Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

seconds, good for 92.258 mph. The track, as has been the case the past two years, was very dusty (the horse racin$' associations won't allow any chetIlIcals for track preparation) and cominued to be so; although the problem diminished as rubber transferred 0010 tbe groove. The track surface gets faster as tbe night goes on Hank Scott's 25-lap record set in '78 is over 94 mph. Ganh Brow, Hank Scott and Steve Eklund occupied the other pole positions in the heats, witb times ranging from 39_078 to 39.406. Heats Mike Kidd sbowed his imentions for a repeat win at Cal Expo by leading the first beat wire to wire over runnerup Corky Keener. Billy Labrie had third initially. but Gary Scott took it away on tbe third lap. Scott bad barely two laps to enjoy the direct transfer as Wayne Rainey used the draft with his Chris Armstrong/H&H Workshop Harley to slingshot by going imo turn three. For the next five laps, the second year Expert Rainey and the veteran Scott fought bitterly over third, and the battle was decided in Rainey's favor, putting him into his first-ever mile National. Scott led Labrie and Terry Poovey imo the first semi. The second heat also saw the leader, JB Racing/Arai Helmets-sponsored Garth Brow, go wire to wire_ Brow bad been hit on the head by a plastic pylon during a groove-widening practice session, crashed and had a frantic time getting tbe bike ready for tbe race. Scott Drake started off in second, but Scott Parker took hold of that and appeared to have it nailed until bike problems sent bim coasting off the track for a DNF. About the same time tbat Parker broke, Rick Hocking pushed his Ray Beck XR past Drake's Soutb East H-D mount. Positions held to the flag. and Randy Goss and Gene Romero bad to be satisfied with fourtb and fifth. Lance Jones had the lead at the start of heat three, but that was quickly passed to Horton Racing's Steve Morehead. Hank Scott made his way up from a so-so start to pass Alex Jorgensen and Joe Wilson. while Jones dropped back to fifth. With two laps to go, Scott passed Morehead for the lead, but Steve got back around to take the win. Wilson finisbed third, with Jorgensen and Jones fourth and fiftb. SCOll Pearson, Ricky Graham and Brad Hurst wem for the lead as the final beat got underway. Pearson had the poim position at the end of the first lap, Hurst at the end of the second. By lap three it was an eight· wheeled vehicle as Grand National Champ Steve Eklund moved his Zanotti/Castrollinterj:lart special into the fray. Hurst opened up a slight lead while Eklund was busy getting by Pearson and Granam. Once by them, Eklund caught up to Hurst and went by with two laps to go. However, Hurst came back in tbe final lap and got his Wayne Hall/KRW Harley to the line first. Graham and Pearson had one of the best battles of the night over third, with Graham's Klotz/Wiseco machine in front at the flag by inches. Ted Boody, suffering the effects of a hard crash in practice, finished fifth. Semis The two transfer positions from the first semi were subject to heated debate as first Gene Romero imd Gary Scott, then Scott and Terry Poovey, and finally Scott and Randy Goss argued over them. Harley factory rider Goss came from behind and took the lead on the eighth lap and held it with KK Supply/Sizemore Traveland-sponsored Scott taking the other transfer. Tbe second semi was equally combative as Alex Jorgensen, Scott Pearson, Ted Boody and Bobby Sanders changed positions regularly in the first half of the event. Finally Jorgy appeared to have the lead, but Boody came from third to first in one lap, and stayed there for the remaining lap as Jorgensen held off Pearson for second. After 20 miles of racing in two events, only a few feet total kept Pearson out of the National. o 00 Trophy race O'l It was two laps at a time in the lead for Billy Labrie and Terry Poovey in tbe trophy race. Poovey led lap one, Labrie the next two, Poovey the follow· ing pair, etc. ~I-Ray-sponsored Poovey had the lead the final two laps, though, and held on to win in a side by side finish witb Labrie's Fletchers H-D/ Rebel lllt./Florida H-D Dealers rna· chine. After a spirited tussle, Bobby Sanders took third in from of Gene Romero. National The first few laps of the National were a blur as Garth Brow, Mike Kidd and Steve Morehead rearranged the order of the top three up to several times a lap; usually at the end of each straight as they used the draft and subsequem slingshot maneuvers to upset the status quo. Morehead later said that there was "so much drafting that when one guy went by, he usually brought another guy along with him." Corky Keener joined the action up front, while Ricky Graham was a bit off the leading four, but heading up Eklund and the rest of the pack on the fifth lap. Two laps later, with Kidd in the lead followed by Brow, Keener and Morehead, Hank Scott made his pres· ence known by passing Eklund and closing on Graham. . Kidd, Brow and Morehead kept ex· changing the lead as Scott moved past at least a rider per lap until he was in third behind Kidd and Brow. The following laps saw Kidd and Scott pull ahead slightly, only to be joined by Eklund. Before Eklund could make a move, however, he was back in fifth, then coasting off the track after the coil had grounded itself on the frame. Kidd and Scott continued their up' front battle for a few more laps as Ricky Graham moved into third. ". was just behind that group (early in the race) but. couldn't catch them," said Graham later, adding "As soon as Hank Scott and Eklund passed me, we cut right through." Four laps from the end, Scott made his move for the lead and took over. Kidd planned a last lap move: ". thought I'd get Hank down the front straight, but. wasn't gelling as good a drive off of turn four as he was." After being shut out in '79, Scott had his first win of the '80 season early in the year. Morehead finished fourth as Randy Goss completed a late-race advance to fifth. Brow was sixth, followed by Gary SCOll, Corky Keener, Alex Jorgensen and Wayne Rainey. • .... I-< 0.. -0( IAbove)l8dy luck was not with Eklund. IBelow) Terry Poovey end Billy Labrie come down to their drametic trophy race finish. Results 25-lAP NATIONAL: 1. Hank Scott IH·D); 2. Mike Kidd IH-D}; 3. Ricky Graham IH-D): 4. St.... Morohood (H-D); 5. Randy Goa IH-D); 6. Gortl1 Brow IH-D); 7. Gory Scott IH·D}; 8. Corky K _ (H-D); 9. Alex Jorgenson (H-D); 10. Wwyne Rei""" IH-D); 11. Tod Boody (HoD1; 12. Scott Drake IH-D); 13. Joe Wilson IHD); 14. Brod Hurst IHoD); 15. S.... Eklund (H-D); 18. Rick Hocking (H-D). TIME: 18:07.34 AVERAGE SPEED: 93.038 mph. 12-LAP TROPHY RACE: 1. Torry Poovey (H-DI; 2. B~I Labrie (H-D); 3. Bobby Sanders (H-D); 4. Gone RomOfo IH-Dt; 5. Tod Davidson IH-D); 6. Lanee Jonos IH-D); 7. Bill Crabbe IH·D): 8. Scott F'oMson IH·D); 9. Tom Duma IH·D); 10. Don ShobOtt IH·D). TIME: 7:54.24 AVERAGE SPEED: 91 .093 mph AMA GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPI WINSTON PRO SERIES POINT STANDINtlS: 1. Mike Kidd (34); 2. Kenny Roberts (33); 3. Alex J o r _ 130): 4. Rendy Goa 1251; 5. Hank Scott 1231; 6. Ronnie Jones 121); 7. Mickey Fey 1191; 8. Ricky Graham (18); 9. Dale Singleton 116°); 10. Gary Scott 115); 11. Scott P _ (14): 12. 8ruce Hanlon 113); 13. ITIE) Skip AkslondIO)IJay Springsteen/Corky K_lStOlle Mor.. hood (11); 17. mE) John GonnoiIFt_ Spencer/ 8fod Hurst (10); 20. IT1El DOlle _'l/Gor1h Brow 191. ° - Pending - - ' of Doytona r _ . 7

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