Escape Country
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Escape Country
Sunday March 23, 1975
By: Fred Klugman
Escape Country's $2000 purse race drew a huge crop of Southern California's top Pro riders. Dave Carlson, Billy Grossi, Morris Malone, Gaylon Mosier, Jim West, John DeSoto, Tim Lunde, Pete Maly and Rich Thorwaldson just to name a few were all in attendance to compete for the big bucks purse. Pre-race practice was extended about an hour to help dry out and firm up the soft gooshy track, a result of the heavy rains of the last few weeks. The track, not in the best condition for the early motos, eventually got better as the day wore on.
Experts, due to a gigantic turnout, raced in two separate divisions for each class. The first two motos in each division were run as qualifiers for a third moto where those who scored points during the qualification rounds were eligible to race.
The big bikes were the first to hit the quick sand-like track. In the first Open Expert division first moto, Jim West (CZ), Doug Sherman (Mai), and Joe Johnston (Mai), followed by Rich Thorwalson (Mai), Pete Maly (CZ) and Kevin Young (Mai) all qualified in that order. In the second moto for that division West again took first after Sherman and Maly collided, letting a couple other riders get the points necessary to qualify. Sherman Schneller (CZ), Peter A. Harrison (CZ), John Dickenson (Mai), and Jeff Wright (CZ), were the additional qualifiers in that moto.
In the second division Open Experts, Terry Clark (Hus) qualified with firsts in both his motos. Luke Messer (Mai) and Rick Salmon (Mai) also qualified in the first moto. The second moto additionally qualified Randy Stubbs (Bul) and Wes Sutton (Mai).
In the third moto featuring all the qualifiers, it was Jim West battling it out with Rich Thorwaldson. The way the berms had formed on the muddy track throughout the day. made it so that only one bike at a time could go through the turns. Thorwaldson couldn't get by West on the corners and didn't seem to have enough j uice to pass on the straights, and it remained that way through the whole moto, West in front, Thorwaldson trying to get by. The win, West's third of the day, gave him the first share of the prize money. Terry Clark, although finishing sixth in the final moto, had enough points from his two qualifying firsts to take overall second. Third overall went to Thorwalson.
The day's best and most exciting racing came in the 250 Expert class. The 250cc bikes seemed best suited for the prevailing track conditions. In the first division of 250 Pros Morris Malo'he, aboard his Wheelsmith Maico, took the first spot in both qualifiers. Billy Grossi (Suz) and Aaron Bassett (Mai) each took a second and third in both qualifiers. In the second division qualifiers Jim West (CZ), competing in two classes, and Gaylon Mosier (Mai), each took a first and a second. John DeSoto (Ossa i, and John Estes (Mai), both qualified with a third and a fourth.
Thirteen riders competed in the third and deciding moto. Bob Stem i CZ) took the hole shot followed very closely by Gaylon Mosier. Stem held off Mosier's pass attempts for three laps but finally succumbed. Mosier then opened a slight lead, leaving Stem and the aggressive Morris Malone to fight it out for second. Stem was able to hold off Malone and finished second, but only received sixth in the overall standing. Mosier got the overall win to collect about $350 of the prize money which was split up among the top seven finishers in each class. Malone got the overall second, overall third went to Jim West, the winner of the Open Pro class. John DeSoto, experiencing some mechanical problems, just missed finishing in the money with an overall eighth.
By the time the final 125cc Pro moto was run, darkness was already beginning to fall. Tim Lunde (Hon), who had earlier qualified with a second place in his division's second moto, took the hole shot and gained a firm lead. Challenging Lunde for a time was David Taylor (Hon), who qualified with a first and second in his divisions qualifying heats. Ron Turner (Hon) exchanged places with Dave Taylor several times before falling back to where he no longer posed a threat. Also in close contention was Mike Bell (Hon), finishing third in the moto and second overall. Chuck Lunde (Hon), Tim's brother, took a fourth in both the final moto as well as in the second qualifier. Dave Taylor finishing right behind Tim Lunde in the third moto received the overall first, Lunde getting overall third.
All in all it was a super day for racing as well as just laying back in the sun to spectate and drink beer. Just ask the guys from McKee's Cycle Shop.
