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/125994
Local hotline Jackrabbit's TT Scrambles By Maureen Lee ELSINORE, CAL.. JUNE 7 The Jackrabbits had some fun and some pot so neat excitement as they threw the first scrambles of a two-event weekend for IT riders. The fun was the ap pearance of a chopper. yep, a real one in the 500 Novice Semi. We watchers on the hill were all laughter and anticipation as the rider .headed that thing all around the track or most of it anyway. without falling off. The not so neat excitement was when Russ English's Triumph caught on fire with him on it. Russ made a quick trip to the starting line tower where help was available and considerable dirt flew until a fire extinguisher arrived on the scene. Larry Lambert (Yam) started off what was to be a two-win wee kend for him. First moto Dan Corbett (Suz) came off the line very fast and cut off Lambert before they got to the back straight. but Larry was in front when they re-appeared from the far section with Chuck Petty (Bul) coming on up through the gang. Second round it was Petty's tum with some place swapping between Steve Miller (Yam), Corbett. Mike Boyle (BSA) and Petty. Don Grigsby (Yam) won three straight for the Expert big bore class. Rick Marquis (Hon) had an early lead but "T·Bone" got him at the end of the back straight. Doug Hannon was having problems with his Yamaha. in round on e flames were spi tting out of one header everytime the engine misfired. Ed Steffan on another Yamaha was always righ t in there and ended with a second overall as Jim Wright was disqualified for switching bikes. The winner brought the switching to referee Dick Kouns' attention and Dick had no alternative but to follow rules. In the Novice big bores they had enough for a progressive program. Wish we knew your name but Number 47 went so well in the first heat then dropped it while leading the main . but he got it all together again and didn't give up. Dave Reinhard and Jim Redding both on Yamahas led and finished the main in that order with Throne coming for the third. The 250 Expert became a battle each moto between Mike Tidwell (Yam ) and Steve Fortune (Bul). First round it was Tidwell, Eddie Beeson (Yam) and Fortune having to work hard at ca tc hing Beeson. Second round again Tidwell gave Fortune all he wanted but in the last moto Steve got the lead an d didn't lose it . Larry Bird (Mon ) who ended in a good fo ur th used to race TIs then turned to motocross. Gordon Kidd (Yam) battled Jim Speigle and Carl Whitt for the win in the 125 Novi ce Main . As the battle up front was going on Joe Steffan and his Yamaha were taking flying lessons off of tum one. Later Bob Bums tested his riding ability as he came around all out of shape. but held o n an d finished fo urt h . Wayne Rainey and his Honda often break up the Yamaha dominat ed 125 Expert class and he did again. Steve Woskoski rode hard for his second overall against shoes like Mike Tidwell, Mike Minnig and Eddie Lawson. Lawson right now is number one high point man in both the 125 and 250 classes. During the evening a big get-well card was circulated and signed by all to be sent to young Ricky Naymola, Ricky carried number three last year. made Expert in just a few months of racing and was the youngest Expert around. Tragically he's lost a foot in a hunting accident but ap parently his spirit hasn't suffered. As soon as he gets fitted with his "bionic" we hear, he's planning on getting with it again. Just wish Ricky, you knew how mu ch the District racers think of y ou and are wishing you well and if you want to send him a card, he's home now an d raring to go. • Results in Results Section. Eier~tedt, Smith & Stem win at AMC Carlsbad By Hidden Images CARLSBAD, CALIF., JUNE I Sunshine. And lots of it poured out of the sky today in hot Al\IC action at Carlsbad International Raceway. with the big winners in the Pro classes being Eierstedt, Sm ith, and Bob Stem. This is - Jeff Eierstedt and Tamali Smith. John Smith (Hon) of the CRT led most of the first moto of the 125 Pros, until Marty Moates (Han) took over to grab the moto win. Bob Stem of Yamaha International finished third after he crashed off of the front jump. In the next moto, Moates led it from the start, but a broken shock mount forced him to pit. Stem worked his way from a slow start and passed Smith to take the overall. In the 250 Pro class action, it was Tamali Smith (Kaw) getting the early lead after passing John Petty (Mai) for the top spot on the first lap . On the fifth lap. Smith dropped it just before the long uphill. allowing Mike Palh egyi (CZ) to get by the big Kaw rider. Robert Haag gave Palhegyi a hard time for the top. but on th e final lap, Haag's Can -Am lost its fire, dropping him from the top positions. In the second ' mote, Tamali Smith on ce aga in go t off to an early lead and pulled out th e win. J im Wrigh t gets off t o a good start at the Elsinore Scram ble s. 18 ''" " Z ''a": " oJ :;) « ::; Bob Riffle rode his short tracker, minus front brake, to fifth in the 500 Jr/Ex. main. Jeff Foland was the main man in the first moto of 500 Pros, taking the lead away from Dave Doss (Hus) on the first lap to take it all the way to the checkered. J eff Eierstedt fell twice trying to pass Foland, with the second try breaking his pipe. Foland and his Penton were off in the lead again in the second go-round, but his lead was short lived. as his swing-arm broke . letting Eierstedt take the lead. but not for long. He crashed coming down the back of the "wall". Scott Cavness (Bul) then took over the lead. but was passed by Doss . Eierstedt got up and chased after the pair. and passed Doss on the seventh lap for the win. • Results in Results Section . Sandak TT Scrambles & money race By Maureen Lee ELSINORE. CAL., JUNE 8 The big race at Sandak was run as a progressive. two direct transfers fro m the two heats and four from the Semis. In the first heat Bob Sanders on a desert rigged Yamaha got clobered by Eddie Lawson and the pair of them went down. Mike Tidwell and Don Grigsby were the two transfers although Lawson and Grigsby reall y went at it. Second heat was a go between Wayne Rainey on his sm all Honda and Steve Fortune, with Fortune the winner. Steve Woskoski had some hard luck in the Semi. Coming to the line late, the starter didn't see his hand come up quick enough and let the gang go . Winnerof the Semi was Dan McWhorter (Mon), then Tidwell, Lawson, wi th David Reinhardt b eing th e last transfer. As the last race of the day it was alm ost inevi table th at who ever go t off the line first would probably win it . The track was too slick for an y real maneuvering and it was Grigsby into th e lead. Fortune gave him a good run and was pulling up each tim e through the furthest back section and the esses but each time they'd hit the uppe r section Grigsby would move away again . Dave Reinhardt ran right up th ere for a while but Eddie Lawson kept moving up an d got third. There was to be no catc hin g Gordon Kidd (Yam) in his 125 Novice .heat and Danny Perkins (Ho n ) won the other one. Dave Jenkins (Hon) was the Semi winner with Vin ce Landry (Yam) pushing very hard behind. On ce again it was Go rd o n Kidd leading and winning the Main followed by Jenkins and Joe Steffen in third. The Juniors ran with the Experts in their 125 clash. with the Juniors being given a small head start. Nick Nuciforo (Yam) and Steve Karsten (Man) had their own race going at the back un til the last mota when they tangled together coming out of the back section and flopped in a heap . Rainey took the three straight, second was Mike Tidwell with two seconds and a fifth and third overall was Steve Woskoski with a third and two fourths. First moto of the 250 Juniors was a blanket race between Gary Staddan (Yam). Steve Hyder and Chuck Petty on Buls. Next moto Staddan got out front and stayed there while the rest filed around in a procession. In the third race Staddan had to come from behind for his win passing Mike Boyle (Yam) and Bob Riffle in the process . 250 Expert win was Mike Tidwell's and it wasn't all that easy, as he was pursued by Steve Fortune. Eddie Beeson and Dan McWhorter. In the co mbined big bores Larry Lambert cam e out on top, having no troub le hooking up on the slick Elsinore surface. Dave Dest lers Tri u mph was doi ng nas ty things to h im as it t hrew him orr more than once. Steve Miller (Yam) rode in for second followed by Mike Boyle (BSA). The Yamahas of Greg Zehner and Mike Allen fought it out for the 250 Novice win . Glen Barret (Bul) almost ate it in the furthest section, as he was doing a little hotdogging out in front. He got himself ba ck together and won the third round. If you have never spectated the furthest turns at Elsinore and ob served the gymnastics and other happenings that go on back there, you're really missing something! • Results in Results Section. Stafford stomps on South Bays 250 Pros By Andy Hay t CHULA VIS TA, CALIF. , .rUNE 6 Dean Stafford made a clean sweep in the 250 Pro class as he easily won both motos. First roun d actio n fo un d Stafford (CZ) in the lead from start to finish. As Stafford was riding to an easy win, Doug Mello (Hus) ba ttled with Jim Martin (Yam). Martin got by Mello at one point, but Mello repassed him and took second pla ce. Martin turned in th ird while Carlos Con teras (Yam) ended up fourth. Stafford again took the lead at the star t of th e final moto, Jim Martin was hot on Stafford's tail. and o n lap two he pass ed th e sm ooth rid ing Stafford. On