San Diego Roundup : Carlsbad Raceway to Play Host to U.S. Grand Prix of Motocross

An international field of riders will gather Sunday for the Nissan U.S. Grand Prix of Motocross at Carlsbad Raceway. And they will be chasing two local riders, who live 15 minutes apart for the 500cc World Championship title.

El Cajon riders Broc Glover and Ron Lechien are the favorites in the grueling, one-mile course, which is carved out of the hillside in San Diego’s North County. Gates open at 8 a.m. Racing begins at 1.

Others competing in the 500cc class are Andre Malherbe, Eric Geboers and Georges Jobe, all from Belgium, and Dave Thorpe of England. Glover, who recently won eight of 10 Supercross races in a recent tour of Europe, is the defending champion.

In addition to two 500cc World Championship motos, are two 250cc motos and the Shimano Mountain Bike Grand Prix. On Saturday, there will be time trials and practice at noon at Carlsbad Raceway.

Defending champions Mike Dodd and Tim Hovland lead a world-class field in the 1985 Miller High Life San Diego Open professional two-man beach volleyball tournament Saturday and Sunday at Ocean Beach. Competition begins both days at 9 a.m. The championship match is tentatively scheduled for 3 Sunday.

Other seeded teams include defending World Champions Andy Fishburn and Jay Hanseth, Singin Smith and Randy Stoklos and Jon Stevenson and John Hanley.

Dodd, a former All-American at San Diego State University, teammed with Olympic gold medalist Karch Kiraly to win the Arizona Open earlier this season. Kiraly has commitments with the U.S. National team and will miss the San Diego Open. Dodd will team with his former partner, Hovland. Over the past two years, they have won 10 titles, including the 1983 World Championship and 1984 San Diego Open.

The Oceanside Pier will be the site when the Professional Surfing Association of America makes its third stop on the 11-event summer circuit for the Graydogs Grand Prix, an A-rated competition, offering $5,000 in prize money. The event, which will be Saturday and Sunday, will begin both days at 7:30 a.m.

The first Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Golf Tournament will be Saturday at the San Vicente Country Club in Ramona. Assemblyman Bill Bradley is the honorary chairman and other Republican legislators from the area will attend.

The Drew Gissinger Showboat Dinner Cruise to benefit the San Diego State University’s Aztec Sports will be from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. Sunday. Some of Gissinger’s San Diego Charger teammates and Aztec coaches also plan to attend for an evening of dinner, entertainment, hosted bar and door prizes.

A Grand Masters Tennis Exhibition will mark the celebration for the first anniversary for Leisure Village Ocean Hills, a community for active adults. Tennis player Pancho Gonzalez and television personality Dick Van Patten will take part in exhibitions from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

A Senior Pro/Am Golf Exhibition is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the community’s Ocean Hills Country Club. Scheduled to take part are PGA Hall of Famer Ralph Guldahl, winner of the 1937 and 1938 U.S. Opens and the 1939 Masters Golf Tournament and entertainer Jan Murray.