CMC MX at Carlsbad Raceway
CMC
at
Carlsbad Raceway
Sunday March 23, 1975
By: The Scene & Bonzai Billy
The "Franks" strikes again, and this time with a different pilot on board-Dan LaPorte. That's really no surprise, but the track sure was! The Continental Motosport Club again used the "Europeanized" version of Carlsbad from two weeks back. Not only that, but the GP track was used in con-juction with it, which made for a long and demanding track. The first half lap is unmistakenly pure Carlsbad, after you get over the "Wall", you then gas it straight down the back side and turn left up the uphill and down the downhill. Then comes the trick part. Instead of turning right at the bottom, you squash the brakes and turn left, and, Gawd, is it a different world! There was all you could ask for here-off-cambers, radical S-turns, ups, downs, grass, trees, bushes, bumps, whoops, and traction. But it sure was hard! Like one mechanic briskly remarked, "The Pros get tired in ten minutes!"
But the CMC'ers attacked the track without incident. Although it was tiring to ride, most of them were digging it. Hmm-m, maybe we'll have an American World Champ sooner than exected if we keep riding this stuff. Anyway, the 125 Pros were off the line first, with Marty Moates grabbing the holeshot, only to have his lead taken away in the second corner by Danny LaPorte. Moates regained his lead when he squirted by the Franks rider on the long uphill. Behind Dan was Billy Urban, Don Bongiorno, Rick Sheren, and Tony Wanket.
With three laps gone, Urban took his WTE Honda around LaPorte to grab second. About this time, Moates dropped his chain. Whoops, DNF'ed while way out front. Urban was in line to take over the lead, but his lead didn't last long as he seized his bike in the back section, giving it away to LaPorte. Tony Wanket fought his way into second, while Dan Dorsch scored third, with Sheren and Alan Smith not too far behind. Marty Moates pulled the trigger again in the second moto. It looked like he was going to take it all the way this time, as he pulled out a long lead by the first go-round. Danny LaPorte stuck to second and looking for the overall. Alan Smith was berserking his Elsie in third, with Don Bongiorno and Tony Wanket dicing. With half the moto already completed, Marty Moates began to have some trouble-his chain. His chain fell off too many times, allowing LaPorte to take it all on the Kelvin Franks wonder machine. Alan Smith inherited second, with Tony Wanket not far behind. Danny collected top cash, with Encinitas's Tony Wanket taking home second with a third in the final. Alan Smith snatched second in last moto, enough to slip by the Norris-Roberts rider, Rick Sheren, for third spot. Yep, all on Hondas, except for the Franda.
Jeff Vidic got the jump on the 250 Pros in the lead-off moto. Behind the Wheelsmith Maico rider was Richard Grafton on his trick looking YZ Yamaha, following him was Bill Clements, Robert Hannah, and Mike Yorba on a WM Montesa. By the first lap's end, Rich had gotten around Vidic in the back section to take over the lead, and to never be touched. Bill Clements was hookin' third on his Husky until he seized it. Wayne Boyer moved up rapidly to pull up ahead of Vidic. When the checkered came out, Rich had first spot in the bog, with Boyer second, and Robert Hannah third after working past Vidic, who ended up fourth.
Jeff Vidic pulled the string again in the second 250 Pro go. But it was an instant replay for Rich, as he got by Jeff to run away with the lead. Close behind the front two was Bob Hannah on his Husky, followed by Yorba and Clark Jones on a Steve Kurd Husky. Rich gladly accepted his check for top spot, with Bob Hannah grabbing a second in the final and also second overall. Vidic finished up third overall, followed by Mike Yorba and Clark Jones. Wayne Boyer had a hard time in the final, finishing up tenth, with a sixth overall.
Bill Clements had his Husqvarna dialed on, as he pulled the holeshot in the first 500 Pro moto. Wayne Boyer was gassin' his CZ, as in the 250 class, in second. Mike Yorba was close behind on a Maico this time, with Bill Rubly on another Maico. Wayne grabbed the throttle and passed Clements for the lead. Bill couldn't quite keep up with Boyer, so he ended up second. Yorba and Rubly finished up third and fourth. Bill Rubly grabbed the pole position in the second moto on his Maico, trying to hold off Wayne Boyer. There was a pile-up in the first comer, with Bill Clements coming out of it last.
Boyer got around Rubly, with Chip Howell on his Husky running third. Bill Gements was making ground in double-time, yet he didn't even look like he was trying, with four laps to go, he soon found himself behind Rubly. RuWy held off the Husky rider for two laps, but Gements zapped him in the back section. Wayne Boyer cleaned house in the 500 Pro, wearing a trick Sosna Cycles jersey. Gements picked second, Rubly third, and Mike Yorba fourth. Mark Harrington slammed the 125 Intermediates with two wins. Peter Wanket grabbed second in the first moto, but throttle problems in the final cost him second overall to Brad Sherrill. All on Hondas. Scott Davies worked his Honda to a win in the 125 Junior division one with a 2-1 score. Mike Loper won the first moto, but a third in the final gave him second. Mark VanCamp smoked to third overall on another Honda.
Carlsbad Raceway Team's David Gerig zapped the win in the second division of 125 Juniors on his CRT Suzuki with two firsts. Richard Arnold grabbed two second place finishes to take second, of course. Rich Sherar got third overall on his orange Honda. Robert Hall took first in the 100 Junior class on his Yamaha, while Mike Peters and Eric Stone swapped wins in the Mini class, with Mike taking the top honor. Maico-mounted Mike HuddJeston took a win in the 250 Intermediates, winning the second and taking second in the first. Mike Palhegyi brought out a new CZ, which he could barely hang on to, for second. Sosna's Craig Bontly won the first moto, but a fifth in the final only nabbed him third on his CZ. First in the 250 Junior division one went to Karsten Berg on a Yamaha, winning the second run. Randy Shumate brought out (what appeared to be) a RH Suzuki, good enough for second, ahead of Rick Rasmusson on his Husqvarna.
Tom Grbavach (huh?) won the second division of 250 Juniors on his Husky (Boy, are there a lot of Huskys!). Jeff Newman rode his Bui to a second, while Dino Sampo decided to try a two-stroke for a change, ending up with third on his Bultaco. The "Boge Man" Lynn Vick, took yet another win in the 500 Intermediate class. When are you going to stop? Behind the steady CZ'er was Paul Hughes on another CZ. Right, and Steve Dahlstrom took third on, guess what, yep, another CZ. CZ's day in the 500 class. Four-strokes rule! CZ didn't get this class, as Dave Arnold swept the 500 Junior class with real CLASS. Behind the bitchen' blue Honda was Dennis Wilson on a CZ. Doug Bishop took third on another CZ. And me? Well, I took fourth. The sun was high in the sky, the clouds were very far and away, the competition was fierce, who could ask for more? And who could ask for more than a CMC Sunday at Carlsbad?
