Howerton and Hart Haul In the Hail at Hangtown Part 1
Mke McAtee got the hole shot in the first 125 Expert moto only to loop a chain going down the hill. He re-mounted and made it up to sixth when the chain did it again, putting Mike out for the time being.
AMA
at
Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds
Sunday April 6, 1975
By: Scott Heidbrink
This year’s Hangtown was really a classic, in every sense of the word. The past two years this has been the race of races, with letter perfect weather. But this year Ma Nature opened up and didn't let loose until Sunday afternoon. When the skies finally cleared the rain and hail caused many an upset throughout the weekend. We rolled in Friday night to find the pits already almost full and the camp grounds quiet. Things got started early Saturday with the Sportsmen getting ready to race. Practice was sent out in shifts, hoping the track would dry. The two mile long track was the best around. It combined everything from water crossings, to jumps, bumps, whoops, and anything else imaginable. The track was a good test for the Sportsmen and an excellent racing surface for the Pros.
Berserko Billy Grossi was moving out in both motos. Only problem was that the first one he had bike trouble. The second time he grabbed third place. He had second until he low sided.
SPORTSMEN The Sportsmen racers really got hit by the rain, since they were first to race on the track. It was gooey all the way around but there were some fantastic berms building. The first few times around the riders discovered many a hole that was ready to suck up a bike. Many racers only rode practice then shoved the bike in the back of the van to dry out and stay fresh. One magazine Editor did this little number so he wouldn't harm the love of his life, a gas-shocked CZ. It really did seem the smart thing to do. But those who raced really loved it. It was amazing that the Dirt Diggers could score such an event, since every rider was covered head to toe with mud. But they did and the results were done that night.
Kent Howerton was the man to beat in both motos as he got the lead and held it in both. Only in the first one did he have trouble with Jimmy Ellis.
All classes were full for the Sportsmen competition and there was close com¬petition in the two-15 minute motos. Ac¬tually, it looked like the Novices and Juniors ran for about IS minutes and the Experts got a full 20. Either way, there was plenty of racing for everybody. In Division one of the 125 Novice class, the early leader was Craig Cole from Saugus. Honda-mounted Craig has learned a lot from riding with brother Eddie and he proceeded to show his stuff. This young racer was really on the move. He did well in the first moto, but a sixth in the second moto dropped him to sixth overall. Winning the class was Chuck Cummings on a Bultaco. This rider from Sunnyvale really seemed to agree with the mud as he topped all competition. Second overall went to Bob Shoreen from Concord. Bob was riding a Honda and really looked good in the mud, if you can do such a thing.
Bruce Baron tried the outside line on one of the turns and got stuck. It took a whole flock of people to finally dig out the buried YZ.
Tom Gahart from Arcata took third in this division, also riding a Honda. It seems that Hondas rule the 125 class all over the U.S. Also racing in the class was the man behind C.H. Industries, Cliff Hughs. Cliff brought out one of his hot bikes and was doing battle in the Novice class. It was his first time racing in some time and he looked quite good on his trick little Honda. There was also a Powder Puff or two racing in this class, among them was Paulette Napoleone, riding a Honda for Suzuki of Santa Barbara. She didn't finish in the top three, but as Paulette puts it "At least I didn't fall". In Division two, it looked like there might be another rider from Southern California in the top standings, but it didn't last.
Marty Smith was way back in the first moto. but the second time he was moving out. His 125 Honda looked the strongest up this hilt as he threw a roost a 250 would be proud of.
George Corcoran, from Playa Del Ray, was really on the move in the first moto as he pulled second place on the first lap and started to gain on the leader. But then he had troubles and by the end of the moto, he dropped back a few spots. In the next moto, he never could quite get it together, so the overall win went to Dan Dobbins, another Sunnyvale resident. Dan was racing on a trick Honda.
Kent Howerton on his factory Husky won both motos. He had fun in the first, but ended up on top and the second one he led wire-to-wire. He was really gassin' it.
Second place went to Roseville's Mike Stewart, riding a swift Suzuki. Third fell to Jerry Williams, also Honda-mounted. There were alot of other locals from Southern California, but the home grown talent seemed to dominate in the mud. The 125 Expert class looked like there was a lot of talent in it, with some riders going almost as fast as many of the Pros. There were many up from So Cal for this class, including FMF rider Mike Pillar, Penton-mounted Mike Garrett, Honda rider Dave Kolbe, and EME man Mike McAtee. So it was a full house.
Due to the rain, many of the girls decided that they would enjoy the action from inside the vans.
The early leader was Paul Turner from La Selva Beach. He was riding a Puch and was doing quite well. Then he simply disappeared. The hole shot king in the first moto was Mike McAtee, as he led it down the hill to the first jump. That's just where Mike stopped for the first time, as his chain bounced off his bike. Dead last, he started his drive towards the top. He was picking off riders quickly as he finally made it up to sixth spot. He was gaining on the leaders at a fantastic rate, then his chain came off again, wrapping itself up too much to fix. So Mike quit for the day.
Jimmy Weinert and Tony DiStefano bump on their way up the hill at Hangtown on the first lap of the second moto. They went wheel-to-wheel until J.W. went out with bike troubles. When he thought he had them solved. Weinert started up and proceeded in reverse.
In the mean time, Danny Chandler went on to win the overall class riding a Honda. Al Hall from Truckee took second place honors. The 250 Novice race found another Sunnyvale rider taking home the big trophy, this time it was Maico rider Jeff Goodell. He really smoked this class, riding his bike faultlessly. Concord resident Gary Guerrero took second on his rapid Bultaco while Alan McGehee took third, also riding a Bul.
Eddie Cole was really cooking n the second moto, as he got third. The first moto he broke a throttle and going home, he was forced 250 miles out of the way to get there.
In the second division of this race, it was Fred Fulton taking the overall, coming all the way from Renton Washington. He was riding a Bultaco in fine form as he cleaned house. They must have more mud up there, since he seemed right at home in the goo. Second place was captured by Joe Cody from Sacramento, and Tony Gatt took third.
All day long Mike Runyard didn't look too fast, but when the final results were posted, it was discovered that the Can-Am rider had fourth overall.