Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

E i T ELATEST o 00 0") ~ Bad Brad Lackey still leads the 500cc World Championship MX Series, but a victory at Gaillefontalne, France last weekend, May 4, brought Team Honda's Andre Malherbe to within easy striking distance. Malberbe rode the Alan Hahn tuned Honda to a perect 1-1 score before a crowd of 45,000. Lackey put in a 5-2 day on his factory Kawasaki and managed to tie with World Champ Graham Noyce's 3-4 (for third place) on the Bill Buchka prepared Honda. Second overall went to Suzuki-mounted Frenchman Jean-Jacques Bruno. In the World Championship point standings, Lackey maintains a slim three-poin(lead over Malherbe, 72· 69. Vamaha's Hakan Carlqvlst is third with 52. Bruno 131), Andre Vromans (27), Roger DeCoster (25), Noyce (18) and Gerard Rond (17) round out the top eight. DeCoster DNF the first race after crashing heavily and twisting his ankle. He rode round two, on the Dave AmoId tuned Honda, and placed fifth. Jim Pomeroy placed outside the top 10 in moto one, reportedly due to suspension problems on his Beta, but he rode the second moto and placed 10th. Results for AFM /Honda Ontario Six Hour Classic are now official. Last week, after we were told that the results were official (which we printed in a Latest Poop item) ,we heard on Tuesday (the day after pressday) that Team Kawasaki had appealed their disallowed protest. A review of the case over the May 3·4 weekend by the AFM Board of Directors confirmed their original de cision to awa-rd the victory to Team Honda's Ron Pierce and Freddie Spencer. " We were unable to account for one lap of Kawasaki's protest," AFM's Rudy Galindo told Cycle News on May 5. "But even if that lap had been counted, Team Honda would still have won - by one second!" The final lap was dropped back to lap 157 instead of the original 158 because some riders had received the black flag on lap 158, according to Galindo. The results that Were printed as "unofficial" with our report have now been confirmed . No changes were made. 2 Jack Johnson, one of Team Vamaha's off·road stars, was the overall and Class 1 (unlimited single seat dune buggy winner of the car-only Mint 400 off-road race held over the May 3-4 weekend neer Las Vegas, NV. Johnson, who hes been racing Class 1 and Class 9 11200cc dune buggy) cars for some time, was not the only motorcyclist to do well in the four-wheel event. Mike Patrick and Phil Bowers topped Class 2 (unlimited two·seat dune buggy), and Malcolm Smith turned in the fastest lap of the day In his single seater before being forced out after a crash with another car. Bob Hannah was also reported to have been doing well before he DNF. Error: In last week's Lectron ad , the copy stated that Randy Goss' HarleyDavidson was Powerjet -equipped, How come Randy can get one and you can't? No reason at all . Ya see , Randy didn't really have one either, according to Lectron's Sparky Edmonston. It was an error in the ad. Despite the unsettled labor conditions in Sweden, Husqvarna's Gustav Rooth has assured Papa that there is "an adequate supply of parta and motorcycles" here in the U.S. to keep the Swedish motor· cycle manufacturer's American oparation moving at full swing. So don't sweat it not yet. an¥Way. Got some spare time to devote to the filming of a new Walt Disney movie? California Racing Club is assisting the crew as they shoot The Devil and MllJ' Drolin. starring Bill Cosby arid Elliot Gould. There's a motocross segment in the film , and they'll be filming it on May 28-30 and June 2-4 at Indian Dunes, then at Carlsbad on June 9-11. In short , they need people, bikes, vans , trucks, cars: all the nonnal background for an average MX. By helping, you can also get free $25 seats for the Coca-Cola Superbowl of Motocross . And free lunch at the track sites . Phone CRC at 213 /830-7519 or 714 / 689-6114 if you'd like to get involved. Motor CJde WMIrIy'. CtvIs My. . reporta that former World Trials Champion Martin lampkin has quit Bultaco to ride an Italian SWM machine In the remainder of this season. lampkin, who won the first ever World Championship in 1975, h.. decided to quit Bultaco because of the factory's Industrial troubl.. which have affected the support ha recalved as a works rider. An official statement from Bultaco (UK), Comerfords Ltd, states: "The consequent lack of the nece888ry communication and support required by a works rider... has forced Lampkin...to inform Bultaco (UK) that he wishes to change to another make of machine, and this Is with the consent of the Bultaco management In Spain." Fine Italian Iron. Including Cagiva motocross, enduro and short track machines; Laverda 500 to 1200cc highway cruisers; and Moto Morini 360 to 500cc mid-range touring bikes are now available in the Western U,S. from Slater Bros., 2344 Bluebell Dr., Santa Rosa, CA 96401, 707/627-9008, Eastern distribution will be handled by the Slater Bros. Toronto, Canada office. Latest news from the Bultaco factory in Spain is that the Bultaco family who owns the plant, has actually given it to a workers cooperative headed by former General Manager Juan Chalamano. The plant is still not back in production however and the factory's debts of 700 million pesetas have now transferred to the workers' cooperative. The workforce has been slimmed down to 150 men and the Government has offered 50 million Pesetas to help get the co·op going. But the general opinion in Spain seems to be that the new initiative has no chance of success . Another dispute, at Montesa, has been settled with 70% of the workers returning to the Barcelona factory. Production has now resumed although 70 men are stili striking over the sacking of three Communist workers. "Come October I there will be a proposed plan which will go out for a 30· day comment and then go to Secretary (of the Interior, Cecil) Andrus for his signature," responded Bureau of Land Management Riverside District Public Information Officer Delores "Pete" Palmer to a Cycle News question about the possibility of a new draft plan on the California desert being sued in October. According to Palmer, the plan will be the result of input which closes May 15 - on the current desert draft plan, and will include the final Environmental Impact Study. The October I, Cycle News learned, plan will be the BLM's "preferred plan" - required by law - and the EIS will compare it and the four present alternatives. Sources say the BLM, because of the shon 30·day comment period, will contact spokesmen from the various user groups to look at the plan prior to the expected release date. This move reportedly gives the BLM a little more time to meet the "preferred alternative" requirement , and still have a final plan by the first of next year. Randy Mamola, one of Suzuki's fac· tory riders In the 500cc World Cham- pionship Series (whose opening round was postponed due to snow) had a close call while traveling to that snowed-out Austrian round. Randy and others were traveling in a motorhome he'd shipped over from the U.S. While they were having lunch inside a restaurant. leak- ing propane Inside the motorhome was somehow touched off, blowing up the motorhome. No bikes were Inside, but the gang reportedly lost all their luggage, etc. Winnersl Each of the following people is the proud (we hope) winner of one The Best Go West T-shirt and two tickets to see the May 7 Yamaha Gold Cup indoor short track at Long Beach Arena: Brian H. Meyette, James Morrison , Donald E. Boon, Arnold Gellis , Richard A. Griffin, Rudd B. Wallace, Denise Day , Carl Pfetzling, Dennis Pinheiro, Sy Kibby, Rick Campbell. Ken Johnston and J.W. Allison. See you therel AFM's Third Annual NO Spark Plug Golden State Road Race Series kicks off May 11 at Riverside, moves on to Golden State International Raceway at Sears Point on May 18 and July 6, then wraps up at Ontario on July 20. There'll be a total of $2,500 from NO going to the top five riders in each of the following classes: 125cc GP, 260cc GP, 430cc Pro· ductlon, Open SS and Open GP. It breaks down to $250 for the first placer, $160 for second and $100 In each cia... To be eligible. riders must meet certain requirements. For details, phone 7141523-3842 or 9161392~11. Coors Brewing Company has joined Wheelsport, Beard's Frame Shoppes and KGON as sub-sponsors of the July 6 Washougal/Yamaha 125/500cc AMA National Motocross. According to the Prairie City OHV Park newsletter, the park's speedway practice track should be complete by May 15. It's being built to AMA limits of length and width. For Info, dial 916/3614271. American Road Racing Association has announced a change of command. Pat Manning has stepped down due to increased business obligations. Taking the reins will be Earl Smith and David James, presently with AFM. Earl and David plan to provide the same fine professional quality races that Pat has held for the past eight years. They will keep the same personnel and race schedule. continuing with their next event May 25 at Willow Springs Race-

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