Mulder Wins Nat'l Hare & Hound
MULDER WINS NAT'L HARE & HOUND
THE 19-YEAR-OLD desert flash retained his sovereignty over a field of nearly two hundred contestants, all eager to topple the reigning champ from his throne. They had a hundred and twenty miles of opportunity during the National Championship Hare & Hound, sponsored by the Sandblasters MC of Ridgecrest, Calif., but two hours and thirteen minutes after the start the chance was gone. Through all types of wilderness terrain afforded by the rugged Mojave Desert west of desolate Death Valley, and despite wind-whipped rain which slashed down intermittently during the Easter morning event, Eddie Mulder whallopped his mighty '63 Triumph into the finish a full four-and-a-half minutes ahead of his nearest competitor, successfully defending the title gained last year.
Mulder overcame two obstacles in staying the competition. For one, the youthful ace has not been a consistent competitor in desert events this spring, concentrating more on scrambles and professional TT events which used smooth tracks. The other factor against him was his mount, for while of undeniable power and having undergone careful preparation by tuner Pat Owens, the TR-6 Special was untried until Eddie first rode it shortly before the race began. Changes were being made up until minutes before the race was under way. Yet, experience and determination paid off, and Eddie's average speed for the entire run — through sand, brush, rock, down steep inclines and climbing craggy hills — was a startling 55 mph!
The inclement weather and coincidence with the religious holiday may have stifled the entry list, but the hard-working Sandblasters assured the total success of the run by diligence in selecting, marking and manning the course. A small club, the 'Blasters nonetheless have one advantage; the racetrack is their backyard. Many evenings and weekends were spent in scouting the area for the best possible paths, the most varied and interesting surfaces worthy of a national championship bout. Literally tons of lime marked the course on race day, as well as ribbon and directional arrows at turns where confusion might result.
The course was fast. The ideal marking and selection of smooth country with little dust from the rain-dampened ground allowed leaders to streak ahead with confidence. There was no doubt that horsepower held an edge, for small-bore winner Bill Thorwaldson was back in nineteenth spot over-all, whereas in most runs Bill's Dot snapper places him in the first ten. Another member of the Thorwaldson family, son Richard, won the Amateur class, as well as beating out his dad. Rich's big twin Matchless put him across the line in eleventh place, first man out of the Expert ranks.
Run in two equal loops comprising a lopsided figure eight, the trail rose from 3000' Salt Wells Valley and circled through the Summit Range, neared the old mining towns of Red Mountain and Johannesburg, and wiggled its way through the Rand Mountains before returning to the pit area for refueling needs. Mulder was well in the lead at the halfway point, having fought through some stiff competition in the first few miles. A full quarter of the run had been consumed when Eddie took the first place position from Ron Nelson, a daring rider who invariably has his 500cc Triumph in front of even the best open class riders.
The second leg of the journey carried the men down the long slope to Searles Dry Lake on the edge of Trona, an old stage stop at the base of the Panamints, the western boundary of Death Valley. The rain was blinding now, and goggles were dropped to gain every advantage of visibility, despite needling jabs from the plunging drops as they struck the riders' eyes. The deep alkaline dust near the powdery lakebed stayed put because of the sprinkling, permitting the followers to maintain better speeds in safety. After more sand washes, rock hills and brush busting, the lime directed the men westward for a long, flat, high speed run to the pits and a welcome finish.
Second man to rein in was Triumph Bonneville Special-mounted Bud Ekins. A glowing Don Brown, of the western states distributor, Johnson Motors, greeted Eddie and Bud like they had just made a successful trip to the moon — on* their '63 Triumphs, of course. In third spot was the desert champ for this year in Southern California, Checker clubman Ken Knudsen. The big dairyman has four wins in local district competition since the first of the year, and could've been the man to watch out for.
Next up, and first 500 class fell to Dick Vick, an old hand at desert fests. Vick has put his husky Matchless single in the first five with enviable consistency all year long, and is always a potent threat.
Although out-of-state entries were numerous, the first such finisher was 34th. The virtual year-round competition in California keeps the locals sharp, and the competition is keen. Perhaps the next National should be held in another area, a way to better prove if the California champions are truly what they seem. There is no doubt of their outstanding ability, and they welcome the opportunity to prove it. •
1. Eddie Mulder — Tri. — 0E 2. Bud Ekins — Tri. — 0E 3. Ken Knudsen — Tri. — 0E 4. Dick Vick — Mat. — 500E 5. Gene Hirst — Tri. — 0E 6. AI Rogers — Tri. — 0E 7. Ted Lapadakis — BSA — 500E 8. Dick Tieben — Tri. — 0E 9. Mike Patrick — Tri. — 0E 10. Steve Lydecker — Tri. — 0E 11. Rich Thorwaldson — Mat. — OA 12. Cal Bottum — Tri. — 0E 13. Roger Dietz — Tri. — 500E 14. Roger White — Tri. — 0E 15. Ron Nelson — Tri. — 500E 16. Curt Gibson — Mat. — ON 17. John Jacobsen — Tri. — OA 18. Bill Brokaw — Mat. — 500E 19. Bill Thorwaldson — Dot. — 250E 20. Gary Preston ^— Tri. — 0E
