Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

accomplishments and tell you that he is good. The LeaVittown, Pennsylvania native was impressive last year in taking the Eastern Regional crown, back-to-back wins at Ascot and the overall Junior class Ohio State Championship on his way to a second place ranking nationally. "I felt I had a very good season last year and I'm looking forward to another one and that means winning Rookie of the Year. Things seem to be working good already. I've got Terry Knight of Knight Racing Frames sponsoring my Yamaha short tracker and my Honda 500 TT bike. Lancaster (Pennsylvania) Harley- _ Davidson, my sponsor last year, will back my 750. I feel that with the extra help I'm getting from those people plus Megacycle Cams, Engine Dynamics, and others like Castrol, Diamond, and Bell that we are definitely in the hunt. One of my biggest advantages, I feel, is that Ray Martino is handling the tuning on my Yamaha and Harley while Mike Crowther does my Honda. They know what they're doing." "Realistically, it will be a tough year because everyone is good. The guy who could wreck the plans .is Freddie Spencer because of the road races. On the other hand, Jeff Haney is going to find himself in a whole lot of trouble because he didn't do that well in beating the restricted Junior class equipment last year. I can't see him doing too well on the half miles let alone the miles unless they've got a secret ingredient somewhere." ''I'm glad to see that factories are beginning to take notice. I don't have much money behind me and every cent I make goes right back into my bikes. It was the same last year. I'm a fighter, everyone knows that." When not working, Crabbe likes to woods ride, jog and "beat the heck out of a punching bag." He is close to his family and his brother Willie, who is a third year Expert. "If it wasn't for my mom and dad I wouldn't have been able to get to where I am today. They are great. Willie' and I try to work together, but sometimes he gets upset because I've come a long way. I feel that I'm as good as he is now. He'll have to accept it. I've beaten him before and I can beat him again. "One of the biggest thrills last season was winning back-to· back half miles at Ascot. I went. out there specifically to beat Haney 'cause all I ever heard was Haney this, Haney that, and Haney factory Honda. Well he crashed in the first event and everyone said he'd beat me the next week. He didn't. "1980 just could be my year. .. Jeff Haney roared through his first season as a pro aboard machinery sponsored by Kenny Roberts Racinll: Specialties and walked away with the Western Regional Novice Championship crown. His Junior year was just as fruitful. After two wins at Ascot on a 500cc 4-stroke single he was signed by American Honda and finished the season with another Regional Championship title and ninth place among the top Juniors in the nation. This year Haney has American Honda fully behind him again and will be contesting the entire Winston Pro Series. It's a solid prDg!am that most riders envy since factory sponsorships are few and far between, but there is one slight drawback. Haney will be giving away 250cc to the majority of riders he will face on miles and half miles. ''I'm going to be giving 100 percent to get Rookie of the Year. I think I have a good chance. I don't know too many riders with the program I have in that I know where the machinery and money are coming from. I know I'll be there for every National. "Obviously I feel that the TTs and short track Nationals are my strongest points, but just because I have to give away 250cc on the miles and half miles, don't count me out. I agree that I am at somewhat of a disadvantage, but I think that Honda is going to surprise a lot of people. Jerry Griffith, who built my machinery last se~n, has been working a lot on the bikes and I believe that we really have some movers. "There are sonie tracks which will benefit us more than others. The cushion type circuits could be good because I should be able to ride the 500 wide open up around the rim. Hey, the Honda is about 100 pounds lighter than a Harley-Davidson XR750. Of course it probably has about half the hOl:sepower... Haney calls Seaside, California his home and spends a good deal of his free time when not· bicycle riding, playing racquetball, chasing girls, and restoring "to cherry condition" a 1969 Corvette...It's a real California car." Brothers don't always help each other, but in David Jones case his brother Ronnie - who won the Houston Short Track National a few short weeks ago . is always on his side. "At the track each of us wants the other to do good. Away from racing we sometimes have our differences, but they always get straightened out." Oavey, as the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma rider likes to be called, felt he had a good shot at the Central Regional Championship last year. He had won the Novice title, but had no 750 to ride. Brother Ron gave him his '75 Harley. He blew it up almost immediately. "I hate to say it. but the bike is still a basket case and it has been for almost a year. I'm paying the bank for it, yet I still don't have the money to fix it." Mter that mishap the brothers shared Ron's '78 XR until Ron landed a ride which left Davey with the bike. "We spread things a little thin, but that's the way we are. I help him and he helps me.... Would winning Rookie of the Year honors be a boost? "You bet," says Jones. "I need to find a sponsor and I think that it would be a big boost to be able to say that I was Rookie of the Year. What I need right now is a sponsor for this season. I really don't have a big bike of my own and I would rather not have to ride Ronnie's bike and h~ve something happen to ;'t. "I think I have as gOoa a chance as anyone to take the title. I'm confident and I'm going to give it my best shot. If it doesn't come up it doesn't come up. I believe that I will be able to make it to a majority of, if not all the Nationals, but I think I'll take things one step at a time. "Like Ronnie, my mom and dad are my biggest backers. My other backing comes from Bob Dennis and Delton Teuscher of Viper Racil'1g. They prepare my short tracker and TT bike. "If some of the deals I have in the works pan out then eve.ryone better watch out. I'll tell you who I watch out for and that is Bubba Shoben. Bubba has been my main competition for a long time and he is strong. "Haney has the most solid backing, but as far as riding a 500 against the 750s - well, I wish him luck. That's a tough road no matter now good you are. "Everyone has the potential to be tough, we'll just have to wait and see." You'll have to travel to the Texas panhandle to find last year's AMA Central Regional Junior Champion Bubba Shoben. Shoben kicked off last year with wins in both the TT and Short Track Junior Tnvitational events at Houston and didn't let up from there on. In the 36 events that Shobert rode he won 12 and sat in winner's circles a total of 21 times. His win in the San Jose Junior Invitational Mile in September was the highlight of his season. They don't have too many TT events in Texas-or in the Eastern and Central Regions, yet Shobert figures TT riding is one of his strengths. "I MX for practice and have for a long time. I figure that gives me an edge over the others. The miles ought to be another strong point fO,r me since I only weigh 120 pounds. Light is right when every horsepower counts. "I've got a strong program for all the Nationals with 250 and 500cc Yamahas for the shon tracks and TT and a pair of Harley-Davidson XR750s. I figure that is as strong or stronger than anyone else who is running for the title. The strength of my program and my equipment is my biggest asset. Hi- Point Racing Products: Castrol, Scott Machine and Stovall's Yamaha and Performance are my sponsors, My dad built my bikes and maintains them along with help from Don Scott and Dennis Bruster. " Can anyone give Shobert a run for the money? "I think we're forgetting about one rider. If Freddie Spencer gets to ride all the Formula One events at the road race Nationals it could be a race for second place 'cause Freddie is very mean on the pavement. He's also no slouch on the dirt either, considering what he did in the (Houston) TT by finishing fifth. "It'll be a good year. I'm looking forward to it and you can -bet that I'm going for it. " o 00 0'> .-4 , Freddie Spencer tops the list of the other candidates in a position to make a run for Rookie of the Year. Some see him as the strongest threat to 'the titleand there is no denying that, if he rides in all the Formula One Winston Pro Series Nationals. "If my plans work out and I ride all tl!e f.ormula One events," says Spencer, "then I believe a spot in the top ten is really in reach. I doubt I'll do anymore dirt track, but if Honda wants me to it's alright." Erv Kanemoto prepared a Yamaha TZ750 for Spencer at Daytona and perhaps for the rest of the road race Nationals. It all hinges on Honda's plans to run in the Formula One class at all Nationals, in addition to his Superbike commitment to Honda, Spencer has. plans to compete in selected international events in Europe during the season. Tim Menena rushed his way right to the top of the finjll Junior class point standings nationally last season by being consistent in the short track programs at Santa Fe and adding points on his 750 also. He finished third in the Central Regional Championship. The Belleville, (Illinois) Honda sponsored rider wants to make things tough for everyone and is planning on making every National. .His arsenal includes a pair of Harley XR750s, plus a Honda TT bike and Yamaha short tracker. Two famous names are on the Rookie Expert list this year: Ricky Resweber, son of four-time AMA Grand National Champion Carroll Resweber and Chuck Springsteen, younger brother of three-time champ Jay Springsteen. ''I'm going to hit all the Nationals," says Ricky. "Carroll will tune the bikes for me and I've got a lot of support from my mom and stepdad. The whole family is behind me." Chuck Springsteen is riding under the Klotz-Wiseco banner for 1980 and will be aboard machinery built and tuned by Tommy Cummings of Cummings Harley-Davidson in Flint, Michigan. Others of note are Noot Irvin, Joey Cerciello, Tom McCullough and Jeff Celorie. Irvin, a quiet and easy going rider from South Carolina will be aboard Tilly Harley-Davidson equipment and will team with Gene Church. Cerciello will be looking to make a dent in Harley-Davidson's armor aboard a pair of Triumphs prepared by Jess O'Brien of O'Brien Flowmetrics. . -McCullough and Celorie will probably not contest all the Nationals and instead spend their time in the Northwest fighting a battle for Expert honors in the Western Regional Championship, mostly in TT events.• 7

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