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/126418
E AMA 2S0/S00cc National Championship MX Series • nine/five ~ Rounds . i Tripes' Red Bud revenge By Jim Gianatsis BUCHANAN, MI,JULY I Angered by reports of his performance the pre., vious week in Denver, Team Honda's Marty Tripes, wired his throttle wide open on the Jon Rosenstiel-tuned RC-250 and destroyed Bob Hannah both motas in a run· away show in the 250cc National at Red Bud Track 'N' Trail. .. I could have gone faster," claimed Tripes, and when asked if he had any problems ~uing around Hannah in eM opeuillg lapa of the second moto, he replied, "I don't even remember passing Bob, it happened so fast'" Team Suzuki's padage of "Dyna· \nite," Danny LaPorte, charged up from poor starts in both matos of the Open class to score two second place finishes and the day's ovmlll win on his Pat Alexander.prepared RN·420. works bike. Team Yamaha's Rick Burgett and Mike Bell shared the moto wins as LaPorte increased his lead in this season's !'>OOcc National standings. 250cc National • Marty was nowhere near a snail's pace this week. The conventional single downtube CR framed Honda flashed red out of the first 2!'>Occ moto starting gate for a millisecond and was gone. Tripes held a disappearing lead over Kawasaki's Jimmy Weinert and Can·Am's revitalized Tony DiStefano. After so many 'problems this past year, the three· time 2!'>Oct National Champion was once again getting up to speed. The two top contenders in this year's 2!'>Occ points race, Bob Hannah and Suzuki's Kent Howerton had pulled poOr starts in mid·pack. ':Jammin' Jimmy" Weinert tried to stay with Tripes for two or three laps, but as soon as Marty settled into his pace he began' pulling out an incredible five seconds a lap ont he rest of the field for the next six laps: The Red Blid track was slick, rutted and hilly, but Tripes had the race in command with a :50·second lead at the 20 minute mark. By then Hannah had moved his OW-40 factory Yamaha up to third to challenge Weinert for a couple of laps, and Kent Howerton was trying to take fourth, now held by Honda's Steve Wise. _Behind them, Moto·X Fox's hotshoe Larry Wosick was battling over top privateer spot with Suzuki semi· support rider Jeff Jennings, finally winning, while LOP's Mark Gr~n, Hi-Point's Frank Stacy, DG Performance's John Savitski and Tony D rounded out the top spots. Toward the end of the race Tripes backed down his ~ead slightly and coasted across the finish line for the win. It took Hannah five minutes to get around Weinert for second place, and by then the "Rhinestone Cowboy," Howenon, was right on the Yamaha rider's fender and looking at second place for himself. Luckily for Hannah the race ended at that point, with Howerton about to pass, because Hannah would have been picked off otherwise. Weinert held onto fourth over Wise and Wosick. Hannah tried to make things easier on himself in the second moto as he clutched out the start ahead of Weinert, Tripes, Wise, Wosid, Ron Sun of Team Husky, and Suzuki's Scott Gillman. The only problem was Marty Tripes, who was running so much faster than anyone else. It took him just two laps to storm his way into the lead. Hannah was left reeling in disbelief and then began an all·out attempt to try and stay with Many. "Hannah was giving me no slack," Marty remembered afterwards. "He would keep pushing up on me ... closing the distance ... and I would have to push myself harder to open the gap bad up: My only problem-was getting by lapped riders. " But soon Tripes began pulling away again with another strong lead. Hannah had to be content with picking up more points than Kent Howerton for the championship. It was surely handed to Hannah today with one more race left in the series next weekend at Mt. Morris, PA, Kent Howenon was trying to pass on a downhill jump with too much speed, attempting to make up lost ground from another bad start, when he went too far and landed in a mud bog beyond the regular line the riders had One-two in the 500cc NationlIIlIt Red Bud were Suzuki's Danny LaPonel51and Yamaha's National Champ Rick Burgett 111.IFllc:lng pegeJ Marty Tripes showed everyone what they aIready knew: When he's got his head together. he can beat even Bob Hannah• . 8