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0(') 00 0') Mickey Fay hangs it out en route to the Sidewinders Expert Championship. Fay, Bennett, Horban top $5000 Regional Championship final By Clay Light Photos by Vic Ebbutt CLACKAMAS, OR, AUG. 26 Mickey Fay crossed the line first to win the Expert main event at the AMA Western Regional 'IT Championship final on his BelRay/N-D/Marushin/York Honda/American Honda 500. Fellow Washingtonian Charlie "Breu" . Barkman rode to a valiant second place behind Fay on his Simpson/York Honda Can-Am. With Fay's win, the Team Honda pilot wrapped up the Sidewinders Expert title. Danny Bennett took tonight's Junior main event win to take the Junior title over Husqvama USAf· BuzzFarrell/YamSponsCenter-sponsoredJeffrey Harsha. Robert Horban (AutomaniaiLight Racing Products/ Grants Pass Suz) finished the season off in spectacular (orm with his Novice main event win over Cali(or· nian Chad Felicio. 38 The Novice main event kicked off the evening's program o( $5000 main events, and it was also suspected that Chris Carr and Mike Arthur would settle the race (or the Novice Regional Champion title. That was a battle that never materialized and Carr commented, "1 crashed and watched Arthur close, if he had of won, the title could have gone his way." Carr crashed while running third behind Robert Horban and fellow Califor· nian Chad Felicio. Horban pulled away. at ,an impressive- rate on his go down the tube when Bennett crossed the finish to grab two titles, the Sidewinders class championship and the AMA Regional Championship Junior title. Harsha took second at the flag over Fiuhugh, Gerrard, Knight, Oglesbee and Dan Brunner. Nearly $1000 was up for grabs for the winner of the I5-lap Expert main event and II of the 12 finalists held National numbers, which says a lot about the Northwest Trers. Fay and Word walloped the start of the main and led up the gradual incline and down the hill. Charlie Barkman has been on the gas lately and came flying down the hill to swoop up Word and move into second and battle for two laps with Fay. Behind Barkman rode Word, teammate Brad Hurst and Ron Yamamoto, who was posting the most spirited ride of the evening on a 500 Suzuki. Yamamoto and Word staged an exciting battle for fourth while Fay was busy up front in the process of wrapping up his Sidewinders Expert class championsnip. Barkman rode sensationally, having to hold up under the advances from Hurst, who, like teammate Word, was having trouble hooking up on his 750. Behind Word rode Tom McCullough, Mike Sullivan, Jerr McD~niel and Jerr Campbell, making ita top-ten National numbers parade. Fay pulled away on the last lap from Barkman, who had the advantage with a lighter bike that was hooking up well, to lead Hurst, who only had to finish to take the AMA Western Regional Expert laurels. Fourth went 10 "Kamakazi" Yamamoto, riding his 500 RM to beat Word, McCullough and Strong 10 finish off the Regional Championship final, which will go down as the last race of the Nonhwesl Pro Tr series due to the following night's Castle Rock Tr rainoul. Results EX MAIN: 1. Mickey Fay (Hon); 2. Charlie Barkman (C-A): 3. Brad Hurst (Tri); 4. Ronald Vamamoto (Suz); 5. Frank Word III (H-D): 6. Thomas McCullough (Tri): 7. Kirk Strong (Han): B. Mike Sullivan (Nor); 9. Jell McDaniel (C-A); 10. Jell campbell (C-A); 11. Harry Thomes (Tri); 12. Pele Simo"""n (Yam). JR MAIN: ,. Daniel Bennan (Hon): 2. JeIIrey Hersha (Hus); 3. Chris Fitzhugh (Hon): 4. Duene Gerrard (Yam): 5. Joaeph Knighl (Suz): 6. Mike Ogles· bee (Hon); 7. Denile Brunner (Hon~ B. William McDonnell (H-D); 9. George McBee (BSA); 10. Ryan Fisher (RTX); 11. Donald Wilson (Vam); 12. Del Scnitzer rrri). NOV MAIN: ,. Raben Horban (Suz): 2. Chad Felicia (Kaw): 3. Danny McDonnell (Hon): 4. Lance Strong (Han); 5. Mike Lawrence (Hon): 6. Brian McGonigal (Suz): 7. BobbyWaUers(Kaw); B. Michael Anhur (Vam); 9. Peul Peroli (Yam): 10. Veri Smilh (Yam); " . Mike SCOll (Vam); 12. Chris carr (C-AI. TROPHV DASHES EX: ,. Mickey Fay (Honl: 2. Kirk Strong (Hon); 3. Jeffrey campbell (C-A): 4. Frank Word (H-D). JR: 1. Danny Bennell (Han); 2. Jell Harsha (Hus); 3. Chris Fitzhugh (Han); 4. Mike OglesbeeIHon). NOV: I. Mike Lawrence (Han); 2. Danny McDonnell (Hon): 3. Raben Horban (Suz): 4. Chad Felicia (Kaw). AMA WESTERN REG CHAMPIONS EX: 1. Brad Hurst (Tri). JR: 1. Danny Bennell (Hon). NOV: ,. Chris carr (C-A). SIDEWINDERS ClASS CHAMPIONS EX: 1. Mickey Fay (Hon). JR: 1. Danny Ben.,." (Hon). NOV: 1. Mike Lawrence (Han). Suzuki wat~r-pumper, leaving FeliCIO to scrap u out wuh Lanc.e Strong, Danny McDonnell and Mike Lawrence all aboard Honda water-cooled 250s. 'Felicio had a lonely second all to himseJ( as Hor~an hit lap~s and went on for the Win over FehclO.and McDonnell. Fourth was ~on In a shootout by Strong, beallng Lawrence, ~bby ,walters and Arthur, who tWIsted his ankle and dropped back, losing the title by a few points to Carr. . Ben!1ett, Mike Ogles~, Harsha and Fluhugh led the JUnior 12-lap main event on .th~ opening lap. For I I of the 12 stlrnng laps, the (ocus was on the Bennett/Harsha battle for the Junior title. For the winner it would be the Sidewinders class cham· ByClay Ught pionship, which would go Bennett's BELLINGHAM, WA, AUG. 27 way in the end by a mere two points. Bennett pulled away from Harsha in While pouring thundershowthe end while Harsha was doing ers rained out Castle Rock's everything in the books at putting a IT Regional, it was decided by stop to Bennett's Honda. Behind Benmany to head 150 miles up 1-5 nett and Harsha was a Fiuhugh/ to Bellingham's Hannegan Speedway Duane Gerrard/Joe Knight battle for in northern Washington. Bellingham third after dropping Oglesbee to fifth. escaped any threat of rain and was the Bennett rode out front with a threelucky recipiant of the sunshine. Team second lead on Harsha, who was Honda's Mickey Fay arrived in a straining his 500 two-stroke single and watching his·chanceut-thetide- • • .hurry;.after wme initial discussion at Fay files to Bellingham wins the Regional and it was decided to "fly" to Bellingham. Fay arrived in the nick of time to win the 250 aild Open Pro main events and finish 9ft a glorious weekend of racing after winning last night's Oregon Tr regional. One month ago Fay set a shattering track record of 16.98 on his 500 and set another record tonight with a 16.89. Fay was still dressing as he arrived at the track, putting on his boots and jersey then immediately jumping on his machines to win his heat races, trophy dashes and set the new track record. Not bad for having to drive at 80 mph all the way from Castle Rock! National number 57 Randy Patterson put his Yamaha Northwest YZ into the lead at the start of the 250cc Expert main event and held on for a lap until Fay's N-D/Bel-Ray/Marushin Helmet/American Honda water-pumper came smoking past to nab the lead. Canadian Yamaha's Steve Aseltine and Patterson stayed glued to Fay for a few brief laps until Fay pulled away. Behind the trio of leaders rode a horde of AMA Novices consisting of Lance Strong, Bobby Walll~rs and Brian McGonigal. MOIOcrosser Rusty Flecher was riding the water-cooled Yamaha of injured Randy Roose and moved into the top fi ve in the later stages, making the final top-five finishing order behind Fay, Aseltine, Patterson and Strong. Aseltine, who is but 15 years old, rode superbly for second. Fay's 16.89 was set in the early portion of the Open Expert main event, but in order to do so, Fay had to catcn and pass Chris Fitzhugh and his 5.00 Honda. Fitzhugh, Kirk Strong and Fay were side by side coming dowp the strait and Fitzhugh continued to lead until three laps had clicked off the 12-lap main. Fay took over at thaI. point and made the order Fay, Fit~ hugh, Strong, Bob Moran and Patterson at the halfway point in the main. Bill Hilland and Canadian Mike Young joined Moran and Patterson in one large group of fast ridin', hard slidin' riders but it was Fay who pulled away at the end, just as he did at the Sidewinders Tr to take the win for a "double domination" over Strong, who nabbed Fiuhugh for second. Fourth went Moran's way, outpowering Patterson's 500. Patterson was trying gearing changes and couldn't get the needed drive, ending fifth ahead of Hilland, Young and Steve Pruczinski. Results OPEN EX MAIN: 1. Mickey Fay (Han); 2. Kirk Slrong (Hon); 3. Chris Filzhugh (Hon). 250EX MAIN: 1. Mickey Fay (Hon); 2. SI_ Asel· lina (Yam): 3. Randy Paneraon (Yam). TROPHVDASH OPEN: 1. Mickey Fay (Hon). 250: 1. Mickey Fey (Han). Yamamoto triples at Guymond Memorial .. By Clay Ught COEUR D'ALENE, !D, AUG. 25 Ron Yamamoto scored triple wins at Hueuer Speedway's tribute race to Kirk Guymond. Yamamoto and Tony Cruickshank were up to their usual warfare and battled in thre-e main events. Yamamoto took the 250,500 and 20lap memorial races. Cruickshank.won the Open Expert main to get revenge at the next-to-last IESRA flat track race in Coeur d'Alene. • •• , ••••