Saturday Saddleback Motocross Racing
SSM
at
Saddleback Park
Saturday February 22, 1975
By: Tom Corley
Today was really a beautiful day for racing with a nice blue sky a hot sun however it was pretty windy. A racers would be hauling done a straight away or flying over a jump and the gusty winds would want to make the guy change his line on the track.
Now the Expert racing was really out-a-sight today but not near as good as it was last week. But then again how often you expect a couple of really well known shoes like Karsmakers or Eierstedt to show up? Instead of Rich Eierstadt taking home all of the cash in the 125 or 250 Pro class he was just having fun today and whipped around on a pit machine, Honda of course! Bruce Baron didn't get into the action today because he was giving his bike the work over. Mike Gillman didn't race and instead he just spectated from on top of the scorer's booth where he peered down and watched Scot Gillman race his new Bike Shop CZ.
Now while several of the real fast cats weren't in the line-up the star who blew everyone off was Rich Thorwaldson who easily managed to roost of the 500 Pro class. Rich is no longer on the ole works Suzuki machine and now he is on his way to the top on a works Maico. And man did he fly on the bike, nobody even came close and it would of been interesting to see how he would of done last week against ultra fast Sherman and Pierre, that is when his 410 Honda was still running. Gary Tomczak on another hooked second over Scott Gillman who looked pretty good on his new CZ.
Bob Stem, of the Bike Shop, is really turning on to the weekly SAM racing because of the 2-40 minute motos I reckon. He didn't have to battle the great new Yamaha factory racer Bruce McDougal like he did last week and Bob pulled in the 250 Pro bucks over Scott Miller on a Yamaha and Robert Hannah. Usual CMC Pro Gary Denton tried his luck with the SAM today and it proved worthwhile because he captured 30 bucks as he won the 125 class over Mike Johnson and Jeff Henneke who were all on Hondas. Gary's trying to improve his stamina so naturally he came out to Saddleback to try out the the European length motos. He was dicing the 250 machines with no problem and he could of done even better but he had a hard time finding traction of the slick track from first to third gear.
Lee Eide of B&M Motor Parts usually kicks the 125 Junior pack. Today he got a stab at the Intermaniac class and he roosted on all of the 125's at first and his best dice was with Scott Scott on a large bore YZ. Lee's first moto start wasn't so sensational but he worked his way up. In the second moto Lee passed Scott while coming out of sweeper in the back of the track and had it made. But then tragedy struck when his Honda blew a ring, he pushed it to the finish and ended up with fifth for that moto. Because of that Leni Faas who had a Honda that was really tricked out ended up the 125 Intermediate winner as he placed second in the first moto and first in the final Intermediate moto. The Intermediates race in the same manner as the Expert and they go for two long motos. Placing behind Faas and Eide were Michael Lopez, Larry Nelson, Augelo Barbero and Lone Watson.
Now next Saturday March 1 the SAM is going to have a little bonus for all entrants who are members or not. Everyone will receive a free cold hat and everyone will run for the usual 3-20 minute motos. I got one free from the SAM people already and I really like it.
