Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126758
(Above) O.n Smith. for the .econd ye.r in • row, took the over.1I in the Expert cl•••. (Below) W.terproofing nece...ry. w •• Bri.n M.nley topped the 125cc Expert cl••• on S.turd.y, but fl.t tire. on Sund.y .poiled ••ure win in the 250•. else next year is up in the air at this point. Saturday Over 1,000 riders battle at 16th Annual Viewfinders G.P. By Kit Palmer and Ken Stein RIVERSIDE, CA, MAR. 3-4 Unlike last year's mud fest, the the 16th annual Viewfinders Grand Prix held at Riv- erside International Raceway was held under sunny skies and warm temperatures, so water trucks were kept busy day and night losing a two-day battle against dust. Even with the dusty conditions, many 28 riders commented how well the course was laid out and how smooth the race was run. But the most unanimous expression of the day after completing 100 miles of whoops, drop-offs, mud holes, off cambers and asphalt was, "Man, that was a blast!" The Viewfinders Grand Prix is the last 100 mile off-road GP left in the state, and, according to race director Bill Mcinnis, is the largest GP in the world with over a thousand riders entered during the two day weekend. However, Mcinnis also added that this will probably be'the la t Viewfinders GP held at Riverside Raceway and quite possibly might not be run for the next couple of years. The reason for this, he said, is that the raceway might by closed down within the year and the new track will be relocated sometime afterwards, so when the new raceway is built, the chances of more Viewfinder GP's are great. A Viewfinders GP anywhere Honda-mounted Brian Manley was the man to beat during Saturday's racing in the 0-175cc Expert class. Manley led every lap but it took three laps and a pit stop before he knew he .had the lead. "I passed Duane Summer at Bandini Mountain (a steep dropoff), but I thought Mike Baker was out in front," said Manley. "So I was trying to catch him. Everyone was giving me the number one sign, but I didn't know why until my first pit stop." Baker had a rough first lap when his bike seized three time. The first time it did it was at the end of Riverside's long backstraight, which is a paved portion ofthe track. "I couldn't even kick it over," said Baker. "I just sat there for five minutes and everyone went by me. Then I got mad and kicked it again and it started." "It would have ~n a great race if he hadn't seized," said Manley. Instead, Manley cruised home several minutes ahead of second-place finisher Bob Rutten. The legendary women's motocross star Sue Fish made a triumphant comeback today after being seriously injured three year ago. Fish blew away her competition and passed most of the men on the track also. Fi h crossed the fini h line eight minutes ahead of la t year's winner Karen Leitenger. Sunday Sunday's races featured the big bikes - 250cc on up, and after the largest class of the day, the 250cc and Open Sportsman division with over 400 riders, the Pros got a chance to wage war on the track. By the time the Pros, plus the Amateurs, Vets and Sidecars, hit the course, (all at the same time) the ground was rough, dry and fast. The first couple of rows on the starting grid were lined with some first-class talent such as Husky riders Dan Ashcraft, Dan Smith and Larry Roeseler, Honda's Chu k Miller (on a four-stroke) and Craig Adams. And a few rows farther back was Saturday's 125cc Pro winner Brian Man- ley, aboard a Honda CR250. Anyone of these riders had a shot at the win, so racing promised to be tight. On the first lap, the dust was a key factor for the front runners, because they had a clear view of the track while the rest were choked by the severe dust in some sections. The only place where dust was nonexistent was at the huge waterhole, and that's when the leaders first came into view. Holding on to a sbm lead over Ashcraft was Smith as they sliced through the muddy water. Smith slowed considerably in the water trying to keep his all-important goggles clean. As the two' leaders emerged on dry ground, only a couple of seconds seperated both Husky pilots. During the second go around, Smith's lead grew sli.ghtly over Ashcraft, while Roeseler, who was in fifth at the end of the first lap, moved into third. Surprisingly, Manley labored up through the field, easily taking care of the big-bore bikes on hi 250. Manley started to put pressure on Roeseler halfway through the second lap, then gonzoed-it in the water hole passing Roeseler. After Roeseler came Adams and Miller about 15 seconds behind. For the next two laps, positions remained the same, however, the leaders became more pread out. By lap four, the only position change came when Miller "thumped" by Adams for fifth. Then Manley had to pi.t and refuel, which cost him one position to Roeseler. However, during the fifth lap, it was mith's and Ashcraft's tum to refuel and that gave Manley, who had already passed and pulled away from Roe eler, a clear shot at the lead. Both mith and Ashcraft re-entered the race in second and third. Miller was on the gas and slipped by Roeseler, who was riding in quite a bit of pain from a week earlier high-speed crash that was causing him to slow considerably today. Up front, Manley stretched his lead over Smith and A h raft to a little over a minute. But during the ninth lap, Manley's Honda developed a rear flat tire, so he pulled back into the pits. Within minutes, Manley was back on the track after installing a new wheel. Thi gave the lead back