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/126326
IeftJ Double c:Iasa winner and GNC HI'IlIlItion Roger Brown. (Bottom IeftJ The first tum at Lake Whitney was very smooth and easy to ride. lAbove' Overal 125cc Expert winner Danny Doss leads runner-up David Jones. {Top Good times roll at GNC's Kavvasakil Amsoil Good -Times Nat'l By Dave Nielsen LAKE WHITNEY, TX, AUG. 5-6 Over 700 riders from coast to coast assembled at Lake Whitney Cycle Ranch to go for the gold and a $3000 purse in the Kawasa~iIAmsoil Good Time National, presented by Grand National ChampionShip motocross. GNC is noted as the pioneer of Amateur stadium motocross, but 24 this was the first GNC National held on an outdoor tr,ack. It proved to be the ultimate test for championship classes ranging from 60cc Minis to Open Experts. Heavy rain at dawn on Saturday morning delayed the start of the minibike and 100cc motorcycle portions of the two-day event, and put the excellent sand of the course under water in several places. After several hours of pumping and draining, the action got underway. The first moto of the 60cc Minis was also the last one, as they wouldn't have made it through the ruts the second time. Tony Smith of Massachusetts took the win by passing Louisiana's Bubba Ebarb on the last lap. In the Junior Mini, Ray Dawson had the highest number (999) but the lowest score (1-1) and took home the five-foot trophy. Second and third went to Texans Carroll Richardson and "Hardluck" Pits. The action got heavy in the Senior Mini, but Bryan Taylor of Texas was not to be denied as he swept both motos of the 35-rider field. Tennessee's Sammy Crews copped second ahead of Tim Bulter. Butler and Crews returned to highlight the I05cc Open Mini race with Butler taking the win over Crews and Many Brown. The lOOcc class was best able to endure the moist conditions but it still took a well-sealed airbox to do the trick. Nearly 70 riders had been qualified down to 36, and after the first moto had been run, it was clear that Big D Yamaha's Bill Howe was the man to beat. Howe continued his championship pace in the first moto, but a soured motor in the second put Phil Reed into the winner's circle. Following in the trophy line were Bubba Wilson and Mike Walcott. Tractor work started immediately after Saturday's racing and continued round the clock to whip the track into shape for Sunday's 125cc Novice through Open Experts program. It was worth it, as beautiful conditions and super racing prevailed for the Sunday segment. After qualifiers and consolation heats to pare the huge classes down to fields of 36, the championship motos got underway. Texan Randy Marsell blew away the 125cc Novices with a perfect I-I ride. Second and third also went to Texas riders Davy Brown and Ronald Dawson. California took home a win in the 125cc Intermediate class as R&D Suzuki's Bobby Sullivan took overall honors with a 3-3 ride. Texas moto winners Tony Neilson and Jerry Surber, Jr., couldn't do it twice and suffered for it. Following Sullivan in the overalls was Arkansas' Phil Reed, Neilson, Keith Coffey and James Roberts. The three Expert divisions saw some of the year's best competition, and the I25cc class battle came down to the_ wire on the last lap of the two 12-lap rounds. Dallas Suzuki teammates David Jones and Danny Doss dominated the action witb Kimball Suzuki's Randy Sullivan keeping them close. As Jones walked away with the first moto, Doss had to top to fix a loose brake cable. He then put on an incredible ride to cut through the pack and catch Sullivan for second with three laps to go. The second moto saw Sullivan take the lead which Doss promptly took away while Jones was moving up from an eighth. place start. By the fourth lap, Jones was in second and WFO while Sullivan dropped seven places in a crash. Chappy Blose was in third. All eyes were on the Doss/Jones race up front which would determine the overall winner. Jones went 110% and was on Doss' rear with half a lap to go, when suddenly their lines crossed going into the big downhill, hooking Jones front wheel and tossing him off into the crowd. Doss blasted triumphantly down the final straight and Jones recovered in time to take second and' second overall. Blose tallied third and beat Sullivan for third in the overalls. with fifth going to Nick Cordove. In the 250cc and Open Expert classes, mid-America's who's who of motocross was lined up with Texas coming out on top. Roger Brown was no less than amazing, ripping up the track with winning rides aboard a CSM Honda 250 and a KTM 400. He 'was never headed in the 250cc motos,