Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

(Topl Ughtweight Expert winner Eddie Lawson sits on the po le of t he gr id. alongside Richard Schlachter 1481. Craig Morris 1911. and Dan Chivington 1 . 461 (A bo ve leftl Nobuhiro Nakamura. the Novice vlctor, leads Mark Bougas. (A bove rig ht) Sidecar winners Pete Essaff and Kenny Harrold. Expert Lightweight Lawson in charge By Gary Van Voorhis BRASELTON , CA . JUNE 29 Kawasaki's Eddie Lawson , in a tremendous come-from- behind charge, led Rusty Sha rp a nd Dan Chivington to the winner's circle 10 in the 20 -lap, 50-mile Expert Lightweight event. Lawson's mount was the only Kawasaki in the field a nd marked the first win fo r the American effort although the bike has been a proven winner in GP road racing. Lawson had plenty of incentive to win - A $5 ,000 bonus from Kawa saki was on the line. T he ra ce looked to be a two man affair bet ween Rich Schlachter and Lawson and that was what it was for t he opening laps as the pair - glued to one another - circu lated the 2.52 mile course tr ading the lead and pulling steadily away from the field. At the end of lap six it all came to an end as the pair crashed. "I was just ready to lean over and begin braking ," said Schl ach ter afterwards . "Sud den ly I was tumbling along the track . My first thought was about Eddie because we were running so close and I hoped he could avoid my bike. He didn't. I th ink the crank went because there was no warning. I've neve r been spit off like that. " . Lawson's crash and restart ate up the margin they had opened up on then third place Rusty Sh arp plus about 15 secon ds. "I went down really easy ," said La wson after the race. " I was u p quickly, bu t by then I was fou rt h . I just began to ride harder and slowly pic ked my way to third a nd then second. I waited for the rig ht spot a nd , zapped Sha rp . My bike was really handling and Steve Johnson built me a rocket. " " I knew Lawso n was comi ng ," said Sharp. "I began getting pit signals of just how fast he was catching me. I knew I could n't hold him off beca use I lost my front brakes about the time they crashed. He got pa st about four laps from the finish . I don't feel bad, it was a good race." Third place finisher Dan Chivington came out on top of a nearly race long battle with Cra ig Morris which saw the pair play rubberband around the track . "I think I could have been more of a threat ," said Chivington. " I re placed the front end after my Loudon crash a nd it wasn't dialed in th e way I like it. We'll be re ady for Laguna Seca." Craig Morris held a safe margin over Ja n Jolles for fourth with Loudon winner Bruce Maus and Je ff Umrysz hanging right in behind waiti ng for mistakes. Eddie Lawson had a big smile on in th e winner 's circle. This win plu s his Superbike victory gave him ple nty of reason to smile. Res ults EXPERT LIGHTWEIGHT: 1. Eddie Uwson IK. wl; 2. Rusty Sharp (Yam); 3. Dan Chivington (Yam); 4. Craig MOfris IYam); 5. Jan Jolles - (Yam); 6. Bruce Maus (Yam); 7. Jeff Umrysz (Yaml; B. 0009 Br.uneck (Y.ml; 9. Bennv Del Mon ico (Yaml: 10. Dave Busbv (Vaml: 11. John Samwavs (Vam): 12. Davh. Sidecar Essa££/Harrold crank iton• again By Gary Van Voorhis BRASELTO N , GA , JUNE 29 It was three for three in the Castrol S Sidecar Challenge Series for the team of Pete Essaff and Kenny H a rro ld as they again proved unb ea ta ble. Finishi ng a distant second was the team of Larry Colem an a nd Mark Bevans with the chair of Winfried Hopp and William Alston taking third . "It feels good to win, but if I do n't find a major sponsor pretty soon this will be my last season racing," said Essaff. ''I'm flat broke. " " I th ink we're more used to the heat than a lot of other riders, " said H arrold. Plus our rig runs pretty cool , a nd overh eating took out its share today. We 're a good team, we've got good machinery and we 'git it ' 100 percent."· The 1O-lap final was a dog fight for the openi ng three taps with Essaff/ Harrold holding off - George Fisher / Mark Nowicki and Bill Da vidson/ Patrick Du n n in a nose to tail nine whee led fre igh t train . A daring move by Fisher/Nowicki on th e thi rd lap ga ve them th e lead in the close battle, but that was it for the wa rfare. On the next la p- Fisher/ Nowicki wen t out with Davidson/ Dunn following. T hat left EssafflH arrold to coast home wit h Over 50 seconds in hand on second place. Resu lts SIDECAR: 1. Pet. Esaff/Kon Harrold; 2. Larrv Coleman/Mark Bevans; 3. W infried Hopp/William Alston; 4. Paul KnoIIIO. Pierce: 5. Ian RIIaryISteee n Quinn.

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