The Dorsch Draft

• Larry Lawrence
Terry Dorsch (22) powers onto the straightaway as Chuck Joyner (60) throttles up to try to get into Dorsch’s draft.

Terry Dorsch (22) powers onto the straightaway as Chuck Joyner (60) throttles up to try to get into Dorsch’s draft.

Terry Dorsch (22) powers onto the straightaway as Chuck Joyner (60) throttles up to try to get into Dorsch’s draft.

John Hateley (98) and Darryl Hurst (34) can just be made out in the background.

Dorsch, who was from Granada Hills, Calif., raced AMA Grand Nationals for most of the 1970s and based solely on his record I’d say he is an underrated rider.

He scored four top-10 finishes in his rookie expert season, including a fifth on the Corona (Calif.) Half-Mile. Dorsch even scored a national podium finish in the Ascot TT in July of 1973. He remained a consistent performer through 1977 when he qualified for his final national. Dorsch rode Triumph for much of his career with a couple of his later years with Yamaha.

This photo is from a Camel Pro press kit and I’m not sure of the year or track. It’s undoubtedly sometime in the mid-1970s, but that’s about as far as I’ll go on my guess.

Someone will see this and know instantly when and where the photo was taken. Please leave a comment if you know or have a good guess.

13 thoughts on “The Dorsch Draft”

  2. My guess would be the tires tell more about the time frame rather than the location. They look to be the early skinny ones as opposed to the wider DT2 that came out about then.

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    1. John

      You’re right. Looking at what Chris said again I’m sure that’s what he was talking about. I misread it the first time. I was thinking West Coast track too. It looks hard-packed.

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  3. Larry,
    The fence looks familiar as outside turn 4 at San Jose. That’s what it looked like. I was there as a snot nosed kid as a spectator. Sometime in the 70’s, I don’t remember who, busted through the haybales and outer fence and landed in somebody’s swimming pool. If you look at pics from the 80’s, you’ll see 4×8 sheets of plywood stacked 3 high to keep it from happening again. That also served as a sound barrier for the ever complaining neighbors. A big chainlink fence was installed in turns 1 and 2 so people could still watch from around those corners.

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  6. Bruce

    No kidding? That is wild. At Loudon they had a pond that riders would occasionally end up in, but a swimming pool? That’s one to tell the grandkids.

    Thanks
    Larry

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  9. I grew up in SHADOW HILLS CA, MY buds and I all had stingray pre bmx bicycles you know banana seat or ten speed type seat with butterfly handlebars, we would climb the terraces in the hills to do down hill jumping,the regular motorcycles that rode there were a hodaka,Honda 305 scrambler,Kawasaki, a bultaco group and us peddlers, but when we heard that sound that nobody else had and echoed off the hills, a flurry of call went out to meet in the hills and watch the show of awesome hill climbing and wheelies while standing on the seat,we all knew this was a true pro and he gave us motivation to get bikes and ride hard, thanks terry for the great memories you rock!, landus kent.

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  10. I watched my Uncle Chuck race growing up he is an amazing no 1 racer. Love you Uncle Chuck That time in life was amazing getting to go in the motor home and watch the races with the grandparents aunts uncles mom dad friends from all over the world. The smell of running bikes gas and the smell of fresh dirt being raced.. The smell of food being grilled everywhere from trunks to trailers rvs and bbqs cigarettes to the rustle and bustle of some of the very funnest times of my life and My Uncle was the Light in my heart,, I love you so very much Uncle Chuck I miss you to the moon and back and to the end of the flowers forever. Thanks for the best dayzzz… I love you Tammy Jean

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