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/126599
N CO en ..- >... m ... ..0 ~ CD U. en ~ w Z ~ Rocky Erickson collected his first major win in the series. Erickson's win boosted his overall series points from fourth to second. AMRlSchmidt Seer Wildcat Indoor Three-Wheel Races - Round 3 .! locky rolls Mugen over.syrup By John Rannikko, Jr. ST. PAUL, MN ,JAN. 2 The AMR/Schnlidt Beer Wildcat three-wheel races on a bean-shaped, Coca-Cola syrup-painted indoor track produced a new winner in round three. Rocky Erickson of Princeton, MN, pulled everything together aboard a Rapid Sports Center sponsored Mugen/Honda ATC360R. Due to some ugly weather in the form of sleet and snow . ' many of the very com petitive Iowa riders weren't present. Once again, the race machinery of choice was the Honda ATC250R with lowering methods ranging from struts to short shocks and a choice of lower profile hard-walled tires . I Forced to retire his ATC450R in round two , when he punched a hole in the engine cases , Pat Dresel continued on a stock ATC250R and beat last year's champion, Erickson, in the first heat. Following Erickson were Joe Krysinski , Jerry Holasek and Mark McPhatus, all aboard Hondas. . The second heat was a wild one as the three-wheeled red rockets raced for the first tum and braked for the tight left-bander onto the infield. The tires squealed on the syrup-surfaced cement like a busload of seventh grade girls , as Twin City Honda/Suzuki sponsored Kirk Lewis holeshot the start with an ATC250R Honda.. Bruce Sampson (Hon) and Bill Krysinski followed through the first tum. As Lewis extended his lead, Chris Bush , in his first three-wheel race highsided in the tum before the starting stra ightawa y. The race continued with Lewis extending the lead as the spec tacular Bush crash produced no inj uries. Sampson and Krysinski crossed the finish line .after Lewis but were very close together. " The semis were combined to make one 10-mari semi , the resu lt of which would determine starting position for " the final. The holeshot went to " Lightn ing Clutch" Lewis, the second man in from the pole, while Erickson went around the first tum on the outside next to Lewis. Bush produced a spectacular start from the outside starting position and int o third while Dresel got lost in traffic from the pole position. The top five places remained the same to the finish as Erickson almost overtook Lewis through "the finish line scoring area. Bush crossed in third , followed by Sampson, Krysinski and Dresel. The holeshot in the three-wheel , • fina l bel onged to Erickson with Lewis right behind. Bush was over Lewis' right shoulder with Joe Winiecki next to Bush. Dresel , the ' current second place points holder, killed the engine in the first tum and restarted nearlast place. Meanwhile Rocky led Lewis, Bush and Krysinski. As they all dove into the first tum , Lewis was rearended and pushed to the outside by Bush as Lewis' engine died. while braking. " Fort unately Lewis' engine restarted when he was rear-ended and only lost two places. The race was still early and there was time to make up time, but the stubborn leaders kept the gas on and carried it to " the finish . While Erickerson was making the distance between him and second place larger, Bush was closing on Krysinski and Dresel , moving through traffic with only th e lead in his sights. On the last lap Dresel was driving hard , and partly because of ambiguity with the location of the finish line and disheartened by a fourth place, Lewis let u p too early and Dresel darted past him at the finish. . Erickson's win boosted him fro m fourth to second, and only eight points behind current points leader Kirk Lewis. With one round remaining in the AMR/Schmidt Beer Wildcat Indoor three-wheel races, if Erickson wins the final round, Lewis has to do no worse than fourth to clinch the coveted Schmidt Cup. Dresel dropped a notch on the points ladder, just two " poin ts behind Erickson and within reach of the title. Results THREE-WHEEL FINAL EVENT: 1. Rocky Erickson (Han); 2. Bill Krysinoki IHonl; 3. Chris Bush IHan); 4. POl o....IIHanl. . THREE-WHEEL POINTS STANDING AFTER THREE ROUNDS : 1. Kirk Lew is (66 pta) ; 2. Rocky Erickson (58 pta) ; 3. Pot Dr_ 156 pts); 4. Bill Kryoinol