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/126635
....... ..... ~ 0- ~ 1.1 (l eft ) Dennis Hawthorne braves a roost on the way to the Open Expert w in. (A bove) Roger Brown took money in two Expert classes. (Below) Action in the 12 5 cc Intermed iate class. (l ow er left) Carroll Richardson took second in the 125cc Expert class.(File photos.) Texas Series: Round 2 Semar, Rakestravv, Havvthorne tops in Texas Series Pros By Joe Milian Photos by Pat McClure HOUSTON, TX, AP R. 3 Texas' larges t city was host to the sta te's oldes t and most venerable set o f motorcycl e races as Grady Walling's Rio Bravo circuit was the site of the second ' o n test in the fivec mee ting Texas Series. Excellent Easter Sunday weather and near perfect track conditions provided for some 42 Chris Gullaksen continued their win ning ways in the Novice classes as did Kit Vick, Skipper Beaversand Troy Rapp in the Intermediates. close racing and the appearance of some new names in the top five in several classes . Billy Whitley, Ty Carter, Billy Richard, Jason Schultz and Alley Semar made his presen ce felt in the I 25cc Expert class by parlaying two second place finishes into top money overall in something of an upset over Bryan Abernathy and Carroll Richardson. Outstanding rides in the second rnoto by both Abernathy and Danny Storbeck could not compensate for poor first heat performances , and although each col lected cash on the second ride, neither figured in the overall placings . Richardson finished second and steady Greg Fouts managed a strong third to keep his series hopes in good shape. Responding to some good natured ribbing at the post race payout, Nick Cordova assured those in attendance that he is not "yellow." Cordova won a heated confrontation with Mark Rakestraw in the first outing -in the 250cc Expert class and then was nowhere to be found in the subsequent moto. "Hey, nobody calls Cordova yellow. Brown maybe, but never.yellow. My lower shock mount bolt worked loose on the first lap and left me sitting on the frame, otherwise I wou ld have smoked 'em just like I did in the first moto, " Cordova commented with a wink. Dennis 'Ha wth orn e was a lso the picture of composure as he explained hi s poor performance.in the second rnoto of the 250cc Experts. "I got knocked down in the first turn and had to work my way back up (to an eventual 10th after finishing fourth in moto one), it was rough." When queried as to who the responsible party might have been , Hawthorne replied diplomatically, "I'd rather not say . He madea dumb mistake but everybody makes mistakes, I'll just have to watch that guy from now on." Hawthorne suffered no such embarrassment in the Open Expert class as he guided his Husqvarna to the premier placing in that division. After taking second overall in the 250s, Roger Brown needed only to pass Hawthorne in the second heat of the big bike clash to capture second in that class as well. It proved to be a tougher task than Brown had considered as he followed Cordova and Hawthorne to the checkers for third place money. " I guess I need to go back and practice my starts. I'm just not getting the drive out of th e box that I need to compete with these guys. I was just glad to be in the first five in the last moto (of the Open Experts)," Brown noted at the end of the day. Mark Ra kestra w must feel th at the honeymoon is over as the newlywed Yamaha veteran has returned to professiona l action after a brief interlude. Rakestraw garnered a solid fourth in the smallest money class and then managed to emerge victorious in the 250s after some extremely tough dicing with Cordova, Bro wn ". :- .f\. .. JIl \ i. .. ' n e 'l\. ~ .e.