AMA-MX Four Corners Motorcycle Park
AMA
at
Four Corners Cycle Park
Sunday January 5, 1975
By: John Little
The hills around Four Corners were beautiful today, you could look up high on the mountains and still see traces of snow, but down here where the racing was going on it was one of the best days ever, very little wind and lots of sun just super.<BR> <BR> The Mesa Motorcycle Club put on this race today and they do a fine job making sure everything is in the best possible shape, one thing I noticed about this club is all their flag men are men not little kids as I have seen at times, also they’re pretty strict about rules, for example there was a rider out on the track ready to ride in sneakers which they told him is a “no noâ€, this is a fine club, as are all of the clubs down here who put on these AMA races, keep it up and I will catch you later.<BR> <BR> Rob Norgaard on that big Yamaha (riding for South Bay Yamaha) was unbeatable today in the open class. Rob rode the first moto all the way with out looking at anyone’s back. Mike Stephenson who told me Saturday he was not going to ride today took his CCM bike and gave Norgaard a little preasure but could not quite get there and got a second place. Tim Barlow (Bul) was in there all the way with the front runners and ended up with the third spot. Kenny Frost is a super rider as all the guys who ride with him know, what can I say Kenny’s Suzuki in the first race a shock came loose putting him out, in the second race a rod went ca-put. Again and again bad luck has struck Kenny, don’t give up Ken really it can’t get worse so it has to get better, what’s that you say WHEN?? The Amateurs ran with the Experts and it was Bob Brown (CZ) getting the win with Dirty Steve Rivara also on a CZ taking second, and Dan Ellison (Bul) third.
The second Open moto was won by Norgaard again. Barlow was in front for a while but a flat tire made him pull off, also Stephenson went down in this race but recovered enough to get second place, and Tom Omelina (CZ) rode hard enough to take third place. Tim Daily on a Bultaco got third overall, sorry Tim I lost track of you during races, my mind doesn’t work all the time. The Amateurs finished the same as in the first moto Bob Brown leading the pack.<BR> <BR> Amateurs and Experts ran together in the 250 class also today. Randy Burns (Yam) lead the pack into the first turn with Gary Standridge (CZ) close behind and John Cerveny (Yam) staying right there also. Standridge took the lead and held it until three laps to go then that CZ stopped running for him, in the mean time Jeff Mathews (CZ) had moved into second place, now he was in first with Standridge out and that is where Jeff finished. Troy Stallings (KTM) after getting off the line in twelfth place really pushed and ended up passing everyone except Mathews for second place, third went to Burns.<BR> <BR> Amateur rider Stewart Hale (CZ) lead everyone in the second moto for five laps then Burns took over and went on to win. Troy Stallings passed Hale on the last lap to take second, third for the Experts was John Cerveny, Hale got first Amateur. 0 ‘yea, Mathews back tire went flat in this race so it was back to the pits for him. Stewart Hale got first overall for the Amateurs Gary Cox (Yam) second and Ken Martin (Hon) third.Mike Jennings on his Honda got the hole shot in the first moto for 125 Expert and Amateurs. Mike is a Amateur and was leading Expert rider Mike Curtis also on a Honda for a couple of laps then Curtis went by and stayed there to get the win with Dan Robert (Bul) hanging in there all the way for second. Bob Sherwood on his new Honda after a little bump on the start which put him back a ways came up for third place and first for Amateur riders, Bob Murry with a new Honda also was right behind Sherwood for fourth.<BR> <BR> The second moto Bob Sherwood took that new Honda out front right from the start and stayed there for 20 minutes to get first place. Mike Curtis had trouble off the line and was the last one-around the first turn, but really scratched hard and moved up to finish second in front of Bob Murry who took third.
In the 125 Novice class the first moto was won by Honda, riding Eric McElroy, second was Stuart Lynch also on a Honda, and a Suzuki rode by Berry Sherman was third. The second race was won by Tom Brown on a new Kawasaki he had his problems in the first moto, I don’t take away his riding ability but some of his judgement in the first race was not too smart, as this writer sees it. Second place was Lynch again and third went to Kerrin Keff er (Hon). As always it was a good day of racing. The Powder Puff class Noni Wilson on her Suzuki again was a double winner beating Robyn Antonaccci (Hon) and Mimi Selly (Hon) in both motos.
I have been writing about this guy almost every week last year, most riders from San Diego that race motocross have heard of Mike Stearns. Mike rides a 250 CZ for Chula Vista Suzuki. Next week he is headed for Flordia to try his skills out on the road for awhile. Mike had the desire and talent to do real well, which I for one think you will be hearing the name Stearns quite a bit in the next year. Good luck Mike you deserve it.
