Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

o 00 0') Rick Hocking (171 and Jim Filice (belowl completed the Team Yamaha sweep. The King Is beckl King Kenny Roberta salls through the Astrodome atmosphere en route to his victorious return . to the Winston Pro circuit. Winston Pro opener . Behind Fay, defending champ Eklund and Yamaha-sponsored Rick Hocking went at it with Zanotti! Castrol-sponsored Eklund taking second over on the eighth lap after a poor start. But for both riders their shot at National points fell short and they were consolation race (Trophy Race) bound. Semi ~wo was led all the way by hard-charging Scott Parker and his Klotz/Wiseco-sponsored Rick Toldo prepared Harley. Gary Davis made Parker work (or it as he put his Honda on Parker's rear fender over the closing laps. Taking third was Honda mounted Lars Trulson. Junior Invitational A 12-lap Junior race was totally dominated by Yamaha-sponsored Jim Filice, the number one Novice rider in 1979. Filice opened up a seven-second lead over the field, riding a Mert Lawwill prepared Yamaha 500. Californian Filice described the bike as being, "identical to the one Kenny (Roberts) is riding." While Filice was running away with the race, second place was up for grabs on the closing laps. Ben Zakarian stalled for a moment coming out of the infield, and the brief pause allowed Scott Adams to close up with Zakarian. Adams passed Zakarian coming out of the infield on the last lap to take runnerup honors aboard his Oklahoma Hondal Dennis Latimer M/C Supply-sponsored bike. Zakarian, who rides out of his dad's shop - Zakarian's Kawasaki, was Yamaha mounted. . Trophy Race With no points and comparatively little money on the line for the 12-lap consolation race, Grand National Champion Steve Eklund opted not to compete. But Rick Hocking did, and he made it two in a row for Yamaha and Mert _Lawwill as he led from the eighth lap on after a side-by-side race with Gary Davis. Hocking pulled a wheelie that almost unloaded him as he crossed the line and when asked if he scared himself, answered, "I think I better go to the bathroom." National The start of the first Winston Pro Series race of the decade was delayed as Brad Hurst rushed to the pits for some last minute mechanical work. When the green light did flash, it was BSA mounted Alex Jorgensen of Stockton, CA, pul1ing the holeshot and leading the field around the oval and into the infield. Roberts followed Jorgy out of the infield at the completion of the first lap with Scott Pearson, Brad Hurst, Mike Kidd, Freddie Spencer, Jay Springsteen, Randy Goss and the rest of the field trailing close behind. Pearson got by Roberts entering the infield on the third lap. That same lap saw Ronnie Jones step off and relegate himself to last. Jorgy continued to hold his BSA in first, and Roberts got by Pearson for second on the sixth go-around, a lap before Springsteen moved his Harley around Spencer's Honda into fourth. That seventh lap saw Roberts an4 Pearson bang into each other as they slid through the infield turn. Roberts made the most of the contact affair and opened a slim lead over Pearson and began chasingJorgensen. Pearson then had to contend with a lot of pressure from Bruce Hanlon and Springsteen. The thr.ee-way fight saw position changing going on during the ninth lap with Hanlon moving into third on lap 10. But the drama continued as Roberts moved out to the cushion on the oval and attempted to gain some ground on Jorgensen who was riding the "proper line." Lap 13 saw Pearson's fine effort go down the tubes when he slid down in the second turn of -the oval. Springer moved into fourth and began to close up on Hanlon. Roberts decided to leave the cushion and move do)VD on the groove on the 16th lap.- and the change of strategy worked as he closed up on Jorgensen. The following lap had everyone on .their feet as Jorgy and Kenn.J' raced. around the oval side-by-side. Roberts got a better drive off the infield entrance turn and sailed by Jorgy over the big jump to take over the lead for good. On the same lap, Springsteen got around Hanlon to move into third. But Springer slid down in the infield on the 19th lap, and even though he got back underway in a matter of seconds, Hanlon was long gone and winner's circle bound. The crowd cheered King Kenny as he covered the final five laps, and w,hen the white flag was displayed, KR smoothly rode the final lap, the 'Dome vibrated as the cheering drowned out the sound of the bikes. Roberts rode out his cool-off lap and when he pulled up at the startl finish line he flopped over the bars in a display of exhaustio'n_ When the cheers of the crowd finally diminished, Roberts described the effort as being equal to "400 miles of road racing." He praised the bike preparation of former Grand National Champion Mert Lawwill as Mert, Yamaha racing director Kenny Clark and other in.' volved parties displayed grins equal to the occasion. For Yamaha and Lawwill the night had been a clean sweep. "Mert has been working on the TT bike for several months, and it was as near perfect as one can be. I played it safe on the opening laps to avoid getting off. 1 rode the cushion during the middle of the race because the groove was slick and 1 didn't want to slide down. Everyone else was using a Pirelli/Carlisle combination that everyone said worked better than my Goodyear tires. But I won and they didn't," added Roberts about his choosing to ride on the cushion. "I've been working out with Dean Miller, Brad Lackey's trainer. And the weight lifting and all that helped, but I'm still poopedl "The funniest thing about tonight was that I suggested to Jorgy that he change his gearing by two teeth. That went down when he asked me about it before the race. "Fhen when 1 was following him 1 said to myself, 'Damn, why did you tell him to change? If he wins, hoW am I gonna explain that 1 helped him win?' but I pulled it off, so now I can laugh about it," Roberts added. Jorgensen described how' the race that was almost his turned into a runnerup finish, "The BSA is heavier than the 500s and 1 sucked an intake valve near the end." Jorgy, who had busted his knee up at the 'Dome in 1979, added, "I guess I'll retire the BSA after this year and come back next year with a 500." Third place finisher Bruce Hanlon explained why he only takes part in the 'Dome races of the Winston l'ro Series, "I have a job I really like. I'm a diesel mechanic for Bayshore in San Mateo, CA. Plus I have arthritis in my wrists and even though I take pills for it, they bother me." Two-time Grand National Champion Dick Mann, who is the only man besides Roberts to have won Nationals in the five different forms of competition that make up the Winston Pro Series - mile, half mile, short track, TT and road .race, best summed up the talents of King Kenny Roberts when he answered Gary Nixon's question of whether he thought they could come out of retirement and "beat the kids." Said Mann, "Nixon, with your' eyesight and Bart Markel's courage, 1 could have been Kenny Roberts." • Results NATIONAL: 1. Kenny Rot.ta IVarnI; 2. Alex tBSAl; 3. Bruce _ IVoml; 4. Jtty Spr~ (M-D); 5. Feddie Spencer (Honl; 8. Bred Hurst lHan); 7. John Gonnei tHan): B. Mike Kidd lHanI; 9. Rendy Goa (H-D); 10. Scott _lH-Dl; 11. Scott " - IVom); 12. Mickey Fay tHan); 13. John H8lotey tHan); 14. Ronnie JoneItHan). TIME 1251aps): 12 min. 5.67 sec. TROPHY RACE: 1. Rick Hocking IVom); 2. Gary Dovis tHan); 3..... Truloon tHan); 4. IIubbo ~ IVom); 5. Mike Sullivan (Tril; 8. Glynn _ tHan); 7. Joey Purdue (Yom); 8. Jeff Campbell IVom); 9. John Wmc:ewicz (M-Dt; 10. Mike Caves (Han). TIME (121aps): 8 min., 11.13 sec. ~ JUNIOR RACE: 1. Jim Filice IVoml; 2. Scott Adorno IVom); 3. Benji Zokrerlen IVom); 4. BrIen'Thc>rT.-lSuz); 5. Jeff Alioon IVoml; 8. Jeff McDenieltKew); 7. Teylor White IVom~ 8. Gerold IIowmon lKewl; 9, Cherteo _ IVarnI; 10. ehrio FiIzhugh IVarnI; 11. Todd Gieoick IVarnI; 12. Kim tBuII. TIME: 8:15:12. 13

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