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/126603
(Above) Pet Porter ,(2 6 ) swept everything in sight in the 100Cc Heevy cia... (Below) Gettin' aideweys et Beylenda, keep your foot in it end go. (Left) Tim Meyer (3). here leeding Greg Peterson end Jeff Nelson. Rossi takes Bay/ands By Jerry Newray FREMONT. CA,JAN. 17 Once again it was the small and mighty dirt eaters, the race-Karts, blazing the multipurpose Baylands Raceway Park facility. Over 100 entries from as far away as Sparks, NV to the north and San Luis Obisbo to the south sought the chance to take the Pro purse of over $500 home and the overall title 16 with it as well. On hand were some of the top riders on the west coast. names like two·time 1981 Grand National Champion Jeff Nelson and his Invader Racingsponsored machine. last month's overall winner Greg Peterson and fo.rmer Junior National Champion TIm Meyers. also racing his Performance Karting entry. Another top dirt racer named Scott Murray who does it also in a sprint car, and a cast of many others performed. . Baylands is currently becoming WIdely known as the top dirt track in California and with so many top entries showing up . the lineu p speaks for itself. Besides the Pros at Baylands, there were also six other classes well represented. all the way down to RookieJunior. The Pros got underway in the first heat with Meyers taking the lead while being tailed very closely by Nelson and Peterson. With Meyers in the lead. it was Peterson passing Nelson with a brilliant move to the high side of the track and moving into second. On the ' fourth lap disaster hit - Meyers moved too low on the track and got caught in a deep rut which threw the back end of his kart around. forcing a spin . With this, Peterson. Nelson and Henry Rossi went by while Meyers had to wait for traffic to clear. Once on the track Meyers showed his super talents by working his way back to sixth. At the checkered flag it was Peterson with the win followed by Nelson and Rossi. With the bad luck that Meyers had. it was a super ride that gave him the fifth spot. In the second heat all 16 karts came roaring down the front straight with Nelson snagging the lead. Rossi and Scott Murray in hot pursuit. With the pack way ahead. it was Meyers starting on the outside and last row making a great move up high and passing five others to get his kart into the top 10 drivers. In the front of the pack John Russell took his kart all the way to the front of the pack by drafting around both Nelson and Murray. One of the best moves of the afternoon came as Meyers swung high into tum one and then dove down into tum two. Meyers moved all the way into fifth position. Once again Meyers. got hit by the bad luck bug as Al Megenity lost his clutch going into tum four and stoeped with Meyers stuck right on his tall. Again several riders passed Meyers until he got his kart back to speed. When the checkered flag fell. it was Russell taki~g the win followed very tightly by ROSSI and Nelson. Once again it was Meyers making a late charge and moving all the way into fourth place. The final race of the day faced up to be one of the best ever run on the high. banked oval at Baylands as all the top headliners and stars were at the head of the grid. At the green it was Nelson jumping into an early lead with Rossi. Peterson and Meyers following in a close pack. This bunch never switched a position until the seventh lap when Murray moved into fourth . As Nelson came out of tum two on the high side. he lost control of his kart and spun out and was hit by a kart that was a lap down. This completely destroyed Nelson's kart and all of his chances of winning the title . As the field bunched up for a restart. it looked to be a race to the flag as there were only two laps left. At the green it was Rossi taking a great line into the first turn ahead of Murray and Meyers. When the checkered flag came out it was ROIlSi and Murray almost dead even as they came into tum three. Coming out of tum four. it was ROIlSi's kart showing a little more horsepower and burning the tires all the way to the checkered flag with Murray second and Meyers taking third. The win for Rossi was his first Pro win and with that he took home the large purse and huge trophy. Some other top riders that wheeled their machines around the high. banked track were Pat Porter in the l00cc Super Stock Lites. as he took both "races and then topped off the afternoon by bagging the main and taking home the Baylands trophy. Another great ride came from Mike Walter in the 100cc Novice . as he wheeled his MadMan Special around the tough course with a first place in both heats. then a great come frombehind-win in the main. Baylands will be holding regular kart meets with the big two-day Winter Nationals meet scheduled for the latter part of Febuary. For information contact Baylands Raceway at 415/651-2545. Results OPENPRos: 1. Henry Rossi; 2. SCOll M",,"y; 3. TIm Moyers; 200cc STOCK: 1. Mike Jlmes; 2. Ron Wright; 3. Malcomm Wright; l00cc SUPER STOCK LIT: 1. Pet Port"'; 2. Cliff Maderia; 3. 01... B.....,n; l00cc SUPER STOCK HVY: 1. Duene Froves' 2. Brett BeU; 3. Joel Kaeding. ' l00cc NOVICE LIT 1. Rendy R_l",; 2. Rodger : Varner; 3. TcxnB _ d. l00cc NOVICE HVY 1. Mike WI~ors; 2. Pet O'Dee' : • 3. William Puetz. l00cc STOCK: 1. Art Billing", 2. Gerry ChriBtenMn· • 3. Cliff 'Mederie, ROOKIE JUNIORS 1. Jeff Gordon; 2. John Self: 3. : &~Rossi. • l00cc: 1. Dave HoII; 2. John BUrlDn; 3. Mart< Single.