Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

~ 00 O"l ...... Texans Billy Herndon (19) and Terry Poovey (18) style on the groove at Memorial Stadium. Tim Mertens waves Friday night's checkered flag. Tuner Tex Peel, Ted Boody and wife Terry celebrate. Dayjona Dirt Track Series Boody bags top prize By Henny Ray Abrams DAYTO A BEACH, FL, MAR. 8-10 "Peel, that's just the beginning," a jubilant Ted Boody shouted to his tuner/sponsor Tex Peel after winning the final night of short track racing at Memorial Stadium and taking the top prize of $5,000 f .. h W· or wmmng t ~ lSeCO-Sp?nsored Daytona Dut Trac~ Ser~es. Boody sat on the startIng Lme 14 for Saturday night's feature event next to Randy Coss, the series' runner-up, took the holes hot and worked the cushion along with Goss, whoalso (jnished second on the night. Third on the night and lied for third in the series with Tim Mertens was Terry Poovey. Saturday For the first time of the week, the damaged limestone track was watered and the races improved immensely with riders able to go three abrea t through the corners instead of hugging the narrow groove. "We've been telling them to do it all week," said Boody. Boody took the fi~st heat, Coss the second and fastest, wtth Ronmejones, Billy Herndon, Scott Pearson, Dan Ingram, Poovey, and Carth Brow also taking heat wins. Coss went high and Poovey stayed low with jim Filice and worked the groove in the first semi and it was Co s winning by about 60 yards. Poovey took second and Filice was pas ed by ChJ'is Evans. jone and Fran Brown went high and low in the second semi with the high man, jones, taking the win. Ingram took third. Three abreast in the third semi were tluee Michiganites, Brow, Boody and Bryan Hardin. Boody pulled about the same distance on Brow that Brow had on Hardin and all three advanced to the final. The final semi of the night wem to Herndon with Pearson charging and passing to second and Chris Carr eliminating points leader Tim Mertens by taking over third on Lhe white flag lap. Boody, Coss. and Poovey were all in contemion for the big pay-of[ in the even-race series and that's exactly the way they charged into the first turn. Herdon was fourth with Ingram temporarily fifth before being displaced by Fran Brown. At the haUway point the order was the same with both Boody and Coss working the cushion and Poovey sticking to what had worked best for him. The gapat the halfway poimdidn't change much and Boody wheelied to the win with his wife jumping into the arms of tuner Peel. Co s took second, Poovey third, Herndon fourth, and Pearson fifth. "We were both up there in the cushion, but when the other guy figures out where you're going it's lough," aid Coss. "Afterthey watered th track. it wa a lot beller show for the fans." ''I'd been going just as fast earlier in the week, but tonight the tart position didn't mean 0 much since you could pass. Before, if you got out in fronl you won," said winner Boody. ''The only problem was I bobbled once going into a turn and he (Coss) caught up to m a lillie, but I was • never out of control." Results 1. Ted Boody (H-D); 2. Randy Goss (H-D); 3. Terry Poovey (H-O): 4. Billy Herndon (Hen); 5. Scott Pear· son (Hen); 6. Fran Brown (H·D); 7. RonnIe Jones (H-D); B. Dan Ingram (W-R); 9. ChriS Cerr(W-R); 10. Chris Evans (Hon); 11. Bryan Hardm (Hen); 12. Garth Brow (Hon). FINAL POINT STANDINGS: 1. Ted Boody (71); 2. Randy Goss (641; 3. (TIE) Tim Mertens/Terry Poovey (63); 5. Ronnie Jones (48); 6. Steve Morehead 144); 7. Gary Scott (40); B. Dan Ingram (37), 9. Fran Brown (35); 10. Bolly Herndon (34). Friday Belleville Honda's Tim Mertens not only broke Terry Poovey' tring of wins at Memorial Stadium with a win on the third night of Expert/junior shon track action, but also took the lead in the Daytona Dirt Track Series_ Mertens got a little help from the a si talll referee who sent Poovey to the penalty line from his frolll row spot, but still faced intense competition from veteran Steve Morehead, the second place finisher, and third SCOLI Adams. Menens took the poillls lead with 63 to non-qualifier Ted Boody's 51 and Poovey's 50 selling up the final night's showdown. After the 24 scratch heats eliminated 68 of tbe 116 riders, the racers weill imo eight elimination heats. jim Filice, on the Eddie Adkinstuned Harley Owners Croup entry, won the first heat, Ken Parker-sponsored Morehead took the second, Mertens the third, and Poovey the fourth, easily the fastest at I minute, 51.539 seconds. Rodney Farris, Scott Adam, junior Chris Carr, and Ronnie jones won the remaining heats. Morehead withstood tbe relentless pressure of Poovey and took the first semi win. Poovey even hit Morehead's rear wheel once, but couldn't pass the Ohio rider. Randy Waldrop took the third spot with Crand alional Champion Randy Coss being eliminated after ex.perimenting with riding a high line. Filice gave it hi best, but came up just a wheel short of winner Ronnie jones in the second semi. The best race of the night saw jones, Filice, and SCOLI Pearson racing like a precision trio and finishing in that order. Mertens had an easy time in the third semi with SCOLI Adams and Sammy Sweet making the main also and in the founh semi Farris crossed the line first, but was sliding down the track after being bounced out of the saddle by one of the holes in turn four. The Maryland rider retired for the night and Carr, Fran Brown, and Curt Rehmert made it to the main. In the final, Carr and Poovey jumped the gun and were sem to the penalty line leavinga four man Crolll row. j one took the holeshorand lead for a lap until his rear tire went flat. Mertens took over with Morehead and Adams pursuing ahead of Filice and Brown. Poovey wa on the move and with four laps to go made it into fifth. There wasn't any pa sing going on in tbe front and the top three finished in exactly the order that they finished the firsl lap in. "I've been racing here for four years and have never come close," said Mertens.. ,This ought to put me into the points lead. Last night I crashed and hurt my shoulder and had to ra e taped up tonight. Coming out of turn four there are a couple of big holes and they gave that shoulder a workout." Third place finisher Adams wanted to thank sponsors Sooner Recovering, Oklahoma Honda, Bell Helmets, Kal-Card, and High Performance Coating. "I also want to thank Duane Duvall whose bike I borrowed tonight. Last night I rode it for the first time and I'd never ridden a Knight frame before. Tonightl had itdialed in and could have won it if I'd have gOLlen a better start. J don't ride as well when I'm behind somebody." • Results 1. Tim Mertens (Hon); 2. Steve Morehead (H-O); 3. Scott Adams (Hon); 4. Jim Filice (H-O); 5. Terry Poovey (H-D); 6. Fran Brown (H-D); 7. Chris Carr (W-R); B. Randy Waldrop (W-R); 9. Scot! Pearson (Han); 10. Curt Rehmert (Suz); 1 1. Sammy Sweet (W-R); 12. Ronnie Jones (H-D). Thursday Texan Terry Poovey survived three re- tarts and some controversy to take the win on the econd night of Expert/j unior short track racing at Memorial Stadium. Poovey, who had the Caste t heat and semi times, was almost disqualified by referee Freddie Ephrem for changing a sprocket on the starting line after the third red flag, but once away was never beaded and took the Shoei/jack Sisemore/ECF Racing Harley-Davidson to his second consecutive win with fellow Texan Billy Herndon second and former Crand National Champion Cary SCOLI third. Tim Mertens won the first of the eight elimination heats, SCOLI Pearson took the second one, Poovey the third and fastest, with Fran Brown, Herndon, jim Filice, Scott and Mark Hartley winning their respective heats. Filice took the first semi win after passing leader Hanley late in the race. Carth Brow took third on the

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