Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Western hotline Thad Wolff was wheelie hot in winning the AFM Willow Springs F·' event. A mishap occurs off the start during AME's Indian Dunes stadium MX. .. Kal·Gard/Canoga Park Suzulr.i of Ruu Wageman held me early second wim Rob Peeples (Suz of Van Nuys) in third. Holley again tore through the pack, and after a short battle with Wageman, was in second. Heisler moYed up several places until he was behind Holley. He men put himJelf in for another second, while Holley, Wageman and Doug Gentry finished in the top five. Some hot racing took place in the Mini classes as well, as Warren Heath went wire to wire both- times out for me 85cc Junior division one win. Brian Peoples held second throughout the first round, while Jeff Maybery moved up to hound Tony Mercier. The two Kawasakis fought toom and nail with Maybery making his pass to third' in the last lap. AS Heam led the second gate, Guy Arnone was second being shadowed by Craig White. White got by and stretched out after Heam only to down attempting a pass. Arnone and Peoples were battling in second and third when White laid on me gas and palled mem both to finish a few bikelengths behind Heam. The %5Occ Pro win went to the Answer Products Yamaha of John Whelchel. The Honda of super·Pro O'Mara was uncontested from the time he left the first gate down to the finish 50 minutes later. Ken lahrt (O'Neal/ Dirt Bile) paaed Dave Ly;nch for second as Whelchel worked his way through craffic until he was behind Zahrt. Shortly after, Whelchel was IOlid in second. -Burbank Yamaha support rider Jim Coffey finished fourth wim Ventura Suzuki's Brand Johnson flfm. By the time the second moto rolled around the lights were turned on. The payback was by moto, and O'Mara decided to lit this one out and give the local talent a chance. Whelchel took it all me way wim lahri in second. Some strong riding on me paru of Tri· Tech'. Jon Ortner and Johnson made thinp interesting as they lWap~ around third. When Ortner ran mto trouble JobDIon secumI the spot. Coffey was coming on strong when he suffered bike trouble. Rob RichardlOn and Ortner finished fourth and fifth. Jerome Heiberger, riding a Husky for Pro-Trac, put in two impressive rides to cap me Open Pro ca. Mark Gambetta (Yam of Goleta) was the early leader of me first round with the BG Oil/International Yamaha of Mark White passing Jim Coffey for second. Heibeger charged through the pack and cl~ on White who rode strongly in defending his position, but a short while later Heiberger made his pass and started to chase Gambetta. They were wheel to wheel over the whoops and when they reached the Cycle Am jumps, Heiberger made a mid air pass for the lead. But on the last lap he went down in a sand bertn and Gambetta got by and held him off for the win. They were followed by. White, Randy Loeh and Coffey. White took immediate control of the second gate wim Gambetta and Heiberger in tow. Heiberger came out from under the bridge and pumped PD! Gambetta. ~hite seemed secure lD me lead even with Heiberger not far behind, but as he landed off a jump White's engine siezed and he was forced to retire. Heiberger went on to take the win with Losh, Gambetta, Greg TorgerlOn aDd Maico rider Mike Wickersham rounding out the top five. go . 24 _ Results 500 PlIO: 1. .Mromo Holberger (Hull; 2. _ 3. Rondy ~ IV_I. 500 INT: 1. Jim _ ~; 2. Chrio MIIofy (Mel); 3. ~IVoml: _ Hudgono 1Suzl. 500 JR: 1. RIcIt DIrrIng IVoml; 2. Don Hopklno IVoml; 3. _!Call~. 2liO PRO: 1. John _ IVom); 2. Kon 20hrt (Suzl; 3 . _ ~ (Suzl. 2liO INT: 1. BIll DoIgedo ISuzl; 2. Kevin _ _ IVoml; 3. R_1oing IV_I. 2liO JR: 1. Melt _ 1101111; 2. FIIymle BIIir (Honl; 3.DIn~(Suzl. 2liO aa;-: 1. Bilir Anglin IVlml; 2. Corbin L,...-, IHonI; 3. John DownIy IV_I. 125 PRO: 1. Johnny O'MIrIIHonI; 2. Chrio _ 1Suzl; 3. Jim Holly IVoml. 125 INT DIY 1: 1. Kevin Filld (Suzl; 2. DIn KudrIvI lSuzl; 3. HImwllaliD IVoml. 125INT DIY 2: 1. Tony"'- IV_I; 2. John S,* IVoml: 3. Dorin HIrgiI (KTMI. 125 JA DIY 1: 1. Jim _ (Hull; 2. Chrio _ 1Suzl. IVoml: 3. _ _ 125 JA DIY 2: 1 ~ 1Suzl; 2. MiII:h . . . . lSuII; 3. GNg _lSuII. Wolff pounces for AFM WIllow F-J RRwln By Lori Tyson ROSAMOND, CA, NOV. 15 Thad Wolff did it again at the American Federation of Motorcyclists' Willow Springs road race taking the Formula One win on his Team Escargot Suzulr.i. This time Thad had IIllIIIe heavy·duty competition wim Gennady Liubimslty and Wayne Rainey right on his tail. Rainey rode Eddie Lawaon's factory superbike, and Gennady was back on his Yamaha. Wim Thad out front, Wayne and Gennady fought it out for the number two spot. Wayne led me first, fifth, sixth and seventh laps with Gen taking me second, third, fourth and, most importantly, the last lap to beat Rainey to me flag. Behind lhem was a real fight between Rick Mitchell and Dave Erode, who didn't place, but put on quite a show. In %OOcc GP, Danny Cae held the lead start to finish, but behind him Chris Baur and Jill Keenan fought hard to catch him. In the end, Danny had widened his lead to IS seconds over second· place Chris with Jill right behind. Howard Monise was taken by sur· prise in 450cc Production as Encino Cycle's Tracy DeMuro blasted by him on me third lap to take over the lead. AI Tracy continued to lead, Monise had to battle Frank Mazur, the only Honda rider in me field. DeMuro went on to take the checkers, with Mazur .t~g the. number two spot an!l Moruse havmg to settle for third. The %5Occ GP field looked like an AMA NAtional, with anyone of five riders' who could win il. The first lap showed John Glover out front followed by Mike Haller, Dave Erode, Don Greene and Gill Martin. In me next three laps, Glover put air space between himself and second-place Erode, while Haller and Greene diced for third. On the fifth lap, Glover was still out front, but Erode caught a phantom neutral coming into tum three and did a little dirt tracking. With Erode out of contention, Greene took over the number two spot and held Haller back to third for the finish. In the 6001750/0pen Production match, Open c1asser Terry Statum took an early lead but in the end lost the battle to 750cc class rider Kevin Peltz. Darrell White went on to take second overall (first Open class) wim Statum right behind. Dave Erode shot out into me lead in 750/0pen Super Street and stayed there to take the trophy. Behind Dave, the contest for second was a three-way duel between Scott Gray (Open), John Glover (750cc) and Kevin Bracken (Open). After a great race, Gray was second overall (1st Open) followed by Glover and Bracken. In 600cc Box Stock, Frank Mazur, on a GPz, had a fight on his hands as Rhys Howard, on a Seca, battled him for the lead. Mazur and Howard left everyone else behind as they fought, wim Mazur victorious. The last race of the day, 750cc and Open Box Stock, was a great one to watch as Terry Statum, Darrell White and Redmond Racing's Kevin Pelu fought for the lead. Statum led for the first I"':I? laps un~il ~e hit a spot of oil in turn rnbe and sltd IDto the field. White took over from him until the last lap when Peltz passed him in tum three to take the flag. Results 200 GP: 1. Donny Col fYoml; 2. Chrio Ilour IVom!; 3. JNI K _ IVoml. 250 PIIOD: 1. Din DiIz (Yom); 2. GIonn AodIIy IVoml; 3. A.J. _IC-A). FOIlMUlA FOUR: 1. S _ S_IKlwt; 2. llonniI R.-lbIogli lHonI; 3. _ Shelton IKlwt. 450 PIIOD: 1. T..." ~ IV_I; 2. Maw (HonI; 3. _ MoniIIIVoml. 3. 250 GP: 1. John mo- IVoml; 2. Don e;.- IVoml: _ _ IVoml. • ""'*

• Cover