Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

_tborn Call1.rnl.ArI••n .....tb.rn N.".da· ".tbern Caillornl.Arl••n .....tb.rn Ne"..... S••tb.rn Call1ornl.Arlze EWestern hotline I o 00 ~ Raben Merino took two in CRC's Amateur Supercross. CRChosts Amateur Supercross at San Diego Stadium By Lee Taylor SAN DIEGO, CA, OCT. 26 San Diego welcomed to its stadium over 1,000 mounts of steel, ridden by California's finest racers in the California Racing Club's Amateur Supercross. 16 Ro~rt Marino, a new star on the horizon of stadium motocross, dazzled everyone with back-to.-back wins in both the 250cc and Open Pro races. In the first moto of the 250cc Pro race, Dave Hamada turned his Kawasaki loose and into the lead with Marino's Yamaha on his tail, followed by Chris Howard in third. When Marino found the opening he needed he slipped on by and took command down to the wire. With Hamada now in third. Ken lahrt and Gary Neal found a duel for fourth. Neal, riding for Burger King, DNF and lahrt took over fourth. A wheel· to-wheel duel went down for the third place slot with Hamada holding on. When the machines came to life for the second moto, lahrt was there and led the charge. Andy Segale was hold· ing down second with Bill Curran and Brian Chereshkoff hot on his tail. Marino was flying, on his way to a pair of wins. Taking over the lead, Marino blew lahrt away and headed down victory row with Andy Guth in second, good fOT second overall and lahrt fmishing third and taking home third place loot. When the Open Pros came to the line Marino, astride his Yamaha for Yamaha Motor Corp_ was ready and waiting. Taking over the lead, Marino found a tight field on his tail. Kevin Davis aboard a Maico and Mark White (Yam) were dueling side by side for second followed by Matt Tedder and Micky Dymond. From fourth on back the stadium field was jammed with racers. Coming down to the end of the m!'to, Marino held steady, Davis was secure in second and White held third. The second time at it, Marino once more grabbed the holeshot and imme· diately found himself in a side by side duel with Lars Larsson aboard a Husqvarna. Marino edged out Larsson and Juan Benavidez emerJted in second to pursue him. With White in third and Davis runDin/{ fourth it was hot and heavy_ In trouble, Benavidez found himself pushed back to sixth. When the checkered flag came out, Marino emerged with top money for the day, White took down second overaU and third went to Davis. When the 125cc Intermediates met their final match, narrowing a field of over 60 racers to 16, it was Louie Franco, riding a Yamaha for U.S. Yamaha and the Crotch Rocket Factory, who simply rode his heart out and into the winner's circle. Franco, recently recovered from a serious accident came to the final with a superb I· ~ ride in his Qualifiers. He found himself up against his old foe Ruben Torres in third and Bruce Jackman. When Torres took over second it was a Franco/Torres match to the end with Doug Gentry running third and Jackman in fourth, holding back a raging pack of racers. When the winner's flag came out it beckoned Franco home to top honors. Torres took home second overall and third went to Gentry. A.J. Whiting, riding for A.J.· Products, Yamaha and Answer Products simply stole the show in the 125cc Pros. In the first moto A.J. had some fancy dicing to do, over the same track that just the night ~fore proved the downfaU of several of the nation's top riders. Mike Tripes had put his TCW out in front and was rocketing down one of the few straights on the track. Scott Manning was on the gas in second with Whiting on "his tail. A battle royale went down ~tween Manning and Whiting with Whiting slipping on by and then catching Tripes for the moto win. When the machines roared off the line the second time, it was Whiting out in front and confronted with heavy ammunition from the rear with David McGhee, Eric Baker and Tibbs McCullough running second, third and fourth, respectively. Baker took over second and a wheel-to·wheel duel with Whiting ensued over the Honda Himalayas, through the Scott USA Sand Pit and through the Toyota Tornado. Whiting, on the ragged edge, held control down to the wire for top honors. Manning worked his way up into second by the end for second place loot and third overall went to Tripes. Results JR CYCLE NOV: 1. Doug FISher IYaml; 2. Jeff Reynolds (Yam); 3. Chris Cole ISuz). JR CYCLE INT: 1. Brad Johnson (Yam); 2. Prax Cruz ISuzl. JR CYCLE EX: 1. Eddie Hicks lYaml; 2. Mouse McCoy IYaml; 3. Kyle Lewis lYaml. MINI BEG: 1. Steve 5 _ lYam); 2. Eric Gonzales lSuzl; 3. Tim RutIlertoJd (!(awl. MINI NOV: 1. Terry Fowler lYam); 2. Richard Fleming lYaml; 3. Johmy_IYaml. MINIINT: 1. Rudy I);ckjnoon (Suzl; 2. RUA Wonltlers (Yam); 3. Eddie Hicks IYaml. MINI EX: 1. Ron l8ctlien IYam); 2. Troy Bleke ISuzl; 3. Jahner Kight (Yaml. 100 BEG: 1. Kevin Trovis (Yam); 2. Johnny Bonacci lYaml; 3. Kelly Vrichow lYam). 100 NOV: 1. Peter Csulak ISuz); 2. Alex Leon ISuz); 3. John Peters lSuzl. 100 INT: 1. Ron Lochien lYam); 2. Doug Gentry lYam); 3. Robert Uughlin (Yaml. 125 BEG: 1.1ltad Fey (Hanl; 2. Jeff Shorr~llYam); 3. Ron S-..slYamI. 125 NOV: 1. Bob Voorhees (SuzI; 2. Duane l_lYaml;3.RobbieJ_IYam). 125 INT: 1. Louie Fronco lYaml; 2. Ruben Torr.. (Yaml; 3. Doug Gentry IYaml. 125 PRO: 1. A.J. Whiting IYaml; 2. Scon Manning IYam); 3. Mike Tripes ITCWl. 250 BEG: 1. John Borneo lYaml; 2. Tom Webb IHan); 3. Dole Greim (Hanl. 250 NOV: 1. Chris Fleming IYaml; 2. Steve Pianoni IKaw); 3. Mike Horrison ISuz). 250 INT: 1. John Gordner IYaml; 2. Erin Buskirk ISuz); 3. Brand Johnson ISuz). 250 PRO: 1. Robert Merino IYaml; 2. Andy Guth IYaml; 3. Kan ZOhrl. OPEN BEG: 1. Alan Lipsky IKaw); 2. Matt Parsons IYaml; 3. Ronnie LewislYaml. OPEN NOV: 1. Mike Slepak (Han); 2. Rocky HBBh (Mai); 3. Kim Baird ISuzl. OPEN INT: 1. Rod o.ury IKTMI; 2. Don Glover IYaml; 3. Brand Johnson (Yaml. OPEN PRO: 1. Robert Morino (Yaml; 2. Mork White IYaml; 3. Kevin Davis (Mai). VET JR:, Ken Irwin (Yaml; 2. Dole Hirsch 1Hon); 3. Lee Clark 1M.,), VET INT: 1. Steve Edlelsen IHus!; 2. Ron Rver IYam); 3. Bil Norman IMaiI. VET SR: ,. Lars Larsson lHusl; 2. Lynn \lick (Yaml; 3. Dan _eIMaiI. Manning, Turner, Johnson collect at CMC Saddleback MX By Mike Klinger ORANGE, CA, OCT. 19 The turnout was a little down at the Continental Moto-sports Club's Saddleback MX because most of the Juniors and Intermediates were hopefully saving their machine for the San Diego stadium race, but the Professional turnout was indeed impressive. Yamaha support rider Rick Johnson brought out his Cliff Lett-tuned 1981 250 Yamaha and shot down some stiff competition. Ron Turner (Suz) put together two good class rides to finish second in the 250cc Pros and win the Open Pros. In the 125cc Pro class, Scott Manning (Yam) picked up the class win, outlasting Yamaha-mounted Mike Beier. Saddleback Park added a little spice to the track this day by using two great supercross jumps placed in the gully under the trees_ Let me tell you, everyone was a sky shot when they catapulted off these huge mounds. The Open Pro class was the first to hit the freshly-prepared track and Ron Turner wasted no time in taking the lead. Behind Turner was Juan Bena· videz (Yam) and Will Harper (Mai). By lap 10, Turner had opened up a substantial lead and Harper was closing on Benavidez for second. On lap II, Turner slowed and began to lose power due to a broken pipe and Benavidez was closing in fast. Turner hung on for the win with Benavidez second and Don Griewe (Yam) third after moving ahead of Harper. Moto two really brought out Turner's riding ability. Harper pulled the holeshot with Turner taking the lead on lap three. Turner opened up such a sizable lead that he pulled off the track to make a minor repair and Benavidez snuck by to take the lead. Within one lap Turner took back the lead and went on to win his second moto. Benavidez was second and Harper third. . In the 250cc Pro contest, Rick Johnson proved to be too -much for the rest of the field. Moto one saw Johnson first to the first turn by a wide margin over the field with Kawasaki-mounted Matt Devich and Scott Johnson (Hon) making up the top three. The battle for second only lasted for six laps, after which Devich pulled off with jetting difficulties and Scott Johnson disappeared off the track. This left Tim Lunde (Yam) to hold onto a strong second place with Tibor Papp (Yam) and Val Tamietti (Mai) chasing closely. Following Tamietti was Husqvarnamounted Leif Niklasson who was really on the gas, putting the pressure on Papp and Tamietti. Turner was up with the rest of the pack when a fall on lap two dropped him to 26th position and probably out of the contest. Not so. Turner was picking off about two riders per lap and at the flag he finished fifth. Rick Johnson won handily with Lunde second then Tamietti and Niklasson. In moto two Turner got his act to· gether. Rick Johnson might have pulled the holeshot but within one lap Turner snuck inside ofJohnson for the lead and Johnson could not catch him. Third place was really up for grabs. Robert Reisinger (Kaw), David Gerig (Hus) and Scott Johnson were the three likely candidates to push in behind the fleeing Rick Johnson. Gerig occupied third but on lap Dine, Re.isinger outran Gerig and called third place home. The moto ended with the win to Turner but a 1-2 score for Rick Johnson gave him the overall. Turner's 5-1 score was good for second overall and Val Tamietti (~-6) placed third. Scott Manning. aboard his Yamaha. won the 125cc Pro class with a great deal of heat coming from Ron Turner and Mike Beier (Yam). Turner wOIJ moto one but ended up way back iQ the standings in moto two and the overall was out of his grasp. Manning hung in on Turner in moto one and in moto two his consistent riding enabled him to win the overall. Mike Beier ran a hard fourth behind Tim Lunde (Yam) in moto one and ended up second overall. Lunde finished third,. Results MINI JR: 1. R. Gatica IHanI; 2. J, Niday IKawI. MINI INT: 1. C. Gabl.. IYaml; 2. C. Taylor IKaw); 3. M. Leiber IYaml. MINI EX: 1. K. Hendricksen (Yam), 125cc JR: 1. J. St.-..ISuzl; 2. R. V..... lSuzl; 3. M. Hanley (JodI. 2SOcc JR: 1. K. Kopecky ISuz); 2. J. Williams IYaml; 3. D. Stue1zelIHan). 500cc JR: 1. C. Porto IMai); 2. J. Long IMaiI. 125cc INT: 1. H. Hell lYaml; 2. L. Babi IYaml; 3. B. Newman (Yaml. 2SOcc INT: 1. P. IIasaeIt lYam); 2. J. Kollara (Mer); 3. M. Roy (Yam). 500cc INT: 1. F. Steiner (Yaml; 2. D. Porto IMai); 3. Z. Espinoza lArol. OVER 30: 1. J. McManaway lYaml; 2. J. McCIiIin IHanI. 125 PRO: 1. S. Manning IYaml; 2. M. Beier (Yam); 3. T. Lunde lYaml. 2SOcc PRO: 1. R. ..Johnoon lYaml; 2. R. Tumor ISuzl; 3. V. Tamieni IMai). 500cc PRO: ,. R. Turner lSuz); 2. J.llenovidezlYamI; 3. M. Dymond IYam). Hansen,O'Mara Jr battle at CRC MX ~ By Nanette Marie VALENC1A, CA, OCT. 19 Although there was no purse offered to the Professional riders other than the usual 100% payback, the turnout in the money classes at the California Racing Club's motocross at Indian Dunes was well above average, and the competition was fierce with both factory and privateer competitors taking to a revised International Track, that was run backwards to put a new twist in the action. One of the toughest races of the day was the fight for the 250cc Pro overall victory, in which Kol~ Can-Am:S Jimmy Holley and American Honda's Donnie Hansen traded moto victories. Moto one started off with Hansen pulling his factory machine out of the gate right away with the holeshot, but right at his heels was the charging Holley and the duo quickly put space ~tween themselves and third place Jim Coffee. As they wound through the sandwash and up the big waslis jump, Holley made a sharp dive to the inside of Hansen, shoved him wide and gave HoUey a brief opening. He I'OaUel1 into that slot, and took over. These positions held firm for the next 10 laps, until the last few laps of the raCE emerged. At that point, lapped riders were getting pretty numerous, and Holley was having his problems keep· ing ahead of Hansen while working through the traffic. As he took rhe white flag, two lapped riders were right ahead, and Hansen was sticking to his rear fender. Holley tookaljl outside line around the slower riders, and at that point Hansen dove underneath all three of them into the lead.. In a fit of rage, Holley made a sharp pivot in the next sand ~rm, and tried to wrap inside of the Honda pilot, and the trick worked. as he closed off

• Cover