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/126457
Heat six cou1d have been billed as the Scott Brothers Show as Gary led Hank to the Oag. Gary had little problem in winning. but Hank was constantly bothered by Billy Labrie until Labrie's engine seized near the end. In the pits it was another Gary Gary Chaplin of RPM - who handled the chores on Hank's Yamaha. The elder Scott depended on his KK Motorcycle Supply/Jack Sisemore Traveland Ossa for locomotion. o 00 0') ..... Semis Only two alots were open from the setnis and that meant VOII had to win or fOIF riding in the National. Randy Goa wasn't about to be left out in the cold u he put his factory Harley· Davidson out in front early and left Lance Jones to bold off all challeng. en for second. The second semi got ~ne's blood boiling as Rick Graham. riding for Klou/Wiseco. and Eklund got into an around the track battle that lasted to the Oag and saw Eklund coming up shon. "What can I say," shrugged Eklund later. "Maybe somebody didn't want me in the National. Graham seemed to anticipate my every move and blocked my line. That's what I get from being a nice guy. I should have been a bit more forceful and made my mOYe sooner. If I had I would be in the National and not waiting for the Trophy Race." two Junior Invl18tJoNiI (Topt Mike KJdd ,..I.d-In Scott Pe8non for fourth. (Abovet Jorgenaen 144t end Fey . t heel • ...-t heM race duellBeiowt Eldunc:llooked Ilk•• win,.. In the Trophy Rac:a. Yamaha's five·foot. one·inch, 105· pound bundle ofJunior class dynamite Jimmy Ywce proved why he was the top Novice in the nation last season with an electrifying ride in which he spent the majoriry of time following fellow Californian Benjy lUman. Ywce never faltered and waited for the right time to make his mOYe. On the last lap Filice got past Zakarian going into tum one and then got a good drive off tum two that held to the flag although by then his lead had dwindled 10 two lengths. Suzuki mounted Brian Thomas, although lost in the excitement at the front, was lurking in the shadows all the way wait· in for a mistake that he could capitalize on. Trophy Race "I'm sorry Il~t my fans down," said a disappointed Steve Eklund after his runaway win in the Trophy Race. "You can bet that we'll be in there at the Sacramento Mile in April." Eklund let everyone know that he was made by pulling to an aImost half length lead by the end of the 12 lap event over Rookie of the Year candidate David Jones. Jones, in tum, felt plenry of pressure from Ted Davidson who finished a dose third. NatioNiI Harold Murrell's egg shaped track (sweeping tum ins 1·2 with tight COrDen in 5-4) had provided Rood racing. plenry of pasing and a good show all night. The National would be 16. make a mOYe. Third place was not good enough. The beat would be the futest oi tile evening with Haney getting the pole for tile Natiooal. The founh heat wu aIIO on restart ltatua after a crash by Tom Joeepluon. On the IIeCOIld green light It wu Yamaha Motor Company's Rick Hocking leading the way u it would be for the rest of the 10 laps. However, the racing wu far from DYer. Corky Keener, aboard his self sponsored Harley, fought through traffic to third only to get bumped to founh. Keener came back putting Brad HUI'It and Darryl HUI'It back a notch mel then set sights on Hocking. Despite a furious confJontation that went • down ~ tile flag, ~~ had to play shadow to winDer Hocking. The fifth heat fanned the Oames that heat four had ltarted with a battle between Anny's Mike Kidd, Ronnie Jones and Steve Ek1und on his Zanotti Enterprises/Caatror ount. m Jones and Kidd swapped the lead furiously u Eklund probed and prodded the pair using an OIIWde line looking for an opening. At times Eklund would power put.on the back straight to take the lead only to lose it in the turns.. The final lap saw Jones grab a few 1enIfths lead while Eklund went high and low trying to get around Kidd. The pair dosed on Jones and at the flag it wu a blanket finish with Jones on top by half a wheel DYer Kidd mel Eklund' ~ in fnutration. , . ... ~ . ..... no different. Haney, Fay, Robens, Jones, Gary Scott and Rick Hocking made up the front row of the 6-6-2 ataning grid. Peanon. Jorgensen, Gennai, Kidd, Hank Scott and Keener were row two with Goa and Graham on row three. To outline the comen, the linesman had used a heavier than usual coating of lime. It was to prove trouble for a number of riden. Haney took the tight inside line at the stan with Robens rattling his handle· han. As the pair hit turn two. Haney's foot created a cloud of lime dust at the same time the banging of Robens ticked his bike down • gear. The result wu Haney dropping to last u he went down mel Robens and otbers inhaling the clWting dua. Roberts had the lead as the fint lap ended followed by Gary Scott, Fay. Jones. Hocking, Kidd, Keener, Pear· son and Goa with the rest of the field bunched up behind. Fay moved to second on the follow· ing lap with Jones taking second away on lap three. Scott just ltayed in third. The shuffling and dose racing continued throughout the pack through lap five_ On the fifth lap Jones let Roberts know he was there and the pair engaged in a battle for the lead that would last through the 18th lap. Behind, but not far, rode Fay after bumping Gary Scott to founh with Pearson, Hocking, Kidd. Keener. Gall, Gennai,Jo~,Graham and Hanlt Scott beginning to stretch out. Haney was about to park his ride for the night. Throughout the next five laps Jones would take the lead running into the comen while Roberts would gobble him up coming out. Side·by·side or within a wheel of each other, the pair dueled all over the track. Meanwhile, Fay was biding his time and inching doser and doser. Gary Scott slowly begin to slip back, spot-by,sp?t to his eventual eighth place fimsh as Kidd, Goa and Jorgen· sen each began a mOYe forward. Pearson was finnly holding his ground. hut would find Kidd more than he could handle in the dosing lape and lose founh place. Robens and Jones raced on through the 17th lap in p_. get paased, pus fashion. With the cheers alternating between Robens' and Jones' fans, everyone came away a wmner in the who can scream louder battle. The final three laps were crucial. Roberts was leading on lap 17, but lost that advantage to Jones going into tum one on lap 18 and then saw second alip from his grasp as Fay capitalized on a slip and went zipping by. Lap 19 was a blanket procession of the top three with Kidd valiantly trying to muscle past Pearson while Goa did the same to Kidd. The final lap: Jones pulled out a length or two; Fay left Robens no opening; Kidd got by Pearson out of tum two; Goa went side·by·side with Pearson at the line but lost by less than half a wheel; Jorgensen was right behind as was Gary Scott. Hocking. Graham, Keener, and Hanlt Scott, rounded out the fmishen. In the press box. Jones said, "I knew I had arrived when 1 pushed the bike up to the staning line and took my position next to Kenny Roberts. Beating Kenny is a thrill 1 don't think I'll forget." Fay added, "When 1 passed Kenny it was like a dream - Honda always wants to beat Yamaha." "Take it easy feDas," quipped Robens. "I'm an old man. Have a • little respect," Results NATIONAL: 1. IIannIe ...... 1V1Il1I; 2. MidaIy ~ lHanI; 3. ICenny IIabora 1YImI; 4. MIle 1CIdd lHanI; 5. Scaa ....-. . .; I. "-'" co- tHll; 7. AIel< ~ IC-A/; I. Gory Scaa lOIooI; 9. _ -.a lVoml: 10. _ e;,...., lH-DI; 11. Corky _ CH-OI; 12. _ Scaa lVoml: 13. John GonNI CH-OI: 14. JfllI HIney tHanl. TIME:~. TROPHY RACE: 1. S - EIdund IVIIl1I 2. IlMrid ......lVlIl1I: 3. Ted e..-.lVomI; 4. _ ~ lVlIl1I; 5. . . _ IVIIl1I: I. _ _ CH-OI: 7. ICenny McOonold lVoml: I. . . - ~ lVomI; 9. l.R:e ...... lVlIl1I: 10. S-_CH-OI. JR INV: 1. Jim "... lVoml: 2.1ert' _ _ lHonl; 3. IIrtIn nan-1IIuII; 4. lilly WhiIolV_l: 5. T8Ylor WhiIolVlIl1I: I ..... _ lVIII'll; 7. PhilIp e lHanl; I. Todd GIooidc lVlIl1I: 9. Dew Horb lVlIl1I; 10. GorIId _lVMll; 11. MIchIol " - ' lVlIl1I; 12. e-lK-Ol. JfllIery TIME: 3:01 :84. AMA GIlAHO NATIONAl CHAMPKlNSHIPI WWSTON PlIO SERES POINT STANDINGS: 1. ICenny IIabora C33I: 2. _ ~ (241; 3. IIannIe ...... C211; 4. MidaIy ~ 5. Mib Kidd 1111; I. "-'" CO-lllil; 7. Scaa ""-'1141; I. _ _ n_; 1131; e. .., Spiil a I nIl; 10. l l E I _ ~ I JahnGonNll101; 12.Ir8dHlnt.; 13. Gory Scaa m; 14.... Hoddnc .15. mEl Scaa Pao_ _ e;,...., iii; 17. Corky _ MI; II. _ Scaa l3I; 19. John , . ~~~.~~!1~ ,