CMC MX at Irwindale Raceway
Roy Holsheimer won everything in sight in the 250 Junior class as he swept all three motos. Photo by Buzz.
CMC
at
Irwindale Raceway
Friday April 4, 1975
By: Buzz Baty
Absence makes the heart grow fonder, so they tell me. I suspect in the case of Steve Glatts, Rick Fiore, and Steve Schilling, that is very probably true. Particularly in the case of Vince Van Hook, who came back tonight after a three week absence to again tuck away victory in the sixteen-man 125 Intermediate class. Vince started right off just as if he hadn't been away, winning the first moto in a battle with Glatts and Schilling. In the second round, Van Hook got boxed in by Glatts, and couldn't get around him. Rick Fiore took the win after an eighth place finish in moto one. Van Hook then came back to win the third moto, with Steve Glatts again running second. Although they say deuces never loses, Glatts' three deuces were only good enough for second overall behind Vince's overall win, with third going to Steve Schilling.
When is a winner not a winner? Well, in particular in the 125 Pros, you're not a winner when you win one moto, crash in one moto, and only manage to finish well-up in the third moto. Coming out of the barn in round one, No. 2 ranked CMC rider, Dave Eropkin pulled the lead, only to be rapidly gathered up by Mark Lawrence, who had been absent from Irwindale's wars for three weeks. Irwindale's Lawrence notched his first ever Pro win, winning the first moto after blowing off Eropkin's No. 2 number plate. Meanwhile David Taylor had managed to fall down and ended up eleventh. Round two and it was Mark Lawrence's turn to crash, while No. 3 plate holder in the CMC, Don Bongiorno went on for the win, David Taylor pressing hard to take second. Round three and it was David Taylor all the way. Off the starting gate all the way to the checkered flag, it was David's race. Eropkin came in for second, Chuck Lunde third, and Mark Lawrence getting up for a fourth. So we had Lawrence of Irwindale winner of round one, Don Bongiorno winning round two, and David (Giant Killer) Taylor winning the final round. Only David Taylor got into the payline, and he was standing third behind Chuck Lunde, who finished second overall, with finishes of three, four, three, and overall victor, Dave Eropkin, with finishes of two, five, two.It looks like it is open house at the first turn at Irwindale on Friday night. Dave Eropkin is now back in action and he proved it by taking the win during CMC competition. Photo by Buzz.
For those of you who may not have gotten the word, the Irwindale Spring Motocross Championships is a nine series event with tonight's beginning and ending on the Championship Night, May 30th, when double points will be awarded. The other dates are April 11,18,25, and May 2, 9,16, 23, culminating in the Championship Night May 30th. The prizes, believe me are not to be sneezed at. First overall, based on a points system, will be the winner's choice of a 1975 XR75 Honda, or a 1974 MT 125 Honda to be donated by Long Beach Honda. Second overall will receive a $200 value motocross instruction course at the Husky Training Center at Carlsbad Raceway. Third overall will receive a pair of motocross boots from Top Gear. Prizes will be awarded down through the 25th finishing position. Now here's a real kicker for you, you do not necessarily have to win first overall to put a lot of points in the bank. Points are going to be awarded on the best finish in any one, I repeat, any one moto. For instance, if you win a moto, you receive fifteen points. If you break and can't ride the other two motos, you still get your fifteen points. Aaaah, but now we have the bonus points, and this is based on the overall finish. Particularly in light of the number of riders you have defeated. If fifteen riders are in the race with you and you come away with the overall win, and as for example you sweep your class, you would then have forty-five points for having defeated the fourteen other nders in your class. So fellow enthusiasts, if you want to join in on this fantastic series, you best get your butt and bike out to Irwindale on Friday nights for the next eight weeks. •Take last week's So. Calif. Motocross Newspaper and read about Jeff Vidic and his Maico and that will just about sum it up for the 250 Pro class this week. The competition was there Tamietti, Pessy, etc., but it was still Vidic in a sweep, giving him forty-five of those points we were previously talking about as well as twelve bonus points for the other twelve riders he defeated.
Vince Van Hook topped the 125 Intermediate class just like he hadn't been away for the past three weeks, photo by Buzz.
Bill Rubly, now in the position of being the man to catch in his chase for the CMC No. 1 plate, put together a sweep in the 500 Pros for the first time since Bill has been racing at Irwindale. Luke Messer fell in moto one, and did damage to the body that kept him out of action. Joe Johnston broke his own Maico, but came back on Messer's to manage an overall finishing position of third, while second overall went to Jeff Jennings on his Costa Mesa sponsored CZ. Four divisions of 125 Juniors, for a total of fifty-seven riders, showed up for the racing tonight. Dan Hendricks in division four had the only sweep of this class for his first overall. Getting second overall behind Dan was Bob Brammer on a Yamaha, the only non-Honda in all the top three places. Mark Braunwalder got in for third overall. Tom Peterson won division one with two fifths and a third. Second overall went to Mark Fowler and third to Kelly Carlisle. In division two Don Miller captured the top spot with a pair of firsts and a fifth. Mark Goff and David Robers ended up with the second and third place positions. Randy Skinner, Mike Reina, and Ron Spadafora were the top three finishers in division three in that order.
Pat Nash took his Honda to the front in all three motos and stayed there for a sweep of the 100 Juniors. Jeff Maas and his Suzuki got the second overall spot, while third went to John Wilson on another Suzuki. The 250 Intermediates traded firsts in the three motos. Mansion Sollender won the first one. The second moto was won by Kevin Rodgers, and fifths in the other two were good enough for the second overall for the night. Bill Chapin won the last moto, and together with a pair of seconds in the first two rounds won for him the first overall. Third went to Larry Lutz for a Maico, Montesa, Honda finish.
Bearded Bill Rubly swept all three motos again at Irwindale, furthering his lead in the CMC point standings. Photo by Buzz.
In the Mini Juniors, it was Kavin Bowden, Johnny Duenas, and Chuck Okimoto for division one in that order. In division two Mike Palumbo showed up again in the top spot with second and third going to Eddie Glover and Ron Baungartner. Little Joe Tucci came out on top in the Mini Expert class, winning it with a third, first, and a second. Bill Fancher got in for second overall. Third went to Jeff Dye. The 500 Juniors and Intermediates together only totaled eight riders tonight. For the Juniors, it was Tom Earle, Jeff Jackson, and Dick McMillen in that order for first, second and third.
The 250 Juniors were swept by Roy Holsheimer and his Maico, Roy putting a bunch of points in the bank for the series. This class, the 250 Juniors, was my un¬doing. I've made it a standing rule since I first began shooting motocross, to shoot pictures from a somewhat hazardous position only when the Pros were running. Since seldom, if ever, do the pros lose their line and come out of the groove. But tonight, I broke that rule, so consequently I was in the wrong position, and got myself clobbered for my stupidity. Things hap¬pened so fast, that right now I can't even tell you which rider it was that hit me. All I was really worried about, as I was flying through the air and down the hill, was my Hasselblad, together with a very ex¬pensive lens and strobe equipment. Although it felt as if my right leg was broken in two places, such was not the case. Although, I may be hobbling next Friday night, I'll be there, as always to record the action for you readers of Southern California Motocross Newspaper.