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/125806
;;:
.,
,
_.-
,7
,
- . ..
('
.
.,
.
'"
l>-
. ..
,
1
,
N
./
....
a>
M
U
0
(J)
~
w
z
W
...J
U
>-
U
•
.
-_.
_ ........ -,
._.
.
':~-"'~
~....
~---
.
~- r~ ---~
. ... ...,.."' .... .. ....~ ~-~
-",,",
~--
_
..
That is Jimmy Weinert (661 breaking into the lead of the International class. He led them all for the first lap; finished second American.
fmished third; then Mikkola, Aberg,
Karsmakers, Lackey and Weinert doing
their thing again, with Brad doing Jim
under a1: the finish.
DeCoster had a first and a second
place finish to his credit, while Jonsson
had a fourth and a first. The odds were
in the Belgian's favor, but the way the
last two IllOtos were run, no one was
going home early.
Gary J ones had been having
problems with his 500 Yamaha all day.
I t seems that when magnesium engine
cases and cylinders gel hot, they flex in
funny ways, making il difficult for gears
to slide and shifters to shift. Yamaha
fans won't have the problem on their
production bikes because the engines
are a1umin.nm, but Gary was stuck in
third gear.
When the gate dropped, that third
gear start had Gary halfway down the
front straigllt before anyone else back
on the line had the chance to let their
clutches out. Gary decided to chance a
shift and went for fourth, but the
transmission hung up solid and senl
Gary skidding.
Right behind Gary was Weinert on
the old reliable 360, and Jim took over
the front position and held it for almost
a lap, then he began to think about
things like who he was and where he
was, and was quickly passed by
DeCoster and Mikkola.
By lap four, Jonsson had moved into
fourth after a slow start. Already some
people were looking tired, among them
Barry Higgins on the 460 Yankee
prototype, who was falling way back.
DeCoster had a good lead, followed by
Mikkola, then a big gap before Kring
and Jonsson.
They ran this way for twelve laps,
really putting the throttles lO the stops,
then DeCoster began to look a little
ragged. Fiftee!) minu tes before the end
of the final thirty-minute mota, Roger
dropped his Suzuki twice out in the'
ti~ht back section,
The second time he got off, he let it
lay there. The World Champion was lOa
tired to go any further. All he had to do
was finish in the top five of this final
mota to lake tile overall win, but he was
through.
Heikki Mikkola won the won, but
Ake Jonsson, who finished second won
the race. The mota finished out with
Kring, third; Hammargren, fourth;
Karsmakers; Aberg; then Lackey in
seventh for lap American, with none
other than Weinert righ t behind.
Tom Rapp had. the start for the
second and f'mal mota, but it wasn't
long before DeWayne blew pasl to take.
over the lead. By the second lap,
DeWayne had buill up a long margin,
but Peter Lamppu was passing Rapp to
take over second position. DeWayne
held his pace for seven laps. Peter )lad
moved up and was trying super-hard to
gel by.
Lacleey~
They battled for two laps over the
lead, wheel-la-wheel. DeWayne's
Yamaha was faster. Out on the track's
rough back straight, Peter berserked the
Kawasaki, doing a n'umber of
lock-to-lock tank-slappers and pulled up
even to DeWayne, bU1: just couldn't get
ty.
He had lo b'ack off until the bumpy
turn before the big hill. DeWayne went
high and to the outside where it is
smoother and faster, but Peter chanced
it and hit the whoop-