BCA-MX at Valley Cycle Park
BCA-MX
at
Valley Cycle Park
Sunday April 20, 1975
By: John Grout
Notwithstanding an offering of a $1000 cash purse at a rival off-road complex (one located in Orange County), today's BCA sanctioned program for the motocross machinery on the one and one-half mile European-style obstacle course-an event that was dishing out a 100 percent payback to the "big" boys attracted a large grouping of top Pro riders to the starting gate at Valley Cycle Park in Moorpark. Following two 30-mlnute races, Experts in their respective divisions taking home the most money included Dave Zahrt, Greg Oesch and Bob Garrabrant. Zahrt, who was sliding a quick Bultaco in the 250cc ranks for the Bay Area Bultaco shop, capitalized on the misfortunes that befell many of the leading candidates who could have-and probably would have-made it a rather close-knit drill in the first round for the division, while drawing off to a substantial margin at the final flag.
Among those riders dropping out of the first heat, or just flat not making a return visit to the starting line for the second round held later in the afternoon, were Will Harper, Lynn Stokey, Joe Root, and Frank Giardina. All victims of either mechanical or physical woes. Mostly, I suspect, of the mechanical variety. During the contesting of the initial round, Kenny Zahrt, who was again astride a super-swift Montesa, appeared as if he would make it a runaway performance to the winner's circle, only to find himself suddenly unloaded in a tight ess turn in the first lap. And even though he did recover for a fifth place finish, then went on to sweep to a wide-margined tally in the final event for the classification, the best he could muster for his day's effort was a third overall. The big victory, of course, went to brother Dave, followed by a hard-riding Don Hansen on a Revell Maico.Greg Oesch, who was taking his first ride aboard one of the big Revell tuned Maicos, fought a back-and-forth battle on a daylong basis with Chuck Lanzarone, who also was straddling a Maico, to gain the overall triumph at Open Expert. It was a genuine pier-six donnybrook...from beginning to ending. Never-in either round-were there more than three or four bike lengths separating the two scooters, though "Big" Don Hicks (Mai) did manage to sneak his bike between the two, scoring a second in the first heat. Lanzarone, who did finish third in the first moto, returned to capture a sharp win in the second round. However, with a second place finish in that final for the class, Oesch was declared the overall victor by a single point. How close can they get??
Hicks was next runner-up, followed by Dale Tittlemier (CZ) and Don Cheney (Mai). Bob Garrabrant (Hon) swept to both wins for the 125's. Following the victor to the line were Rick Park and John Forsythe, also both Honda-mounted. Jim Holley (Hon) gained a pair of easy victories for Expert Minicyclists; while Dayn Mansfield (Hon) picked up the big trophy for Novices.
Young Bobby Kline, a rapidly-improving Honda racer, completely clobbered a tough field of Novice riders on the 125 machinery. Among runners-up were Stan Frank (Hon) and Rodney Morrison (Hon). An overall victory at 250 Novice went to CZ-riding Ron Hornaday, recording a 2-1 tally over, among others, Jere Mason Jr. (Mai) and Robin Federmeyer (Mai). While the big win at Open Novice went to Mark Gumpert (CZ), who finished the afternoon in front of Mark Manley (Mai) and Bill Hagen (CZ), who won the first round, only to have many mechanical problems in the second.
In a special two-race program for the sidehacks, winners of the lightweight class were Rick Lucchese and Dennis Morgan, aboard a Yamaha powered rig; while the heavyweight victory went to the team of Joe Garner and John Palfreyman on a Triumph Wasp setup.
In an interesting sidelight to the great Hack racing events, Ed Morris and Dan Whitaker, who were attempting to get to the park in time for their competition program, suddenly discovered-in the town of Fillmore-that the truck which was transporting their rig just wasn't going to continue any further down the road..Unless they either pushed it or had it towed the remaining distance.
Reaching a quick decision, the pair unloaded the big Harley rig and -charging down the highway at 80 mph-came roaring up to the front gate at Valley Cycle Park with more bravado than Ben Hur in his prime!! Sometimes, motorcycle folk can be the strangest creatures going... Man, what determination.
