Cycle News Racetown 395 Article by Chris Cumbo

Photography By: Jeff Blix
Article
ADELANTO, CA

In the morning, the air was calm. As the club's much-anticipated race grew nearer, the members began to unload their motorcycles around the sandy, well-groomed track. The bulldozer had worked through the night to prep the track perfectly. The racers ran through their regimen of practice sessions. The Experts loaded their bikes into the starting gates. A calmness hung over them like a cloud, as they remembered their last race at this venue back in April, at which many riders had been torn to pieces because of the wind's effects as they flew over the jumps, so there was an atmosphere of uneasy anticipation.

When the gate dropped to signal the start of the race, the first to pull up anchor was Gang member John Lombardo. He slid way back over that rear tire. Lombardo made the first left in the middle of the turn. Tracy Hrach powered around the high side of the berm, going around Lombardo, but Lombardo stuck a wheel into Hrach's rear wheel at the first dirt mound. Then Kon Baur made his move around on the inside, and Richard Aldrich moved into second, ahead of Baur, on the outside. Hrach jumped the full step-up jump while the rest of the boys landed on the tabletop.

As the moto progressed, Aldrich and Baur traded places.

"I physically ran out of gas, and there is always the next moto," Lombardo said, adding, "I'll come out swinging!"

In moto two, Baur pulled the holeshot and blocked Hrach's attempted repeat of his earlier attack on the high side of the berm. Before the longest infield double, Hrach put up his mainsail and, with his back to the breeze, passed Baur. "Skipper" Hrach moved steadily ahead of the fleet. Aldrich gave Baur competition for several laps. Aldrich put Baur astern over a single.

The wind stayed strong all day. Aldrich almost made a costly mistake but, despite being swept offshore at a tabletop, managed to garner a second-place finish, behind Hrach. Hrach was unrivaled with the gang and old-timers clubs. Baur was third overall.

The winds picked up for the Over 28 and Over 38 Novice contest. Over 28 rider Mike Speer shot out to the early lead, ahead of Over 38 rider Kevin Westmoreland. Over 28 rider Terry McCurdy (19G, above) followed closely as all three sailed over the longest infield double. McCurdy had ridden the Support class earlier but did not tire out; instead, he passed Westmoreland and closed the gap on Speer to two seconds.

The newly formed three-pack had a 15-second gap on Over 28 rider Robert Reed. Westmoreland and McCurdy were side by side as they sailed over the ski jump, and McCurdy surged ahead just before they went into the straightaway, just a quarter of a lap before the white flag flew. McCurdy proceeded grandly ahead of the two combined classes on the last lap.

McCurdy hoisted a holeshot in moto two and ran uncontested to a glorious finish. A few smiles of satisfaction were exchanged that breezy day.

Results

28+ NOV: 1. Terry McCurdy; 2. Mike Speer; 3. Aaron Pino.

28+ INT: 1. Eric Warrington; 2. Mike Ryer.

38+ BEG: 1. Roger Cole; 2. Roger King; 3. Neil Bernstein.

38+ NOV: 1. Kevin Westmoreland; 2. Cecil Barba; 3. Robert Reed.

38+ INT: 1. Jeff Hamblin; 2. T.J. King; 3. Franck Valles.

38+ EX: 1. Tracy Hrach; 2. Rick Aldrich; 3. Kon Baur.

45+ BEG: 1. Graham Cruickshank; 2. Ja Katz; 3. Ernie Barksdale.

45+ NOV: 1. Robert Pocius; 2. Tom Dunham; 3. Kim Kinslow.

45+ INT: 1. Pete Anagnos; 2. Greg Traver; 3. Chris Cumbo.

45+ EX: 1. Dave Eropkin; 2. Bruce Ashmore; 3. Mike Altenhofel.

52+ BEG: 1. Pete AanAalst; 2. Bob Gallareto.

52+ NOV: 1. Carl Powell; 2. Ryan Grosz.

52+ INT: 1. Jack Gillam; 2. Lee Evans; 3. James Piece.

52+ EX: 1. Jeff Blix; 2. Ron Clement.

52+ PRO: 1. Bill Boyer.

SUP BEG: 1. Ryan Yearta; 2. Garrett Laye.

SUP NOV: 1. Landon Guilbeau; 2. Terry McCurdy.