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
AMA Two-Day Qualifier Series: Round two - J ack Johnson • Jams at Shamrocks Two-Day 00 0') By Dale Brown RED MOUNTAIN, CA, APR. 25-26 Las Vegan Jack Johnson ignored the 30 stitches in his left arm as he piloted a Maico 490 Mega 2 to the lowest score posted in the Sunland Shamrocks M.e. Two-Day ISDE Qualifier, winning the Open class. The !W stitches, just below the elbow, were the result of a crash at the previous week's Las Vegas 400 desert race. Asked how the IAbo-ve) Jeck Johnson geve Melco Its first ov8f1l11 Two-Dey wln.IBelow) Bruce Ogilvie recovered from e cruh to piece .econd overall. arm felt after two days, Johnson replied. "Not too bad, It's loosened up quite a bit. Not too bad at all." Johnson, sponsored by Maico West, Vegas Cycle and Moto-X Fox. posted a score of 1955 points (seconds) after four motocross special tests and an ac· celeration test. Team Suzuki's Jeff Fredette won the 250cc class with a score of 1992. It had appeared earlier that his teammate Frank Stacy would take the class with the second lowest score of the event, but a Saturday morning incident came back to haunt him. Stacy, along with a few others, had gotten lost before the second check and Stacy was six minutes late. After an initial appeal, the apparent decision by the club was to throw the check out due to poor marking, and Stacy was listed as the class leader in the Saturday results. But on Sunday a number of riders who hadn't gotten lost, protested. After discussion, the check was reinstated and Stacy dropped to Silver with 360 route points added to his score. The 175cc class went to Suzukimounted Dean Joyner with a 2113 score, while Suzuki's Mike Rosso finished second to add another gold medal to his long consecutive TwoDay string of them. Ron Knarr piloted his KTM to the 125cc class win, besting Massachusetts' Allen Zitta (Hus), 2200-2256. Day One 8 . .'. ." • • - • : • • - - • , , '. -_:..:':"':--="-':"';-o.:..=.=.:J ' The first two riders, Suzuki's Ray Cosgrove and Yamaha pilot Bruce Ogilvie left the starting line at 6 a.m. They and the rest of the field would have two 40-mile loops of desert to contend with before the first special test. It was those first 40 miles that· caused the problems for Stacy and others, among them last year's ISDT surprise, Rusty Reynaud. They lost the ribbon just before the second check. and it took them several minutes to find the course. ' By ~ end of 40 miles. almost ~ery one was back on time. Another 40 minutes and they would hit the 2.3 mile special test, laid out motocrossstyle through the desen near the pits. The Shamrocks had a surprise for, ~ riders near the end of the test COlIIlIe. Early Saturday morning a water truck went out on the coune and filled two depressions to create back to back waterholes. Riders coming around the sharp left hander just before it were treated to an eye-opening surprise. It wasn't a pleasant surprise for. Ogilvie, who rode wide to try and avoid the water, got mixed up over the jump immediately following it and crashed, losing about 10 seconds. Fredette and Stacy also performed classic • Flying W's off that jump, but both were lucky and landed on the seats of their bikes. Chip Howell, riding a Yamaha in the Open class, had the fastest time in the first test, a 329-second clocking, while Stacy was second fastest at 333. In the Open ranks, Ogilvie, Johnson and Bob Balentine (Hon) were all close. and in 250cc class, John Fero (Yam) and Fredette were both within 10 seconds of Stacy. Joyner, carrying the Redwood Cycle banner, had the fastest 175cc test, 11 seconds in front of Rosso. Knarr had the best 125cc scon:, five seconds better than that turned in by Colin McDonald's water-cooled Yamaha. (Interesting aside in the pits: A crew member asked an AMA official if water and anti-freeze were being considered the same as gas and air [someone besides the rider is allowed to replenish those]. The AMA official replied "Yes, but we're asking the FIM for a ruling." Technology occasionally marches ahead of the rules,) After another 80 miles of desen, it was time for the second special test, this time two laps around the course, In the Open ranks Johnson and Al Baker-sponsored Bob Balentine both had good rides and ended the day tied with 977 seconds apiece. Ogilvie was six seconds in arrears, with Husky's Scot Harden another five back. Stacy put in a good two laps to take the 250cc and overall lead with 975 seconds showing on his score, but this