June 12, 1974
Vol. 2  Issue 22
    










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AME-MX at Valley Cycle Park


They’re off!  The 100 class takes off from Valley Cycle Park at Sunday’s AME motocross. Hatounian photo
They’re off! The 100 class takes off from Valley Cycle Park at Sunday’s AME motocross. Hatounian photo

AME at Valley Cycle Park
Sunday June 2, 1974
By: Chris
Hatounian

Mike Todd, Billy Payne and Jeff Black were all big winners at the American Motocross Enterprise's Sunday motocross mash. Their wins were not easily won as they had to contend with two 30 minute motos.

Combining 250 and Open Expert classes can be an exciting experience to watch if you put the likes of Billy Payne, Bryar Holcomb and Mike Todd plus a host of others in the same race. Payne, riding one of those trink Maicos, cruised in his usual winning form to stomp all comers in the Open class. His only annoyance came from Don Hicks (Mai) who garned second place overall.

Mike Todd continued his winning ways on a Cooper. It seems that Todd’s Cooper is the fastest thing in the 250 class. Hatounian photo

You don't always see races like the 250 Expert race was. Mike Todd (Cop) pulled his not so surprising hole shots in the first moto with roaring Russ Darnell riding one of those neat new Ossas in second. The Ossa seemed to have the torque to keep up with Todd and his fast Cooper. Meanwhile, in the back of the pack, Bryar Holcomb on the big bad blue Bultaco was swiftly moving up passing riders one by one all the way to third place Val Tamietti (Hon), who he also passed in good time. Then, as he was moving up on Darnell at an unbelievable rate, he never came around the next lap. The "Bultaco blues" hit Bryar again. That took the pressure off old Russ, who was really getting edgy about Bryar breathing down his neck. The moto ended with Todd the victor, Darnell second and Tamietti third.

The second moto saw none other than Todd again in the lead, but this time Bryar was really on him. It didn't take Holcomb long to displace Todd and stretch to an impossible lead. Well, not impossible for Bryar. Anyway, he took the moto win but a DNF in moto one kept him out of the money.

Billy Payne looks back and makes sure his competition isn’t too close for comfort.  Payne held together this week and rode his Maico in for a win in the 500 class.  Hatounian photo
Billy Payne looks back and makes sure his competition isn’t too close for comfort. Payne held together this week and rode his Maico in for a win in the 500 class. Hatounian photo

Todd won by virtue of his first and second place finishes while Tamietti took second and the Ossa Phantom in the hands of Darnell in third.

Jeff Black is becoming a regular name in the AME winners circle. He rode a wild race to garn himself first overall for the day. Craig Egerman (Hon) gave Black one heck of a time in both motos but then Rick Kershaw was on Egerman at a rapid rate o take second overall while Egerman took third.

Of course those 125 Intermediates are no slugs as Tag Turner and John Oswald could prove. Both on very potent Hondas really threw up the terf in an all out battle tor the lead. Turner was slightly faster but Oswald was constantly knocking on his door for the lead which he never got because Turner took the overall Third went to Scott Wolford on a Suzuki.

That Valley Cycle Park track is really prime now and everybody seems so much faster due to the excellent track surface ihe Mini racers are getting faster all the tune and Jim Cote (Hon) threw the roosters to first overall in his class The Powder Puff honors went to Linda O'Brian on a Yamaha.