Insignificant Race

INSIGNIFICANT RACE

After several years where point-to-point desert races appeared to be history, this past year's Check Chase may not seem insignificant, but according to the Bureau of Land Management the resurrected Check Chase had no significant impact on the desert course.

This is important because the Checkers Motorcycle Club, the AMA, the BLM and even something called the San Bernardino County Environmental Analysis Division have spent five years trying to find a course through the desert that would make a good race, yet not damage the desert. After the 1981 Check Chase, won by Kevin Welch on his Maico, the BLM made immediate checks of several spots along the course and concluded that the race hadn’t been a problem to the environment.

The previous year an unofficial Check Chase was run when not all approvals were received prior to the event. At the last minute the sanctions were withdrawn by the AMA, but the race continued, accompanied by the complaints of local environmentalists.