1968 Dusty Coppage Hare & Hound Champion - 1-Page Vintage Motorcycle Article

Description

1968 Dusty Coppage Hare & Hound Champion - 1-Page Vintage Motorcycle Article
Original, Vintage Magazine article
Page Size: Approx. 8" x 11" (21 cm x 28 cm)
Condition: Good
The National Championship Hare and
Hound, a 192 mile jaunt from Barstow,
Calif, to Las Vegas, Nev. was won by
hard riding Dusty Coppage of Burbank,
Calif, in the creditable time of four-and-a-
half hours.
The event was divided into two sec-
tions. At 9:1.5 a.m. the banner dropped
for the 400 riders in the combined open
and 250 classes and fifteen minutes later
219 trail bikes were sent on their way.
The start was fast over a good two
mile stretch but a large rock bed
brought everyone back to the serious
business at hand. Following this came
the deep sand dunes, rocky fire roads
with some fast trails thrown in. Up a
long steep hill and between a couple of
rocky mountains kept everyone alert as
the riders moved into the first gas stop.
From here the course followed some
long fire roads, crossed dry lake beds and
wound up through the rock-strewn tree-
covered mountains where the trails were
narrow and a bit hairy to say the least.
Down out of the mountains on a long
steep rocky trail the riders finally hit
the tricky wet salt beds where without
caution one could really get stuck.
Up to this point Ron Nelson had
been the over-all leader with Gene Smith
pushing hard in the runner-up spot.
Dusty Coppage and Dick Dean were
battling it out for third.
This was a bad spot for the leaders as
Nelson did an endover to eliminate him-
self and a little further on as they ap-
proached the second gas stop Dean had
mechanical trouble and retired.
The battle went on between Coppage
and Smith as they headed out of the
gas stop onto a course much like earlier
sections, deep sand and rocks. Out of the
third and final gas stop was some rough
territory but there was only a short haul
to the finish.
Coppage was the first rider in to win
the championship with Smith right be-
hind. Following the leaders were Bill
Hammer, Steve Hurd, Jack Byers, Larry
Bergquist and Max Switzer.
Bob Patton led the trail bike riders in
for the win in that class with Rick
Stumph, Tom Fee and Jack Froelich
taking second, third and fourth, respec-
tively.
Hare and Hound Results
1. 2.
Dusty Coppage Gene Smith
TRI TRI
Open Expert Open Expert
3.
Bill Hammer
TRI
Open Amateur
4
Steve Hurd
MAT
500 Expert
5.
Jack Byers
TRI
Open Expert
6.
Larry Bergquist
BSA
7.
Max Switzer
GRE
250 Expert
8.
Steve Kirk
TRI
Open Expert
TRAIL
BIKES
1.
Bob Patton
HON
2.
Rick Stumph
HOD
3.
Tom Fee
HOD
4.
Jack Froelich
HOD
5.
Jim Cramer
13902-AL-6802-23