Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

AMA announces American team for 55th ISDT WESTERVILLE, OH, J UN E 18 The Amerlcen Motorcyclist Aasocietion ennounced t oday the 40 ri ders w ho w ill represent the United States in the 56th Intern ational Six Days Trial, September 22.-27 in Brioude, France. The majority of t he June 17 meeting in the AMA's Westerville, Ohio headquarters centered on the selection of the World Trophy Team. As last year, the team will be mixed. Howeve r, this year w ill see the six riders mounted on four different brands where in 1979 on ly two brands were represented. "It was a very tough decision: ' said AMA Amateur Activities Director Kathy Wa nta. " It is our belief that we have chosen the best riders for the job at hand:' Husqvarna riders Dick Burleson, Frank Gallo and Ed Lojak form 50% of the squad and accounted for three overall wins in the ISDT Qualifier Series. Larry Roeseler, last year's highest placed American rider in West Germany, will represent Yamaha while M ike Rosso will carry Suzuki's colors and Frank Stacy will represent KTM. Rosso carded seven Gold Medal rides in seven Qualifiers, while Stacy, in only his first year of ISDT competition, was the overall top scorer in two events. The Silver Vase Team will also be mixed w ith Suzuki rider John Ayers joining the Kawasaki-sponsored t rio of Jack Penton, Teddy Leimbach and Kevin Lavoie. Nearly 350 riders submitted a letter of int ent to the AMA to contest the seven ISDT Qualifier Series rounds, which for the first time included one Three-Day event in additio n to six Two·Day Qualifiers. Selection was besed on a rider's three best finishes in class. Those with suffic ient po ints to earn a slot. but w ith less than three rides were not considered. Riders of proven ISDT beckground who sustained injury during the series were given special consideration. Suzuki's Drew Sm ith, w ith five years of ISDT competition behind him, was one such case . Smith rode early rounds with a broken wrist. " W e have selected 40 riders because we feel confident that the French will allocate 40 slots to our squad: ' said AMA's Wanta. " I believe that we have a ve ry strong squad w ith, perhaps, the best special test riders we have had in a lo ng time." Following are the riders selected: TROPHY TEAM: Frank Stacy IKTM); Larry Roeaeler !Yam); Ed Lojak IHua): Dick Burleson IHus): Mike Rosso ISuz): Frank Gallo IHus). VASE TEAM: John Ayers ISuz); Teddy Leimbech IKaw); Jack Penton IKaw); Kevin Lavoie IKaw). 125cc: Dane Leimbach (Kaw): Bobby Pearce (C-A): Rusty Reynaud lHus); Greg Davis IHus). 175cc: Jack Penton IKaw): Mike Rosso ISuz): Mark Hyde IKaw): Ron Ribolzi IYam): Rod Bush IKTM): Dean Joyner ISuz ); Matt Cullins IYam): Bill Berroth IKTM). 250cc: Ed Lojak IHusl: Frank Stacy IKT M); Teddy Leimbach IKaw); Rick Munyon IYam); Dick Burleson IHus); Chuck Miller IYam ): Jeff Fredette ISuz): Darryl Keunzer IKTM): John Fero IYam): Terry Cunningham IHus): M ike Melton IHus): Drew Smith ISuz): John Martin IC-A): Kevin Piasecki IKTM): Barry Avery IC-A). OPEN : John Ayers (Suzl: Larry Roeseler (Yam): Jim Fishback (Yam); Kevin Lavoie IKaw): Frank Gallo IHus): Steve Van Watermeulen (Mail: Bruce Ogilvie IYam): Carl Cranke ISWM): Scot Harden IHusl: Jack Johnson (Yam): Car l Altier (KTM): Ray Cosgrove ISuz): Frank Piasecki lKTM). 1980 Trans-USA MX Series' 9/21 9/28 10/5 10/12 10/19 Pete We idner M id ·Oh io Moto Park 58J Niles Road Mansfield, OH 44903 419/529-5600 or 529-5565 Gene Ritchie Red Bud Track 'N Tra il Buchanan, MI ' Red Bud Recreatio n, Inc. Route 1, Box 614 Buchanan,MI49107 616/695-6405 Unadilla Valley Sports Center Ward Robinson Unadilla Valley Sports Center New Berlin , NY Route 8 New Berlin, NY 03411 607/847·9186 or 965-8784 Bill West Road Atlanta Supersports Promotions Braselton, GA 6430 16th St. N. St. Petersburg. FL 33702 813/522-1513 Bob Bondurant Sears Point Int'l Raceway Golden State Int'l. Raceway Sonoma,CA Highways 37 & 121 Sonoma. CA 95476 707/938 8448 M id -Oh io Moto Park Lex ington,OH NATIONAL PAPERS o 00 0') Last names are still the toughest W ent back to Lacon ia for the ra ces recently a nd had over five hours flying time each way to re o fleet on the changes that have ta ken place within the Winston Pro Series in recent years. Foremost, perhaps , is the fact that we nearly now have two totally differ ent groups of riders, one for dirt track and one for ro ad racing. At Laconia , the on ly d irt tracker was Ted Bood y there from the ranks of noted present day ra cers. For some reason or another the road racers must come from a d ifferent background altogether. Let me explai n: The entry list had such names as Jones, Smith, Casey , Martin, Sharp, Murphy, Hill, Edwards and W illiams. Last names that have become rather common over th e years in dirt track racing. But did any of these guys wit h the easy names win . run up front or cause much comment during the two full days at Laconia ? Not at all . Here were some other names at Laconia . Schlachter. Richichi, Schlosser, Liubimsky. Guglielmo, Ng -A-Kien , Umryz , Osowski , Fabiano, Maroulis , Himmelsbach. Winiarski, Maliszewski, Smn, and laizzi. Fortunately, they were not all in the same class b ut were on th e track more than once during the two days of racing. By the time an announcer gets done , his jaws, cheeks and tongue are worn outl Then there's another future problem looming u p . Until this year it was not uncommon to have Steve Eklund and Skip Aksla nd in the same race once or twice d u ring the day. Now Eklu nd has given u p road racing and Aksla nd has quit so he can heal up for another try . At least at Laconia I d id not have to go through the Eklund/ Aksland exercise but behold another new name cro p ped up back there. H is name is Steve Aspland! I onl y hope that he has no desire to try dirt tracking and will also be content to stay in th e Super. bike class a nd no t th e new Formula one cla ss with Skip . Try saying Eklund/ Aksland/ Aspland real fast - at least two dozen times in various orde r. A few years back I announced a cycle race one night with a rid er by th e name of Muckenthaller in it . The next day I announced a car race with a guy by the name of Mot ch enba cher in that one. Don't try Muckenthaller/Motchenbacher really fast over and over , You 're bound to lose, What ever happened to the racers tha t used to have names like Troy Lee , Ralph White, Mil Green , Ward Ring. Joe Leonard , Bobby Hill , RDn Grant. Jim Ric e? Aren't any of them fathers of wou ld be ra cers to help DUt the a nnou ncers? As future road races come up . I hope that the following comb inations never get close to each other for the win - or run lap after lap side by side to th e finish for a top spot. Umryz/Smrz or Schlachter/Schlosser or Liubimsky/Maliszewki. If they do I am , afraid not only. myself .l~ u t . aJ:lY . other announcer will just have to stay with the numbers - wh ich by the way are mostly three digit for the gu ys with the tough names . (Did the AMA really do that on pu rpose?) A few years back, I had what I th ought was the ideal match race setup. It was - a t least I th oug ht so a promot er 's d ream . It was ba ck when Sammy Tanner blew into Ca liforn ia and was a hot item . Up no rth they had a rider by the nam e of Du ane Francisco. Both had com e through the Novice and Junior ranks at the same time and bo th were highly regarded by their fans. I proposed a billin~ of "The Flying Flea Meets The Spa msh Fly" with the £lea of course, Tanner and the fly being, Francisco. Aggi e thought it was a good idea - but ahead of its time . By the time the time was right both riders had long since reti red . Another problem facing announcers is first na m es. T he AMA requires that the rider list his legal name on all entries. The same appears when the AMA sends out the lists for the program. For some reason or another no rider win ever correct YDU until he starts winning, or gets close to the front . Then he tells you his name is not Cliff but Skip, not Gordon but Skip, not Dennis bu t Blackie, not David but Scotty. Then there are the ones that want to use their m id d le name instead of their firs t name. Like Ra ndy inst ead of Don. Last names though still are the toughes t. It may come as a surprise to m any long time fa ns to kn ow tha t Ba rt Markel does not - at least his wife doesn't - p ronounce their last name to sound like Ma rke l but ra the r Ma r Kell. Bart on ce told me tharit made no difference as he had been caned a lot of other th ings when he was busting fences and falling down in his early years of racing. So what's in a name? Wen , I just hope that Ia izzi and Guglielmo hav e an the success in the world - as long as I am not there on th ose days when they are racing each other for the win! Roxy Rockwood 3

• Cover