Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

at") 00 0') a t") Honda'. Randy G;. .n took the 260cc main at Bellingham. (File photo.' Ridgeway, Quale Patterson, Green shoot to top go for gusto at Boise at Bellingham By Clay Ught By Marty Gregory BELLINGHAM, WA, AUG. 13 BOISE, 10, AUG. 12 Bellingham's own Randy Patterson won a star-studded Open main event at Hannegan Speedway's three-eights-mile The Friday evening motocross at Boise's Peaceful Cove track saw a small turnout of Experts and most of the excitement concentrated in the B classes. Coming away with the wins were Tracy Ridgeway in the 125cc ranks and Bruce Quale in the 250cc even t. Some of the Boise area's fastest riders, such as Loren Shockey and Warren "Pud" Hickman, were on their way to Washougal for the National, so it was left to joe Wright in the 250cc Expert class and Dan Lees in the Open ranks. The 125cc Beginner class saw a tight battle for the first three places, with Performance Cycle's Ridgeway going 3-1 to windup on top over Mike Kelly (2-2) and Brian Gafford (1-3). Yamahas seemed to be the hot set-up this week, with 10 of the 19 awarded trophies going to riders of the yellow and black machines. The 250 Bs weren't quite as close as the 125s but had a dandy race nonetheless. First moto DNF'er joel Husky won the second race but didn't figure in the points. Bruce Quale's 1-3 was good enou/i';h for the overall, easily outpointing H.P. Honeycutt, who took second WIth a 6-2. Results MINI B: 1. Keith Merrill (Ylm); 2. Briln Lillrell lKaw). 36 MINIINT: 1. Eric Deschlmps (Ylm). MINI EX: 1. Corey Blno,; (Klw). 125 B: 1. Trecy N. RidgewlY (ylm); 2. Mike Kelly (Han); 3. Briln Gelford (Suz); 4. KIn Gliloechll (Ylm). 125 INT: 1. Jeff Fultz lKaw). 125 EX: 1. Mlrk HIli (Ylm); 2. Tom Fi,-rlld (Ylm). 250B: 1. Bruce QUlie (Ylm); 2. H.P. Honeycul1111 (ylm); 3. Rob Johnson IYlm~ 4. Kerry Cerlocl< (Han). 250 INT: 1. Butch Veenstrl (Suz). 250 EX: 1. Joe Wrighl (Han). OPEN B: 1. Bob Wehr (Han). OPEN EX: 1. DIn Lees (HuI). flat track, going wire to wire on the Yamaha Northwest/Kleen Taps/Fred Boettner/KTM. Honda-supported Randy Green came home from Montana and completely dominated the 250cc main event over Seattle Honda's Kirk Strong. Patterson padded his Open class points lead with his impressive win on his 500 KTM single. The start o[ the race was somewhat chaotic as Harley-Davidson riders Green and Strong got overenthusiastic and jumped the gun which made [or a 6-4-2 staging grid. Patterson trounced the start of the l2-lap main event and never looked back. Green, Chris Fitzhugh and Lance Strong made up a three-way battle for second while Patterson flat out moved away. The track was somewhat slick, due to moisture rising to the top, which made it difficult to ride a 750. Five 750s were in the main and both Green and Strong were having problems maneuvering their Harleys while Patterson's light 500 KTM skimmed the surface out [ront. Bill Hilland came from outof the "twilight zone" to put a pass on a trio of experienced riders on his 500 Honda, passing first Fitzhugh, then Strong and then the big surprise when Hilland put the motor on rookie Expert Green, who was on his debut Northwest Harley ride. Hilland slid on by to take second behind Patterson, who practically had his machine loaded up when the trio in third, fourth and fifth came blistering in. Lance Strong nabbed brother Kirk for fifth across the finish. Green, Kirk Strong and Patterson rode like they were super-glued to- gether to lead a class lineup in the 250cc main event. The freight train of riders resembled traffic in Seattle during rush hour as the entire field played follow the leader. For five laps the top three dueled inches apart until Randy Roose laid his Yamaha Northwest 250 YZ down and was conveniently clobbered by Novice john Engelecke, which brought out the red flags. The restart was the AMA "ambulance" version - single file in one straight line. Green was first and used it to briefly escape the pesky duo of Strong and Patterson. Green and his watered-down Honda controlled the race for the next three laps, butpn lap nine Strong and Patterson came bouncing back to come within a bikelength of taking Green by surprise. Green held on for the win over his fellow Expert comrades and beat Strong and Patterson, who crossed the line in a photo-finish matching of front wheels. Patterson got the short end of the stick with third place over Lance Strong, Canadian sensation Steve Aseltine and Brian McGonigal. Patterson and Green's night didn't end that easy. Both riders dueled it out and came up with a win apiece in trophy-dash action. Green beat Patterson and Strong in the 250cc dash, but this was reversed when Patterson put it to Oreen's 750 to take the Open brass. Green set fast time on a 250 with a 17.17 and Patterson the Open with a 17.06. a rabid dog, chased by Yamamoto. Cntickshank was out for blood, since seeing his lengthly streak of wins end the last two weeks, and set sight on the first-place payoff. But Yamamoto had other ideas. He and Todd Sommers, both aboard MX-based machinery, were using every inch of Idaho turf in their drives at inheriting the lead, to the point of using the haybales for berms. Cruic~shank was not to be stopped, however, and went on to win over Yamamoto, Sommers., Archie Triber and Arney Wick, whq got off incredibly had at one point in the race. Yamamoto dido' t stick around long in the Open Experts battlefront as h'e put his Maico into an untouchable lead over Cruickshank and Wick, both on 480 Hondas. Wick, stiTI stunned from his nasty get-off, wa managing to hold Richard Hayman at bay. Hayman was also involved in the earlier pile-up, and the two swapped rear wheel specs behind Yamamoto and Cruickshank, who was hoping for a lucky brealC. Cruickshank just couldn't come any closer than 10 bikelengths to Yam moto, who was enjoying his lead which he would take all the way to the pay window. Cruickshank ended up second over Wick, Hayman, Dar: rell Sims and 52-year-old Darrell Triber and his 750 Triumph at the checkered flag. Results shl""; 3. Arney Wick. OPEN MAIN: 1. Rlndy Pllllerson (KTM); 2. Bill Hilllnd (Han); Rlndy Green (H·D). 250 MAIN: 1. Rlndy Green (Han); 2. Kirk Strong (Han); 3. Rlndy PIllerson (KTM). 125 MAIIII: 1. Steve Aseltine (Ylm); 2. Jeff Still (Han); 3. Terry Steinbach (Ylm). eo MAIN: 1. Kathy Hubbll (Ylm); 2. Shlwn Ven· 3. Todd Sommlrs. 250 EX: 1. Rusty Yamlmolo; 2. Rodney Ginn; 3. Phil Hlmby. OPEN A: 1. Jeff Seldon; 2. Frln Gillhoover;-3. nables (Yam); 3. Jason Anderson (Yam). TROPHY DASH OPEN: 1. Rlndy PIllerson (KTM). 250: 1. Rlndy Green (Han). Cruickshank, Yamamoto split Huetter wins n By Clay Light COEUR D'ALENE, 10, AUG. II Spokane, Washington's Ron Yamamoto launched his Stults Dist./Team . jesus/MP/Light Racing Products/Maico USA 490 into the Open Expert winner's circle after 10 grueling lap of wheelto-wheel combat with Tony Cruickshank (Taewest Transfer/Red Baron Pizza/Couer D'Alene Hon) at today's H uetter flat track. Cruickshank did the same to Yamamoto to win the IO-Iap 500cc Expert main, and Rusty Yamamoto took a double, winning the 250cc Expert and the 500cc A main events. Idaho thundershowers nearly nixed. racing action, but Lady Luck was on the racer's side. Some precipitation made for maximum traction, and Rusty Yamamoto and his 250 YZ found it to their liking and rode away with an uncontested 250cc Expert main event win, just as he has for the second half of the season. Tracy Col-· lins, Rodney Ginn and Ken Duncan fouf:ht like cats and do/i';s over second, whIch ended up going Ginn's way over Phil Hamby, who snuck into third. The sky did manage to get alarmingly dark before the staging of the 500cc Expert main. The real surprise was that rain fell in measurable amounts everywhere but at the race track. Cruickshank found that enough of a reason to rejoice and took off like Results OPEN EX: 1. Ron Yamamoto; 2. Tony Cruick- 500 EX: 1. Tony Cruickshank; 2. Ron Yamamoto; Jackie Smith. 500 A: 1. Rusty Yamamoto; 2. Jackie Smith; 3. Fran Gillhoover. 250 A: 1. John Milchell; 2. Troy Hedge; 3. Clim Baskell. 125 A: 1. John Mitchell; 2. Troy Hedge; 3. Ricky Bell. BO A: 1. Troy Hedge; 2. Billy Lenz; 3. Glnh Seldon. PP: 1. Lori Gillhoover; 2. Trixy Darrarr; 3. Joni Clemenger. Green guns down Belero, Billings wins By Suanne L. Light BILLINGS, Mt, AUG. 5-6 American Honda's Randy Green made the trek from Lake Stevens, Washington, payoff by dominating two nights of racing on his Simpson/Honda/Panther American frames Hondas. Green took stunning victories in "Big Sky Country" at both the Bolero quartermile and Prairie View eighth-mile races, winning the Open Pro and 250cc Pro main. events going away on each occaSIon. The opening night of short track on Friday was quarter-mile action at Belero Speedway in Billings. Green took advantage of cool evening temperatures to put his Honda water-pumper into the lead in the 250cc Pro maio event, leading Billings Yamaha's Todd Giesick, AMA Novice Roger Thompson and Idaho's Rodney Reynolds. Thompson breezed past Reynolds then Giesick to move to second, but Green ran away to his first win of the evening as he beat the young Californian for the win. Giesick took third over Reynolds and another Billings rider, Mark Lenhardt. Green was back out front in the Open Pro main event on a 600 Honda and had his work cut out for him in the form of Californian Jeff johnson,

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