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BLOK WINS SECOND IN ROW AT VALVOLINE 20 MULE TEAM STAGES
BAKERSFIELD, California --
Hendrik Blok of Los Angeles made it two in a row
here Sunday by winning the Valvoline 20 Mule Team Stages Pro Rally
sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America.
The 1976 SCCA National Champion followed his victory in last week's
Nor'Wester in Issaquah, Wash. with another convincing demonstration, scoring
just 7,890 penalty points to take co-driver Franco Soldati of Mexico City
and the swift Plymouth Arrow to an easy victory.
In second place were George Beavis-Erick Hauge in a Dodge Colt with 9,131
points and John Smiskol-Walt Krafft in a Datsun 260Z with 9,200 points were third.
Blok covered the 76 stage miles in record time. Averaging nearly 48 mph
for the event, he won all nine stages and finished with a vast 12-minute
margin over Beavis-Hauge.
While Blok was running away from the competition, second and third places
were the scenes of the real battle. Beavis-Hauge were second on six stages
while Smiskol-Krafft, who coincidentally were third at Nor'Wester, were
second on the remaining three stage routes.
The Valvoline 20 Mule Team Stages is part of the 10-event SCCA Pro Rally
trail this season. It continues with the world famous Press On Regardless
in Houghton, Mich. Nov. 3 and concludes Nov. 19-21 with the inaugural
running of the Nevada Rally.
Blok, in the Mikuni Plymouth Arrow which has been so successful this
season, cruised over the very smooth, very fast course with no difficulties.
The rally was unusually kind to man and machine as of 21 starters, 17
finished to defy normal attrition rates at most rough-road SCCA Pro Rallies.
Fourth went to Leonard Jensen-Brian Quinn in a small Datsun 1200 while in
fifth were Wayne Baldwin-Dan Johnston in a Volvo 142.
The victory will keep Blok near the top in SCCA Pro Rally standings for
1978. The former champ has chased 1977 titlist John Buffum of So. Burlington
Vt. this year but may have begun his victory string too late. Buffum, in the
swift British Leyland TR7, sat out 20 Mule Team Stages but won three events
at the start of the season to effectively squash any doubt of a repeat championship.
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