Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

----.- ---- .------- - . - --- - - .- - ---.- - --- ----- --.--- - ---------. f · ...i ...... Caillor.I..Arlzo......t ...... M••••••••til.r. Cailler.l. Arlzo. . . . .tia.ra- M•••" .oat...... Caliloral•. Aria. Western hotline OPEN NOV: 1. Bob Boldt 1Husl; 2. Dawt Comer (Yoml; 3. Allan Papoff (yarnl. OPEN INT: 1. BiI Koch (Y_); 2. Riel< Stupin (Yom); 3. Dennis Dickens 1Suzl. OPEN EX: 1. SIeve W_IYom); 2. Jim lowe CHonI. Taylor sals to CAlC Saddlebaelf win By Mike Klinger ORANGE, CA. DEC. 16 Sunday must have been a good day to practice for the Golden State series at Continental Motosports Club's Saddleback MX. Denny Burtt leeds eventual DeAnze 250cc Pro winner Creig Gormley during the second moto. 18 Schulz. Maico-mounted Dale Lewis and Suzuki pilot Matt Tedder all taking a shot at the runner-up position. When the dust had settled second place honors we.nt to Tedder with Schulz settling for third and Lewis was in for fourth. A large turnout of 250cc Pros included such riders as Warren Reid on his new Kawasaki. Donnie Hansen now riding for Honda, LOP/Yamaha teamster David Taylor and Suzuki ace Ron Turner. As might be expected the race action was fast and exciting with several different riders taking a sbot at the front position only to fall or encou.nter mecbanical problems. Taylor seemed to have the track wired the best and managed to take the checkered flag first in each moto and with it the day's biggest purse. Hansen charged in for the second place money while Reid bad to settle for third ahead of Moto·X Fox/Honda rider Lenny Giger. . A.J. Wbiting danced his Yamaba to victory in the 125cc Pro race with two close moto wins over com~itors like Yamaha rider Mike Brown. Suzukimounted Ron Turner. and Honda ace Jeff Liesk. In tbe first moto A.J. had his bands full holding off charges by Turner and Yamaha rider Scott Gillman. The second moto was mostly a battle between Whiting and Hondamounted Chris Heisser. At day's end the winner was Whiting abead of Brown. with Turner taking the third place money while Leisk finished fourth overall. Tight racing was the name of the game in the 250cc Junior class with the top three positions under constant pressure and the outcome very much in doubt. When tbe points were totalled the victory went to Maico rider Greg Fountain. Slipping in for the runner·up position was Honda rider Roger Hayes who barely edged out third place finisher Steve Kiunke (Hus). Results OPEN PRO: 1. Jim Giboon IHonl; 2. MOlt Todder ISuzl; 3. Bob Schulz (Yom). 250cc PRo: 1. Devid ToyIo< (Yom); 2. Donnie _ IHonl; 3. W..., _I~. 125cc PRO: 1. A.J. Whiting IYam); 2. Mike Brown (Yom); 3. Ron T..- ISuzl. OPEN INT: 1. Daniel McKinney IMarl; 2. Harold Johnoon (Suz); 3. Marino BastioneiIIMai). 250cc INT: 1. Brett Allen IC-A}; 2. Bob Chapman IYam); 3. Kevin Olaon (Henl. 125cc INT: 1. Rik N _ (Kawl; 2. Richard Sands ISuzl; 3. Bob Haag IYam). . OPEN JR: 1. Scott Paul (KTM}; 2. Brent Yahn (Yam); 3. Mike Reed (Mail. 250cc JR: 1. Greg Fountain (Mai}; 2. Roger Hayes IHen); 3. Steve Kiunke (HUll. 125c1: BEG: 1. Ken Kopecky (Suz); 2. Mike York ISuzl; 3. Eric Alloy (Yoml. . Two In a row for GonnIey at DeAnza By Ron Lawson SUNNYMEAD, CA. DEC. 16 Craig Gormley and his Yamaha made it two weeks running in the 250cc Pro class at DeAnza Cycle Park. It was only nine days before Cbristmas and the Pro ranks were a little thin, but in recent weeks it has been strictly a three way race anyway. witb Gonnley. Danny Burtt (Suz) and Greg Zitterlr.opf (Mai) running away with the top positions. When the first moto got underway they were at it again. with Gonnley in front while Zitterkopf held down the number two spot ahead of Keith Williamson (Yam) and Burtt. Burtt wasted no time in cutting through Williamson and Zitterkopf and starting to wage war on Gormley. The two of them pulled away from the rest of the pack while Zitterkopf started to have trouble with his war weary Maico. He struggled to stay ahead of Williamson for several laps and eventually pulled out of the race. After that the only action was up front where Burtt was still trying to steal the lead from Gormley. The two were never more than a few feel apart until the last lap when Burtt slacked off to save his energy for the tie breaking second moto. But Bunt wasn't the only one getting psyched out for the next round. Gormley was ready to go when the rubber band popped and be followed Burtt for a couple of laps and then took the lead and disappeared. Burtt tried to match Gormley's pace for a few laps. then decided to settle for second. place. Zitterkopf once again pulled off the track and Williamson was occupied with his battle for third witb Fred Combs (Suz). Combs and Williamson traded paint for most of the mota but at tbe end Williamson was securely in third. Gormley had a strong lead at the end while Ric Beingesser (Suz) rounded out the top five. In the 125cc Novice class it was Tom Thomsen (Yam) again taking tbe win. It was only last montb that Thomsen came up from the Beginner class and in recent weeks he has been almost unbeatable in the Novice ranks. He took both motos followed by John Blood (Suz), Mike Boldt (Suz) and Kevin Rock (Yam). Thomsen currently leads tbe point series at DeAnza by a bealtby margin and it is very unlikely that he will be overtaken in the two remaining races this year. Results PEE WEE: 1. Kimberly RobertIon ISuz); 2. Chris Lowen (Hon). PEE WEE: 1. Milul Michetti (Yom); 2. Tim Galatito (Suzl; 3. Buddy Antony ISuzl. MINI BEG: 1. Jimmy 0-. 1Suz); 2. Tom Combs ISuzl. MINI NCV: 1. Jimmy _ (Yaml; 2. Trim Camarena IHenl. 125 BEG: 1. Darren T....1er ISuzI; 2. Brian Bomben 1Suz1; 3. Curt Phillips (Suzl. 125 NOV: 1. Tom Thomsen (Yaml; 2. John Blood lSuzI; 3. Milte Boldt (Suzl. 125 INT: 1. V_ney Holbrook ISuz); 2. Mike Edson (Yam); 3. Bob Berney (Su,). 250 BEG: 1. -...elio Siracusa lKawI; 2. Herb c.baugh (Suzl; 3. Alan ~clalHonI. 250 NOV: 1. Kevin Co. (Mail; 2. Mel Van Gilder IHen); 3. John McCOl'mich (Hus). 250 INT: 1. Ron Lawson ISuz); 2. Kelly McGuire ISuzl; 3. Roy Yogkam (Suzl. 250 EX: 1. Craog Gormley IYam); 2. Danny Burn ISuzl; 3. Keilh W~I",",son (Yaml. The racing was not for points this day and there were no contingencies for the sportsmen, but the turnout was outrageously higb. Just a good day of hard racing. In the Open Pro class the green meanie. Jeff Ward. put his factory big bore Kawasaki into the lead of moto one and had little trouble in the opening laps. Off the line trailing Ward were Steve Rhyan (Mai). Gary Truesdale (Suz) and Clark Jones (Mug). On lap two. Rhyan botched a tum and stalled his machine. He reo started in fifth and in battle with Alan Smith (Hus). After his mishap. Rbyan began to really make tracks. He moved ahead of Smith and pursued Jones who had moved within a couple of bikelengtbs of Ward. As the moto began to run down Ward began to hit traffic, allowing the hard charging Rhyan to pull within five lengths. At the checkered flag. Ward was first, Rhyan was second. tben Jones and Smitb who both pushed it to the limits in the remaining four laps. After again getting the holesbot in moto two. Ward began to pull up a lead. Suddenly, Ward went into a comer a little hard and Rhyan W'!S right there to take the lead. Third position was up for grabs with Matt Nelson (Suz) and Smith both hot on tbe trail of the Mugen Honda. On lap six. Ward began to slow severely with an apparent damaged ankle. Now. while Rhyan was looking at an overall. Jones and Smith were shooting for second overall position. Jones was holding on to a second until he went into a tank slapper and Smith took advantage of his mistake. Rhyan did win the overall and Smith was second. Jones was third with a 5-5 score and Nelson was fourth. The turnout of 250cc Pros required two qualifying motos to get into tbe main event. In qualifier number one, Ron Turner (Suz) won the top honors witb Bryan Maloney (Hon) and Rex Staten (Yam) rounding out· the top three. Cbuck Pettigrew (Mai) was running rigbt up with the leaders but stalled his machine on tbe last lap. dropping him to futh behind Rhyan. Jeff Jennings, a support rider for Honda. won the second qualifier. Scott Gillman (Yam) rode to a solid second and Tony Wanket (Yam) was tbird. Dave Taylor (Yam) and Tony Gomez (Col) made up the top five. The time had come for the big showdown with the best collection of 250cc Pros next to a National event. Taylor took the lead with Wanket. Gillman and Jennings hot on his heels. On lap three. Gillman took an outside line on the canyon corner and Jennings slipped inside. Now. Jennings tried everything possible to get by Moto-X Fox rider Wanket. Battling for fifth. Staten, Scon Johnson (Hon) and Turner did not change positions for six laps. On lap 15, Jennings, with all the pressure 10 catch Taylor. stuffed the (Continued to page 20)

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