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/126761
Elmer Trett (Kaw) blistered Georgia's Atlanta International Dragway quarter-mile with a 7.1I7-second run at 196.50 mph LO take the Top Fuel win in the March 1I0-April 1 AMA/ Dragbike! Dixie Cycle Nationals. Trett established AMA/Dragbikel National records during the meet for elapsed time (7.1111 seconds) and top speed (l98.67 mph). Dave Sawyer (Suz) took the Pro Stock win while Gino Lucarelli was the victor in the Funny Bike final. Fh. Kenny Roberts (Yam) won both 100 mile legs in the April 1 Imola 200 in Italy. Roberts had a battle going in the opening leg with Franco Uncini (Suz), but Uncini's bike wouldn't restart after he pitted for gas. Roberts went on for an easy win over Lorenzo Ghiselli (Suz), who finished second overall for the day. The second leg win also was easily won by Roberts with Virginio Ferrari (Yam) finishing second. Roberto Pietri qualified the Cagiva GP bike 19th with Marco Lucchinelli posting the number one Cagiva machine in eighth. Lucchinelli withdrew after a start money dispute. Pietri then also withdrew. Prior to the race, Roberts and Ferrari tangled coming into pit lane. Roberts went down unhurt in a low-speed cresh, while Ferrari stayed upright. Eddie Lawson decided not LO race at Imola despite a large stan money offer. "I want to concentrate on the Grand Prix," said Lawson in a telephone interview Monday morning. When LOld that Robens had won both legs but crashed in practice, Lawson said "He better not have bent my bike. He was riding my GP bike." 4 Wayne Rainey (Yaml was the last rider away from the starting line in the March 30 250cc International race at Imola and fought his way through traffic to finish 10th. Rainey's teammate on the Roberts Marlboro Racing Team, Alan Carter, retired with mechanical problems. He was running third at the time. "Both 1982 National Endurance Champions Team Cowboy and 1983 National Endurence Champions Team Hammer have decided to contest the WERA National Endurance Series instead of the new AMA Championship Cup Series. "We're going to defend our title with WERA," said Team Hammer's Bruce Hammer. "We've seen other series come and go but WERA has held every race they've scheduled in our three years experience with them. We feel anybody who wants to be called National Champions will have to beat us first, in the National Endurance Series. " Representatives of Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, California met recently with Jon Woo Memorial Safety Pro.iect member Kurt Bickel and agreed LO make changes LO improve safety conditions at the track. "The people at the track are very sincere and concerned, and we're real happy to be working with them," said Bickel. Former World Champion road racer Barry Sheene and his girlfriend of many years, Stephanie Mclean, tied the knot several weeks ago. Sheene will contest '84 500cc GP events aboard the Suzukis Randy Mamola campaigned last year. Saddleback notes: After losing a second moLO dogfight again t Honda' Johnny O'Mara, Kawasaki's Jeff Ward said he didn't feel up LO par because of a few injuries he sustained while practicing Friday before the event. Ward thought he broke a bone in his hand; but the day after, we spoke to Kawasaki's race manager Roy Turner who said, "The bone isn't broken, but it is bruised which gives Ward some pain. It is nothing major. " More Saddleback notes: Danny "Magoo" Chandler made hi. debut appearance after a serious jaw injury a few months ago. "I feel greatl" said Magoo before the race. Honda eyes a new market area GARDE A, CA, APR. 2 American Honda spokesman Bob Doornbos denied reports lhal Honda will sell a new lhree-wheeled car lhrough ils motorcycle dealers. The reports stemmed from a series of recent visits LO key southern California Honda dealers by an American Honda delegation led by Mr. R. Iwai, the company's new Vice President of Motorcycle Sales. According LO dealers visited by the delegation, Mr. Iwai encouraged them to enlarge their dealerships LO accommodate an entirely new product line unlike existing moLOrcycles or ATCs. Several dealers felt that Iwai was referring LO a line of three-wheeled cars similar LO the experimental XXX shown at the Tokyo show last December, although Iwai never specifically mentioned the product line. ''I'm not saying we're not going LO build anything like it," Doornbos said, "but there is no connection between Mr. Iwai's visits and the XXX. It is an experimental model built to gauge reaction. Honda and American Honda have no particular interest one way or another." Exceptional aerodynamics and a good power to weight ratio will enable the machine LO have a sporting image without the stigma of danger so often associated with two-wheelers. Other benefits will be fuel eHiciency, protection from the elements, adequate luggage capacity, a high degree of maneuverability, excellent braking capacity and low cost. Though Honda engineers were reluctant LO divulge details, the XXX is known to be powered by a V-twin engine situated between the front wheels, however other engine configurations may be used if the concept is well accepted. The displacement of the engine is still LOp secret though it would be reasonable to assume that the unit could easily be powered by an existing motorcycle engine making the displacement in the 250 LO 750 area for Honda's Vtwin range.