Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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~ The History is made in Houston Amerialn Jim Weinert M.O.B.£. of California c<') ~ llJ ..0 E llJ ;;. o Z amiJuers mud, Adolf, "Be.e61" Poke.. R_ Dec. IS _16 E......ada Pierre, everything By Pete Szilagyi HOUSTON, TX., NOV. 4 On a rainy, sunny, sloppy, humid, hot, slippery day that could only occur in the Deep South, Jim Weinert rode his little Yankee cheeks off to become the first American to ever win a Trans-AMA event overall. Rio Bra vo Park's Kawasaki (old Mexico) INFO: International Motocross Classic should more aplly have been named the Filtron and Yellow Gooey GP as many of the top factory names were forced out of the racing when the -sandy mud w.orked its way into every crevice of their bikes and wrought mechanical mayhem. •.O.B.E. San Diego P.O. Box 92 San Diego, CA 92115 International Weinert's overall win didn't come at the. expense of the mechanical malfeasance of the other official factory entries. Jim made his intentions clear at the start of the flfst moto when he turned out of the first comer with a healthy lead, causing some adrenalin to flow in the veins of the highly partisan Kawasaki-orien ted crowd. Adolph Weil (Mai) took off in immediate p\lfsuit and it looked like We.inert's lead might be just a tease. Jim Pomeroy (Bul) and Gary Jones (Mai) diced for third with Frans Karsmakers (Yam), who enjoyed one of his best-<:ver starts. Suzuki's Roger DeCoster and Sylvain Geboers moved rapidly through the pack together, but fell back ignominiously when they smashed into each other in a slow off-camber comer. Sylvain stalled his bike and scowled at his bad luck. G<:rrit Wolsink (Mai) suffered a poor start, as did Arne Kring (Hus), but after a couple of laps they got their feets and began to gain on Weinert and Weil. Weil seemed to be setting up to pass Weinert on several occasions, but Jimmy was able to get smoothly into and out of the still reasonably dry corners to maintain a varying one-to-sixty foot lead. Each lap around, the spectators cringed expecting to see Jimmy slip down in a corner, like American riders always seem to do when they're leading an International moto. Weinert kept his cool and rode more like a European than Weil; even more so than Arne Kring, who put on a wild ride to catch up with Gary J ones. Gary alleviated the pressure on Weinert briefly by charging past Weil into second place, but a couple of laps later both Weil and Kring moved past Jones together. Mike Hartwig (Hus) was running a steady fIfth, and G<:boers had regained his composure to reach sixth. Teammate DeCoster disappeared. Then Geboers foil owed suit and allowed Steve Stackable to move into his position, which Steve immediately lost when his Maico loaded up. Then it really started pouring, but Weinert slipped off his goggles and kept on truckin'. Weil took advantage of his experience in the muck and pulled up ~ only two feet behind Jimmy. WeiJ tried to get past Weinert for four laps and finally did. It looked like Kring might do the same. Two laps later, however, Weinert pulled away from the advancing Kring and repassed Weil for the lead. Meanwhile, the pits had emptied to watch Weinert get the checkers. Fans waved programs, handkerchiefs, sticks and their muddy shoes at Weinert. The ltawasaki chalkboard said "ONE MORE: LAP", as Jimmy, Adolph and Arne disappeared in to the piney woods. Adolph and Arne reappeared, Weinert didn't. A loud, collective curse bounced off the thundeTheads above. FACTORY OUTLET FOR PREMIER HELMETS STREET-DESERT-MX "One more lap? All ri~tl I'm gonna win this mutha -look out'" And he did. Jim Weinert taking the fint fint American equals tint over..lln TransAMA history. Dm1fllII5 PRIM. YAMAHA 19721 BEACH BLVD. HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA. (714) 536·7555 Tired of the Same Shit? Try American Rider Supply Competition Sales & Service MAICO Open 10~ MONARK daily (213) 835-6150 22Q22 S. Main, Carson ...,.!t... H Rl lubricants •• \ •• . . ',•• .t 7340 Florence Ave. Downey,u. 90240 213/927-4781 I _51 I We Have What You Need fMRYde Is IIIIiIiIed 4136 Woodruff Ave., Lakewood. Calif. (2131429--5961 + ~orpor.t1on ,,-172 Freedom Avenue Anaheim. Celifomia 92801 Tim H.-t (YlIII1l unobtrusinly IMintained his position. top AmMiC8ll. Wei..rt had to rKe with mud end Maico master Adolf Weil (15) to win he did both of those: rKe .nd win. it.ncr jM fisltbAck's 1IMIIII~~mt!\M • 26 (@ (714) 822-2252 9001 Silft'G Ave., Fonl.-.... ea. )