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/126528
H_ jeff McDaniel heId command of the fint heat until Hum brought out the red flag with a trip up into the haybales in tum three. Scott Drake hit Hunt', bike, putting him out, and Scott Peanon had his fuel line come off on t~ same lap. On the restart McDaniel 100t out on the lead with Terry Poovey stealing the front position from him and leading Morehead and Goes to the National. Milte Kidd roIled the Roberts/LawwilT Racing Yamaha 750 to the pits after three laps. "I could ride it, but I couldn't reaIly race it," said a disappointed Kidd. Scott Parker wasted little time in setting himself up at the head of the second heat. Alex jorgensen was al· most as quick in takiDg second and running with it to the checkered flag. Third place went to Bubba Shobert who zipped by jimmy Filice when the coil wire broke on his Harley. The three ran easily to the flag. The third heat belonged to Garth Brow, but he had to win it three times. Brow led a battle between Wayne Rainey and Gary Scott that changed into a Scott/Rainey duel until the red flag came out when Steve Monger slid into the bales. On the lIeCond lap of the restart Gene Church went down. On the third stan the race went the distance with Brow holding off numerous chaIlenges by Scott right to the flag. Ricky Graham spent one lap in the lead in heat four before Hank Scott breezed by and opened up a safe lead with ease. Steve EItlund and Graham battled to the flag with Graham shutting the door on EItlund's every bid in the final lap. 00 O"l Semis Only one rider from each semi would go to the National and Ted Boody made sure his name was on the ticket from semi one. Boody had a good lead on Willie Crabbe at the end ofthe 10 laps. The start of the second semi was held up while riden, tunen and officials argued on who should and shouldn't be sent to the penalty line for jumping the stan. On the green light it was Milte Minnig in the lead with jackie MitcheIl talting over on lap two. Chas Roberts moved underneath Min· nig in tum three, apparently backed off the gas, and Minmg found himself in the hay. The restart found Roberts taking the lead from MitcheIl and win· ning a spot in the National. Trophy Rae. -CTopJ Hank Scott picked up hla MCOI'Id '81 win anclan appearance with Mlaa W1rwton Lynn GrIffIa. (MIcIdIeJ &rIy In the race Scott ran ...... of Scott PRar. (Bottom) RIcky Graham (41) fInIahecI MCOI'Id. Ted Boody *tIL 10 (Continued/rom page 7) the beginning. Things were workiDg 10 weIl I didn't even have to run fuIl bore." Scott's jack Sisemore Travelandsponsored Harley-Davidson XR750 didn't wp a beat all day. Ricky Graham put his KlotzWiseco/Ron Wood XR into lIeCond place, and Graham was grinning ear· to-ear when be reached winner's circle. "I've been gearing up for winner's circle all year," said Graham. "I felt good, the bike felt good, and I knew we had a strong cnance of getting some champagne for all our hard work." "I guess it was a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time," said third place finisher Gary Scott explain· ing how he. lost second place. "I was pressuring Scott (Parker) for second when his engine went dead as we were coming out of tum two. There was nothing I could do but go high to avoid him. When I did Graham went low and took second. I hounded Graham on the restart. but couldn't get tbat extra half bikeiength I needed at the finish. " Scott is sponsored by KK Motorcycle Supply, jack Sisemore and Duckworth. Alex jorgensen took his Hi·Point Racing-sponsored Harley to founh while Cyc1ear/Diamond Bill's-sponsored Steve Morehead rounded out the top five. The event at Smokey Mountain Raceway had its teething prob1ema. Crashes were numerous on the banked oval, resulting in many restarts. Although the rough track smoothed out by the National, the hoped for wide groove never materialized, making a majority of the racing followthe-leader. Rider/AMA official squabbles continued to mar the racing program. TIm. trials Randy Goes stopped the clocks with a 22.52 second lap on his Harley factory mount with Scott Parker, Garth Brow, Hank Scott and Brad Hurst filling out the top five in qualify·' ing. Hunt's XR sported a single shock suspension built by Panther Frames. Goes picked up a pair of Goodyear tires courtesy of Modem Tire, a pair of Carlisle tires and $100 courtesy of Sure· Fire Distributing for his hot lap. The Trophy Race was a brotherly affair between Willie and Rob Crabbe. Willie, on his Indiana H·D Harley, held the. upper hand over the MiIls H-D-sponsored XR of Rob and led him to the flag after lOme close racing in the early laps. Steve HaIl de-. serves a special mention for his cool. thinking and sharp riding. HaIl sent plenty of people scattering- when he CJ'OIIIed the finish line between the pit waIl and the inside of the track. aVOIding a downed rider on the front straight. "It feels good to win," said Willie Crabbe, "but I would rather have been in the National. The track isn't too bad - if you're in front." N8tIoI18I "Want to bet OIl who', going to win?" asked a confident Hanlt Scott to a bystander in his pits before the National was called to the line. Scott was relaxing with a wet towel on his head trying to beat the heat and humidity. Tire choice was a big topic of con· ~tion. MOlt riden went with a soft compound because with the narrow groove the start would be all important. "There isn't much room for palling," said Rainey. ''You've JtOt