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/126522
arch-rival "Superbike Mike" Keyte and his MTC Kawasaki and R.C. Engineering's Bob Carpenter. Carpenter pushed his Suzuki GSll!lO to a 8.95/147.78 pass. The Vance·Hines team seemed concerned with the way their Suzuki seemed to be running off its pace Saturday and pushed the Pro Stocker back to the pits early. On Sunday whatever had been wrong was repaired and it came to a showdown between two great racers. Vance had blown by Carpemer in one semi as Keyte faced rookie Barry' Kogut. This was the second in as many attempts Regency Kawasaki·sponsored Kogut had squared off in the semi against Keyte. Kogut ran off his time experiencing jetting problems and Keyte gained a berth to the final to meet Vance again. Vance had won the 1981 Gator Nationals against Keyte as he did this one--in a very close race. Keyte said. "We shake hands for two reasons before we run--to say don't get hurt and don't beat me." But beat Keyte is what Vance did. "They had to come and tell us who won, it was so close," said Vance. It did look like Keyte got the holeshot. but Vance caught him at the big end with a 9.02 to a 9.03 ET. Funny bike proved just as thrilling. Mike Bruso, riding under new sponsor Jernigan·Bruso-Chatterson, led the field with a record setting pace, qualifying fint at 7.77/178.92. Bruso later backed· up the announced record time to put it in the books only to have it snatched away by a protest. It seems Bruso's Kawasaki 1000 had the wrong sticker applied on it by NMRA tech officials. Bruso said, "We questioned tech offICials and were assured by the MRA that we were teched properly in the right class. After our back·up record pass it appeared we had been teched in wrong. I did get all my points for qualifying and winning the class. I wasn't disappointed because we questioned the tech official right from the start." Terry Kizer, sponsored by MTC and Kizer Racing, shocked fans. by not making the final. Kizer fdl to Kenny Blackburn. sponsorM by Mr. Turbo, in their semi. Blackburn met Bruso and the pair turned in a closer than expected finish. Bruso had broken second gear prior to staging, but ripped a holeshot as Blackburn bogged. Then Bruso bypassed second gear. but Blackburn couldn't catch up. Bruso turned a 9.06 ET for the win. Blackburn logged in at 9.10. "I was really surpnsed the engine didn't load up and die in the lane. It was a miracle we won it," said Bruso. Geoff MaSlers continued his domination of Pro Compo Masters, the class champ for the past two years, set his sights firmly on another title. Masters pushed his Krol Racing· sponsored Kawasaki 1000 to the top qualifying spot and tben ripped off three straight runs within one· tenth of a second of each other. Masters was 10 have met H&H Racing's Von Johnson in the final. but Johnson's Kawasaki wouldn't fire and Masters took a solo run for the win. In Sportsman class racing a new class. Super Modified. was imroduced. It is run by pro wles but by amateur status racers. Vance·Hines Racing sponsored Mike Phillips. on GS750 Suzuki won this promising new class. The Modified Eliminator winner was Kawasaki-powered Jim Dodicb, who also entered a machine in the Pro Compclass. Double A Altered Kawasakipowered George Bryce claimed Competition Eliminator. Other Sportsman class winners were Bill Lawrence. Joel Cox and Chuck Hodge. • 00 0') 3rd JOHNO'MAAA l~