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IAbove) The National field roars off the line. led by Steve Morehead 142.1. Mike Kidd (72). Rick Hocking (17). Hank Scott (14). Corky K..-r (82) and
Steve Eklund (1). lBelow left) Scott and Kidd celebrete.IBelow right) Ricky Graham (41) took third; Garth Brow 115)alxth.
AMA Grand National Championship/Winston Pro Series:
Round four
By Dale Brown
Photos by Charles Morey
SACRAMENTO, CA, APR. 12
"I knew back in Florida that I was going to win
this," exclaimed a jubilant Hank Scott, standing
in the pay line to receive the winner's share of
the purse for the 25-lap National mile promoted by J.C. Agajanian at the
Cal-Expo Fairgrounrds.
Asked how he got around Mike
Kidd, the defending winner who
6
led much or" this race, Scott replied,
"The man upstairs." He added, "I
must've had a hundred people praying
for me down in Houston. You just
don't go from dead last down the back
straightaway to win without some help
from ufcstairs." Scott announced that
he wou d be riding for a new sponsor
- TeamJesus_
Kidd held on to finish second and
take the Winston Pro Series points
lead, ahead of the absent Kenny
Roberts, 34-33. Ricky Graham also
came up from behind the leaders to
take third late in the race.
Number One plate holder Steve
Eklund is still without Winston Pro
_points after four events_ Eklund qualified for the National and was in contention for the lead until the coil
worked loose and grounded itself
against the frame. He was listed 15th,
one position out of the points.
After much optimism about the
chance of former champ Jay Springsteen competing in the event, his
recurring stomach troubles struck
again. "As soon as he came out here,
he started having trouble," said tuner
Bill Werner. Steve Morehead used one
of Springer's bikes to finish fourth in
the National.
Two new machines made their
debut. Jerry Griffith brought a Honda
CX500-based macqine for Jeff Haney,
which featured the engine mounted
sideways in the frame, thermo-syphon
water-cooling, and a reworked sidecase to mount a sprocket and drive
chain. Ignition troubles kept the revs
down and Haney did not ride it after
time trials.
Ron Wood built a Harley-Davidson
for Alex Jorgensen, probably the most
NOTlon-esque Harley ever seen. The
bike featured a custom red frame,
familiar red tank, bobbed rear fender
and Ohlins piggyback reservoir rear
shocks. Alex made it into the National
in his first ride on the bike and finished
ninth.
TIme trials
Mike Kidd's Army-sponsored XR-750
set a new qualifying record of 39.021
