Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

.- Northern C8llfom"Northern Nev8da-Oregon-Wuhington-ldaho-U ;ah-A18ak.( Hillsboro rider Dan Bennett was quick to demolish the first 250cc Sportsman heat while Frank Word put his Yamaha in the lead in the second heat over Scott Miller. The two battled it down to the wire with Word stuffing inside towin by a wheel. In the exciting 250 Pro heat, Word ted out of the starting line ahead of Gary Davis, Scott Miller and Bruce Russell. Word held Davis at bay for the three-lap race for the win; Davis was a close second. The 250cc Pro trophy dash saw Bennett and Word side by side. Word shut off letting Bennett by, but that was only for a moment as Word went inside to bag the win. The most exciting semi of the evening was the 250cc Pro semi number two. AMA Winston Pro and National number 70, Jeff Campbell, led over Barry Pelkey. Pelkey got by in a last ditch pass to make the main. After a series of semis, including four 250cc Pro semis, the stage was now set for the mains. The 250cc A main had Word, Bennett, Brian Loesch, Jeff Campbell and a cast of other exceflent Pros into tum one. Loesch exited first with Word hot on his tail and applying the pressure. Loesch would shut him off, though. Word would go wide trying to hold it open only to have Loesch dive inside. Loesch took the win with Word second, Campbell third and Bennett fourth. Bennett did have his mind set on improving his 250cc finish and was back in the staging area on his sano looking Honda thumper. Bennett bombed the start of the Open A main only to lose it to Jim Skinner and Mike Huffman. The Open Pro main had fans on their feet with the thundering thumpers echoing through the arena. National number 85 McCullough and Bennett were side by side into the first tum until Mike Moritz stuffed a wheel between the two. Bennett seemed to have the race in the bag but slid out letting McCullough into the lead. Moritz went out with problems putting Jeff Harsha in second position. Bennett remounted and started a charge only to drop it again in the very next comer. McCullough took the win over Harsha, Bennett worked to third, Moritz fourth and Ryan Fisher fifth in an exciting race. The largest main of the evening was the 250cc Pro main, which required a two row start. Word blazed the way to the head of the pack with his enthusiastic riding style while his rival Bennett was in hot pursuit of the disappearing leader. Back in the pack was a dice between Pelkey, Harsha, Davis, McCullough and Loesch. Word was beginning to hit lapped traffic as did Pelkey, who had begun a valiant charge through the pack, and was closing in for the kill on the leader. Davis also made a spirited charge and worked quickly through riders. Word took a win that appeared to be relatively easy over Pelkey, Davis, Harsha, Bennett, McCullough, Loesch and Miller. Another hot race was the Mini Expert A main. Darrell Davis on a KX80 Kawasaki looked hard to beat. Davis shot off the line on his rocket

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