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/126426
Thlrd-place Jay Springsteen pours the champagne over winner Scott Parker. while MI.. Winston. Lynn Griffis. and Hank Scott enjoy the festivities. . , AMi\: Gran~ National Championship/Winston Pro Series - Round 2 Parker rules Indy as Hank Scott an': By Gary Van Voorhis Photos by Bert Shepard/Silver Shutter INDIANAPOLIS, IN, AUG. 25 "I'm going to come back and win tomorrow," was Scott Parker's boast after his green light to checkered flag victory ride in the Winston Pro Series Indianapolis Mile. Unfortunately for Parker and the 20,000 fans qn hand for the Saturday night half of the double Indy Mile Nation· a Is, ram on Sund ay wash ed out 12 the second half. The event was rescheduled for the night of September I. Parker, all but crowned as Rookie of the Year, had little trouble in winning his second National of the season. He was followed home by Hank Scott and Jay Springsteen with Randy Goss and Steve Eklund rounding out the top five. "I taught him all he knows," joked Springsteen. "The problem is, he learned too well. You get no respect from these youngsters." Hank Scott was also in a jovial mood, "Second place isn't winning, but it feels good, Things are really coming together now and we'll (tuner Carl Patrick and Scott) be strong for the rest of the year." While the celebrating was going on, Steve Eklund sat in his pit area confident in the fact ~hat he had beaten Springsteen - not on the track. but in th" psychological war that has been going on between the pair as the season gallops to a close, Springsteen clipped a scant three points off Eklund's front place tally. leaving the defending champ 59 points behind 229 to 190, -. ) , I Cloudy skies throughout the' afternoon and a good jo~ by the track crew. ~ept the track In top·notch condition. nme Trials Skip Aksland signaled that he was ready to make up for ,the bad luck that has been plaguing him this season as he put his Men Lawwill prepared, PJl Lubricants-sponsored Harley-Davidson XR750 into .the top spot in time trials with a 57.889 second run. Steve Eklund picked up second fast time with a 58.020 clocking while Hank and Gary Scott and Springsteen filled out the five fastest. In all,' 74 riders showed up for qualifying with. Californian Tom Berry having the distinction of being the 48th fastest. Heats The first heat was a crowd pleaser and an omen of things to come. Parker, aboard his Klotz/Wiseco Harley, and Springsteen, on the H-D factory entry, played pass and re-pass all over the track .in the first half of the . race. The fans were treated to an extra show as Parker would wave Springsteen to come on and race when he passed and Springer did the same when it was his turn. Behind the pair, Garth Brow was leading ~ closely ~I;lit g,n;>up contain~ng Terry Poovey and Skip Aksland who were swapping positions at win. The . fantastic ballet continued in the front five until lap eight when Springs~een went by Park.er for good and Brow established himself in third. One lap later Poovey was out with an unusual problem - the flywheel had come adrift on his Doug Sehl entry. Aksland went out on the same lap with a blown engine. Brow, riding a John Apple prepared XR, cruised home in third. The second heat produced another dogfight for the win between Corky Keener and Steve Eklund. Eklund held the lead where it counted for the first five laps with Keener coming on strong on lap six to grab the point on his selfsponsored, Al Stangler-prepared Harley. Eklund was back in front on lap seven with a slingshot pass ~n the back straight with Keener again taking command - this time for good with a drive off tum four and a pass as the pair entered the first turn on lap eight. . Steve Morehead had been taking all the action in, but was unable to move his factory Harley within striking' distance. Keener's heat would hold up as the fastest of the evening to earn him the pole for the National. Heat three saw Gene "BuTTitto" Romero hook. up and move ,?ut at the stan. Romero, aboard a Men Lawwill prepared XR with sponsorship from Busch, soon found himself being challenged by Hank Scott and Ted Boody. In one quick move on lap three Boody, in his ftnt race since breaking his' right wrist in a road racing accident June 17, put his Araisponsored mount into the lead, The swapping of positions continued at a furious pace with Scott finally pulling out a short lead on lap seven. That didn't sit too well with Romero. He closed on Scott on lap eight and then as the pair exited turn two on lap nine Romero drafted by into the lead. Exiting tum four, the pair were sideby-side and remained that way to the flag with Romero the winner by inches. Boody took third. Gary Scott enjoyed the lead in the fourth heat for the first six laps until the rear brake on his KK Motorcycle Supply/Sizemore Traveland XR all but locked up slowing him dramatically. On the same lap, Billy Schaeffer accidentally hit the kill switch on his mount and went from a hard charging founh to the back of the pack with Scott. Mike Kidd and Bubba Rush, who had been battling for second were now suddenly in a duel for the win. . Kidd continued to hold onto the lead despite challenges from the Harley of Rush. Randy Goss had come from a slow stan to third and on the finat lap took his Doug Sehl prepared entry put Rush on the back straight. Rus took it back at the flag. Semis Rick Hocking usured himself a place in the National by leading an 10 laps of die fITSt semi, but the second transfer position - and another ticket to the National - went right to the flag. On lap eight Tommy Duma, Ricky Campbell, Jackie Mitchell, Ronnie Jones and Steve Freeman all had a shot at second. The race to the checkers from turn four was won by Duma, who put his O'Brien Flowmetrics XR inches ahead of Campbell and Freeman. . Billy Labrie wasn't quite sure how he would make out in the second semi. "The bike is pretty stock," he said. "It won't really run with the fast guys, but I think I have a chance."r Laj:>riet was • ~ 1 t ..