Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

at that time I was right on his baa.. I was pressuring a little bit and I goess the pressure got to him, and he bobbled just one time. That's all it takes - one mistake and you got him," said Cannon after the race. He thanked sponsors Shell Racing Specialties, Simpson Helmers, Sandall Sandals and ATK A-Trail. Rod Sullivan and Steve Karsten w~ two of the Juniors who turned in fut times, but elected to stay in the Junior ranks. Both won their heat races, with Sullivan turning in the faster mark. Ron Yamamoto, the Washington rider who stirred up things last year in the Junior clau with a Yamaha YZ465 , returned to stir things up again, winning the other heat on a Kawasaki 420. In the main event, Sullivan was out front briefly, but then Karsten took over to lead laps two through 10 on his HarleyDavidson. Sullivan continued in second and the pair built up a big lead over Mike Hale (H-D) and Yamamoto. Dennis Camp rounded out the top five. It appeared. that an upset might be in the making in the Novice clau when Rob Ely turned in a heat race time almost two seconds faster than twotime Novice main winner Pete Hames (Kaw). And it definitely looked like an upset when Ely (Yam) pulled the field to the first turn, while Hames was about last. Hames pulled off the track in the second lap with problems, but later came out and rode in 10th. Ely continued out front as ftrst Mike Vital, and then David Boyles occupied second. Just past the midway point in the eight-lap race, Boyles - riding the sole Honda in the field - put a tu~ two pass on Ely. Once in the lead, he stayed th~ and along with Ely ran away from the fJeld. Vital picked up third over Don Howard and Jim Toews. .... 00 0') M ~ < Results 15-lAP EXPeRT FINAl: 1. Chrio Connon 1V1m1; 2Mike Gerrioon IH-DI; 3. Jeff Alliean lVoml; 4. Jeff JaIlneon IH-DI; 5. Dennis Rue IH-DI; C,eig e. The top Juniors ran with the ExperD lit Ascot. end lit the checkered flag. Chris Cannon ran In front of them d. Cannon booms at AscotHM By Dale Brown Photo by Dan Mahony GARDENA, CA, APR. 10 Juniors Chris Cannon and Mike Garrison, riding in the Expen main event at Ascot Park due to a lack of Expens, overcame the white plate riders to finish 1-2. With most Expert-ranked riders preparing for the following night's AMA/Winston Pro Series mile at Sacramento, the futest Juniors in time trials were given the choice of riding with the Experts or the Juniors. Jeff Allison, one of the few Experts, qualified his Yamaha fastest with a 2.2.68-second trip around the course. That gave him the pole in the first heat, and he took the holeshot. But Jeff Johnson (H-D) did a ground loop right off the line and the race was redfla~. On the ~an Dennis Fiue (H-D) got out front fint and ran unchallenged to the c h ~ flag five laps later. Allison had second initially. lost it to Rich Vollr. (Yam), and then took it back on the lut lap to gain a direct transfer to the main. Steve Oort (H-D) led the second heat for two laps hefo~ Danny Perkins (H-D) got put. Oart didn't give up easily and came back to pass Perkins briefly hefo~ eventually settling for second. Vollr. got the jump on the semi field, but Cannon, riding a Rich Pfueger tuned Shell Yamaha, moved up clOle on the fourth lap. On the fmallap, he passed Volk coming out of the founh turn to take the win. Jeff Johnson was third. With the small field, just about everyone riding in the Expert class made the main event. Mike Garrison (H-D). who'd gone out during his heat race, made the main as an alternate when Dana Hansen was unable to make it. Perkins won the KRW Trophy Dash, posting a three-lap time that was less than a second off the track record..He looked ready to do similar business in the main, jumping into the lead ahead of GarrilIon. DemUs Fiue moved to second at the end of lap one. then passed Perkins through turn two, as Jeff AIfuon and Garrison discussed third place. Perkins regained the lead on the third lap and proceeded to put some room between h.imaelf and the pack. On the fifth lap Garrison removed FlUe from second place, and when Fiue bobbled in turn two a lap later, Cannon and Allison slipped into third andfounh. It looked to be smooth sailing for Perkins, but it was not to be, and he dropped out of the race on the 10th lap with unknown problems. That put the two Juniors, Garrison and Cannon, in the top two spots. Cannon made his move on the 12th lap and rode in first until the checkered flag on the 15th lap. Allison was the first Expert in at third. followed by Junior Jeff Johnson. Expert Fitze, and Juniors Craig Scroggins and Bill Scott. Scott had the smallest machine in the field. a Yamaha TZ350 water-cooled twostroke. "He (Garrison) was running strong, wasn't makinl( any mistakes, and just Scrougina IH-DI; 7. Bill Scoll lVoml; B. DorothV Rowe IH-D); 9. Shewn Leipold IVlm); 10. Denny PerkinllH01; 11. Steve Don IH-DI. 1l).LAP JUNIOR MAIN; 1. Steve ICemen IH-DI; 2. Rod Su"" IH-D); 3. Mike HeIe IH-D); 4. Ron Y..,. mota I~; 5. Dennis Comp IH-DI; e. Kirk Strong lHanI; 7. Amftv WICke IHenI; B. EddIe Sen Ramon IH01; 9. Emory Grey 1V1m1; 10. Bob Gorrioon (Hanl. MAP NOVlCE MAIN: 1. Devid IIoyteo lHonl; 2- Rob Ely lVoml; 3. Mike 1IItaI1V1m); 4. Don _lVoml; 5. Jim T_lVoml; e. Ben Meyer lVoml; 7. Mork Key lVoml; B.1IriIn IKowI. 10. _ _Yocum 1V1m1; 9. Devid c - . , 1V1m1; :HAP TROPHY DASH: 1. Denny PerkinI ~D); 2Steve Don IH-DI; 3. Dennie Rue (H-OI; 4. Jeff AlIiIon lVoml. L echle'!! Dobbs starat~MMC 8aronaOaks By Rod Eschenburg SAN DIEGO, CA, APR. 5 Yamaha suppon rider Ronnie Lechien was absolutely astounding as he swept both the Stock and Modified 125cc Expen classes at Barona Oaks Raceway. The only thing that dulled the performance was the lack of enough competition. Tbia is in no way meant to be a criticism of second and third place riders Charlie Harries and Scott Swift, who a~ certainly good Experu. However, when you have a course with a series of six jumps on the finish straightaway and only one rider - Lechien - can make three consecutive doubles, well, what can you say. The 125cc Intermediates certainly had the competition though, as Honda (Ctmlmwd 1o , . . J4)

• Cover