Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Soat".ra Caillor.I.Arlzo.....at..era Ne...... Soat".r. Cailloral.Arlzoa.-Soat".r. N....... Soat..er. Caillornl.Arlzl Western hotline Johnson, SchmItz mIt da victorIes at AME IndIan Dunes MX WhlfneyMhlfney wallop Lancaster sIdecars By Laura Richard This being race six for the sidecars in the 1981 American Motosport Association Semi-pro Series brought nine of the remaining section of whoop-de-doos that are normally reserved for just the Intermediates and Pros. Though a few riders went down trying to negotiate the tricky section, no one was hurt or out of a!=tion for too long. In the Pro ranks the victors were John Greenway on his '82 Honda and Glenn Page, riding out of Long Beach Yamaha. But the fun action was in the Novice ranks whe-re consistency proved to be the big factor. In %5Occ Novice the first mota e'Dded as it started. Todd Cunningham grabbed the holeshot closely followed by Carl Reed and Jerry Bardiau. The three stayed close, but positions reo mained unchanged. Three riders seesawed for the fourth spot with Mitch Cohen winning that battle. The second moto barely resembled the ftrst. Bret Loudenback took the holeshot on his Honda after ftnishing a disappointing 10th in the ftrst moto. Ron Bunn had a ninth in the flTSt moto but started out in second, and was challenging Loudenback. Je-rry Bardiau was third with Carl Reed fourth. Loudenback quicltly proved that the ftrst moto was a fluke as he pulled away from everyone. Bunn, who challenged for the lead in the early laps, fell back but still kept a firm hold on second. Reed was content to stay in fourth until the white flag came out, then he went afta Bardiau but wasn't able to get by. Corning towards the ftnish line for the last time Bardiau carne into the ftnal whoop with too much speed. He managed to make the tum but Reed had slipped underneath and put a wheel in front. Bardiau ova-corrected and ran into Reed, and the two riders went tumbling across the ftnish line. Reed's %-! ftnish took top honors, while Bardiau was second with a !-4. Loudenback's 10-1 was enough for third overall. By Gwen Ridyard LANCASTER, CA, OCT. 11 VALENCIA, CA, OCT. 25 BrandJohnson and Steve Schmitz were among the riders competing in an American Motocross Enterprises MX on the Indian Dunes Shadow Glen course, and they went home with the 250 and 125cc Pro victories, respectively. The 250cc Pro race was one of the biggest events of the day, and the ftrst moto saw BG Oil Honda rider. David Lynch taking the lead. As the pack made their way into the sandwash, Lynch was being pursued by fellow Honda rider Larry Baker and 7js/Suzuki of Ventura·sponsored Brand Johnson. Lynch took a bad spill in the sand, handing the lead to Baker, who in tum was really feeling the heat from Johnson. Johnson ftnally dropped Baker to second, and as the checkered flag dropped, third was ftlled by Burbank Yamaha'sJim Coffey. Moto two again saw Lynch moving out of the gate and into the lead, followed this time by Kolbe Can-Am's Steve Rawson and Barnett Tool lit Engineering's Andy Richard. Rawson soon moved past Lynch and started to pull out a lead, but back in the pack Suzuki rider Ken Zahrt and Johnson were both on the move. They were soon past Richard and Lynch, and when Rawson developed a flat front tire, lahrt and Johnson moved up to run 1-2 to the ftnish. Overall it was Johnson, Zahrt and Coffey. The l25cc Pro race saw Yamaha Support rider Steve Schmitz taking back-to-back wins. The first moto holeshot went to Suzuki Sport Center's Bruce Maynor with Schmitz intially second, then passing Maynor and opening up a sizeable lead. Maynor had his hands full with Crossroads Suzuki rider Jim Sendelbach, who even· tually captured second over Maynor. The second moto saw Schmitz lead from the drop of the flag, again opening a big lead en route to taking the overall win. Sendelbach and Maynor were second and third off the line, but Se-ndelbach later dropped back with troubles and Maynor finished second in the moto and on the day. Third went to Sendelbach_ Results 500 PRO: 1. Adorn FonllSuzl. 2liO PRO: 1. _ ~ lSuzl; 2. Ken ZOhrt lSuzl; 3. Jim CaIIwy IVomI. 125 PRO: 1. 5 _ Sc:Iwnitz IVomI; 2. _ M.ynor lSuz); 3. Jim s..-.:t, lSuzl. 500 INT: 1. _ Hudgono ISuzl; 2. 0... w.l1y lSuzl; 3._~lSuz). 2liO INT: 1. John Crookr( IVIm); 2. Eddle II.IVomI; 3. -.tiling IVomI. 1251NT: 1. - . LIppie lSuz); 2. Jim _lSuz); 3.1lIndy LIppie CSuzl. VET EX: 1. AI S~ lSuzl; 2. Geaove Omo lHuIl. VET JR: 1. TIm FonlIVIm); 2. _ Drolon lHuol. 500 JR: 1. CIIll a.m- CSuzl; 2. Rick GIrD ~. 250 JR: 1. Don - . IVomI; 2. Don R1zvoroId lSuzl; 3. More CummIn (Huol. 125 JR: 1. Don Koldnclo IVIm); 2. - . , Feul IVomI; 3. _ F"'IVImI. 100 INT: 1. ScoIl Morrioon IVImI. . 100 JR: 1. Alex K _ lSuzl; 2. J<»i HIndley ISuzl; 3. S - ConovIlIe (suzl. 2liO BEG: 1. John ~ l~); 2. Jeff Aubtwv (Honl; 3. o.vkt W....,.IVomI. 125 BEG: 1. K. Krull (Hont. 2. ~ ScoIlIVIm); 3. 5 _ McGurrin lHonl. JR CYClE JR: 1. _ Mc:OonoId IVomI; 2. Joe Brown lSuzl; 3. Ron O. CSuzl. MINI BEG: 1. Todd Looney IVImI; 2. ~ _IVImI; 3. o.vkt HondIey 1K8wl. MINI JR: 1. Eric HoIIgolh IVomI; 2. Mike K - . lSuzl; 3. Tom HoIlIK8wl. MINI M; 1. a..- ~ lSuz): 2. Tony _ IVomI; 3. TIOV Wrn, lSuz). MI\II EX: 1. 5 _ YIn Duzu!:1IV~. • • . .. , ... evn- Anza Cycle Park the competition was, to say the least, not lacking any quality. that all of the Novice classes would be allowed to race the one top contenders. What was interesting was the going! on in the pits after practice. John Palfreyman and Thom Lund broke a main shaft in their Nonon transmission. A handful of their competitors (four teams) got together with parts and manpower to help. them, knowing full well that Palfreyman/Lund were the favorites for this race if they could ftx their bike. At the last minute Palfreyman/Lund rolled up to the' start line just as the flag dropped. In the ftrst turn the lead was grabbed by the series leaders, Palfreyman/Lund, on their 900cc Norton EML. They dazzled the crowd with their style and speed, but not far be· hind was Pete Whitney/Duane McDowell on their new 750cc Yamaha EML (who had just helped ftx Palfreyman's bike). Waiting for the Palfreyman/Lund team to make a mistake, Whitney/McDowell stayed close not knowing that closing the gap behind them was Whitney's father and brother on a 900cc Norton Wasp (who also had helped ftx Palfreyman's bike). It was a race to the ftnish side by side. Whitney/McDowell and Whitney/ Whimey got serious, turning it wide open, but they were unable to catch Palfreyman/Lund (who was winning with Whitney's transmission in his bike). At the checkered flag it looked like a photo ftnish, Whitney/McDowell took second place by inches just in front of Ralph and Scott Whitney. (Sounds like a family sport. ) The second race found Palfreyman/ Lund getting a bad start. Ralph and Scott Whitney took the lead, then Whitney/McDowell passed them. It didn't take Palfreyman/Lund much time to catch up with Whitney/ McDowell. The two teams refused to give an inch; they collided together endoing Palfreyman/Lund. That left Whitney/Whitney in the lead with Whitney/McDowell in hot pursuit of them, father and son against son and friend. Pete Whitney/Duane McDowell started slowing down while Whitney/Whit· ney just kept it on. The winning team was Ralph Whitney and his son Scott. Pete Whitney and Duane McDowell ftnished an amazing second place because Pete had smashed all his ftngers on his left hand in the collision with Palfreyman/ Lund leaving Whitney with one hand to drive with. The results of the second race have now put Ralph and Scott Whitney one point behind the Palfreyman/Lund team. Now thae is one race left in the series. The largest and most exciting racing of the day was assembled by the %50cc Beginner class. It all began with the start of the ftrst moto when Jerry Mullins (Suz) wheeled his way into the lead followed by Mark Montgomery (Kaw), Greg Groome (Yam), Scott Campbell (C-A), and Larry Mack (KTM). Within a few laps the two leaders began to build a slight margin over the rest of the pack, but never did the gap between first and second ever span over a bikelength. Positions remained the same throughout much of the race until Mack slipped past Campbell on the sixth lap taking over the fourth spot. Meanwhile Montgomery, at a slight disadvantage riding an undersized 175cc Kawasaki, managed to threaten Mullins for the lead. When the white flag appeared, Montgomery washed out, giving Mullins the victory. Quickly the Kawasaki pilot remounted to finish in second just ahead of Groome and Mack. At the start of moto two it was Montgomery who jammed into the lead with Groome, Mullins and Mike Haney (Hon) in pursuit. Groome managed to hold off Mullins while the leader stretched his lead. Montgomery went on to win the moto and the overall with Mullins taking second overall via a I-ll combo. Groome tallied a !-% score for third. It seemed as though it was father and son day in the %50cc and 500cc Pro class as Larry Lawrence (Yam) put in an outstanding ride, beating out dad Buster LaWT~nce (Yam) with a I-I score in the 250cc Pro division. And Open Pro winner Eddie Michetti (Mai) took the win over father Ed Michetti (Mai). The first moto of the 500cc Intermediate class saw Maico-mounted Pete Vetrano roost his way into the lead chased by Steve Harris (Yam), Bill Lustrick (Mai) and Ron Lawson (Hus). Vetrano quickly stretched his lead to a comfortable margin within a few laps while the rest of the pack battled for positions. Lawson, after a poor start, began to regain his momentum by passing Harris for third. Meanwhile Vetrano took the checkered flag first followed by Lustrick and Lawson. For moto two it was Lawson who blitzed into the lead pursued by Vetrano, Lustrick and Harris. The two leaders began to run away from the pack but Lawson couldn't shake Vetrano. Harris put the move on Lustrick with only two laps remaining, taking over the third spot. At the finish it was Lawson who won the battle but not the war because Vetrano's 1-2 score bested the Husky rider's !-I combination. Lustrick settled for third after carding a 2 -4 tally. Results eo BEG: 1. Jeff long IVom). eo NOV: 1. lAnny Guv-n IVImI. eo INT: 1. MlIlt _IVIm). MINI BEG ON I: 1. 5 _ Del...., IVoml; 2. Chod Smort IVomI; 3. Gory T,ocIw IVoml. MINI- BEG ON II: 1. Jerry Cotter IVoml; 2. Doran Wiloon IVomI; 3. Jim eon- (~I. MINI BEG ON III: 1. lonny Guv-n IVom); 2. _ _ _ IVomI; 3. Tim Kooi I~). MINI NOV: 1. 0... Kirt

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