Valley Cycle Park
T.M.R.C.
at
Valley Cycle Park
Saturday April 12, 1975
By: John Grout
With rider attendance continuing fto show an increase each and every Saturday, Al Jackson's Track Masters' Assn. again staged their weekly motocross today on the long and popular course at Valley Cycle Park in Moorpark. While going for a 100 percent payback of their entry money, winners following two thirty-minute heat events for their respective Professional riding divisions on the one and one-half mile track included Jim O'Neal, Dave Urquhart and Gary Bang.
O'Neal, who is just now making a comeback following a lengthy layoff from the sport, scored his overall victory against a good field of contestants aboard the 260cc machinery while racing a quick Can-Am scooter for the people at Kolbe Cycles in Woodland Hills. Though losing the first-round encounter to Ossa-mounted Mike Todd, who was a DNF in his next trip to the starting gate, O'Neal was an easy wire-to-wire winner of the second moto, ending the day by finishing in front of Jon Miller (Hus) and Maico-riding Steve Van Wormer.Urquhart, about as smooth as they come, tallied his triumph astride a Honda in the 125cc division. While Husky-mounted Gary Bang won both motos that involved the Open Pro classification. One of the day's largest fields was that for Novice and Beginner riders of the One-Two-Five's. With better than 25 entrants engaged in warfare during the two long and grinding motos for the division, overall victories went to Jim Sendelbach (Nov.) and Joe Blanchard a swift Beginner. Both riders trusted their lucky outcome to Hondas.
Sendelbach tallied his big win by defeating runners-up Stan Franks (Hon) by a single point, and Johnny Ferro (Hon) by a margin of two points. And just how close can you get 'em?? Blanchard gained his victory following a tie in the points with Jody Richison, who also was straddling a Honda. The finishes of the two 20-minute events read: Blanchard 3-1 and Richison 2-2. However, by virtue of his-win in the final round for the class, Blanchard, of course, carted home the biggest trophy of the two.
Still others who were quite close in overall standings for the Beginner grouping at the conclusion of the afternoon were Powder-Puffer Chelle Blythe (Hon), who tallied with finishes of 4-3, and Ken Avchen (Suz), who grabbed a 7-5 score. Tim Takeoka, a young Yamaha racer, was a runaway winner of both heats for a large field of Minicyclists. Closest runners-up included Torsten Corum (YZ), John Drury (Yam), John Langhammer (Hon) and Jeff Johnson, also sliding a fast Honda. But keep an eye on this youngster Takeoka; he's going to be a fine competition prospect!!
Steve Brown, riding a Suzuki for Rancho Suzuki, went all the way on top in both motos for the 100's, defeating, among others, Lyman Young (Yam), young Joe Cole (Suz), who is son of Actor Dennis Cole, and who was taking one of his initial motocross rides; and Mike Crawford, who also was riding a Suzi-Q. Jim Dodge, who is becoming a steady winner at Valley Cycle Park, pulled a repeat trick today, putting his Honda into the winner's circle twice against the 250 Novices. While a "250" Beginner victory went to two racers; Foster Chase (Suz) and Bill Wright (Bul). A final triumph, however, went to Chase for his winning ride in the final moto.
Bill Hagen, astride one of the quickest and best handling CZ's that we've yet seen in dirtrtrack action, swept both ends of the events for Open Novices. Among runners-up to the high-flying Hagen were Wayne King (Mai), John Meuslins (Mai), Hal Grady (Hus) and Ken Dayton (Kaw). The popular "TWO-UP" racing event, that has become a regular TMRC fixture during the half-time intermission from the many divisional moto battles, was won by Dave Urquhart and passenger. The winning team received a fantastic, close-to-30-pound trophy for their effort. And that sure ain't bad for only a couple of laps.
The "TWO-UP" segment is open to all riders on the Saturday program. And Al Jackson has promised that all Pro riders who want to compete in the event this week will be starting from the finish line area, thus affording Novice, Minicycle and Beginner racers-who will be leaving from the regular starting line-a MUCH better chance of winning the big trophy.
Club membership is NOT required to ride these exciting Saturday programs; so be at Valley Cycle Park for fun, trophies and cash to the Pros. It's a genuine European-style racing course!! The complex is reached by high-speed freeway travel ALL the way. Take the Ventura Freeway to Highway 23 North (Fillmore Freeway), then a few miles to Tierra Rejada Road off-ramp. The front gate is 100 yards from the off-ramp.
