March 5, 1975
Vol. 3  Issue 8
    










Checkered Past Authentic Vintage Motocross Clothing


Rider Search


More Race Photos...


Tom Omelina

Chip Howell


Search Rider Photos

Search the archives for your photos. If you raced in Southern California during the '70s and '80s you might find one.
Search

AMA-MX at Dehesa


Tom Omelina was really moving in the Open Expert class out at Dehesa.  It was quite a day of racing    Little photo.
Tom Omelina was really moving in the Open Expert class out at Dehesa. It was quite a day of racing Little photo.

AMA at Dehesa Speedway
Sunday February 23, 1975
By: John
Little

This is my fourth time here at Dehesa covering an AMA race, and for some reason the riders really turned out today. It's nice to see some guys riding again that I haven't seen in awhile. The 125 Amateur and Experts started this day of racing. Dennis Curtis did the trick to everyone today, riding his Honda faster and faster everytime I see him, he won both motos today. The second one was a beeze, but in the first one John Tessitore on his Bandit was hanging right there until a foot peg broke of f and you just don't go full out with only one peg. Bob Sherwood (Hon) passed John to get second and John took third and did not ride in the second race. Steve Langdon on a Suzuki came up from ninth at the start to get fourth. Sherwood got second again in moto two, and Brian McNamara who I haven't seen in awhile, really pushed his Honda for third place. My friend Bob Murray put his Honda in fourth in this moto.

Randy Burns (Yam) always gets good starts and that's who led the first 250 moto off the line, followed by Jim Martin (Yam), Jeff Mathews (CZ) and Troy Stallings (KTM). Not getting a good start was Mike McGowan (Kaw) but at the fourth lap after Bums went down, Mike took over the lead and went on to win. Burns stayed in second, and Stallings took third. The second race it was Bums again and this time after McGowan's bike broke, Bums had no problem winning. Troy Stallings had a good hold on second when a shock came loose, but with the lead he had he finished in second place. The third place rider was David Morris (Yam). Amateur rider Stewart Hale (YZ) did it again, just like last week winning both motos. Putting a little pressure on Hale was Gary Cox (Yam) who got two seconds.

The first moto in the Open class started and then had to be restarted as Tom Omelina (CZ) went down real hard on the first lap. When the race was restarted Lars Larsson (Pen) showed Kenny Frost (Pen) and Tim Barlow (Bui which way to go. When they came around after one lap Frost had moved into first place and Chip Howell was pushing his Husky up on Larsson. Howell got around Larsson on the fourth lap and was going after Frost, but the checkered flag came out before he could do it. The order of finish was Frost, Howell, No. 381 don't have his name, then Lars Larsson. Tim Barlow lost a shock and that put him out.

Chip Howell was the overall winner in the Open Expert class out at Dehesa. Little photo.
Chip Howell was the overall winner in the Open Expert class out at Dehesa. Little photo.

The second moto they came off the line, Chip Howell, Kenny Frost, No. 38 again and Lars Larsson and for this twenty minute moto it stayed this way to the finish. Chip Howell really put the distance between him and Kenny Frost I'm sitting here looking at my results and I'm sorry I can't tell you how the Open Amateurs did, I can't make them out. Next time I will write so I can read them.

There were two divisions in the 125 Novice and 250 Novice. The first division of 125 riders were off in a cloud of DUST and leading after the first lap was a Honda rode by Eric McElroy, close behind was Gregg Brooks on a Kawasaki. In the middle of the race Brooks went down and ended up in fifth place. No one caught McElroy. Mike Woodruff came up fast at the end of the race to get second and Jim Greene (Hon) took third, with John Allen (Hon) getting fourth this race. The second moto McElroy went wire to wire no problems at all. John Allen moved up to second in this moto then came Woodruff and Greene In the second division of 125 riders it was little Jack Clawson riding a Kawasaki for San Diego Kawasaki, looking like last week getting a double win then and doing the same today. This kid has thrown his leg over a 125 bike to race four times and has come out on top all four times, can't do any better then that. Jack is getting help from someone who cares, right A.J...Darryl Richerson pushed his Suzuki hard enough to get second place in both races. Third in the first race was won by Lance Tidewell on a Kawasaki. In the second moto third was John Brust (Suz).

The 250 Novice first division was running and going from green flag to checkered flag was Mike Smith on a Suzuki, coming in after him was Ken Nennenhom (Yam) then Lloyd Woodring (Suz). In the second moto division one. Ken Nannenhorn took the first this time and Mike Smith took his place as second finisher, with Randy Russell finishing third on a Husky. In the second division Bruce Smith took his Husky from second place to first with two laps to go and went on to win. Larry Bailey (Bui) got second and hard riding Joe Casillas (CZ) took third. The second race was won by Jim Halbert who had his Husky moving with Bruce Smith trying to get by but could not make it and took second place this time. Robert Scuim also on a Husky got the third. I hope if some of my places are wrong you won't get mad, just say to your self, aw what does he know. You see they ran these races which had two divisions in waves, after the first wave took off and was about half way around, they sent off the next group. WOW after a few laps some of them are running together, so you just scratched your head and hope you're half way right at the results.

Hooray, the Open Novice, only one group, my mind can get back to normal now. The first race Mannel Smith took his Bultaco to the front for four laps but was finally passed by Tom Hart also on a Bultaco, who went on to win, giving Smith a second. Third went to Tom Brown (Kaw) or Nick Casillas (CZ) I don't know as I have the same number for both, wow I thought I had it wired in this class. Their second moto was off with Smith again well out in front but here comes Stefan Bazdorf taking his Yamaha into first and finishing there, he was fourth in the first race. Smith got another second which should give him the overall win. Third place was won by Tom Hart. This is the last race the Hi Boots Motorcycle Club is putting on till November i motocross that is) so till I see you guys again it's been fun, and your club has been very helpful to me. In two weeks back to Four Corners AMA again. See you there.