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/126537
" IAbove) Pro Stock winner Terry Vance dials in a full-on burnout. He topped John Mafaro in the final with an 8.74 second. 161.24 mph run.lTop right) Terry Kizer came out punching and topped the Funny Bike class when .erles leader Vince santangelo broke a chaln.lCenter right) Suzukl-mountad Mike Phillips lnaar lanel won the Super Mod race.IBottom right) Rick. Statson (2) set a new NMRA e.t. record of 8.678 in the Pro tomp category. grit ruined the engine's seals and allowed oil into the cylinders.' In the first round of eliminations, Vance enjoyed a 7.903/162.74 bye run; Bernard bumped Rawlings; O"Brochta beat Ruxton; and Davis got a bye run when Collins didn't show. Round two set the stage for the finals with Vance over Bernard, 7.91/ 163.63 to 8.58/140.84, and O'Brochta over Davis, 7.34/189.87 to,' 9.H/ 129.87. O'Brochta's 7.34 second run was the low e.t. of the OCIR meet; his 192.30 mph ride set top mph. No records were set in Top fuel. Pro Stock competition eventually became a Vance· Hines benefit as the Number One plate holders and leaders in the '81 series set fast qualifying time and proceeded to turn in consistent 8.7-8.8 second runs throughout Sunday afternoon's eliminations. Keeping the VHR boys honest was Bob Carpenter, also Suzuki-mounted, who turned in second fastest qualifying with an 8.790/150.25, just a wink behind Vance's 8.722/152.80 run. Vance's time would hold as low e.t. for the meet. Unfortunately. Carpenter met Vance in the third round of eliminations (in a nine, bike field), just one notch short of the final. There, Vance won with an 8.80/150.75 over Carpenter's 8.94/147.05. Third fastest qualifier was Kawasakipowered "Superbike Mike" Keyte of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, who registered an 8.811/153.84 and set the top mph Pro Stock standard for the Western Nationals. Keyte overcooked it in the first round of eliminations, however, spinning the tire off the line, and was eliminated by the rider who would eventually meet Vance in the final: Hackensack, NjI's John Mafaro. Mafaro had qualified seventb fastest with a 9.181/143.31 on his Kawasaki, yet he bumped Keyte with a 9.05, topped Larry Cook with a 9.02, then took a bye run into the final with a 9.08, all at 143 + mph. Mafaro stayed consistent in the final, showing a 9.10/143.54 ride. but Vance - for the first time in eliminations - dropped down from the 8.8 second bracket into the 8.7s with an 8.74/151.26 winning ride. No records were set in Pro Stock. In Funny bike competition. NMRA series points leader Vince Santangelo qualified fastest over Texan Terry Kizer, both on Kawasakis. Santengelo checked in at 7.830 seconds at 170.45, and Kizer clocked 8.039 seconds at 170.17mph. Jim Yodock's Suzuki quali- fied third in the seven-bike field with an 8.251/161.29. Orient Express rider Jon Baugh qualified fourth with an 8.349/162.16. All four top qualifiers made it through first round eliminations and met in round two. There, Santangelo won over Yodock, 7.95/169.49 to 9.35/ 99.77, and Kizer topped Baugh, 8.17/ 167.91 over 8.73/141.50. Santangelo's Best Engineered Award winner for the Western Nationals met Terry Kizer's Mr. Turbo-sponsored Kawasaki in the finals. but lost when the chain broke only a few yards off the starting line. Kizer rolled in an easy winner at 8.41 seconds, 162.45 mph. Low e.t. for the Funny Bikes at OCIR was Santangelo's 7:830 qualifying time; top speed was his 170.45mph speed for that same run. No records were set in the Funny Bike ranks. In the Pro Comp class. Marlboro, MA's Rick Stetson made his intentions clear when he set a new NMRA low e.t. record with an 8.678/152.02mph run to set fastest qualifying time. Rick Cero set second fastest time in the fivebike field with an 8.932/148.27. They met in the final where Stetson won, but due to an apparent clock malfunction, no times or speeds were given. Super Mod, the new-for-1981 750cc "Pro Stock" class, saw Belton, MO's Joe Yeager qualify quickest on his Yamaha with a 10.659/122.61 run. Mike Phillips, Suzuki, was right on his heels with a 10.675/122.61. Frank Giordano and Joe Koeing - both on Kawasakis - completed the four-bike field. Giordano beat Yeager in the first round of eliminations, 11.26/111.52 to 11.85/114.79. Phillips topped Koeing, then went on to win over Giordano in the final with a 10.73/121.78 ride. Low e.t. and top mph ofthe meet were recorded by Yeager in qualifying; no records were set in Super Mod. • Results TOP FUEL: Bo O'B,ochul (Kaw) 7.351192.30; ,unnerup: TOfry Vance ISuz) 7.861168.85. PRO STOCK: Torry Vanca ISuzl 8.74/151.26: runnerup John Malaro IKaw19.1 0/143.54. FUNNV BIKE: T..ry Kizer (KawI8.41/162.45; runnor, up: Vince Sentengelo IKawl chain broke. PRO COMPo Riclc 5'",""" ISuz) no 'ime given; runner·up: Rick Gero (Suz) no time given. SUPER MOD: Mike Phillips ISuzl 10.73/121.78; ,unnOf-up Fronk Giordano IKawl 12.85178. COMP ElIM: Ron Knapp IVam) 9.66/132.93; ,unnorup: T.J. Jackson IKaw) 9.961130.62. MOO EUM: John Griego lKaw) 9.01/127: ru"",",-up lance Boyor ISuzll 0.37;131. STOCK EUM: Roger McPhail ISuz) 10.59/128.20; runner-up: Frank Jones IKawI13.15198.46. COMBO EUM: Mika Ray PooIa IH-D) 12.99189.82; ,unnor-up: Jeff Johnaon IHon) 13.89190.90. 15