Great Racing At Saturday Saddleback. Hannah Wins Overall on New Suzuki.
Bob Hannah, Kory Andrew, Bruce Bridgeham and Rich Thorwaldson all going for the lead out at Saddleback Park. - Corley Photo.
SSM
at
Saddleback Park
Wednesday August 27, 1975
By: Tom Corley
I'm glad to report that today just happened to be one of the definte better saddleback races ever. I could tell that it was one of the biggest races as I viewed the projects while driving along Santiago road just before I entered the park. The may Pro racing was at its best and the many classes were considerably boosted because everyone wanted to get in tune for the NMA Mini-Cycle Nationals next Saturday and Sunday here at saddleback park. Naturally because of that huge race there will be no saddleback race but I will be here because I'm going to do the complete coverage of the race for SCM.
Ed Kearns goes for it all at Saddleback with SAM. - Corley photo.
The real superstar of the day had to be Rich Thorwaldson who gassed a Maico for a totally easy win in the 500 expert class and he really be a lot of racers specially when you consider that all of the 125, 250, 500, expert racers go at once during the extremely long two-40 minute motos. Rich started the pace and everyone followed from quite a ways behind. Those who placed behind him in the 500 expert class Jim Nasser of the Bike Shop, Scott Miller and Scott Scott. Both Scotts' were on Yamaha's.
Bruce Baron of sunshine Yamaha was seen last week racing a stock Yamaha Monoshock 125 here in the expert class. Well I talked to Bruce at OCIR this week and he told me that he's not going to saddle up on a 125 any more. Bruce was being Frank with me when he said that he tries to go too fast and ends up falling. So today Bruce didn't ride one of the little screamers and gassed his new monoshock 250 in the 250 pro contest. In the first Moto Aaron was really looking good as he trailed behind Thorwaldson and won his class over the returning fast Bultaco hand Ray Topham and Bob Hannah who now has got a real ride with the Suzuki factory.
In the second and final moto Hannah bezerked it and proved the fastest while Sunshine Yamaha riderr Scott Gillman flew through the finish line in second while Bruce Baron, I guess he had some problems and was back a ways as he finished third. So a third and an excellent first place finish gave the new factory racer Bob Hannah first overall while Bruce Baron won the second place money which wasn't too shabby because there were a lot of people in the lineup. Our study no stock Gilman picked up on third overall in front of competitors Steve Rhyan, Ray Topham, Keith Dysert, Mike Lacey, Gary Faulks, Jack Riggi, Mark Banister and Jerry Trojnar.
There was really some good racing in the 125 junior class. Ron Stroner of Orange County Suzuki was beating everyone on his red paint a down-piped Bultaco and this was over the entire field of fourteen other racers. When the score sheets were whipped up though Stroner was listed as fourth overall because he finished fourteenth in the first Moto and then won the next two. So because of that bum first Moto three others beat out Stroner for the first three trophy positions. SCM photographer Barney Drake was racing today and did great because he finished second and got theholeshots which helped him do so well. Behind Drake was Dave Hornbeck , Stroner, Dave Gomez, Todd Duncan, Mike Godfrey, Brett Meyer, Joel Shorer and Gary Fortney.
Lately Jamie Oliver has been the only real fast 100 expert to come out and race out in the SAM. Today this class was the hottest ever and there were four quick riders. Jim Gallagher who raced in the high school night at the Super Bowl gassed his Elsinore for three first places over hauling Jeff ward was screaming on his new Elsinore 100 powered mini-cycle. Pete Hillebrecht of Harry's Cycle Sales beat Ward in the first Moto although the results say that it is not official . So overall Jim Gallagher won the 100 expert class and the 100
Kurds Sofka is doing fine with his new sponsor Q&E Cycle of Anaheim and today he was seen racing the stock one a Z. A. which is really a squid when compared to its modified machine. I think that the thing that was so different about the stock are was that it was quiet! Soft a fiery one class though over Joy Marimon, Jeff Hewitt and Scott Witt. Special thanks to curb software and Jeff Hewitt who both test road for me for my poster display at the NMA Mini-cycle Nationals which is going to be this weekend. See you there.