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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126488
ernhotline
Corona GP 250cc Pro winner Steve
Bauer.
Laborda,GP
at Corona
By Ron Lawson
CORONA. CA. SEPT. I
A dense fog covered Corona Race·
way through the morning and
the early afternoon on Labor Day
setting an ideal scene for Grand
r • ,
14
Prix racing. Riders that came out
prepared for the worn were pleased to
find temperatures in the low eighties,
leaving the track relatively dustlesa
throughout the day. But the course
was still tough. Seven miles of whoops.
uphills, downhills and sand washes
took iu toU in DNFs, especiaUy in the
Pro ranks.
The second race of the day held aU
the Pros, with Opens, 2501 and 125s
staning in three straddle.the.front.
wheel, dead engine staru. The riders
who proved to be the cream of the
crop were in the 125ee class. Both
Doug Dubach and Rick Maki Itaned
in the last row and managed to pass
every one in thdirst two rows with the
exception of the Open and 250cc
winners. Dubach and Maki traded the
125cc lead several times before Maik
took over for the last time on the
founh lap. Another 125cc pilol who
put in an outstanding ride was Scott
Manning (Yam). Manning got a laa
place stan and then his front hub
beIran to break up, but still he was
abTe to Ilice his way up to third behind
Dubach by the end of the race.
Manning spent mOlt of the race
battling with Jerry Raymer (Yam),
who allo had to come from behind to
eventually fmish founh. Rounding out
the top five in the 125cc class was Gary
Scheidler.
Two candidates for the hard luck
award had to be Juan Benavidez (C·A)
and Jim Tarantino (Hon). Both got
poor starts, but worked up to the front
of the 250cc Pro class, pasIiDg early
leader Gary Ilodgen_ Benavidez was
pullins away. but then he discovered
that he had to make ps Ito.- with his
Can·Am. After beading into the pia
to refuel he was still on top, but
behind. Then Benavidez slid out and
that brought the couple even closer. It
was on the last lap that Benavidez lost
a transmillion. causing a collision
between the two. Tarantino came out
of the tangle with a suspected broken
band and both of them were out of the
race for the day.
In the meantime. Steve Bauer (Hon)
had been lurking in a distant third
place after a chain derailment and
several get-oO's. It was Bauer's first
ride in months and it suited him just
fme when he had the lead dropped
into his lap in the laa minutes of the
GP. he crossed the finish line with a
Itrong lead over Many Miller (Suz).
who had made a laa lap move on
Ilodgen. Come·from-behind honors
in the 250cc class went to Danny Bunt
(C·A). who rounded the first few turns
in 211t to work his way up to third in
spite of a broken pipe. Rodgers
appeared to have some trouble on the
laa lap, but still made good money
finishing in founh.
But without a doubt, the Rar of the
Pro races was the fifth place 25Occ.
Tony DiStefano (Hus) was back in
action in his first race since an eye
injury threatened his sight last winter.
His eyes were still apparently sensitive
to li~. but he ~t m a solid ride, allo
commg from behind.
The Open class Itaned with an aU
out dice between Matt Tedder (Suz)
and Eric MacCracken (Yam). For two
Ia.- they traded back and fonh, then
MacCrackm was put out of the race
with a blown tranny. But Tedder's
troubles were far from over. Ed Arnet
was coming on strong from the rear
and on the fourth lap, while Tedder
was having lOme bike trouble. Arnet
took over. Tedder soon dropped out of
the race and after that there was
nobody that could hold a candle to
Arnet.
He
fmished
the
race
unchallenged for the lead and Bruce
Ogilvie (Yam) came in second. Tom
KarOl (Suz) was third in his first race
after a long lay-off. Founh place
money went to Keith Ehles over Tim
Batzle and Jeff Eierstedt.
Maeeraeken
doubles at DeAnza
By Ron Lawson
SUNNYMEAD, CA, AUG. ~I
Yamaha rider Eric MacCracken
came out to DeAnza armed with
two bikes last week. and went
h
.h h
. b h
orne WIt t e top money to ot
the 250cc and Open Pro classes.
He was unquestionably the hottest
rider in the Open class. winning the
fIrSt moto by a convincing margin.
While MacCracken was topping every
lap. Jim O'Neal (C·A) held down an
unofficial second place. At DeAnza
there is a rarely used option to ride as
an Expen instead of a Pro by paying a
reduced entry fee and forfeiting the
chance of winning money. and O'Neal
had entered as an Expert. So second in
line for the money wasJoe Stern (Mai),
but by the ninth lap, Eddie Michetti
(C·A) had taken over after working up
from a poor stan. Fred Combs also
had to spend much of the race making
up for lost time but he moved into
founh in the final laps of the moto.
The next race wasn't so easy for
MacCrackm. He came off the line poorIy and wasted several laps before he
staned cutting his way up. In the
meantime. Mark Sullivan (Suz) was
leading Michetti and Combs up front.
Combs passed Michetti and then made
his move on Sullivan at the halfway
in the race and he moved into second.
In the remaining laps MacCraeken
paced himself. knowing he had the
ovn-aU win and Michetti palIIIed a tiring
Sullivan for third and got third overall.
MacCraeken took both 2!)Occ Pro
motos. but it was Greg Zitterkopf
(Mai) who kept him honest. In the first
moto, MacCracken got the holeshot
while Ziuerkopf staned in sixth and
moved up to second. Zitterkopf was
gaining slightly in the last half of the
moto. but it wasn't enough. Robbie
Brand finished third over Rick Rogers
(Kaw) and Pete Murray (Mai).
In round two, MacCrackm was again
on top of every lap, but Zitterkopf was
closer this time. Murray was third for a
lap. then Mark Barnes (Yam) took
over. Several Ia.- later, Barnes
dropped out of the race and the
position went back to Murray briefly
before going to Rogers. Then it was
Brand who took over and remained in
third to the end of the race. Rodgers
dropped back to fifth behind Pete
Murray and ahead of Danny Sanchez
(C-A). The overaU standings were the
same as moto two.
Results
PEE WEE: 1. Mike Micheni (Yoml; 2. "->n Colier
(Yoml; 3. Kimberly RobortIon 1Suz).
MINI BEG: 1. Gavin ~ 1Suz); 2. Chris Dominguez
(Yoml; 3. _ _ (Yoml.
MINI NOV: 1. John Begin 1Suz); 2. Thomes Combo
fKMI; 3. Honk _
(Yom!.
MINI INT: 1. '-n8rd RobortIon 1Suz); 2. Kevin
Richey lHan~ 3. - . MoMln (Yom!.
WOMEN !NT: 1. Tom Trocy lSuzl; 2. Dee Gronger
1Suz).
WOMEN EX: 1. Kim 00ugI00s (Suz); 2. Louise _
(Yoml; 3. o.re-. Higgino (Yoml.
125 BEG: 1. S _ Piiria lHon); 2. Som _
CSuzJ;
3.1IiI_.
125 NOV: 1. Sam Gr_ 1Suz); 2. John Begin 1Suz);
3. Scot Poul (Yom!.
125INT: 1. _
CIortr. (yom); 2. Ti s.-u (Yoml; 3.
Jim "--1Suz).
125 PRO: 1. V"""" HoIlrookISuz); 2. Tad Gibboney
CVoml; 3. John ChwIoIvk (Yoml.
2SO NOV: 1. Ti s.-u (Yoml; 2. John M_lSuz);
3. o.n SWlIin tK-).
2SO INT: 1. Ron La..- lSuzl; 2. Tim Caubv (Yam);
3. Sam ~ IVom).
2SO PRo: 1. Eric ~8Cken (Yam); 2. Greg
zm.t