AME MX at Indian Dunes Park
AME
at
Indian Dunes
Friday March 7, 1975
By: Chris Hatounian
Beautiful warm night air, a star filled sky as clear as a new Nikon lens, pits more crowded than Sears the day after Christmas and bitch-in' racing was what I wish could have happened at Indian Dunes last Friday night for American Motocross Enterprises' first night race of the new season. Instead, a grey and wet night, with a steady flow of rain, and a sky as clear as my Nikon lens were what riders were to come across as they entered Dunes. Oh sure, there were people out to race but the vast majority of them were Pros, all of whom were going for a piece of the $600 cash purse that AME was putting up. Thanks to the sand that Indian Dunes is known for, most of the water was soaked up and the track was not all that bad.
"It will not rain Sunday", said AME Pres. Jerry Shore to the mudder crowd at the riders meeting, trying to encourage them to come out for the second half of the AME "Twelve-hundred dollar weekend".
A highly successful machine, once again being run around the Southern California racing circuit is the Flying Machine Factory designed Penda, this time in the hands of So. Cal. boiling shoe, Tim Lunde. Lunde showed tonight and completely tore apart all competition in almost boring style to capture the 125 Pro win and one-hundred dollars. The front fenderless flamboyant flying feather had more power than two other bikes put together. Lunde's one and only challenge came early in the first moto by local warm shoe, Evan Marcus on a Revell Honda, who led half of the moto, got passed by Lunde, still took second in the moto and have nothing but bad luck for the rest of the night. About the only other interesting thing of the race was a five way tie for second, going in the last moto! The five were Craig Egerman i Eggo), Bill Barlow, George Faber, Don Draz and Marcus. Egerman was the best choice for it after the drop of the gate, only to crash, giving Barlow second overall and sixty big ones. Faber followed for third. Draz couldn't start the third as his bike was putting out more sparks than Disneyland on the fourth when he crossed the line at the finish of the second moto. Marcus never showed.
Wearing his unfamiliar Precision Cycles chest protector while rolling up to the line for the first 500 Pro moto was ungodly fast Maico-mounted Luke Messer, who was out looking for food. Luke is a real sight to behold as he attacks the berms and jumps of Indian Dunes and didn't slow any tonight as he took another overall win. Ho hum. Luke wasn't any slower but one rider sure was faster. Steve's Bultaco-mounted Dave Haugh fixed his wounded bike in time for the races and was glad he did. Dave was giving Luke a hard time in the first moto all the way through, minus one grip that he tost at the start. He also won the last moto with a three speed Bui as his gear box lunched in the second. Impressive, to say the least. Dave ended up with second for all his trouble. Third fell to hard riding Mike Marsh mounted on a monoshock Yamaha.
Making a very succesful comeback in the 250 Pro class is Revell-Maico sponsored Don Hansen. Hansen was out for a while with a broken ankle but made his second race for a while a very good and' rewarding one. Don was clearly in command of the mud tonight and didn't let anyone near him throughout the night with the exception of Kelsy Alloys Bultaco rider, Russ McAfee, who took second overall. Third fell to Steve Miller on a Maico.
Taking yet another win against the 100 Junior class was Suzuki of Van Nuys sponsored Johnny Welchel on a Suzook. John is warming up for his soon to come. Mini Mint race in which he will campaign an Indian Mini with Mike Brown. A factory Indian. Well, good luck'.
