Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

six and there wasn't anyone behind me. I had one scare on the final lap when I hit a neutral going intooneof the comers and, as I was coasting through, the engine died: Luckily, it restarted." "I was having problems with the transmission sticking in gear. It wouldn't do it all the time, just enough to make things a bit tricky in some of the turns," said Emde. "The rear end was sliding around in the final laps so I had to back 0(£ a bit at times or risk the chance of going down," said Brunson. "Dave and I had a close race and it probably could have gone either way." Results Randy Renfrow hustled hi. Yamaha to the Formula Two win. (File photo.) drive 0(£ tum two and that was a key. I got into some slower traffic on one lap and Wayne didn't. That was his edge. It was a good race." "I kept wondering when Fred (Merkel) was going to make his move," said Cooley of his advantage over Merkel at the finish. "I was waiting. When you battle for the entire race and the finish is that close it makes you feel good." Results 1. Wayna Rainey (Kawl: 2, Mike Beldwin (Honl: 3. We. Cooley (Kaw): 4. Fred Merkel (Hon): 5, John Benencourt (Honl: 6. Joey Mills (Duel: 7. Jimmy Adamo (Due): 8. Rich Chambers (Honl: 9. Luther Wikle (Hon): 10. Dwayna Wessberg (Kawl: 11. Larry Shom (Honl: 12. .Jeff Heino (Suz): 13. Dan Nolan (Suz): 14. David Reed (Honl: 15, Rick Orlando (Honl; 16. Roger Doyle (Hon): 17. Don Sielschon (Kaw); 18. Mike Landrum (Honl: 19. Davin Benley (BMW); 20. Sam McDonald (Hon). Time: 34 min.• 65.110 sees, Average~: 103.097 mph. SUPERBIKE POINT STANDINGS: 1. Wayne Rai· ney (154): 2. Mika Baldwin (153): 3. Fred Merkel (110); 4. Sam McDonald (B61: 5. John 8enencourt (85): 6. Roberto Piatri (82); 7. Was Cooley (66); 8. Rick Orlando (49); 9. Jimmy Adamo (44): 10. (TIE) Joey Mill./Steve Wi.. (33). Formula Two Realrow romps 'BRAINERD, MN> SEPT. 4 The Formula Two final at BIR turned into a Randy Renfrow benefit. The series points leader cruised to victory with over 30 10 seconds in hand after breaking away from the field on the third of 16 laps on the three mile Brainerd International Raceway course. Kevin Brunson chased David Emde right to the finish, but came up a scant five bikelengths short at the checkered £lag. Brunson's third place was the best finish by a Rotax-powered machine this season. Renfrow and Emde, plus the vast majority of the Formula Two competitors were Yamaha TZ250mounted. David Scott, the pole sitter, lost his chance at a possible winner's circle showing when he ran off the course early in the event and had to work his way back up to fourth. Joseph Lachniet took fifth. The event was run under heavily overcast skies on a damp track. Rain had fallen earlier during the morning practice sessions. Scott, from his pole position, led the field away on the start. Scott, aboard the Yamaha TZ250 Dave Busby rode last year and wearing Busby's old leathers, had won the fastest qualifying heat on Saturday..Renfrow, Rusty Sharp, Lachniet and Emde made up row one. Emde took over the lead by the end of lap one with Renfrow then taking the point on the second go around. Kevin Brunson pushed Scott to fourth ahead of Lachniet and Ron Everling. Scott bobbled in one slow turn on the next lap and dropped from fourth to eighth. Meanwhile, Doug Brauneck, who had been dead last 0(£ the line, was slowly moving his way through traffic to ninth. By the fifth lap, Renfrow had about four seconds on Emde with Brunson slowly closing in third. A good battle was forming for fourth with Andy Price holding a slim lead over Everling and Lachniet. The rest of the field was strung out behind. Renfrow turned up the wick and pulled out a 12-second gap on lap seven as Emde lost second to Brunson. "You know when a rider on one of the Rotax-powered bikes is behind you," said Emde. "The engine sound isquitea bit different than a Yamaha." The battle for fourth heated up with Scott catching and then passing Lachniet, Price and Everling one by one to take fourth and then move away. Scott"then began to make his bid to catch the second place battle on lap nine. The Brunson/Emde and Emde/ Brunson duel raged all over the track with the position changing hands two and three times a lap. Renfrow was steadily putting distance on the two while Scott, from fourth, whittled away at their lead. By lap 11, the Brunson/Emde second place battle was 23 seconds behind leader Renfrow. Scott, in fourth, was 16 seconds behind the duel for second. Price and Lachniet were the only other riders still on the lead lap. Only eight of the disappointingly low turnout of 15 starters were still in the running at the end of lap 12. Emde made his move on the 13th lap to pass Brunson in turn two. Emde then pulled out about 10 bike lengths to lead Brunson across the line starting lap 14. Scott was not closing from fourth. Renfrow took the white £lag lap with a comfortable leading margin in hand. Emde led Brunson while Scott was well ahead of Lachniet and Price. Wayne Canale and Mike Landrum, who had been lapped, were the final riders running. The positions stayed the same to the £lag with Brunson closing to five lengths of Emde at the finish. "I didn't think the win would come that easy," said Renfrow after receiving a champagne shower from Emde. "I looked back on about lap 1. Randy Renfrow (Yam~ 2. Dave Emde (Yaml; 3. Kavin Brunson IArm): 4. David Soon (Yaml: 5. Joseph Lachniat (yaml; 6. Andy .Prlce (Yaml; 7. Wayne canale (Yam); 8. Mike Landrum (Yaml: 9. Ron E_ling (Yam); 10. Paul Curtis (Yam): 11. Ridt Darling (Yaml: 12. Andrew Edwards (Arml: 13. Doug Braunectl (Yam): 14. Christine Beur (Yam): 15. Merton Moore (Yam). Time: 29 min.. 29.794 sees. Average~: 97.639 mph. FORMUtA TWO POINT STANDINGS: 1. Randy Renfrow (138); 2. Dave Emde(l05); 3. Rhys Howard (97); 4. Hugh Humble (83): 5. Rusty Sharp (55); 6. Don Greene (46): 7. De.. Busby (45): 8. Chris Steward (441: 9. Daniel Coo (351; 10. Steve Baron (32). Battle 01 tile Twlld Adamo aU the.way BRAINERD, MN, SEPT. 3 Jimmy Adamo controlled the Battle of the Twins final, carving out an eight second margin of victory over his Ducati-riding Team Leoni teammate Joey Mills. The two stayed tied together for over half of the 14-lap, 42-mile final before Adamo moved out to open up his race winning margin. Mills was never challenged for second. Third place went to the finish with Harley-Davidson rider Michael Ross holding the advantage over Ducati-mounted Ron Sbordone. Harley-Davidson riders also took fifth and sixth places with Dave McClure taking fifth away from Chuck Quemler just past the halfway point and staying in position until the finish. Adamo grabbed the lead from Mills at the end of the first lap of the final and pulled out a slim lead over the following four laps. Mills continued to hang close to Adamo while the two left a rousing battle for third behind. By lap three, Sbordone was feeling continuous pressure from Jon Minnono with Ross, Quenzler and McClure behind. The five continued to close up ranks through the fifth lap. At that point, Adamo was the GP class leader with Mills leading the Expert Modi£ied ranks. Quenzler he-ld the Amateur Modified class lead with McClure on top of the Stock class. ''I'm going to conserve my energy," said Adamo before the start of the final. He was to hop off his BoTT bike and onto his Superbike entry as soon as the event was over. Mills was to do likewise. Minriono dropped out of the fracas for third on lap six, leaving Ross, Quert2ler and McClure to hassle Sbor· done for that spot. Adamo continued to hold a 10 to 15 bikelength lead over Mills. The Adamo/Mills duet had been running so strong they had pulled out nearly half a lap on third place Sbordone by the time the ninth lap . rolled around. The top six remained in position. Adamo and Mills had one minute, 10 seconds on third place at the end of the 10th lap with Ross inching ahead of Sbordone for third. McClure had done likewise to Quenzler for fifth. Adamo began to open up some breathing room on Mills on lap lZ. Sbordone moved ahead of Ross lor third and it appeared the battle would go to the finish. On lap 13, Ross was in front of Sbordone. Adamo took the checkered flag with an eight second advantage

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