Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Hames leads the start of the 25-lap final. Eighteen-veer-old Hames got lightning-quick starts all night. although he admitted to a casa of the nerves. It took almost half the race for Goss to pass second-year Expert Pete Hames, but once he was pest it was clear sailing. Hames hung onto second place. laps on his Rochester Racing CanAm. Brown bolted out of the hole first with SLeve Morehead immediately behind. Washington's Randy Green, who had fini hed third here last year as a rookie, climbed to third by the third circuit. Youth overcame experience midway through the race as Green passed Morehead for second and made it stick, taking his Honda into the National· behind Green. Now riding a Wood-Rotax, Mickey Fay pulled the holeshot in the final heat. The good start didn't faze Jay Springsteen, who waited a lap before taking the lead, then ran away with the race. Fay held on to second with little trouble, while Rich Arnaiz finished third. Semis Only one rider would transfer out of each semi, which in the case of the first one, was a shame because two riders deserved something after their fine battle. It started out with Garth Brow gelling his Honda to turn one first, with Ted Boody right behind rum on a Harley. Boody closed right up on Brow, while Bubba Shobert took him elf out of the race by crashing without major bodily damage on lap two. On the third lap Boody took over the lead from Brow, and in the next thre laps, pulled something of an edge. But then Brow suddenly came back an regained the magic spot. Despite all of Boody's best efforts, tbe transfer in this event belonged to Brow. Tim Mertens finished in third. The second semi saw Scott Pearson, back for the first time since his bad accident last spring, pull a familiar move and nail the holeshot. But when there was a crash in turn one, the red flag caine out. On the restart Pearson was caught out of gear and Steve Morehead led the way. It was an easy f1ag-to-f1ag win for the Ken Parker/KKSupply/Storz-sponsored Harley rider. Tom Maitland was second, and headed for the Last Chance. Last Chance Qualifier Tim Mertens, who was riiling one of Ron Wood's bikes after realizing a two-stroke wasn't the hot set-up, had things go all his way in the Last Chance. Mertens led from the first lap to the last. Ted Boody ran second rna tofthewayandputquitea bitof pressure on Mertens late in the race. However, Boody made a slip of arts on the last lap and dropped to third behind Alex Jorgensen. Junior National Ron Wood had two riders entered in thi first AMA Junior Championship in II year, and both were hot. In the 12-lap final, Chris Carr blitzed to the front of the pack with teammate Donald Estep second. Carr, who has won more AMA Amateur National dirt track titles than anyone we're aware of, stretched his lead through the remainder of the race. eemingly at will and looked quite invincible. Estep had an easy time holding second, as did Honda rider Robert McDonnell with third. After some discussion over fourth early in the race, it went to Yamaha-mounted Mike Arthur. Jay Springsteen (above) rode Harley's traditionally styled thumper, while Ricky Graham (below) rode the new single-shock Honda. Both looked stylish. National When the green dropped for the 25-lap National, Pete Hames got to turn one first. But Randy Green got such a great start from the second row that officials thought he ought to do it again, two rows back, and brought out the red flag. Hames again made away from the Iine and into the lead, wi th Fran Brown, Terry Poovey and Jay Springsteen trailing him. A lap later and Springer had displaced Poovey, who then had to worry about Mickey Fay, Rod Sullivan and Goss. Things were still sorting themselves out on the third lap, but on the following lap Fay, Randy Green and Doug Chandler were involved in a crash going into turn three. Fay wa still down as the red flag halted the race. The other two were up and made the restart, but Fay was taken the the hospital for a quick check, where it was revealed that he was only shaken up slightly and had a mild concussion. He would compete the following evening. A single-file restart was called with three laps being declared official. Off the restart it was still Hames in the lead, followed by Brown, Ricky Graham and Springsteen. A lap later and Goss had squirted through all the way to third. By the seventh lap Goss was up to second, while new third-placer Brown had a battle coming up behind him comprised of Graham, Poovey and pring teen. Within three lap Gas was shaving rubber off Harne' rear tire, but the second-year Expert seemed to be holding his own, and stayed out front for another three laps to the halfway point. Goss then passed him, but Hames very quickly came back. It took the defending Grand National Champ another move to get back in front, but this time it was for good. Then he began to pull distance at a moderate rate. Behind them the battle for third had narrowed to familiar race-track protagonists Graham and Springer. Green was holding fifth, followed by Poovey, Brow and Morehead. Goss took tbe checkered with a comfortable margin on Hames, who in turn had breathing room on the ballie for third. The ballie raged all over the track, but Springsteen seemed to have the edge on !he final two laps and took the position. Behind them Brow worked up a couple of po tllOns for fifth over Green and Steve Morehead. Poovey took eighth, followed by Brown and Tim Mertens. "It wa prelly hairy trying to put my bike wbere no one else was in the early laps," said Goss after it wa all over. "After I got by Hames I changed my line a lillIe because I knew where he was fastest and wanted to make it so he couldn't pass me there." "I got a little tired after awhile," said Hames, adding, "I was still pushing it and I got out of shape, so I decided to slow down and go for the finish." • Results 25·LAP NATIONAL FINAL: 1. Randy Goss (H·D); 2. Pete Hames (C-A): 3. Jay Springsteen (H-D); 4. Ricky Graham (Hon): 5. Garth Brow (Hon); 6. Randy Green (Hon); 7. Steve Morehead (H-D); B. Terry Poovey (Hon); 9. Fran Brown (H-O); 10. Tim Mertens (W-R); 11. Ronnie Jones (H·D); 12. Doug Chandler (Ho!).l 13. Rod Sullivan (C·A); 14. Hank Scott (H·D); 15. Mickey Fay (W-R). No time due to restart. 12·LAP JUNIOR NATIONAL 1. Chris Carr (W-R); 2. Donald Estep (W-R); 3. Robert McDonnell jHon); 4. Mike Arthur (Vam); 5. Wiley Dureall (H·D): 6. Dan McDonnell (Hon); 7. Raymond Huddleston (Vam); B. Terry Wahl (C·A); 9. Randy Bird (Vam)1 10. Monte Hill (Hon); 11. David Miller (Hon); 12. Chad Felicio (Kaw). 7

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