Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

- Pro racers ignite Bonneville fuse By Maxie Abernethy 0 0 SALT LAKE CITY, UT, AUG. I C') Night-o-cross combat geared into MX action at Bonneville Raceway Park on Friday. July 31, but this was just a prelude to the big-league Pro race that was held today. Bob Ipson, president of the Bonneville Motorcycle Association and coordinator of the track, arranged to have almost $10,000 wonh of track preparation and advertising and enlisted Yamaha Motor Corporation, plus Utah Yamaha shops, Plaza Cycle, Cyclewise, GlltL Equipment and Craig's Yamaha to put up a purse of $5,500. This enticement drew Pro riders from California, Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming, Arizona and Utah to practice the course on Friday night and prepare for the largest motocross night event held in Utah. Eighteen 125cc Pro fast fie nds qualified for the mains, drew their stan position numbers, then feathered a throttle roar. The gate fell ... all eyes followed the straightaway attack of the compact group, then the cliff-hanging style of Eldon Copier emerged as the front line star. Todd Peterson and Albert Firestine close encountered Copier's ride until Peterson broke the stop barriers and gassed the lead spot. Copier wrangled with Firestine, then Dave Crawford weaved through the mid-pack mire to interrupt the double-dice action and sent Firestine for a shon walk. Copier's second spot drew "Coruscating Crawford" fire, and the flashing flame ravaged the position, leaving Copier high-ballin' third. Meanwhile, Stan. Wynhof, Mike Morrison, Jeff Kaiser and Randy Skinner were creating torrents of turf tussels that made Firestine's climb maneuvers almost impossible. Kaiser. scooted past Morrison and left the door ajar just enough to allow a Firestine charge that took him past Wynhof to put a .tag on Copier. Firestine insistently knocked and soon forced Copier to relinquish the third spot, but Copier continued to nibble until the checks flel!". Ken Ulibarri Wandered into the battle-land neuclus with an explosive ride past Morrison and Kent Knolt while Tim Lunde, who drew a last-place pack card, followed suit. Ulibarri zoomed past Kaiser to aftack and dominat.e WynhoFs sPot, then Lunde held the throttle down to capture Ulibarri as the multis were calling a halt 011 Peterson, Crawford, Firestine and Copier's lead line race. Tim Lunde, Brent Gray. Todd Peterson, .Scott Wright and Terry McGinnis immediately took of the first 250cc Pro Main front row Rats, and as Lunde carved the lead trail, Peterson clipped Gray and McGinnis roped Utah's mythical "Cyclone," Scott Wright. A whirling cyclone tilt maneuver recaptUred founh momentarily, but a boost from Jeff KaUer IIetlt McGinnis'back up the ladder to the position. The triple tangle continued while Lunde ground out a few yards on Peterson and Gray. Suddenly, Lunde's mount balked as be topped the Cyclewise jump, md Peterson cantered away with the star position. Lunde quickly remounted the second spot and McGinnis dptened the scnwI on Gray. Peterson ~ yanlage .. McGinnis Mpt 1Dt0 Dudp 1.unde .-um repro 56 • area, while the Cyclone (Wright) - Kaiser whirl was intercepted by Dave Crawford. Kaiser shot past the Cyclone, stopped to get a blrd's-eye view of a night crawler, and the checks fluttered over a Peterson, Lunde, McGinnis, Gray then Crawford finale. The last race of the night sent Lunde spot -lighting the pack, Peterson supervising second, and McGinnis gearing third with frontage road intentions. Crawford and Mike O'Driscoll dialed a pass on the Cyclone, then Jay Migliore chopped the Cyclone's nitch, leaving him to whirl again with Kaiser. The McGinnis-Peterson probe came to a sudden halt as McGinnis rolled with the Good Times Kawasaki bump and Crawford, O'Driscoll and Migliore diced for the third place. O'Driscoll hammered into third, Migliore styled a speedy pass, and Crawford dropped back to skirmish with Randy Sargent. Meanwhile, lead action was hot as Lunde and Peterson pegged a close race, Peterson grabbed a shot of bermpower to snatch the lead spot, and Lunde took the offensive. Migliore continued to hold the stoppers on O'Driscoll's scout ride while Crawford and Sargent traded fifth. The last lap flag signaled a surge of energy. Peterson throttled more power and zipped in just ahead of Lunde, Migliore snafu'd O'Driscoll's intentions with third, and Crawford motioned in with a flying futh. Results MI\Il EX: 1. S _ Uodborg lYom!; 2. _ SmiIh lYom); 3. Lonnie Bogue ~). MINI INT: 1. Gory Clerk lYom); 2. ~ Godlrwy lYom); 3. John Von K_lYom!. MINI JR 112-151: 1. Raben Moyhon I~); 2. Terry Lund 1Suzl; 3. .-on HoIIz I~). MINI JR 17-111: 1. Don _ IHo,»; 2. .-on DoHogelYom~3. MlIttJenki.. lYoml. MINI PeE WEE: 1. Richord Gu.... lYoml; 2. Mot! Smith lYom); 3. Todd C.-IVom!. 125 PRO DfV 1: 1. Todd _IVom!; 2. Albert F"_lYoml; 3. S.., Wynhof lSuzl. 125 PRO OIV 2: 1. Don l.echtenborg (Suz); 2. Brent Gr8y lYem); 3. Mike Morr~ ISuzl. 125 EX: 1. Chrie LowielYom); 2. S _ Clerk lYeml; 3. Mike_CS...). 125INT DIV 1: 1. Polli Moore IS...); 2. Richerd Tefl ISuzl; 3. _ Hills IVoml. 1251NT DIV 2: 1. Mike Pope ISuzl; 2. Seldon Derrow IVoml; 3. Kei1I1 Billllinger lSuzI. 125 JR DIV 1: 1. Devid Higgins IVom); 2. Robbie . Hopkins lYom); 3. Micl

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