Gripsters MC District 37 MX at Valley Cycle Park
at
Valley Cycle Park
Sunday March 2, 1975
By: Scott Heidbrink
As I said after going to the first District 37 motocross at Valley, "It's going to be a fine year for District racing," and I wasn't wrong. The crowd today was great. It wasn't as large as the one the Dirt Diggers had, but it was a good size. As usual, there was competition in all classes with some pretty good dueling going on. The biggest class of the day was the 125 Novice class, with over 40 riders on the track at once. Even with a flock of riders like that, there were no mishaps.
The weather has been good recently and today was no exception. Last week at Valley, the weather was much the same, but a touch windier. Last week the track dried out quickly and turned to concrete. This week, SURPRIZE: Valley got their act together and really got things sano'ed out For practice, the track was muddy, that meant it would stay pretty good for most of the day. It did, but anyway, the folks at Valley took a 45 minute break in the middle of the two-20 minute moto program and watered the track, then disced the track, then watered it again. This way, everybody got a good track for both motos. And the best part of the deal is that they say that they are going to do it every weekend if the time permits. Now that is great. No more wearing out tires every weekend, like usual. Since there was such a crowd of riders, the Gripsters were up to their ears in lap sheets. So instead of worrying about getting finals posted Sunday, they were going to do what they could and mail out results. Needless to say, I did not get any results.
Luckily, I was keeping notes, so I can fill you in on some of the action. The hottest race of the day had to be the 250 Amateur-Expert combined fiasco. Actually, it was only a fiasco for "Crazy Al" Cooke, alias Allen Cooke, "Da Crasher." The first moto found Andy Seagle, a recently turned Expert, in the lead with Cooke right behind. Well, he didn't stay behind too much longer, as Allen went down, leaving Andy a dear shot at the win. Allen recovered and worked his way back to second.
The next moto, Mark Cook pulled the early lead riding his Sullivan's Bultaco 250. Mark was racing again and looking good. Soon, Seagle passed him and took over the lead, never to be seriously challenged. So the line up was Seagle, Cook, Cooke, and Sarian. Well, Allen got OTG and went into second and Sarian passed Mark. Then Mark slowed way down, and dropped back. I don't know why, but his lea the -s did look ripped. Cooke was trying to gain on Seagle, almost losing it a couple of times. Sarian was cruising along with pressure from Montesa racer Larry Bird. Larry is a member of the Gripsters and was really moving that VR.
Allen finally cooled it and was showing off for the camera when he did a complete 360 right in front of me. I was laughing so hard, when I heard Allen scream, "Give me a push, come on!!" I willingly obeyed and he got going again, now in fourth. One lap later he was in third with Sarian in second. There were only a couple of laps left, but Allen waited until the last to finally pass Sarian and take second place. Overall, I have Seagle down as the winner, Cooke taking second, and I think Sarian third. In the 500 Amateur-Expert bout, it was Dirt Digger Jim Connolly and Chuck Lanzarone going wheel-to-wheel. Chuck's C.H. Industries Maico would get the hole shot and Chuck would try to get as much of a lead as possible, but then steady Jim would just motor around him after about ten minutes. Connolly is one of the smoothest riders on the track.
This happened in both motos, so Jim took home the win and Chuck had to be happy with another second. In third, it was either John Rice or Tony Lanzarone, but I'm not sure.
Rice rode a Greeves in the first moto, then traded for a 360 Bui. He looked right at home on the Spanish mount, as he took a third in the second moto, I think he traded because he was wearing all his Greeves gear, riding the Bui with another number, and there was another guy out there riding a Greeves with Rice's number on it, and this guy had Bultaco leathers and all. Sounds like a plan to me.
The Powder Puff class found Johanna Stenerson running away with the race on her D-G Honda. She was really going good out there, riding fast as could be. She was moving like a top 125 Expert, except her figure is much more pleasing to the eye.
I think she took the overall win, with second place going to shapely Cherry Stockton, who was riding her usual Bultaco. Cherry was gaining in the second moto, almost to the point where she would have been in striking distance, but time ran out in the moto. Overall, it was a fine race and both the Gripsters and Valley Cycle Park should get a big pat on the back, it was another job well done, folks.