Huge Crowd Makes Donnie Shearer Benefit a Success - Part 2

at
Sage Cycle Park
Sunday February 23, 1975
By: SCM Staff
John Rogers was the overall winner and Steven Schmitz the runner up. George Curnutt (Yamaha) placed third with Mark Urseth i Honda >, in fourth place overall; Joe Romp i Honda), fifth place; and Don Cordle i Honda), sixth place. Moving on to the lOOcc competition, it was age versus youth, with age and the experience which comes with age, eventually paying off. Overall winner turned out to be 22-year-old Jackey Boone (Harley-Davidson), who aced out Mike Romp, a Suzuki-mounted 12 year old. Romp won the first moto, but Boone came back strong to turn some good riding into the overall victory.

The 125 Expert competition was superb from start to finish. Local rider Robby Cosner (Honda), gave Lopez a real test and actually beat the professional on the first moto by displaying outstanding skill. In the end, however, it was Lopez riding for C.H. Industries in Van Nuys netting first place cash, Cosner settling for second and Doug Bridges (Honda), taking third place. Tom Bice (Honda), held off a pack of 15 riders at 125 Junior to take home a first place trophy. At this point it would seem proper to mention the trophies were as fantastic as the weather and program Sunday.

First of the two victories by Staten riding for Holladay Cycles in Rialto came in the 250 Expert class, where the speedy Maico-jockey zapped the likes of Zahrt riding a new Bui out of Bay Area Bultaco and Todd riding a hot Phantom for Andy at Mid-Valley CZ in Van Nuys who grabbed second and third place, respectively. To say Staten is "good" is to mis-use the word. Fantastic better describes the Sunday effort Greg Winkel (Yamaha-Mono), captured first place at 250 Junior, defeating 21 competitors. Eddie Telles (Yamaha), grabbed second place, and Duane Stephenson (Honda), finished third.

The Old Timers raced, the elderly gentlemen were out to show their support for the worthy cause. A great time was had by all as is usually the case when the Old Timers join a racing program. (It was rumored that a case of beer was an added attraction to assist in an exciting outcome for their racing program). To say the event was a crowd-pleaser is an understatement after checking out what was left after the stampede went by en route to glory. In the end, Harvey Winn, a 33-year-old Santa Barbara County Fireman assigned to the Lopoc Fire Station, was the winner. Billy Brown took second place (reportedly a beer can opener;, Bill Cordle( Yamaha), third place (some said it was a flip-top from a can of beer Winn was drinking), and John Rich (Kawasaki), fourth place (reportedly a year's supply of empty aluminum beer cans).

Staten (Maico), came up with still another victory in the Open Expert competition, defeating Randy Berkeley (Maico), second place finisher, and Wright (CZ), who took third place cash. Here even the word "fantastic" seems out-of-place. We'll just leave it at crowd-pleasing. There was no doubt about, "Rocket Rex" was at his very best Sunday.

Bill Klaers (Maico), captured the Open Junior victory, knocking off second-placer Steve Spragle (Kawasaki), and third place finisher Rod Robbs (Suzuki). Last but not least, two Sidehacks gave the crowd some real moments to cheer about Although they only got in two motos, the show was almost worth the price of admission in itself. Robert Sanner and Ron Hammer combined to ace out Paul and Perry Melillo in the two-machine race.

Randy Crawford, 18, of Ridgecrest was hospitalized with a possible concussion after a spectacular spill during the 250 Expert competition. Crawford was taken to Ridgecrest Community Hospital by Tri-County Ambulance. He was the only competitor hospitalized during the race-although there were spills and a few lumps before the day ended. Crawford was released from the hospital Monday. A second competitor, 13-year-old Phil Gill, also of Ridgecrest, suffered a painful knee sprain on his way home from the race. Phil made it thrtggh all three motos of his first motocross race, but in attempting to ride the 13 miles home on his minibike, across the desert, Gill ran into trouble.

The trouble was a car, which local police officers said was "going too fast" But the same officers added Phil didn't check carefully ("look both ways") before attempting to cross a street.
The day ended and everybody headed home. It was a good day. The racers had fun and the Shearer family was helped out immeasurably. Thanks to all who came out to help make this race as much of a success as it was.