Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125492
2 Ql : a.. DRAG RACING FOR 1987 is HERE! t-. '" .... '" B,\ Boh LbPlin:.: EXCLUSIVE 10,000 MILE ARRANTY WHEN YOU BUY FROM TRIUMPH OF BURBANK 0; ~ E .Q Ql 1329 N. HOLLYWOOO WAY r... There was a long list of entries in each event but only one winner and Tony Dodge rode his Triumph to that position in the Lions' Sunday Street class• 8~8-n33 Contenders could not keep up with the blistering pace of 12.35 elapsed time and 110.56 miles per hour that Tony and his Bonneville set in the process of eliminating the competition. gas. HEAD PORTING,SPEED TUNI;lG ~ FOR RACING ~ ... :c: --, OUR SPECIAL TY Before the actual race for top street bike was in progress. Tony had to face some of the finest and his closest opposition was George Jonovich's 750cc Norton. Recently, George opened a shop in Westminster. Calif.. known as American Speed Cycle, (·the Drag racers HeadQuarters·) and he obtained the riding ahility of Mr. Reese. who is well known by his past racing wins on the ·Snortin Norton· of Moulders & Reese. As other class trophy contenders fell aside in defeat at Lions Drag strip, Reese and Tony eyed each other with a distinct respect and understanding that one Or the other was going to win the hig one. Janovich and Reese held a 100cc advantage. but the Triumph's elapsed time was Quicker than the No... ton despite the displacement difference. When the moment of truth arrived. and the riders and machines were brought forward to the starting line, spectators crowded closer to the fence, not to miss a moment or pulse of the big fou... strokers' wheels and exhaust. On the Lions starting ·Christmas gee" it's only one yellow light and then IDCllPUHlfi ~ LUBBlCAmGm. NPG ~ ....:l ~ to) 2or4Cycie . . r.o. loa 27~. O,...".le c.n...... Ron Knapp and ·Papp~ Tiernan had about lOcc's added to the displacement of a 250cc Yamaha and also gained some previous ·top secret" racing techniQues that brought them within striking distance against Bob Braverman's Yamaha. At the last moment there was a let down in the 260 Yamaha's perfnrmance and Braverman made the finlsh lIghts first. Mil Disharoon's hauling Harley didn't have much trouble with Flinn's Triumph as ·Dish· ran away with 11.71 seconds elapsed time to the 650's 13.33 seconds. Final race time and Disharoon ran ahead of the Yamaha as 55 inches are expected to do. Right after the race Mil was running around the pits waving the winner's check and yelling, ·I'm going to Las Vegas! I'm going to Vegas!" Variety in the Fnel Contests There was only one hike entered in the top fuel class and so a special race was set up by C.J. Hart, the strip maaager. between Sonny Raslawski's 10second Harley and a big Blown Chrysler gas dragster. The dragster jockey laughed at the match but when it bogged GOODLjIEAll BLUE STREAK MOWRRACER Now Available in These Sizes 2.75x18 & 3.00x18 3.OOX19 & 3.5OX19 Special SHEL8 Y ENl• lal I. ArtIsII BIn. Gardena, Calif (213) 321-61&& Dirt Track Tires ComlDg Soooo ------------, : SHELL MOTORS I I I I I YAMAHA.: 334& Cen1ltIJ BI vII. LyawoO~N E 8-48&4 i', .. "..,,,..,...;;r.'!..-:,:?,,!::;-~-..; i ~ '" ~----------- B .. YETMAN 1448 Welt IIaI n SI. s f ~1III.br. (213) 281-1143 Above: Bob 51rkecbn on his B5A MARK III (w1t1l LightnIng Tank.) GO SUPER FAST wilb CYCLE CITY OSSA - BENELLI - SUZUKI Complele Machine Shop 2142 Lang Beach BouleYard Lang Beach - 591 1389 I < ,I I • NOW!!--. HODAKA AND MAleO AT LONG BEACH ..,. HONDA ..,. America's LargestVolumeHondaDlr 5105 AU.nllc Aye, - 431 W. P.e, CIt. H!J 4321 E, Auhelm St. - 11747 E. Cerson 5t Lang Buell, ceUf. a green fo! GO! and Reese was on the glimmer. The hig Norton lunged hard off the line while the yellow was just fading and Tony Dodge came out of the bole a shade late. It looked bad but the 650cc Triumph came to life and ate up the advantage Reese had gained. In that 12.35 seconds, that Trumpet accelerated like no other street hike and the winner lights went bright on its side of the strip. I hean! spectators tell Tony Ihat his bike was a ·one only" and Tony just shrugged and said, ·Your dealer bas whatJ started with." Racing for street bike fans had not reached an end yet for here came seven class winners that tried to earn a chance to set down the howling trumpet, Harry Couch and Steve Rowles. good racers, stayed until the last rounds but were finally turned aside by Brne e Miller's Harley Sportster that was turning only 8 hundredths of a second slower than Tony Dodge. When Miller and Dodge struck their match for top street the elapsed times stayed consistent and the nllJllber 8 was Millers defeat. It was Triumph by a wheel and that's all it takes in the Quarte...mile sprint• The Great Gassers Some great competition and some additional displacement for Yamaha made some close races. Four machines were class winners, M. Disharoon on a Harley. Ron FlInn on Triumph. Ron Knapp (Yamaha) and Bob Braverman (Yamaha) in the race for top