April 16, 1975
Vol. 3  Issue 14
    










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Escape Country


No matter what line you tried, they all were full of mud. At Escape Country the riders voted to race in the rain and mud. They had fun. too.  Klugman photo.
No matter what line you tried, they all were full of mud. At Escape Country the riders voted to race in the rain and mud. They had fun. too. Klugman photo.

ECRA at Escape Country
Sunday April 6, 1975
By: Fred
Klugman

It was a wet cold Sunday morning. Snow was falling in the hills surrounding Escape Country as the riders began arriving for pre-race practice.

Just getting around the track at Escape Cou was fun, ask anybody that raced. Klugman photo.
Just getting around the track at Escape Cou was fun, ask anybody that raced. Klugman photo.

The track was raceable but still pretty sloppy from the rains which had fallen the night before.

This CZ rider tries to part the red sea out at Escape Country during their monsoon-o-cross Klugman photo.
This CZ rider tries to part the red sea out at Escape Country during their monsoon-o-cross Klugman photo.

Rider turnout was thin, quite un¬derstandable considering the weather conditions. When the first race began it wasn't raining at all, but the threat was most definitely there. In the first moto, featuring all the Open class riders, bikes were slipping and sliding and going down all over the muddy track.

The Super Minis come off the line while racing out at Escape Country in the mud. Klugman photo.
The Super Minis come off the line while racing out at Escape Country in the mud. Klugman photo.

Then it happened. Torrents of rain began pouring down flooding the track and turning it into a complete mess. Many of the racers loaded up their bikes and headed for home, but many also remained.

It was pretty cold at Escape Country, so it was a major feat trying to keep warm. Klugman photo.
It was pretty cold at Escape Country, so it was a major feat trying to keep warm. Klugman photo.

Escape country officals polled the remaining riders to see if they'ed rather race or run. It was racing they wanted, and racing they did attempt. The track was bad however, and most fell victim to mud clogged or drowned out engines, while others became mired in the mud and couldn't get out.

This rider's white jump suit didn't stay that way too long, but leather after riding in this slop.   Klugman photo.
This rider's white jump suit didn't stay that way too long, but leather after riding in this slop. Klugman photo.

By the time the rain shortened race program concluded less than one-third of the starters even crossed the finish line.