Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126519
Middleburg lost third place because of leaks in the cooling system of his Suzuki with only six laps to go, and fellow countryman Van Dulmen inherited the spot. Willem Zoet, yet another Dutch rider finished fourth, followed by Frutschi, Stuart Avant and Singleton. The day prior to the Imola 200 a 100 mile "Superbike" race was run. Americans on hand were Wes Cooley, Jimmy Adamo and Rich Chambers. Venezuelan Robe.rto Pietri also competed, aboard his American Honda sponsored superbike. Italian Sandro Pazzaglia qualified his Ducati 900 on the pole with U.S. Superbike Champion Wes Cooley and his Yoshimura Suzuki sitting next to him. Pietn qualified sixth, Adamo was eighth on the Reno Leoni-tuned Ducati, while Chambers was l~th fastest qualifier. When the starting flag dropped, Cooley easily took the lead, turning consistent 2 minute, 1 second laps (PazzagJia's fast practice lap was a 2:0~). Graziano Rossi, aboard a Bimota Kawasaki, seemed a,ble to keep pace with Cooley, but after turning the fastest lap of the race. a 2:01.20 9~.040 mph tour of Imola, pulled out of the race with a. broken cam-chain tensioner. While Cooley pulled away, attention was focused on Pietri in second. The popular Venezuelan turned away challenges from several riders and finished a solid second. Jimmy Adamo completed the last two laps with his Ducati running on Just one cylinder and this prevented him from picking up fourth place money. Adamo dropped to sixth while Rich Chambers finished ninth. Rather than being run under the more restrictive AMA Superbike rules, the event's machinery basically resembled Formula One or Endurance Series machiney. Pietri, after finishing second, commented on the machinery: "I didn't see many real Superbikes around here; most of them were Formula One types and most had low bars. However, we showed them what it is a.ll about. I hope they wiu organize more Superbike events, because I like it here." For winner Wes Cooley, it was a race run at a "relaxed pace... as usual, my Yoshimura Suzuki didn't miss a single bead" Reno Leoni bemoaned the problems jimmy's Ducati suffered after having run consistently strong: "It would have been a completely different story if we had only known that the Superbike rules were going to be applied so loosely... " Promoter Checco Costa promised more Superbike races in the future at Imola. • Results lmola 200: 1. Mareo Lucchinelli IltaIylSuz 500}: 2 Kenny Roberts IU.S,A.JVam 500); 3. Boet Van Dulmen IHoilandJYam 500}: 4. Michel Frutsehi ISwi_landl Yam 500}: 5. Dale Singleton IU.S,A.JYam 150): 6. Willem Zoe! IHoilandlSuz 5001; 1, Sadao Aaami Wapanl Vern 150); B. Philippe Coulon IFrancelSuz 500); 9. Leandro Becheroni IIl1lylSuz 500}; 10. Huben Rigal IMonacoIYam 5001. Time of race: 2 hours, 9 minutes. 33.76 18COnds. A _ Spead: 92.838 mph. FllStest lap: Mar<:o Lucehinalli ISuz) 1 minute, 58.01 secondsI95.556 mph, Superbike 100: 1. Weo Cooley IU.sAlYoahimur. Suz): 2. Roberto Pielri IU.S.A.JAmerican Honl; 3. Gianni Pelletier UtalyIBMC-Suz); 4. Aurelio Venzi (Itetv/Due); 5. Martin Schouten (HoIland1Duel: 6. Jimmy Adamo IU.S,A,lOuc); 1. angelo Laudati 11taIy1~Hon): 8. sergio Bertocchi UlIlylSuzl; 9. Richard Chambars IU.S.A./Kawl; 10. Arturo Simani (ttafy/Kaw). Time of race: 1 hour. 6 minutes, 36.90 seconds. Average speed: 90,281 mph, Fastest lap: Graziano Rossi IBimot&-Kawl in 2 minutes. 1.20 SIC. at 93, 040 mph. !Above! Kenny Robena debuted his new Ie8thers IIfId revamped YlIfI18h11 500. (Below) Roberto Pletri fought off chllllengers to piece second Superbike. Yoshimura Suzuki mounted Wes Cooley showed the way in a 100 mile Superbike race. (Above! Marco Lucchinelli's new works Suzuki RG&OO ...lIy won both legs. (Below! Oeytona winner Dale Singleton rode his TZ7&O to fifth. 15