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/126536
Winner freddIe Spencer lIeWend runner-up end new U.S. Roed Recing chlImp D. Singleton f1enk Mia W1Mton Lynn GrIffIS In the Pocono winner'. circle. AMA Grand National ChampionshiplWinston Pro Series: Round 20 Freddie Spencer's win; Singleton's title at Pocono By Gary Van Voorhis Photos by Rich Chenet LONG POND. PA. AUG. 16 6 Freddie Spencer collected his second Formula One National win of the year in the Winston Pro Series Pocono Cydejam Road Race at Pocono International Raceway. Dale Singleton took second and in doing so wrapped up the U.S. Road Racing Championship title. Third place in the 27.lapI75.6 mile event went to Nick Richichi. who was also in the running for the title. Had Singleton fallen by the wayside he would have taken it. Spencer's win aboard his Honda factory mount was the second for a four·stroke in the five Winston Pro Series road race Nationals this year. Spencer also won the Ellthan Lake National. "1 was playing a waiting game," said Spencer after his win. "I wanted to see how things were going to go in the early lap. 1 took my time going for the lead, but once 1 got in front it was no sweat. Mike (Spencer) and Dale (Singir. ton) were fighting it out 10 hard in second that 1 had an easy time." Singleton rode what he ca11ed his "suitcase special" to second place. "We packed my Yamaha (TZ750) into nine cupboard boxes and flew back to the U.S. from England with it," explained Sinxleton. "My tuner John Redding, his helper Simon Thomas and myRlf checked it through as baggage. 1 wanted to come back and win the (USRRC) title and that's what 1 did. Mike (Spencer) and 1 had a good dice going until he crashed. After that 1 just cruised home." said Singleton. Richichi was happy with third. He had been founh going into the final lap. but Wes Cooley broke a crank and coasted off the track in front of Richichi. "I gassed it up when 1 saw Wes go out," said Richichi. "I had some prob· lems with gearing and the set-up of my bike. 1 made the changes because of the wind, but 1 guessed wrong." Mike Spencer. Freddie's teammate on Team Honda, and Singleton had been tied in Formula One points going into the National and had run nOle-totail for most of the last half of the race until Spencer went down. "I lost the front brakes early in the race so 1 was riding a bit conservative," said Mike. "I got into the comer exiting the infield a bit too hard, hit a bump and that was it. So close, yet 10 far. 1 had steam on Singleton and 1 think if it had come down to a last lap drag race 1 would have beaten him. Wel1 never know." Honda's Mike Spencer be1d the pole for the 27 lap final on Pocono's 2.8 mile combined road/speedway COW'Ie. AIonside sat Singleton, Cooley, Richicbi and Jolm Bettrncoun. All but Cooley were in a tight points battle for the U.S. Road Racing Championship. Cooley lofted the front wheel off the line and carried it toward the first tum and into the lead. He beJel the gas on and at the end of the fiDt lap it was Cooley, Mike S~, Singleton, Roberto Pietri, Richichi, Bettencoun and then Fred Spencer. Freddie Spencer, who had staned from the middle of the second row after losing his clutch when running heads up with Singleton in their heat, was slicing through traffic. By the end of lap two it was Mike S. in front with Cooley, Singleton, Richichi and Freddie S. closing in. Pietri stayed close. Fifth place Pietri handed over his position to Bettencoun as the field slaned lap five by running straight on (Continrud to f1tIgelO)