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
o 00 0') ..... Kenny Roberta (2) led lit the S18rt. followed by Gary Scott 161. Rick Hocking 1171. Mike Kidd 1721. Ronnie Jon_l1II. and Mickey Fey lbehlnd Scotti. but Jones ceu AMA Grand National Championship/Winston Pro Series: Round Jones slides lid off the Astrodo By Gary Van Voorhis Photos by Charles Morey HOUSTON, TX, FEB. 9 Ronnie Jones, in one of the most closely-contested and exciting races the 'Dome has seen in the Yamaha Gold Cup Short Track portion of the Astrodome double extravaganza, defeated Mickey Fay and Kenny Roberts for his first National win. Far from being follow-the· I~ad er as 10 ~ast years, t h e Na- 14 tlonal turned Into a war that was waged. on ~ery foot of the track much to the debght of the over 29,000 fans pr:se~t.. . I Just hung an there and tned to stay with it," said a beaming Jones. "I knew I had a chance because I felt that I w~ as fast o~ faster ~n everyone else an the NatIonal. I Just went out there to ride the fint few laps and see how the track shaped up. Then I made my move and it worked. Without the dedicated help of Bob Dennis and Bill Teuscher of Viper Racing Frames my sponson - I don't think any of this would have been possible." Jones didn't have a clear cut win until the final lap as he pulled out what could be called breathing room to hold off the charge of Fay. "When I got by Roben., it was lilr.e a dream come true," said Fay. "I just had to do it. I followed him for a number of laps and set up the place where I wanted to paa. If I could have moved sooner it might have been a different race." Fay, a pan of American Honda's three rider effon this year, showed the crowd that not only can he ride and win in 'IT's - as he did in last year's Dome 'IT National - but that he is pretty hot in shon track also. To some, the fighting ride of Yamaha's Kenny Roben. was a surprise. But to those who had seen his National win the night before it was not. It was as if Robens had never been away two years. "Ronnie rode a helluva race," said Roberts. "Our bikes were set up different. I could get him off the comen, but he could get me going in. Eventually that's what made the difference. I also got into the loose stuff in tum three twice, and that was a mistake because it let Fay gobble up ground on me. He didn't waste that advantage. I really didn't think when I got here that I would win and finish third over the two nights." It was not a good night for all. Jay Springsteen went to Texas Methodilt HospitaJ early in the morning with the same stomach trouble that has been plaguing him in the past year. "He seemed fine after the 'IT," said tuner Bill Werner. "Then, about an hour later he got sick. It continued and finally he went to the t-pitaJ." At presatime, Springsteen was still in the hospitaJ where tests were being run to diagnose the ilInesa. AMA Grand National Champion Steve EIr.Jund found that his IOIU luck on Friday had followed him into the sbon track as he came up just a bikelength shon of transferring out of his heat and then found himself in the same position in the semi. EIr.Jund did win the Trophy Race, but it was little consolation. Time Trial. There was no room for mistakes in qualifying. Sixty would go on to the National program from the 125 present. Those 60 were to squeeze into a time span of 0.5!1 second. Jobn Gennai came out on top of the pack on his Sonny Kenyon-sponsored Yamaha, tripping the clocks at 14.82 seconds just a couple of hean beats ahead of Mickey Fay. Scott Pearson put his Circle Bell Enterprises' Bultaco mto third fast time after being on top the night before. Fourth and fifth were Brad Hunt on the Mesler Performancel KRW Honda and RonnieJones. Rounding out the top 10 were Billy Labrie, (;me Cbarch, Steve Morehead, Jeff Haney and Mike Caves. Kenny Roberts qualified I!lth while Randy Go8 was 19th. Steve EIr.Jund was disappointed with his !15th spot on the list. Dome shan track winner in 1974, Mike Gerald put his Yamaha into 15th spot to ,how that he hadn't lost the knack. "Tell everyone that King Crawdad is back," quipped the everstniling Gerald. He failed to make the National. Mike Inderbitzen was the final qualifier with a clocking of 15.!l5 seconds. Heats The match up in tum one of the ftnt heat was between fonner 'Dome winnen Kenny Roberts and Mike Gerald. The pair banged. for the fint lap with Roben. showing that what little practice he had had - ("I've only ridden a couple times.') didn't hurt his ability to mix it up. Gerald soon found himself on the short end of the stick with Gennai sneaking past on lap two. Meanwhile, Goss was charging from the back of the pack while Scott Parker, aboard the ailing Jay Springsteen's Harley factory mount was checIr.ing out the ground in tum one. Parker stayed down and out.