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/125822
Mike Runyard leeds Pierre 8I1CI Gary Semica into the first corner. Pierre Kash and Kany Texas NatiOnal , 8y Richard Creed WHITNEY, TEXAS, AUG. 12 The National motocross series, may as well change its name, to the Karsmakers Kash and Karry Benefit Fund., Pierre won-again / today despite the combined facton of one hundred degree heat, a dusty and challenging coune, and the best efforts of Mike Runyard, and Gary Semics. Husky mounted Mike Hartwig also proved that his wins in the InterAMA 500 Support class were not flukes as he won the second of two forty minute motos from an ailing Karsmakers. Bu t , Mike had been forced out of the first go round with a sand clogged carbo Gary Semics finished behind Kanmakers in the first moto and moved to within striking distance of second place Pierre in the finilJ minutes of the second moto but was forced but with a locked front brake that caused him to crash. Semics crossed over at the checker for Imish points. Tim Har,t made it a double win for Yamaba as he 'scored his first 250 National win. Hart fought his way through the front runners and rode steadily while those about him suffered from vmous maladies. The Honda team of Jones and Jones, who have split from the factory and now sponsor their own stock Elsinores, and Honda pto mounted Richard Eirstedt looked set for a three way coin toss for first. It wasn't to be, though, as DeWayne Jones fell in the Imt moto Imt tum. Gary J ones won the first moto with Hart, who passed Eintedt in the final minutes, fmishing second. The second moto was a disaster for the Honda team as Eirstedt went out with mechanical trouble, Gary crashed and lost too many places, and brother DeWayne retired with a clogged carbo Bob Grossi f"mished second to Hart in the second moto and the final scoring. The 500 National Karsmaken started the day off right by leading the first 500 moto from the start. J ames Cooke led the remainder of the field by a short distance, but Cooke faded when his expansion chamber broke away on the fourth lap and retired shortly thereafter. Pierre continued to lead in his .crowd pleasing style while Gary Semics, Peter Lamppu, and Mike Hartwig started to forge to the front. Wyman Priddy, who had moved up to second with Cooke's retirem,ent, suddenly found a Husky train coming down on him 'and was soon in fourth place. Hartwig J'assed Semics on the seventh lap an Billy Grossi slid his Kawasaki past Priddy on the next lap. Peter Lamppu moved by Priddy, who was obviously ill, on the next lap and chalIenged, Grossi on lap nine. Mike Hartwig faded with a clogged carb while Lamppu and Grossi spen t the rest of the moto playing tag. Wyman Priddy calIed on his reserves and pu t some distance between himself and a charging Steve Stackable on an AMP-CZ. Pierre took 1;I>e first round by some distance. Semics was second and Lamppu passed Grossi for third in the last tel). minutes of the moto. , ~r Llinippu _ bKk to K8W8IIIki ,and got -.cI OA in the 500. FolIowing the first round, eVeryone kind of sat around staring at each other in exhaustion. The hundred degree temperature, spraying sand, and forty minute motos was too much and many riden complained of nausea. Some vomited openly. Pierre didn't have it so easy ·in the second moto. Mike Runyard led the , starting field with Kanmaken in second and Mike Har,twig in third. Runyard crashed though, and Pierre took over the lead' but soon dropped bac,," to second as his recently broken ribs began hurting him. Mike Hartwig, who had retired from the first moto and was not a threat for the overaII win, passed Pierre about the time that his Husky teammate Gary Semics, decided to go for broke and catch Karsmaken. If, Semics could take a second place ahead of Pierre he would score the overall win with two second places and a better placing in the final moto to break a tie. lt wasn't -to be.as Semics soon found out when he grabbed for his, front brake. Hartwig motored away with a half a lap lead over Pierre's Yamaha while Peter Lamppu, Steve Stackable, and Mike Runyard had a three-way match for third place. In the final minutes Runyard faded with problems and Lamppu pulled away from Stackable to f"mish third in the moto and second overall. Stackable turned his fourth place and a sixth place finish in the first moto. into a third overall , combination. The 250 National Gary Chaplin p~shed his Maico to the front in the lust moto during the 9pening'stages, but was passed by the Hondas of Gary Jones and Richard Eirstedt before the mid-way mark. Tim Hart and, Eirstedt tangled briefly in the fmal minutes and Hart moved past for second place. Eintedt led the fust part of the second moto as Gary Jones crashed and Jim Weinert, who had retired with a broken chain in the fust moto, cashed in his chips for the day with exhaustion. The moto settled down to a parade until just after the midway point when Tim Hart, shadowed by Bob Grossi on a Husky, found himself within a few seconds of Eirstedt. Hart and Grossi applied the pressure and pal!sed Eirstedt who soon faded behind with mechanical trouble. Grossi and Hart see-sawed back and forth un til Grossi lost his expansion chamber in the last few laps. Tim Hart motored away to the checker to make it a Yamaha sweep. John DeSoto and Marty Tripes did not start as DeSoto's GP CZ went tummy up in practice and Tripes didn't feel strong enough to race folIowing his recent bout with pneumonia. RESULTS 500: 1. Pierre Karsmakers (Yam). 2. Peter Lamppu (Kaw). 3. Steve Stackable (CZ). 4. Billy Grossi (Kaw). S. Anthony Destefano (eZ). 6. Wyman Priddy (Kaw/. 7. Mike Runyard (SUZ). 8. Gary Sem cs (Hus). 9. Robert iuggle (Hus). 10. Gary Parker , (SUZ). 250: 1. Tim Hart (Yam). 2. Bob Grossi (Hus). 3. Gary Jones (Hon). 4. Kent Howerton. 5. Terry Clark (Hus). 6. Bruce Baron (Yam). 7. John Harrington (pen). 8. Alward Baker (Kaw). 9. Mark Harmon (Hon). 10. Robert Esterline (Hus). • Pierre' was plagued by his recen1ly broken ribs but still managed a first 8I1CI a second for the win. Tim Hart dosed in the ~end for Yamaha with a 250 win.