CMC-MX at Saddleback Park
CMC
at
Saddleback Park
Sunday January 5, 1975
By: Helen Molletta
CMC started the new year by throwing an excellent race out at Saddleback today. The day was perfect for racing and so was the track. A bit rougher than usual, the track was kept moist for the whole day by the Saddleback crew. It was the best that I've seen it for a long time. I'm sure last week's rain helped. A good sized crowd turned out and I noticed quite a few "Christmas bikes." The Mini's and 100's started out the program with Gorki Moore sweeping the 100 class over Doug Martin and Dan Dilkey. Mike Musson won both Mini Expert races and Jeff Dye did the same in the Mini Junior class.
The next race to leave the line was the 125 Pro class. When the dust from both motos settled there was quite a surprise. Tim Lunde, riding his Flying Machine Factory Honda, won both motos for the overall which wasn't that surprising. The big surprise was that Pat Hubbs took second overall on his stock-motored Honda. Pat rode to a fourth in the first moto behind Mike Bell (wearing his new No. 1 plates) and Don Bongiorno. In the second moto he came from about 12th to fifth where he, Dave Williams, and Mike Bell had a real go at it. Pat finally got by to take after Lunde but never caught him. Tim had good leads throughout the day. David Williams, who fell in moto one, beat out Bell giving the second overall place to Hubbs. Mike took third and Don Bongiorno, who was up front at the beginning of each race, took fourth. David Williams' last moto ride brought him into fifth overall with a 9-3 tally.One face missing from the 125 Pro ranks today was Tommy Croft. Tommy, who has been winning the 125 class regularly on his Franks, has forsaken his ride to go with a factory. Which one I can't say, but it is a ride he well deserves and I wish him luck in his new endeavor.
Another person who it seems has changed rides is Gaylon Mosier. Today Gaylon was on a Kawasaki and with it he won the 250 Pro class. It didn't look that way from the start though as Richard Grafton and his YZ won the first moto rather convincingly. Mosier took second and Morris Malone pulled in third followed by Bob Messer, both Maico-mounted. The second moto saw Mosier take the lead and the win with Rich in close pursuit but he just couldn't catch Gaylon for the win. Third in that moto and overall was Morris Malone putting in a good steady ride for Wheelsmith Engineering. Fourth in that moto was Bob Elliott, but a 25th place in the first moto kept him down in the standings. Fifth in that moto, and fourth overall was Bruce McDougal on one of his first Yamaha appearances. It seems that this is the time of the year for everyone to try out their new rides. Jeff Vidic took fifth overall on his Montesa; it looks as if he's finally getting all the bugs worked out and the handling down.
Some of the best dicing of the day came in the Open Pro motos. In the first moto it was between Bill Rubly, Mark Rodman, Mark Blackwell, and Gary Semics, as all these riders were fighting for third place. In first place was Doug Sherman on his Wheelsmith Maico showing the way to some top Trans-AMA heavies. Second was Rich Thorwaldson on his Suzuki followed by the battle for third. At the finish it was Mark Blackwell on his Bel-Ray Maico acing out Rubly's Maico and Rodman's YZ. Gary Semics, wearing a Husky jersey and riding a Kawasaki, followed them up for sixth with Jack Hazard in for 7th. The second moto saw Rubly get the lead again only to lose it to Sherman again. Doug really meant business as he started to stretch his lead over Thorwaldson but a broken silencer caused his bike to load up giving the lead and race to Rich and his Suzuki. Rubly assumed second when Doug dropped out and held on ahead of Hazard's Bultaco and Semics. Mark Blackwell and Rodman had troubles and placed out of the top ten. Rich had the overall followed by Rubly and Jack Hazard who was riding a very good race. Gary Semics put his new mount into fourth place while Steve Shipkey brought his Maico into fifth.
Intermediate action was good with the 125's and 250's having two divisions each. Alan Smith topped Ernest Gonzalez and Kevin Crawford in the 125 Division one class while Mark Harrington beat Arden Hadley and John McGonigal in the second division. Mike Flanagan took his Yamaha to the win over Jon Dickenson's Maico and Alan Cheever's Yamaha in the 500 class.
Joe Bonnello finally got it all together in the 250 Intermediate Division one class today and took the win over Gordon Newman. Both were Bultaco mounted-only Joe's was purple. Dana Slater rode to two steady third place finishes for third overall. The second Division was won by Kevin Rodgers on his Maico. Mike McClung brought his Yamaha into second and Jonas Gaaf Was third on his brand new Husky. Look for more from Jonas in the near future.
125 Junior wins went to Paul Strickland who won both motos over Jeff Voss and to David Gerig riding for the Carlsbad Racing Team. He won the second division followed by George Robbins and Kym Kirschmann.
Dave Robinson and Harry Shenk both won their 250 Junior classes with clean sweeps and both were Husky mounted. Mark Jacobsen and Joel Harriott both took seconds in each race for second overall and both rode Yamaha's. Mark Kiefer won the 500 Junior class with two seconds.
