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Hilltoppers M.C. Desert Scrambles
N
ovember 15th & 16th, 2003

"If for some lame reason you missed Hilltoppers, It's too late for you! I just heard that your competition card will be revoked for missing a perfect race. It's just sad. We had several people in our club that just won't be allowed back in the desert. Here is a list of thing you need to do if you missed it.

1. Just throw next years application away.
2. Take up golf,
3. sell your bike and buy new furniture, to sit home with."
_________________
Tony F-something
Desert MC, Husqvarna (not the chainsaw)

There are four pages of this stuff on the District 37 Web site. Blessed with perfect riding conditions and a turn out of over 370 riders, the Hilltoppers threw the best desert race of the year.

Thank you to everyone that came out and chipped in. The course markings were awesome and the clean up was without a doubt the best idea we’ve ever had. The entire desert was clean by 2 pm. No fines from the district this year. He had a monster turn out from club members new and old. Thank you for taking the time to come out and help out.

A special thanks goes out to Rob Meyer for the cookout on Saturday night. I am putting this in the newsletter so everyone knows. We would like you to cook at the GP and the desert race next year. You have an unlimited budget. (Yes Harry, Unlimited) You know what needs to be done and it was fantastic.

Thank you Danny F. for running the sweep crew; sorry I started the quads up the bomb while you were helping a downed rider from the beginner line. OOPS! Just trying to keep you on your toes.

Finally, thank you at all of the friends who came out and filled all the spots where we were missing folks. Since our membership is still growing, your assistance is invaluable.

We should have the financial report done by the next news letter and will send out the info so everyone can see how well we fared.


A note from President Harry:

Hi Guys
Just a little update as to our next meetings for the Hilltoppers. We will have a meeting Thurs. 12-18-03, No meeting this week 12-11. 2004 we will go back to our original schedule of the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month, Jan. will be 1-7 and 1-21-04 until we start having weekly meetings for our Grand Prix in February.
Hope this is helpful.

I'd like to Thank all the Hilltoppers for their hard work for the club this year its well appreciated by me, my staff and the membership.
Wishing all Hilltoppers and their Family's and friends a Merry Christmas and fun, and safe Holidays.

Thanks again
Harry Klaus-Pres HTMC


Club Elections
J
anuary 8th, 2004

It’s time to come out and make your voice heard. The elections for officers will be held at the first meeting of the New Year. If you like everything that the club is doing, come support the guys that are working for you. If you have some Ideas for change or would like to see the club move in some new directions, come and make your voice heard. Enough said.


Score Desert Racing Series - Tecate Baja 1000
N
ovember 21, 2003

Provided By American Honda-

The 36th-annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 will go down as the toughest one ever, with just 153 of the 272 original starters able to finish. Despite the long, dusty day and cold, foggy night, however, the Honda Off-Road Team pairing of Johnny Campbell and Steve Hengeveld not only coped well but thrived, resulting in a winning ride that saw them literally run away from the entire field to take the overall victory in 15 hours, 39 minutes, 52 seconds. That gave them an average speed of 51.58 miles per hour for the 808-mile course on their XR650R, besting the first truck or buggy by some 45 minutes and the second-place motorcycle by about 53 minutes. It also stretched Campbell's Baja 1000 win streak to seven in a row and gave Honda its 14th overall motorcycle victory, also extending a record. In addition, eight of the first 10 bike finishers relied on the XR650R, resulting in four Pro-class wins out of five (of course, the 650 isn't eligible for the 250cc class).

Though Campbell and Hengeveld finished the three-race SCORE Desert Series with a perfect record for the second consecutive year, don't think that their Baja 1000 win was easy. Campbell was fourth off the line and grabbed the lead just 20 miles later. Early in the race, however, he hit a sizeable rock that sat hidden in the shadows, destroying the front wheel. "I never even knew it was there," he said. "I've been down that road a hundred times, but I hit it going really, really fast! Right when I hit it, I thought it was over with."

Fortunately, Campbell didn't crash, but besides the mangled wheel, he suffered a jammed thumb on his throttle hand, an injury that would affect him the rest of the day. "It kind of dampened my ride because I had a really good rhythm going and everything was working really good until then," he lamented. Still, Campbell managed to limp the bike onward until he could get the broken wheel replaced by the heads-up crew from the next pit. After that, "Basically, I just had to maintain and ride 75 percent because my thumb was hurting pretty bad," he said, and he handed the bike to Hengeveld after 205 miles.

Coming on strong and determined to overtake them, the Christopher Blais/Chuck Dempsey/Andy Grider/Beau Hayden team actually passed Campbell/Hengeveld when the defending champs stopped for a scheduled tire change. That lasted only until they reached the bottom of the course near Chapala Dry Lake and turned north with Hengeveld moving back into the lead for good. "When I passed them at Chapala, my goal was just to ride as hard as I could to San Matias Pass (a distance of nearly 170 miles) because I figured I could put some time on them," Hengeveld explained. "When I got to San Felipe (about 120 miles later) I had six minutes and kept building."

Despite having to avoid a herd of cattle and some wild horses in the dark in the last 150 miles, plus needing to slow markedly for fog, Hengeveld kept extending his margin while Campbell kept tabs via a satellite phone he borrowed.

"There is no greater thrill or accomplishment in our sport than to be champions of the Baja 1000," Hengeveld declared after finishing back in Ensenada. "Don't wake me up; it's unbelievable!

"We rode a couple thousand miles in preparation for this thing. It all worked out so it's okay," he laughed.

The Blais/Dempsey/Grider/Hayden team ended up second overall on their XR650R, their ride slowed by a broken light bracket. Third overall and first in Class 40 for riders 40 or older went to Craig Adams, Rich Binkley, Chris Haines, Bob Johnson, Jack Johnson and Paul Ostbo. It marked the 20th Baja 1000 for Haines and gave him his 10th class victory. Class 30 winners Gerardo Rojas and Sergio Vega took fourth overall by just three seconds over Class 40 runners-up Jeff Kaplan, Jim O'Neal and Tim Withers.


Baja 1000 overall motorcycle results:

  1. Johnny Campbell/Steve Hengeveld-Honda XR650R-15:39:52
  2. Christopher Blais/Chuck Dempsey/Andy Grider/Beau Hayden-Honda XR650R-16:32:44
  3. Craig Adams/Rich Binkley/Chris Haines/Bob Johnson/Jack Johnson/Paul Ostbo-Honda XR650R-17:37:30
  4. Gerardo Rojas/Sergio Vega-Honda XR650R-17:43:18
  5. Jeff Kaplan/Jim O'Neal/Tim Withers-Honda XR650R-17:43:21

Score Desert Racing Series - Tecate Baja 1000
N
ovember 21, 2003

We left Wednesday night and made it down to Ensenada just in time for a late supper at El Ray Sol. Steve Vince, Christian Lee’s father, Olaf, and myself went down to assist Pete Brown at his Honda Pit 10 in Gonzaga Bay. We started at contingency Thursday and met up with all of the big names at Honda Racing. Johnny, Bruce, Steve, Marty and Tim Gomez. We headed south on Mexican Hwy 1 for a lunch at a place called the Wet Buzzard. This place is right on the beach and on same road as the La Pinta hotel in Cielito Lindo just south of San Quintin. $1 tacos and burritos and $4 pitchers of beer. Worth the stop.

If you have not been to Pete’s House yet, what are you waiting for? Thank you, Pete, for your hospitality. President Harry was down and did a great job cooking up the vitals, as well.

We got to our pit around noon on Friday. Christian Lee and Lee Hamby joined us at the pit. The first bike showed at 4:19pm. Lee Hamby won the money for that and made sure everyone was aware of it. After the first two bikes went by we got prepped ourselves for a long 13-hour day. This year Honda had sold 40 spots and we pitted on all except 8. The pit closed at 4:00 am. We made it back to Pete’s house and pretty much laid around all day Saturday. Pete thanks for the dinner at Alfonsinas. Everything was great.


Membership

Bernie Deal was voted into the club this month. Congratulations Bernie. We gave him his paperwork and membership card at the cook out on Saturday before the race. He is a good guy and we’re lucky to have him.


2003 Elsinore Grand Prix - Elsinore
N
ovember 8th and 9th

I tried to get a picture from photos by grumpy web site and put it in here, but there are too many security features on it. Next time you see PeeWee, let him hear it. He is the only one in the club with a finisher pin from this years Elsinore classic. Good job Pee Wee


Thank you to Bob and Nancy Daily

We drove by Bob and Nancy’s house in San Felipe on the way home from the Baja 1000 for a cup of coffee. While I was there, they gave me two dump cans for normal tanks to use on club members that are racing desert. Bob said they are not getting out to pit much any more and would like to see the equipment go to good use. So, for the 2004 season, as long as you do not have a dry break system on your bike, we got you covered. When you see them, let them know we all appreciate the stuff.


Schedule of upcoming events

Hilltopper Meetings -2nd and 4th Thursday of every month at 7:30pm

January 8th, 2004 - Club elections will be held at our club house in Long Beach at 7:30pm

January 11th, 2004 - Our desert race trophy presentation will be held at the Jackrabbits Hare and Hound, Red Mtn.

January 11th, 2004 - Jackwabbits Hare and Hound, Red Mtn.

January 18th, 2004 - UEA Enduro, Lucerne

 

January 25th, 2004 - Desert M.C. Hare and Hound, Lucerne

 

January 31st, 2004 - Dirt Diggers Grand Prix, Taft


Buy and Sell

*1997 XR600-Bernard Deal is selling this bike-He says it comes with too many parts to list here. Let’s just say he works very near the source. Give him a call and he might make you a deal. Pun intended.

*1996-95 ATK 350- Pee Wee Thomas560 Cam Ported and Polished/Extra Dehoned 10.5 to 1 compression, Electric Start, New Battery, Scott’s Stabilizer, Talon Hubs, Pro Taper Bars, New tires, 3.8 Gal tank, street legal current, Green sticker, Lots of extra stuff- $3500

*2001 Honda XR 650- Scott Hamby- Heavy springs in front and rear. The stock suspension is still in a box. Extra-stock tank and plastics. Lots of extra stock parts. $3300.

*2001 Yamaha YZ 85-Jim Coleman-Boysen Reeds, Head work, Ported and polished.

If you have anything you would like to post, Buy or Sell, comments, suggestions, let me know. 562 243-5561 or Scott_Hamby@ahm.honda.com

:: Last updated :: January 7th, 2004
© 2004 Hilltoppers M.C., Long Beach, CA :: Site code by D. Fitzgerald