Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

AMA investigation brings ruling against CEQ contract An 18-month Investigation by the American Motorcyclist Asaociation has provoked Comptroller General of the United States Elmer Staats to rule the Council on Environmental Quality contnicted improperly with David Sheridan, who authored "Off·Road Vehicles on Public Lands,". an environmental study commissioned In 1978. AMA dlscoverad CEQ did not conduct bidding for Sheridan's contracts. Sheridan was paid .10,000 to write the report and an additional $6,500 for a revision. . Staats ruled "the Issuance of the order to Mr. Sheridan without competition wes Improper:' But he added that "no remedial action with respect to thesa contracts is appropriate at this time." AMA became suspicious of the Impropriety when bidding notices did not appear In the ComIlNl'Ce .".",... Dally. Further details of AMA's probe appear In the December laaue of AnIetfu. Motorcyclist. In that laaue, AMA's Robert Rasor, associate government reietlons director, Is quoted es saying. "We're pleased that the CEQ contract with David Sheridan was found to be Improper, but given the bias against dirt bikes In the report. itself, we think the government owes us some relief. We plan to press the iaaue until the damage done by the Sheridan report hes been repaired:' o 00 0"> 1""""4 Lawson out, Cooley new Superbike Champ - at least until further notice WESTERVILLE. OH, NOV. 10 AMA Professional Racing Manager Mike DIPrete has announced the association's decision on the Eddie LawsonIWes Cooley protItst/appeal issue from the final AMA Superbike Series race held Oct. 5 at Daytona International Speedway. At Daytona, it at first appeared that Yoshimura/Suzuki-mounted Wes Cooley - by putting In an outstanding ride and through Eddie Lawson's misfortune - hed pulled the Championship title out of the bag in ttle last race of the season. But Lawson protested, saying that Cooley had ridden an illegal motorcycle, that the frame had been modified in violation of AMA rules. The protest was upheld, thus teklng the win and the title away from Cooley. Then apparently Cooley protested Lawson, actually Lawson's right to protest. by stating that Lawson did not race the same works Kawasaki he'd qualified on, that he was not a legal entry for the main event. and thus that he was not eligible to enter a protest against Cooley's machine. . Today, DIPrete officially confirmed that after viewing evidence, AMA decided that Lawson was not a legal entry. His protest against Cooley was therefore disallowed. Cooley had won. Lawson has the right to appeal that decision. He has done so, and a three-man board will be salected to make the final decision based on a hearing that will be granted to Lawson within 30 days on the west coast. Kawasaki Team Manager Gary Mathers was contacted and asked about the appeal. "We're a little bit angry about that." Mathers told Cycle News. "There are two things that bother me a lot. One is that Wes Cooley didn't protest our motorcycle. In fact. nobody did yet. There is a protest outline In the AMA rulebook which says that within 30 minutes after results ara posted, a rider cen protest. And Cooley did not. nor did anybody elsa. We think that for them for anybody to corne around later after the protest period Is over we think that's a crime. And the other thing Is that I telked with Mike DiPrete that Sunday morning ... before the heat race or anything, and asked him if he'd saen Cooley's bike because we thought It was illegal. Mike DiPrete said at that time that no, he hadn't looked at it but that he would look at Itoo.Anyway, the second point that I'd like to make is that if AMA In fact knew that the bike was Illegal. I don't sae how they can disregard that even though they've decided to throw Eddie's protest out." 2 Terry Cunningham rode his 420 Automatic Husqvama to the overall win at the Nov. 9 AMA 100·mile R.W. Wheeler National Enduro, an event described as a "tough IOn·of-a-butt" by one finisher. Cunningham dropped only 10 points. Despite running out of gas and having a flat tire. Dicit Burleson still took top AA class honon on his Husky with a 27-point total. Rod Bush, U5cc KTM-mounted, scored top A class laurels with a 14 point total. Can-Am rider Larry Bennett topped the B classen. Other trophies went to 125cc A winner Clar Bonifacious (Hus) 64; 200cc A winner Jack Penton (Kaw) 17; 250cc A winner Rusty Reynaud (Hus) 16; Open A winner Wayne Beindorf (Hus) ~2. The event was hosted by the Tulsa Enduro Riden Association. Complete coverage next week. The American Motorcyclist Asaocietlon ~es announced the appoint· ment of Ed caiman of Sturgis, KY, ... AMA life Member 8fld pest Road Rider of the Year, to the position of road rider coordinator. In making the announcement. AMA executive DIrector Un Kuchler said, "The AMA now has on Its staff a full time employee to serve the AMA's road clubs and the Individual road riding and touring members of the Association." CaIman first joined the AMA In 1946 and became a ute Member In 1980. He is also a mamber of AMA District 10, the Brotherhood of Motorcycle campers. HelpIng Henda. Retreads, S0utheastern Road Riders Aaaoc:lation and the Texas Motorcycle Riders AuocIatIon. He is a former club officer with the Kentucky Travalers Motorcycle Club, was one of the original 28 AMA Road Reps, and he has served two terms es a road delegate to AMA Congress. caiman. who earned his 100,000mile award from Harley-Davidson In 1 . and hes now accumulated more than 200,000 road miles on motorcycles, is joined and aeslsted In his many two-wheeled activities by his wife Pat. The couple will be making their home near the AMA . headquarters In Westerville, OH. As you certainly have heard through the general media, Steve McQueen died of a heart attack following a cancer operation in Juarez, Mexico. He was a motorcyclist, a fine actor we'll remember best for his roles in On Any Sunday and The Great Escape. and an all· around good guy. Godspeed, Steve. Along with the normal aasortment of bikes and cars entered In the Negra ModeIoISCORE Baja 1000km. there were two ATC2fiOs entared by American Honda. Roger DeCoster was listed es a co-drlver on one of them. but his mechanic Dave Arnold 8t8rted the race In his piece. The two Hondes left the stert after the last car, and their designated finish was at San Felipe, haIfwey through the normal race. The ATC 11, pHoted by Fred Wing and Donovan Fuhrmann. mede it to San felipe, while the other machine DNF. Frenchman Patrick Drobecq displayed a lot of courage in riding the Baja lOOOkm. Drobecq was injured early in the week when pre-running, failing to see a barbed wire fence while riding in near-dark conditions. He hit the fence and it opened a wound in his neck that required 15 stitches to close. He still raced and finished, along with corider Patrick Fura, as they suffered three flat tires during the race. We ware sorry to hear of the sudden deeth of Merv Webster, Sr., who suffered a heart attack at the ege of 72. Known to the motorcycling community for his Jawa distributorship In Mill Valley, CA. and his company Webster Gears, Marv wes sami-ratired and living In British Columble before his death. He is survived by his wife Grace, son Merv, Jr.. daughter carol and one grendson. h has been requested that donations be made In Marv's name to the Heart Fund. Want to be a speedway rider? Mike Bast and Ken Maely will once again combine their talents at the Maely goose ranch on Nov. 15·16 to teach beginnen and ex rienced riden alike how to do it sideways. Interested,? Phone Ken or Judy Maely at 71417~50540. . Dirt track recing at Ascot looks good for 1981 according to 0-37'. Ed carroll. J.C. Agajenian apparently is pIeesecI with the repeatedly good rider turnouts for 0-37 reces at his famous Gardena recing facility - 22Ii riders reced In the Nov. 2 event - so the '81 progrem appears to be a mutually beneficial deel for Aggie and 0-37. The season finale on Nov. 23 wiN . . . slightly higher Amateur entry fees, .10 thIS time, but a fuUy· prepped track will make it worth the bucks. That's elso the date when the K _ k l TT bike pictured on this week's cover wiU be givan away to some lucky 0-37 dirt tnick recer. You must be present to win. Sounds- Like-Trouble-To-Us Depart~ ment: In a BLM press release, Secretary of the Interior Cecil Andrus has announced an "additional $2.8' million to strengthen resource pro· tection and use in the California Desert in the current (1981 ) fISCal year." Furthermore, the press release states on page 2, "Andrus said the fint priority for use of the added funds will be to launch an aggressive recreation and visitor service program that includes better managed off·road vehicle (ORV) use, increased capability for emergency assistance. enhanced protection of fragile resources in high·use areas, and information for the public about the opportunities and responsibilities or recreational use of the desert. About $1.75 million of the new funds would be used for this accelerated recreation program." Coverage of the Ughtwelghta M.C. Steve Polson Memorial TT at Ascot Park appears In this wee~'s I..ue, on p. 2&. Correspondent Maureen Lee's father passed away during the ..me period of time, and the report was ll.oaltoldably delayed. Our best wishes to Maureen and her family, and to the Polson family. •

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