Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Cal ifornian Doug Chandler rode his Jerry Griffith prepared "works" Honda to a w in in the Nov ice race . AMA Eastern Regional Dirt Trae. Series: Round one Labrie, Hames til Chandler top Savannah By M ike &. Anne Adair SAVANNAH, GA. FEB . 25 "I only wish th is race had been part of the H arley series," said win ner Billy Labrie in win ner' s circle following the Exper t main even t of the $4,000 Budweiser sp o nsored race program at Oglethorpe Raceway. Labrie, who missed most of last season due to a broken leg, said, "The leg held up Billy Labrie had plenty to smile about -- a w i n in t h e first ha lf m ile race of ' 82. Harely- D avi dso n? J u nior class honors w ent to Californian Pete Ham es an d his Steve Storz preppe d Harley- D avid so n " well. The tr ack was fast , but had a lot of ripples in it. It was a good test. " Junior Pet e H ames and Novice Doug Chandl er won their heat and semi races o n th e half m ile tra ck before ea rn in g sta rte r Poochie Cox 's checkered fla g in th ei r main event races. The co ld front hi t Sa van na h a t th e same time as 168 riders lined up fo r regis tratio n a n d a windy co ld ni g h t da mpened spectator interest. Labrie head ed th e to p 24 Expert s to q ua li fy for two semi -fina l heats a nd won , a head of Rodn ey Farris a nd L an ce J on es , i n h is h ea t. Sout h Dak ota 's J a y Beach fought by Steve Moreh ead in the seco n d heat with Terry Poo vey movin g into seco nd by heat 's end. In th e a ll H arley-Davidson main even t, Labrie a nd Poo vey do ve into turn o ne side- by-side . La brie staye d low in turn o ne an d took th e lead ove r T exan Poovey down th e back straigh t. Poovey chec ked o u t Labrie' s bac k fende r for a co u p le of laps bu t co u ld n' t find an o pe n ing, leav in g Lab rie undisputed to th e flag . " I d id n ' t think Poovey would fall back ," sa id Labrie. " T h is seaso n Fletcher's H -D is provid in g th e eq uipment but I need to put to gether a sponsors h ip program . T ell 'e rn in Cycle N ew s that I need so me help." Poov ey a nd hi s Sh oeilCastrollAI Lang XR wa s second a he ad of Lance Jones' South Eastern H-D. Chandl er's Novi ce win , aboard a CR 250 based Honda was the Salinas, California, native's pro debut. " J erry . Griffith (hea d of H onda's din track program ) setup th e bike for me ~n d .i t co u ld n' t have performed bett er . sa id th e former AMA National Amateur Athlete Of The Yea r. " 1 th ought th e track was g rea t ton ight and I hope to do a s well i n th e series." Mark Hartley passe d Dan Benn ett for the runnerup h onors. In th e Jun io r mai n, H ames' Steve Sto rz prepped Sim pson / Bill's Pipes/ Co rona Racewa y H arley beat Sammy Swee t to th e firs t turn a nd motored o n . A red flag o n la p three necessitated a restart with H ames qu ickl y reas serting h im self. with T im Pal one, Sweet a nd Mall Rozo wicz in th e hunt. Row wi cz, th e 1982 Eas tern Regi onal No vice Cha m p io n, passed Sw eet fo r third place. H am es wh o is a close friend of Ch andler sa id later, " T he wind was a lilli e tri cky o u t th ere. I'm g lad to sta rt o u t in a winning wa y." Results • NOV; 1. Doug Chandl er (Hon) : 2. Mark Hartley (Hon ); 3. Dan Benn en (Hon); 4 . Ron Andrews (Kaw) ; 5. Jeff Middlebrooks (Hon) ; 6 . James Olive r (Hon); 7. John Faulkner (Yaml; 8 . Tony Pitcock (Kaw); 9. James W ilson (Yaml ; 10 . David Caballero (Yam). J R: 1. Pete Hames {H· D); 2. Tim Palone (H · D); 3. Man Aozowicz (H ·D); 4 . Sammy Sweet (H·D) ; 5. Jeff Jo in er (H·D ); 6 . Will iam Mueller (H · C); 7. Roger Durkee (H· DI; 8 . Gar y Dav id (H- D); 9. William Dav is (H-D); 10 . Dan Mooney (Hon ). EXP: r . Billy Labrie (H ·D ); 2. Terry Poovey (H-D); 3. Lan ce Jones (H ·D ); 4 . Raben Crabbe IH-D); 5. W illie Crabbe (H ·D ); 6. Jay Bea ch (H- O); 7. Charlie Roberts (H· D); 8 . Scott Adams (H· D); 9 . Tim Menens (H·D); 10 . Rodney Farr is (H- D). ~

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