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/126538
Riders used the whole tnlck Sunday with Scott Parker trying the cushion. Mike Kidd (12) a bit lower. and Terry Poovey (18) and Hank Scott In the groove. early end to an already frustrating weekend. There was a vicious accident Sunday involving Chuck Springsteen and Tom· my Duma. who apparently tangled handlebars coming off turn four in the Trophy Race. Tlmetrlels Jay Springsteen easily notched the fastest lap in qualifying. posting a 37.35 seconds time. just a shade slower than Scott Parker's 37.29 on Saturday night. Mike Kidd clocked in at 37.59 with Gary Scott. Hank Scott and Terry Poovey rounding out the top five. The cut·off time was 39.426. Heats There was plenty of ride swapping going on. Most notable was Scott Pear· son riding the Ron Wood Harley after the Saturday damage done to his engine was diagnosed as too much to fIX. Wayne Rainey hopped on Scott Parker's spare after his bike took sick in practice. Poovey opted for his penonal bike after riding a Carl Patrick Racing mount Saturday. Lawwill and Kidd repaired the broke.n rocker arm shaft. but were worried about debris in the bottom end. The racing action began just as furi· ously as it had left off less than 24 hours before. Poovey. Garth Brow and Alex Jorgensen hooked up in a three way swapfest in heat one that carried on for the entire 10 laps. Each held the lead at some point, but at the finish it was Poovey over Jorgensen with Brow following - all within the space of about two bikelengths. Lance Jones exploded to the front in heat two. leading Mike Kidd and a five rider contingent rumbling about in third. Jones wouldn't give up the lead or win and by lap four had broken the draft with second place Kidd. Ricky Campbell had moved into third for good while rookie Rod Farris was show· ing Steve Morehead and Billy Schaeffer he wasn't intimidated by his elders. It was a superb ride by Farris and he nearly took fourth away from Morehead. The seven rider pack out front in the third heat narrowed down to six by halfway with the shuffling going on between Gary Scott. Scott Parker and Ted Boody. Tim Menens, Brad Hurst and Gene Romero were dicing just feet behind. The lead changing continued through the final lap. Boody took to the front off turn two and held on to win despite a challenge by Soctt in sec· and. Parker had lost ground. but held third to the flag. Hurst won the fourth placedueI. Randy Goss had the advantage on the front straight and Hank Scott had an advantage on the back straight in heat four and that's where the action was taking place. While that was going on. Wayne Rainey was sneaking up into third and then into second to join the crowd. Goss came back strong for second and Scott even stronger to win. Rainey had to settle for third. Pearson's late drive fell short. An igntion prob· lem sidelined the Robens·Lawwill Rac· ing Yamaha of Jimmy Filice after he had run as high as fifth. Semis In one of the most impressive rides of the evening, rookie Rod Farris came from a distant last into a challenge for the lead by the end of semi one. Chas Roberts had fought his way to the lead by lap seven with Rich Arnaiz. another rookie. knocIr.ing a t the door. In the end Moorehead slipped by both Arnaiz and Farris to take the second of two transfers into the National as Roberts won. The candidates for the two final spots in the National ranged as high as eight in the final semi. Literally every· one was going for it. Brad Hurst and Tim Menens were the most detennined as Hurst led the way home with Mertens second. Trophy Rece The Trophy Race continued the down·to·the·wire pattern that had been established. As the field began the final lap Mike Minnig held a foot or two lead over Scott Pearson and Rob Crabbe and the three were nearly side·by·side at the line. They shuffled coming down the back straight. shuffled again in turn three and then set for the last dash. It was Crabbe by inches over Minnig and Pearson. "I wanted to be on the outside wall against the edge coming off turn four," said Crabbe. "I think that gave me an edge. I wouldn't be here without all the help I receive from John Sullivan. Mills Harley·Davidson and Esprit." National "We're going to run this sucker right up on the cushion. you can count on it." said Rick Toldo about the strategy Scott Parker would employ in the Na· tional. "That will be the hot set· up. " There had been a lot of hurried activity in the Roberts·Lawwill pits be· fore the Naitonal as Lawwill. checking the tappets for clearance, found an· other broken rocker arm shaft -' on the other cylinder. It was changed. but with little time to spare. "I want to sweep this weekend clean," said Hank Scott. "I know I can do it." In the Gary Scott pits things were calm. Aside from routine maintenance. the Scott crew had changed the rear shocks. Unfortunately, the new shocks had the opposite effect of what Scott was looking for. Referee DuIr.e Olliges held a meet· ing prior to the stan to warn the riders about weaving on the straights to break the draft of challenging riders. Hank Scott, followed by brother Gary and Poovey, blistered the stan. Boody misled a shift off the line and that ruined his race plan. Parker took to the high line in turns 1·2 and 3 -4 to move into second by the end of lap two. Gary Scott was flDding that his shocks didn't work work a lick and he was sIiding all over the place and stead· ily slipping backwards. By lap four Parker and Hank Scott had broken the draft. leaving Poovey, Kidd. Jones, Gary Scott. Jorgensen, Campbell, Boody and Goss to charge onward. Two laps later Kidd had made his way to third and was first on the next go·around. Keeping track of the swapping going on was impossible. With the cushion in use as well as the groove the Parker/Poovey/Hank Scott/Kidd foursome were spectacular· ly crowding three and were trying four abreast in the corners. By lap 12 the field had broken up into two distinct battles separated by nearly a straightaway. It was Kidd/ Parker/HanIr. Scott/lones and Poovey in the lead as Goa followed with Morehead/Gary Scott/Boody/Mertens and Jorgensen in the second crowd. Suddenly. Parker was out. "The motor broke," said Parker. Just as quickly Jones flexed his muscles and took the lead. Rainey and Campbell were al· ready spectating. Goa was on the move as positions changed in every corner and on every straight. It appeared if luck held there would be a five rider dash for the checkered flag. Unfortunately. Hank Scott blew his engine in the middle of the third turn on lap 23. cutting Poovey and Kidd loose from Jones and Gass. Poovey decided he wanted to follow Kidd on the final lap as Kidd decided he wanted to lead and play horsepower. Things worked out for each, but it was Poovey with the ponies to win as Kidd came up inches short. Jones held off Goss for third. Meanwhile. Gary Scott was making the best of a bad situation with his shocks and riding the wheels off his bike. It paid off with fifth place as Boody croued the line breathing down Scott's back. "I hope you had as much fun watch· ing the racing as we did doing it, " said Kidd to the crowd. He was greeted with a tremendous roar. • Results 2lKN' NAllONAL: 1. T-.y ~ lH-OI; 2. _ Kldd tH-DI; 1 Unla ...... CH-D~ 4. Rondv Ii.- CH-D'; 5. G.ry _lK-OI; I. Ted ~ (H.OI; 7. T1m ___ (H.OI; 8. s... Io1cINI.-cIlH-OI; 9. Gort!l _ CH-D~ 10.0- ....... tH-DI; 11 ..... HInt tH-DI; 12. Honk _ (H.OI; 1 1 _ -*-lH-OI; 14. _ ...... tH-DI; 15. RIc*y ~ lH-OI; II. w.vne IWNr (K. 01. TIME: 15 ...... 41.738 .... 12-l.AP TlIOPHY RACE: 1. IIab e.- CH-D~ 2. Mb Mlmig lH-OI; 1 _ " - - lH-OI; 4. IIiIy ~ CH-D'; 5. _ GIby tH-DI; I. Ilan ...... (K. O~ 7. Rod F8rri1lH-OI; I. IlIch _lH-OI; 9. Tommy Dumo CH-D~ 10. CIlucIl $pi........' tlHll. TIME: _duoto-. _GIWlDNA11ONAl.~ PlIO SERES POINT STANDINGS: 1. G.ry -(173); 2. MIIuI Kldd 11711; 3. Rondv Ii.- I1l18l; 4. Scott " - - 1127l; 5...... Scott 11181; I. A1a.Jorgor-. 11111; 7. Jay Sill. 91 I" 1108l; 8. S_ EIdunci 11061; 9. T-.y ~ 11011; 10. S 1941; ". Ted IIoody l77l; 12. _ ...... l7III; 11 RIc*y e;,...., l7OI; 14. W.". IWNr l84l; 15. Jimmy Alice 1&81; 18. Gort!l _ lS3I; 17. Dole SlnaMIDn 1521; 1S. _ _ 1461; II. - . , . Fey 144~ 20. me IIubbe St_1/FI 'f ~14Zl. AMAIWlNSTON PlIO SERES MANUFACT\llIER POINT STAN)INGS: 1. Hortov-o..I_, l337l; 2. 1181'; 1 _ 118; 4. SuIIlId l57l; 5. T........ f441; I. e-Am C381; 7. ~ l2II; .. _ltlil;l. _12l. y_