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/126347
; I II I I I II I II II II I 1,1 11.1 II I II I I II II I I I I I I I I I I I I 11.1 II I II. II I II I ' • " " I II .11 •• I •• II " ' II II II. II. 11.11 •• II II' II I II II lID =CeDI..al PipeliDe ~ t " J This GNC qualifier turned into a survival cont est an d left som e of t he fa stest riders sitting next t o the t rac k -wat ching t he m ud ~a ste rs revel in the goo, GNCTexas Championship Qualifier turns into Rio Bravo MudX By M ike Reilly Photos by John Rannikko, Jr. HOUSTON. TX , NOV. 19 Seven hundred riders showed up at Rio Bra vo Motocross Park near Houston hoping for a top 20 finish position in one or more 28 It of 13 classes that would assure an invitation to the mast prestigious race for Amateur motocrossers , the GNC International .Fina ls in the Houston Astrodome. Bosch Spark Plugs . Hi Point . Howard Racing. and Scott Goggles , the sponsors of this race as well as the 'ent ire GNC 78· 79 series. were on hand to provide contingencies and a championship atmosphere. The largest contingent of motocross journalists ever to attend a GNC event watched . as an enticing Expert purse and beautiful Amateur trophies attracted the best of T exas . but a day full of rain dampened the spirit and competition of the race . . Not unlike any motocross slowed by rain and mud. roday's championship qualifier was more a survival contest than the knobby -to -knobby slugfest that had been anticipated . In fact. mast of the races bogged down to a procession of those lucky few who managed to stay upright and the machines that continued to run; they were rewarded with the trophies and the cash. There was no question that some of the better riders and faster machines were left standing on the side of th~ track while their hopes and competition raced past. Too many received a cold. wet slap in the face from the hands of reality as they were reminded what motocross is supposed to be; the use of supernatural skills to conquer natural conditions. including the weather. Though there were many IQSCrs today, the race was for the winners and we saw some exception al and ins piring performances. Adversity brings out weaknesses and strengths. bad and good. Today we saw the first rider out of the starting ' gate set the pace for the remainder of the d ay. T he 50cc Micro-Mini class, the first moto of the day, was given t he tr ailblazing assignment of showing the rest of the riders what could and could not be done on a mudtrack. Keith "Tiger" Foytik shot out of the gate and into the first turn with such authority that . it seemed that he had invented mud: And when he crossed the finish line half a lap ahead of the pack (in a one lap race) he should have been issued a patent on how to ride the . stuff. "T iger" Foytik and his Italjet , Bo Daugherty and Mark Risha who were second and third on similar machines , were the only 50cc riders to complete the course unaided . Foytik's ride was the trendsetter for the rest of the day and several others were equally brilliant. Mickey Pizzitola (Howard Racing . Honda) was so far ahead at the end of the 250cc Expert moto (first and only moto) that he seemed almost bored that there was no one to race with . Leading from the first turn after the start, Mickey never looked back while the majority of the Experts broke down , slowed down, or knocked each other down. Pizzitola , a veteran performer on this track , but hampered by inconsistency in the past , .was flawless, methodical and a step above everyone else today . Ricky Glaser. usually a victim of badluck on good days , ironically enjoyed a spell of good luck on one of the worst days . Aboard a YZF Yamaha from sponsor RoseRich Yamaha. Glaser put forth a strong effort and seemed unaffected by ' t he conditions. Donnie Elmer's smooth style proved necessary and beneficial on his way to an uncontested third position; and Howard R acing -spo nsored Ricky Weir battled both an unruly rainsuit and a persistent Danny Scheffler for fourth. Pre-race favorite Shaun Kelley, who had not been defeated at Rio Bravo for two months, and who is an outstanding mud rider, continually tangled with others who were not and ended up 15th. The 125cc Expert class was the scene of one of the few battles for the lead during the day. Kyle Landrum (TCR Suzuki) used his catlike reflexes to grab the mud-holeshot and held it for three laps until he tired -out and fast charging David McClain (Razorback Bore Suzuki) took over and rode unchallenged to the flag . M~Clain , with the strength to muscle the bike through the goo , rode the track like there was no mud on his line. He sailed over the jumps , gassed it through the corners , wheelied down the straights. and seemed genuinely oblivious to the track conditions that strangled his com pe tition . It was a great win for one of Texas' soon to be superstars. Landrum hung on for a second place finish ahead of a parade including Ricky Collins, Weldon Reibschleager, and Chris Loftin. Jim "the Mudrneister" Vaughn , on Wiseco Piston-sponsored Suzukis, accomplished what many would have considered nearly impossible, considering the conditions . He holeshot all four moros of the 125cc and Open Intermediate classes. he led every lap, he won both classes against some of the fastest riders in the state, Jim, though small and wiry , was never out of shape or in any difficulty. The 125cc Int erm ed ia te class, as well as the O pen class, contained a virtual W ho's Who of Texas talent. Vaughn's d omi nation over the 125cc Int ermedia tes included Austin fast gu y Keit h • Da vis, and loc a l Da vid Scheffler . J im was the on ly loca l rider a mong the first seven finishers in th e Open class. His ho me cou rt advantage surely played a part in his defeat of classy riders suc h as Chuck Taylor and Tracy Du r ha m . The Minicycle classes surprisingly p rovid ed the closest racing of the day. While the racing was excellent and fewer riders than ex pected were hindered by the mud ; it was almost impossible to tell one competitor from a nother v Srragglers and leaders mixed together around the track in such confusion that only the scorekeepers' charts could decide who did what. The winners were: Bubba Neal . a virtual unknown among rninicrossers and a stranger to the track, who bested a powerful group of Senior Minibike riders in the upset of the day; Chuck Dawson. another out -of towner, edged out Lloyd Langlinais in the Stock Minicycle (a new addition to the GNC and a welcome addition as it allows for a reasonable budget in minicross effort and very close racing). Hardluck Pitts grasped the Junior Minicycle race, ending a string of disappointing races for him as well as retiring his nickname. The I OOcc class, which sported some real talent , was ruined by a high attrition rat e that ha lted some of the favorites. Ben Clemens from Louisiana showed the remainder of the Texas boys how it's done , ta king the win over Floyd Robbins and Joey Michelle. Terry Waldhelm fro m O d essa , where it almost never rains, showed the south Texas riders the fast line in the 125cc Novice class. Terry was clearly the class of the field today and won relatively easily . Ron nie Welch handily won both motos of the 250cc Novice class on a Bu lt aco ; and local Scott Buscanyi outrode the 250cc Intermediates aboard a YZ Yamaha. • Resu lts MINI MINI ClASS: 1. Keith ..Tog e-" Foytik IIta); 2. Bo Daughtery IItal; 3. Maril R;st,a IItal; 4 . Dale Storbeck ISuzl. MINI JR : 1. H.,dluek Pitts ISuzl: 2. Oanny Storbeck 1 uzl; 3. M j~ Keating; 4. Richie Hull (Yaml. 5 MINI STOCK: 1. Chuck Oawson IYam l: 2. Lloyd Langlinais (SUl): 3. Jay Jones (SUl); 4. Rodney Owens IKawl. MINI SR: 1. Bubba Neal IYaml: 2. Michael Caskey (Suz); 3. Timothy Higginson (SUl); 4. James Felts (SUl), 1QOcc 1. Ben Clemens IYaml: 2 . Floyd Robbins : ISuzl: 3. Joey Michelle {Yaml: 4. Keith Wilk...son {Sull o 125cc NOV: 1. T... ry Waldheim (Yaml; 2. Andy Murray (SUl ); 3. Randy Mansell (Yam); 4. Steve DeBlasiG~Yam) . 125cc EX: 1. David McClain (SUl); 2. Kyle Landrum (SOl); 3. Ricky Collins ISuz); 4. Weldon Riebschleager {Suzl. 125cc INT: 1. Jim Vaughn (Sull; 2. Keith Davis (Suz); 3. David Scheff ler (Suz); 4. Ronald Dawson (Sull. 250 NOV : 1. Ronnie Welch (BuO; 2. Grover Craig IMail: 3. Clayton Clabaugh {C·AI: 4. Chades Hatch ... {C Al. 250cc INT: 1. Scan Bucsanyi (Yaml; 2. Mark Newman IHon); 3. Randy Wald rop (Yam); 4. Joe Balcom (Husl. 250cc EX: 1. Mickey PizzitOla (Hon); 2. Ricky Glaser (Yaml; 3. Donnie Elmer (Hon); 4. Rick Weir {Hoo!. OPEN: 1. Jim Vaughn {Suzl: .2 . Chuck Taylor. Jr . IKawl; 3. Tracy Durham (Sul) : 4. Eric Berg (Yam). OPEN 30: 1. Mike Walt ... ISuzl: 2. Ray Neal (Yaml: 3. Ern'e MitchelllSuzl; 4. Bobby Guilbeau (Mail.