AMA-MX at Spillway Park
AMA
at
Spillway Cycle Park
Sunday May 26, 1974
By: William P. Czerwinski
A day of action was provided for all this Memorial Day race. Track preparation was great, but with the high temperature and no wind, it wasn’t long before the track was dusty. Practice and race took their toll also.
In the 125cc Jr. Div. A, Pat Ularte of Nipomo Suzuki emerged the winner over what looked like a Honda brigade. A Honda won the first moto, a Honda won the second moto and a Honda won the third moto. Pat, on his Suzuki, was consistent in all three motos to total up the best score.In the 125cc Jr. Div. B, the reverse was obvious, Suzuki dominated the race but it was a Honda with Steve Brand aboard that edged the lead in each moto. Steve made it a clean sweep and it looked as if Steve rode in the wrong class. He should be competing with the Intermediates.
The 125 Intermediate and Senior event was the bike taker race. Vince Clark, who rode Suzuki to first place two years in a row, was Honda-mounted todav and the first one out with a broken front wheel. Sam Holland broke a shock, Randy Benda broke a front wheel, Mike Reborn had a clutch slipping, Mike Wickersham broke another front wheel, one other bike was pushed off with a broken shock.
Bill Keese, after taking out about 30 feet of the back jump fence, looked like that would put him out, but he re-entered the track to take 4th in the first moto and then first in moto two and three to capture first place trophy in the 125 Seniors. Bob Haroth, in the 125 Seniors, took home the second trophy and it’s been some time for Bob to be in the winners circle. Bob tried his best to get at least one first, as in the third moto when the track is the roughest, Bob was riding the fastest and if there was one more lap, Bob would have passed Bill Keese. Good try Bob-next time.
A long awaited win was in store for Rick Yamchuk of Lompac. Rick in a field of 25 in the 250 Juniors got his win the hard way-a clean sweep.
Mike Barnett of Fresno, after shedding his Honda and Puch, made it a clean sweep win on his Bultaco in the 250cc Intermediates.
In the 250cc Seniors it looked like a run away with Jack Keese, of S.L.O., Bultaco-mounted, getting about a 30 second lead in moto one and two only to loose it in the third moto. Tom Bass, of S.L.O., Suzuki-mounted, parlayed his 2-2-2 into a first place trophy. And they said his Suzuki was shot, but a good rider can hang on and show them.