Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Ed Warren (3) and Danny Storbeck roost in the 126cc MocIifiecI c..... Warren went on to taka the c.... whila Storbeck had problem., National Mofosporfs Association/ Yamaha Grand National Cham"ionshi~ Mannah, Healey, Bowenbig winners at Ponca By Karel Kramer Photos by Pam Hardin and Kramer PONCA CITY, OK, AUG. 1-7 The National Motosports Association's annual Grand National Championships, sponsored again this year by Yamaha and running in the familiar Ponca City venue, was r!der ~on both the Stock and Modifled Sides o~ lhe ~e class. Double Ul~es did, however, go to Damon Watkins, Sean Thornton, and Keith Bowen' none of lhem had two listed on lhe entry forms of the in lhe same w'splacemem class. Kawaclass champions were the names of I! saki's Bader Manneh, who was to different states, wilh Oregon, Calimake lhe move to 125cc bikes and fornia and Arizorl3 being the only leave the Mini classes immediately western states. California riders did after the event, was the rider picked ~er. the most. indi,:idu~1 win~ers by many to take the "triple crown" with SIX champlOnshl~ m.les gomg championships in the 8!cc Stock and lhere, but Texas and Michigan were Modified Expert classes and the 105cc nearly as well represented with four class. But Manneh lost a chain in the titles each. Oklahoma and North first mow of the 105cc class, ending Carolina were the other states where his chances. With possible low scores more than one trophy will rest, with for the run·offs being two poims, two each. Manneh went imo the Stock class The brand breakdown was less with two and into the Modified class with three. His last-place start and a segregated, with Kawasaki garnering U class titles. Yamaha took nine, fall in the final of the Modified class Honda two and Suzuki and Italjet transformed his expected rout into a one each. 12th.place finish. There were no George Hollands or Manneh won lhe SlIx;k class with a Paul Denis' with multiple wins under four·poim srore as hiS only class lheir belts in lhe Mini classes lhis championship. Honda's Mike Healey y~~9t!01\"'~c!~.andJlP. , wowedlhe~I,lWn:tw.tj~~~~Nl the site of excellent displays of polished and professional ridingskills. The2000-plusentries " were Amateur In standing only. l~ his charge from eighth place in the Modified run-off after passing surprise early leader Mark Melton, also on a Honda. Healey took the championship in that class with a I!-point srorel Bowen and his Yamaha were the class act as far as the motorcycle Pro classes were concerned. Bowen, lhe foremost member of the "Michigan Mafia," won the 125cc Stock Expen 9-11 class and the junior Cycle MooIfied 9-11 class. Mouse McCoy looked good in several classes on his Dave Miller Concepts Kawasakis, and set the fastest lap or lhe week, in any class, in the second running of his 8!cc Modiried Expert class. Mouse was clearly on the move aboard the all-white machine when he had to put a root down at speed and broke it. McCoy has been looking for another major win since a 60cc Race of Champions in 1979. He would have been a popular winner as a privateer, alter leaving his factory Hondas or last year. Yamaha, Honda and Kawasaki all had assistance and parts for riders and there were riders in all of the factory pits for help. Kawasaki kept three 55-gallon drums full of iced Pripps Plus on hand at all times. Yamaha again provided entertainment wilh nightly movies and a live, all-girl band lhat belted out a good assortmem of rock and roll on Friday night. As lhe !O 8kc Stock Experts roIJed up to lhe gate for lheir run-off, Bader Marmeh was lhe favorite with three points so far in lhe two-heats-and-arun-off program where riders carry lheir points with lhem, and Bryan Bruner was second-favored at seven poims. An indication of lhe closeness of the racing was seen with a total of seven riders with eight, nine or 10 points. A rider with a 12·point srore going into lhe final would later win the Modified class overall I Suzuki's Scou "Lizzard" Brown took the start over Willie Surrau. Eddie Vreeland, Kyle Lewis, Manneh, Tommy Newman, Mike Morris and Craig Canoy, all on Kawasakis. Manneh used up two or the seven laps geuing by Lewis and two more pushing Surrau up to Brown's rear fender. Bolh riders went by Brown in one move in lhe back section of the fifth lap. Manneh kept going and passed Surratt for the lead and a rour-point scor$=~ ... ' .. t ~ .. I ~ ~. "... f. tl" t. ,. Mike Healey was out of lhe top eight at the Slan, but made a drive up lO fifth place at lhe flag to place second overall, three poims beuer than Oklahoma Kawasaki pilot Tommy "MiSler Minibike" Newman. Arizona's Bryan Bruner and Texas' Eddie Vreeland were fourlh and fiflh, both on Kawasakis. Manneh appeared to have lhe class as well as the 250cc Expert classes. A DNF in one mow gave Ed Warren, another MM member, the 125cc Modified win ror Kawasaki. Charlolle, Nonh Carolina's Damon Bradshaw was the only other double winner with his showing in the 105cc Modified 8~cc Expen class in the bag as he was going in with the lowest available score. His sponsor, Kawasaki, looked in command wilh green machiners Willie Surrall in with four points, Mouse McCoy in with seven and Billy Whitley and Keilh Turpin in with nine each. Only Suzuki's Brown, with six points, was in the running. McCoy and Brown DNF the final, and alter the rirst-turn melee had subsided, Newman was in the lead ahead of Honda rider Mark Melton, Kawasaki's Frankie Brundage, Brown, Whitley, Bruner, Yamaha's Bobby Moore, Healey and Georgia Honda rider Mark Crozier. Brown crashed of[ of lhe leader board on the first lap, and lhe cry or "Mark who?" was rippling lhrough the crowd as MellOn dispatched Newman and put on an amazing show of aggressive riding. Manneh had gone down over a tight, turning jump in lhe back section of the track and Surratt had gone down in a sweeper before a set of jumps. Bolh were circulating in lhe rear of lhe pack. Healey was clearly on the gas, passing more than one rider a lap. He and Moore seemed to work up through the pack together until lhe fourth lap. Healey jumped from sixth to third in lhe fourth lap. Brundagehad passed Newman, and Healey then dropped Newman to third. Soon, Healey passed Brundage and put him back to third where he started. Mehon was obviously pum ped, and just as obviously riding his heart out. When Healey broke imo second there was quite a gap to be made up. The "Stray Cat" closed lhe distance in one lap, but Melton stuck to his guns and his lines. Healey kept up the pr~s~, ,s1:",n>t o~~-

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