Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

ICIockwIH from tap left) Mickey hy C88ta • glance ov. hIa .houlder while running away with the National. Ricky Graham debuted the &OOcc Can-Am four·atroka with • aIxth In the NatIonal. Scott Peanon . . . . St8va Eklund In thalr battle for aacond. Heata Peanon didn't fare too well in the first heat as he was sent to the penalty line for p'eeping and could only man· age a fifth place finish. Randy Goss was gone on the green light start with Ronnie Jones holding second the entire distance. Rod Spencer (Mai) quickly moved up to third and the transfers to the National were set. The second heat was loaded with nine National numbers. Alex Jorgen· sen. Mike Kidd and Springsteen were wheel·to·wheel for the first five laps with EItlund moving from sixth to fourth and then third after Springer had dropped Kidd a spot. Kidd's rear wheel then literally un-spoked itself and Eklund was third, and then second' after slipping by Springsteen. On the final lap Eklund gambled, spooked Jorgensen and took the win. Mickey Fay gave a preview of what was to come with his runaway win in heat three. Gary Scott held a safe sec· ond from lap three of the IO·lap heat while Peter Hook established himself in third and let the rest of the field fight for semi positions. Ted Boody and Scott Parker escaped what could have been serious in· jury to one or both in the fourth heat when Boody's transmission locked up after coming off the first infield jump and Parker was on· him before he knew it. Parker almost missed Boody, but ticked his rear wheel, sending him sprawling in the mud. Ricky Graham, riding an immaculate 500cc Can·Am four-stroke built by Ron Wood and ap" .. 1 I proved by the AMA just days before, grabbed the lead on lap four and pro· ceeded to take the win leading Rich Amaiz and Rich King to the finish. Semi. The two last-chance semis would transfer only one rider each to the National. Both Scott Peanon and Steve Morehad made sure their names were on the list by putting in runaway performances in their respective semis. :Trophy Race The Trophy Race was a slam-bang affair won by Dave Bradley. During the coune of the 12 laps Wayne Rainey crashed and Jimmy Filice and Mike Gilkey tangled with Filice getting the worse of it. Bradley had his lead stolen by Randy Waldrop with two laps to go and used a bump-and-run on Waldrop to get it back. "I was tired, really tired by the end of the race," said Bradley. "I had to make that move on Randy. I wanted to win badly for my sponsor Lloyd Stephens and the Oklahoma Fixture Company." National On the drying track, tire choice was the topic on most riders' minds should one try the soft compound Carlisle like Fay or stick with Goodyear's compounds. Goes had first choice of starting pasition and took a spot on the groove in the center of the front row. Fay, Eklund, Graham, Jones - the defending Santa Fe TT champ - and Scott filled out the first row of the 6·6-2 grid. On the green light from starter Steve Faraci it was Fay smoothly power· ing down the track with a thundering swarm behind him. Scott, Pearson, Eklund, Goss, Graham and the rest hit the jump and in an instant there was a gasp from the crowd. Springer had ap· parently tangled handlebars and was down - hard. The ambulance crew was quickly on the scene and the race went on. Fay, like he was out for a Sunday ride, quickly opened up breathing room and went on very business· like in this fashion for the remainder of the 25 laps. . Behind Fay there were mini duels going on between Scott, Pearson and Eklund with Graham, Goss and Hook just a bit behind. Spencer, Morehead and Jorgensen were also going at it. By lap four Scott, Pearson, Eklund, Graham and Goss were running noseto-tail, each looking for a mistake. Scott bobbled slightly on the following lap and Pearson was by in a flash. On the sixth lap Eklund got by Scott as the two rushed past the start/finish line heading for tum one and winner's circle was set. Although there was still plenty of racing left in the remaining laps between Pearson and Eklund, there would be no passing. At times the field would close up tightly in the Infield with five or six riders looking to displace Eklund. The one with the best chance and the most fire in his eyes was Graham and he began to close on Eklund as the laps wore down but then went down off the small infield jump as he grabbed too much brake. Scott and Goss had a tight battle going for fourth which would be decided in Goss' favor five laps from the end. Graham would crash two laps later, . get up in sixth and hold that to the finish. Eklund put double pressure on Pearson on the final lap, but it was all in vain. Fay had nearly four seconds at the finish on the dueling pair. Results NATIONAl: 1. Micl

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