Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Nobody can miss Dale Quarterley's bright-green GPz750 and his aggressive riding style. A Rick Stetson-built engine helps. Quarterley was the top privateer without a Honda V-4. Busby stops Honda in Fonnula Two By John Ulrich RIVERSIDE, CA, APR. 15 Privateer Dave Busby came from behind on his Yamaha TZ250L to win the Formula Two race at Riverside Raceway, passing Wes Cooley did magic with the Yoshimura R&D GS750 Suzuki. He made up in the corners what the bike lacked on the straightaway. Ricky Orlando and his Dennis Zickrick-tuned Interceptor finished sixth. behind auarterley and aheed of Roberto Pietri (11). 16 hold it up to read it: 67mm. (He measured bore and stroke three times each, to be sure. I watched every move.) That's Imm overstock, for an actual displacement of 76lcc, well within the 0.040 overbore rules for Superbike Production (maximum legal size for a Kawasaki is 772cc). Dale Quanerley's bike is not oversize. It runs strong, thanks to an engine built by Rick Stetson of Harry's Machine Parts'(Stetson is a name everybody with drag racing interest will recognize; the man knows how to make power). Quarterley rides the wheels off it, gets killer drives, passes others where he shouldn't be able to because he is aggressive and fearless. The man is a charger. Dale Quarterley and his sponsors (GS Performance, Arai helmets, Brockton Cycle Center, SuperTrapp, NO, CC fork braces and his father, Herb) should all be proud of a job well done. John Ulrich American Honda's Sam McDonald and the new, works RS250R V-Twin on the last lap of the IS-lap race. Busby had planned to run his new Rotax-powered Kohas and practiced on that bike Saturday. But Busby and mechanic Bob Work - who tuned Steve Baker to the F750 World Championship in 1977 - couldn't get the Kobas' jeuing sorted out: the bike's magnesium DeIl'Ortocarburetorsdeveloped hairline cracks resulting in air leaks, and some borrowed Lectrons couldn't be sorted out in the available time Sunday morning. So Busby parked his Kohas and pulled his Yamaha TZ250L out of his truck, pushed itthrou$h tech inspection and ran the remaming practice. He couldn't buy the rear tire he wanted - Dunlop representatives at the track were sold out - so he swapped rear wheels with friend Danny Coe; Coe's wheel had a slightly used Dunlop on it. Then Busby went out for his heat race. He led, but didn't win. A transmission seal popped out, coating Busby and bike with oil, and Busby backed orr to a safe third place behind Chris Steward and Joey Sommers. McDonald won the second heat, coming from the third row to lead into the first turn with a lightning quick start on the torquey Honda. McDonald ran 'away, and the heat was red flagged when John Williams crashed and hit the wall in Tum Nine. Williams, who was running a comfortable second, fell when his ROlax-powered Can-Am seized. He was unhurt. Busby had his seal replaced for the final, which shaped up, near as observers could tell, into a Busby vs. McDonald race, private Yamaha vs. works Honda, TZ250L vs. RS250R. So it was. McDonald led orr the line, Busby close behind; Busby passed entering Turn Six, Donnie Greene in third. McDonald retook the lead on the front straight; Busby repassed in Tum Seven; McDonald repassed on the straight; Busby took the lead again in Tum One. It was like that, the pair turning I:31 laps, constantly at each other, McDonald leading more than Busby. On the 10th lap McDonald pulled a hundred feet ahead as the pair ran through tra££ic, the move drawing shouts of encouragement from the Honda crew; many thought the race was over. It wasn't, because one lap later Busby was right back on McDonald's rear wheel. Busby ran high in Turn Nine once, when the rear tire - the used one borrowed from Coe - slid sideways and Busby picked the bike up and rode next to the wall, fighting for control. But he made up the time again. . Meanwhile, John Glover had ridden Bary Elliou's TZ250 from 12th to third, only to be passed in Turn Nine by Steward, who immediately got completely sideways. Dale Franklin was fifth, Chuck Aksland Sixth. Busby and McDonald passed the start finish line side-by-side several times just before the finish, then Busby in front. Busby passed McDonald going into Turn Nine, coming around for the start of the last lap, but McDonald repassed coming out of the turn. It was close. But Busby stu££ed McDonald enteringTum Six that lap, gaining enough distance that he still led at the end of the backstraight, led around Nine, led all the way outof Nine and across the finish line, McDonald trying to draft but not close enough to do it. It was a close, close race, an exciting finish, a great ride. FORMULA lWO: 1. 00.0 Busby (Voml: 2. Som McDonold (Hun); 3. Chrio S_rd lY8m~ 4. Chud< Akslond(Yom); 5. John GIo..r(Yom);6. Dole Fronklin fVom); 7. Trocy DeMuro (Yom); B. Don Greene (Vom); 9. SontiOVO Londono (Yom); 10. D... Scon (Voml; 11. Mork White (Yom); 12. Joey Sommers (Vom); 13. Bob Luglioni (S-R); 14. Sto.. Roynooo (Vom); 15. Torry Vorger (Yom); 16. Robert DeWin (Vom). TIME: 27 minutes. 51.7Bl8COnds. lBlops. FORMULA lWO POINT STANDINGS: 1. 0... Busby(30); 2. Chrio Stewerd(21 ~ 3. Weyne Roiney (20); 4. Chuck AkslondflB); 5. Som McDoneld(16); 6. Do.id Aldene (II); 7. John Glover (101; B. (Tie) Kevin Brunson/Oehl Franklin (9t; 10. Tracy DeMuro (B). Mazur wins Lockhart Superstreet race By Lori Tyson RIVERSIDE, CA, APR. 15 Frank Mazur, riding an 11year-old Curt Jordan-tuned Honda CB550 inherited the win in the Lockhart 600cc Superstreet race when leader Dan Cashen faded in the last laps with ignition problems. Mazur led o££ the start, but was quickly passed by Yamahamounted Cashen, who then managed to stretch out a healthy lead. Cashen looked to be the easy winner until his bike's ignition started to go away. Mazur caught and passed Cashen by the last lap. Third place was hard fought by Nigel Gale, Marty Vogel and Dave Sadowski. Gale developed mechanical problems and was forced to drop out in the eighth lap, leaving Sadowski to battle Vogel. By the lOth lap champion Motorcydes' Sadowski pulled distance on Vogel to hold third at the line. Rolofftops CSS Challenge Race By Lori Tyson RIVERSIDE, CA, APR. 15 Earl Roloff won the California Superbike School Challengewhich matches privateers on

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