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/126434
&I l1li • ~ E This Atlantic Region contender took to Plymouth's loamy track in fine style. No, we don't know if he saved it. looks doubtful! tocross Mafia stuff in the 250cc National with some awesome depth. Mark Hicks and Jeff Ellens led out the 40-man field and quickly set up a fearsome pace. Both CR250R-mounted riders were long gone with Ellens .doing the leading from the competitio.n of lap one until the end. Hicks held the only close spot with Kermit Anderson and Matt Harrocks the next set and both from Michigan. Jeff Jacobsen was the first non· Michigan rider out of New Richmond. WI, in for fifth over Larry Witmer from Osceola, IN. The first Californian was Keith Myers in a distant 10th. Ellens once again led Out the second round in front of Hicks, but it was Hicks leading at the end of the first 'lap. Ellens swapped the spot back on the second go lap and held it until a fearsome crash downed him on the start of the fourth lap. The constant battering was changing the track and the easy whoops were becoming double and triple jumps that were deceiving. especially just past tne finish line. Ellens went down hard and remounted to a third spot behind Matt l-Jorrocks, who was gassing it up and even passed Hicks for a few laps. Dave Sanborn was another hard charger from the ranks. holding founh for most of the distance. Ellens had apparent clutch problems and was eventually lapped and finished 20th, taking sixth overall. Hicks regained the lead from Horrocks on the 10th lap and held it until the end with Sanborn, out of Sussex, WI, grabbing second over Keith Myers, the California rider who came from 10th on the first lap to finish fourth overall on his Maico. Hicks' point total of 47 was a way out in front and he thanked his dad and College Bike along with Hi-Point Racing Pr.oducts for their help. Harrocks' consistent fourth place finishes took the second place with a .36 point count for his Maico and third went to Jeff Jacobsen of New Richmond. WI, on a Yamaha. One point back was Myers at 31 and fifth went to Larry Witmer with 29 points in front of Ellens and Harvey Sorensen. giving most of the brass to the Michigan·Mafia. . In the Open competition Eric McKenna was the crowd's favorite and proved up to the calling. winning both motos with great style and fervor for that crowd. It was a battle royale with Alan King in both races but King ·faded just ,before each halfway point with suspension problems that included fading shocks. Glen Taylor of Perry Hall. MD, in the Atlantic Region led off the 40-man field but was quickly reeled in by McKenna's Eurocycle Maico and then on the third lap. King came by and hooked up with McKenna for the double charge_ Steve Ellis and Hinkle were out to make it a very heavy Michi~an field. Kin~ made a mighty charge and took over the point position on lap four and pulled out about 10 bikelengths for a few laps but the beating the bike was taking was too much strain on both rider and bike. McKenna passed back on the seventh lap, much to the delighl of tuner Jan Houtermann, who has really put together the program that has made McKenna top contender. McKenna finished the moto with about a 10 second lead over King with Taylor holding on well for third, making it a clean sweep for Maico. Ron Whitmore of Tucson took founh over Steve Ellis and Ken Keylon. Scott Hall was seventh out of Cedar Rapids, lA, and Mark Carbelt beat out David Brown - and Del Vasey. with Curtis Carpenter in fOT the 10th spot. Defending champ Hinkle fell out of competition, finishing a dismal 14th and then DNF the second moto. McKenna wasted little time in establishing the pace in the second molO. leading at the end of the first lap with King close in tOw and Glenn Taylor still in third. King made a couple of bids for the lead in thl' second and third laps but they were to no av.ail as every time he could get by on a corner, McKenna would dial him back and Eric rolled on for the only real big win of the day. King had no new trick shocks 10 change to after the first molO and was severely handicapped in what could have been a really great race. but he faded badly at the halfway mark. McKenna scored the only 50 point perfecto with King a double second and Taylor posted a 2 3-3 for third. Phil CramplOn of Lapeer. MI, took the fourth spot in the second molO after a race-long battle with Paul Walker of Toledo, OH, but fourth overall went 10 Ken Keylon of Fl. Lauderdale, FL, on a Yamaha. Mark Corbett took fifth out of Burlington, WI, on a Kawasaki. Keylon had 29 points and Corbett 26. Scott Hall had lied Corbell with a reversal of motos but took sixlh while Steve Ellis had the same count in a lillie different order. Phil Cramplon .was eighth with a 22 and Del Vasey from lIlinois was ninth with a smilar amount. Walker wound up 10lh overall with a 19-point count. An honorable mention should go 10 the small contingent from Hawaii, aptly led by the original Flyin' Hawaiian, John DeSoto. The island district had some qualifiers and treated the winners to an all-expense· paid tour and brought a good cheering crbwd to the mainland for the fun stuff. • Results l00cc: 1. Todd Harrell (Vaml: 2. Jim Wolfenbarger (Vaml: 3. John Eidenberger (Vaml: 4. Ronnie W....herholt (Yam): 5. Aaron Pitts {Vaml. 125cc: 1. Denny Bentley. Jr. (5uzl; 2. Mark Patterson ISuzl: 3. Johnny Spaw (Honl: 4. Jimmy VanAndei (Kaw); 5. Alfred Farmer (Yam). . 25Occ: 1. Mark Hicks (Hon); 2. Man Harrocks (Mai); 3. Jeff Jacobsen (Varni: 4. Keith D. Myers IMai): 5. Larry WitmeJ (Yam). OPEN: 1. eric McKenna IMai); 2. Alan King lMai); 3. Glenn P. Taylor IMail; 4. Ken Keylon. Jr. IVaml; 5. M.. k Carbon (Kawl. 11