
Also present was the prettiest dragster rider in the country. Riding a 100-cc Yamaha built by her husband AÍ was Bebe Fox from Houma, La. Her riding skill is proven by her AMDRA national record in the H/Stock class, and rumor has it she may get a faster ride when she gets a little more practice. Her 15-sec. passes got her more applause than the nine-sec. fuelers.
Cloudy skies and rain just before the end of time trials forced a postponement of eliminations. The meet was continued the following Sunday. And a warm, sunny day brought more than 75 percent of the original entries back, along with a few new ones.
Eliminations began with the running of some of AMDRA’s 65 trophy classes, while the big iron made ready for round one. Top gas favorite Ron Fringer, on a Harley, defeated H-D-mounted Don Lingo. E&J Drag Team’s Harold Eide put John Neidengard away with a 10.50 sec. run and a hole shot. Bill Lawrence on Steele’s big inch H-D fouled, giving Bob Mauriello a win. Sonny Routt motored his Triumph Double past Bud Hooper (H-D), while Eastern Drag Specialties’ Chuck Henderson put A/D record holder Carl Evert on the trailer. Marv Jorgenson threw a blower belt on his Harley, giving Fisher & Gruszka an easy win.
Top fuel saw many surprises. One was Ray Bellucci from Antioch, 111. Ray’s 48-cu.-in. single-engine Triumph qualified with a 9.93 and defeated defending champ Guy Learning in the
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first round. Al Charlier from Buffalo.
N. Y. moved to round two by defeating Leo Payne in a close run. Dick Prime made the field when Cook Neilson’s motor gave out in his last time trial, only to lose to Dan Johnson's yellow Terror in the first round. Eddie Knight nosed out Virgil Noff but fouled against Bellucci in the second go. Larry Welch got too much traction with his 5-in. M&H car slick and gave T.C. Christensen an easy win on his double Norton. George Sumner couldn’t fire against Routt's double Triumph (a good thing for Sonny, as he broke a chain 10 feet out and had to push it through.)
Junior fuel saw two Honda Four fuelers beaten by a Triumph and a BSA. The final in junior fuel matched K. Spillers on a Triumph against Christensen on a Norton Single. Spillers jumped way out in front at the green light, but the sleek black Norton motored by to take the win.
Todd Engle brought his E/Stock Suzuki from Toledo, Ohio, and emerged victor over a field of 50 machines in the street eliminator category. Runner-up was captured by Joe Foley of Fairfax, Va., on his AA/Modified Sportster.
Walt Carter of Quakertown, Pa. piloted his E/Altered Triumph to many round wins in competition eliminator, but met defeat at the hands of Dale Brunken and his H-D 74-incher from Chicago, 111.
Ron Fringer advanced to round three in top gas with a win over Eide, only to foul against Routt. Gruszka trailered Henderson in the second round and drew a bye in the third, to bring him to the finals. The needle-nosed Harley squared off against the Triumph Double and 10.30 sec. later Fisher & Gruszka were declared winners of top gas eliminator.
Bad luck was the order of the day for Larry Welch. After a first round loss on his Sportster, he took over for Sonny Routt on the mighty Triumph Double. As he staged against Christensen’s double Norton, a float stuck on the right front carb. A large puddle of nitro under the bike gave Christensen an easy win for round two. Then he trailered Johnson in the third round. Bellucci’s C/Fueler drew a bye and had to face the AA/F Norton for the final.
It was anybody’s race, since Ray had qualified faster than the Norton, but Christensen had a trick up his sleeve. On the back of the big Double was a new M&H super sticky slick. Bellucci red lighted and the Sunset Motors Special smoked to victory with a 9.60-almost
O. 4 faster than his best run of the
meet—and took $1000 home to Wisconsin. V (Ö1
