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/126616
C\J 00 0") (Above) Scotty Parker rode with the leaders all the way and finished second. (Inset) Dave Despain interviews past stars including Roger Reiman (55), Gary Nixon (9) and Dick Mann (2). Nixon was the event's defending champion. entire final lap with Parker holding only a half wheel advantage at the finish. Semis The first semi featured Brow, Jorgensen, Eklund. Billy Labrie, Pearson and seven more riders going for the two transfers. Brow and Chuck Springsteen went at it before Labrie moved to second. The Brow/Labrie battle went right to the flag with a finish so close it took a conference to decide that Brow had it won by an inch or so. However, it was a costly win. The engine in Brow's bike had snapped the end off the crank in the last lap dash. Bubba Rush gave the rest of the field a head start after ending up last when he tangled handlebars with another rider on the start of semi two. Rush put in a come-from-behind ride to take the lead halfway into lap four. Jay Beach had missed a gear on the start, but also made a comeback to take second away from Scott Adams. Last Chance The final grid posi tion in the National was up for grabs in the Last Chance Qualifier. Chuck Springsteen wanted it and made it a fight among himself. Adams and Charlie Roberts. SCOtt Pearson was also in the hunt. Adams got free when Springsteen got into a long, long slide on lap six , but Roberts came up to fight and was just two feet behind Adams when the checkered flag fell. National The riders were wheeling their bikes out to the grid for the start of the National wh en rain and hail began to fall. Although the storm lasted a short time, it soaked the track. Drying and grooming time ate up almost four hours. Many riders took advantage of the time. Gary SCOtt replaced a "sick" engine with one borrowed from Ken Houston. while Tom Cummings accomplished the rebuild "from the bottom up" of Brow 's engine. Lance' Jones discovered a broken cylinder head stud as they started up the engine for the National. Hank Scott, with a broken rocker arm shaft replaced after his heat, was also thankful for a bit more time. " This National will be an eyeopener," said Steve Morehead who was spectating after blowing an engine in practice and not being able to obtain another ride. "T he track is like a saucer with the banked turns and a rider can run mid-track and be on the throttle nearly all the time. The fastest bike will win. The rain has made the track so tacky that you can barely heel the bike over before it will want to sit back up. There's trac tion and more traction." The National gridded wi th the riders being told if darkness came it would be flagged at 20 laps instead of 25. It was 7:30 when the green light flashed. Graham, Parker and Springsteen led the field off tum two and tha t trio "wo u ld make up winner's circle.although there was still a lot of racing to take place. Brow, with clutch problems, didn't make the start. "I feel bad," said Brow, "because Tom (Cumm ings) did so much work just to get the bike running. Now this." Parker, Graham and Springsteen played it very close , swa pp ing positions in the first three laps and running three abreast into tum three. Shobert, Gary Scou and Mik e Kidd were back a distance having their own battle. Lance Jones, Poovey and Goss were also having a duel while Hank Scott was coming up from the rear. By lap five Graham and Springsteen had opened space on the Parker/ Shobert duel and Lance Jones had moved to fifth with Poovey challenging. The 10th lap saw Graham and Springsteen still waging their dogfight , running side-by-side across the finish line. Shobert's ride ended with a sick engine on lap' II . Suddenly, as lap 12started, Springsteen began to fall off the pace. "I was running right behind Ricky," said Jay. " A rock came up and hit me in the left forearm and 1 thought it was broken because it hurt so bad. 1 backed off." The lap before, Graham had slowed a bit to save his tire and let Springer by. He quickly thought better of that gamble and gassed it up. "Once 1got back by Jay (on lap II ) 1never looked back and never let off." By lap 15Graham had pulled out a lead that would hold to the finish . Parker had come up to do battle with Springsteen for second while Poovey led Gary Scou, Goss and Lance Jones. Hank SCOtt, Labrie and Kidd were also battling while Mertens ran all alone and Ronnie Jones slowly cruised around the track witha badly blistered rear tire. Before the finish Labrie's bike ran out of gas and Lance's engine expired, leaving only 10riders still under power at the finish. Graham cruised merrily home, not missing a beat in the final laps, while Parker had the edge when it counted to take second from Springer. Poovey had breathing room over Gary SCOtt, who had an equal distance over Goss. Hank SCOtt. Kidd and Mertens trailed and Ronnie Jones slowly continued in order to pick up points and money. "It went so easy," said Graham in winner's circle. "Tex Peel builds one hell uva mile bike. When the bike is as fast as Tex builds 'em, then you just twist the ' throttle and wait for the checkered flag. 1 had no idea 1 was averaging over 101 miles per hour. I'm glad we - Tex and 1- broke the record and I'm glad it was our record we broke." • Results 1. Ricky Graham (H-Dt; 2. Scon Parkar (H·D); 3. Jay Springsteen (H·D t 4. T81"ry POOY8V (H·D); 5. Gary Scon (H·D); 6. Randy Go•• (H-Dt 7. Hank Scon (H-Dt B. Mik. Kidd (Hont 9. Tim Mart.n. (H·D); 10. Lenc.Jona. (H-D); 11. Billy Lebri.(H-Dt 12. Ronni. Jones (H· D); 13. BubbB Rush (H-D); 14. Jay Beach (H-Dt 15. Scan Adems (H·D); 16. Bubbe Shobert (H·Dt; 17. Garth Brow (H·D). Time : 14 min .• 44 .05 sees. (Record) Averav. ~: 101.804 mph (Record) AMA GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP/ WINSTON PRO SERIES POINT STANDINGS: 1. Ricky Graham (10lt 2. Jay Springsteen (71); 3. seen Parkar (65); 4. T.rry Poovey(61); 5. AluJor· gensen (SOt 6. Randy Goss (SSt 7. (TIE) Gary Scott/St.... Eklund (43 t 9. (TIE) Mike KiddlSte... Moreh.ad (40 t 11. BubbB Shobert (29); 12. (TIE) Mickey Fey/St.... Wise (21 t 14. Ronnie Jane. (IB); 15. Freddie Spenc.r (16t 16_(TIE)Ted Boody/ Jimmy Filice (15); lB. Roberto Piotri (13t 19. Garth Brow (12); 20 . (TIE)Wayne Rainey/Mika Baldwin/ Rod Spencer (11). 9