Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

,> Vet Expert Rich Schilling launches his Honda CR480 off a jump, Schilling placed third in class at the Marysville motocross. (File photo). Brandt, Hannah, Christian at SHR Marathon By Jim Bowman BRENTWOOD, CA, DEC. 4 Concord Yamaha's Jerry Brandt, Frank Hannah and Cycle Gear/Richmond Yamahasponsored Craig Christian were 16 the top riders in the Open, 2S0 and 12Scc classes, respectively, at the twohour marathon held at Sand Hill Ranch today. All 0-250cc class riders rode in the first event and more than SO Open bikes competed in the second event. Trophies were awarded based on overall performance in the class, with no distinction between the Junior, Intermediate and Expert levels. Brandt moved from the over-thefront-wheel start position, started his bike and made it to the first turn before all the other riders in the 250cc event. Hannah was seventh by the end of the first lap, but worked up to second by the end of lap two. About the fifth lap, Hannah took over the lead when Brandt's throttle cable stuck going up "Godzilla" hill. Hannah contin ued and lapped the entire class before the checkers came out. Joe Towbis worked his way up from eighth on the first lap to second after a 15-lap battle with third place Yamaha pilot Dave LaFaille. Towbis and LaFaille tallied 20 laps, which was one more than that of Irvin Arhzigin, John Matalamabi and the team of Sergis and Joe DeOrnelas, who scored third through sixth, respectively. Doug Brooks was the first rider to complete one lap in the 12Scc class, but Christian led the next 19 laps to the checkers, lapping the entire class twice. The team of Mark Anzlone and Alan Carlson moved up in the second half to take second and, despite a fall to the back of the pack on lap four, the team of Todd Ternan and Rob Taylor caugh.t back up and tailed the Anzlone/Carlson team on the last three laps to finish third. One lap down from second and third, Pam MacDonald, the team of Liz Powers . and Mike Wright, and Doug Halloway completed 17 laps to round out the top six in class. Brandt repeated his first holeshot in the Open event and held the gas on fo~ the next 24 laps to the checkers. K.C. Classen was in the hunt from the beginning and finished second after battling most of the event with third place finisher Tai Wilson. One lap down from Classen and Wilson, Colin MacDonald (Petaluma Yamaha), the team of John Traverso and Bob Marx, and Hayward Yamaha's Alan Brunk finished third through sixth, respectively. Although trophies were awarded clear back to 17th place, the only other riders to compete 22 laps were Dave Harrell (whoalso finished 7th 250cc), the team of Jim Ashley and Brilalia Motors Husqvarna sponsor Joe Carter, and Hondamounted Gary Nauman, who rounded out the top nine. Results OPEN: 1. Jerry Brandt (Yam); 2. K.C. Classen (Hon): 3. Tai Wilson (Kaw); 4. Colin MacDonald (Yam); 5. John Traverso/Bob Marx (Han); 6. Alan Brunk (Yam): 7..Dave Harrell (C-A); B. Jim Ashley (Hus): 9. Gary Nauman (Hon); 10. Pete Dondry/John White (Hon); '11. Dwayne Turner (Yam); 12. Jim Bowman (Yam);' 13. Mike Collins (Hon); 14. Norm Hasenpflug (Yam); 15. Perrv.and Robert Naylor (Hon); 16. Mike Wright/Liz Powers (Han); 17. Bob Collins (Hon); lB. Bob Fox (Hon). 250: 1. Frank Hannah (Yam): 2. Joe Towbis (Yam); 3. Dave LaFaille (Yam); 4. Irvin Ahrzigin (Hon); 5. John Matalamabi (Hon); 6. Sergis and Joe DeOrnelus (Kaw); 7. Dave Harrell (Suz). 0-200: 1. Craig Christian (Yam); 2. Mark Anzlane/Alan Carlson; 3. Todd Ternan/Rob Tavlor(Hon); 4. Pam MacDonald (Yam); 5. Liz Powers/Mike Wright (Hon); 6. Doug Hollaway (Yam). MINI: 1. Todd Hicks (Suz); 2. Danny Paladino (Hon); 3. Jimmy Clay (Yam); 4. Pete Piantanida; 5. George Kosovilka (Kaw); 6. Bobby Ziel(Hon); 7. We. Clement (Yam). Hooper's back on track at Clarks Branch MX By Clay and Suanne Light ROSEBURG, OR, DEC. 4 Larry Hooper was back on tracJ<. and up to his usual dirty deeds at the Clarks Branch motocross in round three of the AMA Winter series in Roseburg. Hooper swept both Pro motos convincingly to latch on to the top cash payoff on nis O'Neal/Honda Support/Yamaha Honda of Roseburg CR250. Stan Roberts aced both 125cc Intermediate moLOS, which was the largest class of the day. In a combined 12Scc race, which lined up 16 riders on the 25-rider gate; lone 125cc Pro rider Steve Nelson waltzed into the lead on the opening lap over former southern Oregon champion Randy Wing, who ruled all three Pro classes [rom the mid LO late '70s and placed well in the 250cc Nationals in '78-79, and Roberts. The duo formed a sensational battle for the lead, with Wing using a Yamaha in a style rem'iniscent of yesteryear, until Roberts and Chad Klingbeil put passes on Wing, who was beginning to fade. The final finish order was Nelson, Roberts, Klingbeil, Wing and last race's doublewinner Mark Slipp. MoLO two had Nelson and Wingset up what looked LO bea contest between the latter-day Pro (Nelson) and the un-retired Pro (Wing). Wing held on to pressure, making smooth moves but again dropped 0[£ the pace in the late stages of the 10-lap moLO and guided his YZ into a third-place finish in the slop behind Nelson and Roberts. Roberts LOok the Intermediates by storm via I-lover Wing's 3-2 and Klingbeil's 2-3. Nelson outclassed the field once again, dominating both motos. The Pro ranks was once again a "Hooperfest." "The Hoop" trailed fellow Pro rider Gary Bault, who was last year's Winter champion, on tne initial lap of action, but Hooper blitzed past shortly thereafter and never looked back. Look for Hooper LO put in more impressive moLO finishes in this year's Nationals, riding this grueling track makes a good rider great. The second mOLO was the same as the first except that Bault guided his Yamaha around the torturous track in the lead for seven laps while Hooper tried in vain LO pick him off. Bault, who is no slouch, probably gave Hooper his hardest-fought win of the season in this second moLO, and LOok the lead back on lap 10, but when the checkered (lag fell, it was Hooper where it counted most for the overall win over Bault. The 250cc Intermediates were combined in the mayhem and T-.R. Stevens put his Honda into the winner's circle by copping a double-moto blitz over yet another of th.e racing Roberts family (Wes). Results PRO: 1. Larry Hooper; 2. Gary Sault; 3. Rick Smith. 1251NT: 1. Stan Roberts; 2. RandyWing; 3. Chad Klingbeil. OPEN JR: 1. Troy Jenkins; 2. Steve Nitchke; 3. John Baimbridge. PEE WEE: 1. Joie DePew; 2. Chris Renard; 3. Jason Mathews. 1+5 JR: 1. Layne Good: 2. Becky Roberts; 3. Jim Smith. OT:. 1. Melvin Sailing; 2. Charles Mathews; 3. John Broadwater. MINI EX: 1. Jeff Daily. 250 JR: 1. Mike Cochran; 2. Randy TUllle. MINIINT: 1. Tommy White; 2. Darren Clayton; 3. Curt Cunningham. 250 INT: 1. T.R. Stevens; 2. Wes Roberts; 3. Doug Eckelman. MINI JR: 1. Mike Cochran; 2. Philip Escobar; 3. Chris Renard. Vohland blasts off at Marysville MX By Madame Mabel MAR YSVILLE, CA. NOV. 27 Hi-Paint-sponsored, Yamahasupported Tyson "War Path" Vohland left riders arid spectators in awe after capturing two firsts in the 125cc Pro class at the crowded Marysville mc1locross today. The first moto of the 125s got underway with a holeshot by HiPoint-sponsored, Kawasaki-mounted, Rodney "Hot Shot" Harriger, whose lead enabled him to avoid a first-turn bike tangle. However, the vivacious young Vohland was on the move and by the second lap, the race was all his. A pursuit on Vohland and Harriger by yet another Hi-Point-sponsored rider, Dave "2-Door" Coupe on a Honda, gave them little room for mistakes. Coupe captured second and moved in close on Vohland's "War Path" territory only to be scalped on the last lap, enabling Harriger to reclaim second. At the finish it was Vohland, Harriger, Coupe, Steve Hadlock, Steve Vlahos, and Jim Cressa clutching the LOp six positions. Vohland wasted lillie time in grabbing the lead in the second moLO as he began putting plenty of distance between himself and the restof the tribe right from the start. As for the rest, it was an intense fight LO the finish as they switched all positions somewhat rapidly throughout the race. Cressa and Coupe were going at it for second while Vlahos, Harriger, and Hadlock plowed the ground [or fourth. Coupe put in the tack for second, Cressa held on for a third, Vlahos came around. fourth, Harriger fifth, and Hadlock finished si.xth. Vohland holeshot the start of the first moLO in the 250cc Pro class and, agai n, walloped the others, at least for awhile. Jon Nelson, making an appearance on a Yamaha, was full of vitality and giving Vohland a real work-out, but a seized engine left Nelson bikeless and unable to finish. Eric McKenna slyly picked up on Nelson's tracks and took over the battle for first. As for third; it was Yamaha-supported Rodney Smith clinging on with devoted Husky rider Larry Coleman trailing him. Chip "How Much" Vanderford and his Honda teamed up for a clear fifth with Jon Hill on a Honda in sixth. Meanwhile, McKenna managed LO get around Vohland and at the checkers McKenna was first, Vohland second, Smith third, Coleman fOllrth, Vanderford fifth, and Hill sixth. The second moLO had no Vohland at the gate lineup after the sickness he was fighting won him over and left him unable to compete. This time, though, the battle was there for Smith and McKenna and Allen "Bad Boy" Berluti whose first moLO resulted in a w-reck that left him breathless. Vanderford and Hill quarrelled for fourth and Phillip Debler shot up to sixth. With the finish flag flying, it was Smith who greeted the wave first, followed by McKenna, Berluti, Vander(ord, Hill, and Debler. • Results 125 EX: 1. Tyson Vohland; 2. Dave Coupe; 3. Rodney Harriger. _ 1251NT: 1. John Willard; 2. Kelly Andris; 3. Kevin Snyder. 125 NOV: 1. Don Church; 2. Jed Green; 3. Danny Allen. . 250 EX: 1. Eric McKenna; 2: Rodney Smith; 3. Chip Vanderford. 250 INT: 1. Bob Milani; 2. Melvin Bauman; 3. Mike Harper. 250 NOV; 1. Tony Escujuri; 2. Jamey Parker; 3. Mark Pleinis. OPEN EX: 1. Rodney Smith; 2. Eric McKenna; 3. Jon Nelson. OPEN INT: 1. Harlev Metcalf; 2. Jim Giuffra. OPEN NOV: 1. Matt Flum; 2. Doug Dennis; 3. Kurt Car hone. MINI EX: 1. Mark Lawson; 2. Steve Lamson. MINI INT: 1. Robby Devens; 2. Chris Ward; 3. Tony McGrath. MINI NOV: 1. Alan Goty; 2. C.J. Bowling; 3. Andy Sutter. OT EX: 1. Rich Schilling; 2. Carl Bowling. OT INT: 1. Kent Winshell. OT NOV: 1. Bob Roger. WOMEN EX: 1. Jeanie Morgan. WOMEN tNT: 1. Ida Thomspon. WOMEN NOV: 1. Miki Smith. VET EX: 1. Charlie Smart; 2. Steve Ferroni; 3. Rich Schilling. VET INT: 1. Roy Thompson. VET NOV: 1. Dana Hasting.

• Cover