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/126764
bit, and just as in South Africa he was left struggling to get his Yamaha fired up long after the rest of the field had got away. "I know it's all in the mind:' said Rainey, "but I just don't seem to be able to get the han~ of £irin~ it up on the line. You can bet I'm going to be doing a lot of practice stans the next couple of weeks." Four riders broke away from the pack on the first lap, headed by We1shman Steve Williams on his TZ250L, with Caner third, behind Ivan Villini's very quick MBA. But coming into the last chicane before the line on the first lap Williams went crashing into the .straw bales, emerging unhun, with an only slightly battered bike. "I just tried too hard too soon," he admilled ruefully. "It was the first hard-on righthander, I had a new tire on, and I just leaned over too far." The confusion promOled Carter'LO the kad of a race he had been widely billed to cdke-walk, but the next time aroun~ it was Italian ridt'r Fausti Ricci in the lead on his K-model Yamaha while Loris Reggiani retired his ex-works Kawasaki with a slipping clutch. Rainey was already up to eighth place and going hard, but on lap five the winner of the Daytona 250cc race dived into the pits before resuming again one lap down. "I had trouble braking." explained Wayne, "with the lever needing a couple of pumps LO get pressure. Then I saw moisture on the screen, and thought it might be brake fluid. Turned OutLO bejusl some water that maybe stuck in the clip-on after the wet qualifying." Resuming well back, Rainey set one new lap record after another on hi climb up to 10th placeallheend, eventwilly setting the fastest lap with a time that would have put him 15th on the grid for the 2OO-miler. Meanwhile, at the front of the race Ricci had opened up a gap of six seconds over Carter by lap six, but on that lap another slow Slaner, Massimo Malteoni on a new L-model Yamaha went from fifth to second in one lap and sel aboul catching the leader. Fuel consumption was a problem for all riders. and the Team Roberts Marlboro bikes had oversize tanks in lhe hopes of making it through nonSLOp, and lhis seemed perhaps the reason thaI. Carter was laking it easy. Lap 10 and Malleoni LOok lhe lead. while on lap 13 Carter was passed by ;lnoth"1 Italian Vicenzo Gibenini, and then overshot the final chicane, ending up running over the grass and a sandtrap put there for the Fl cars. Some sand was picked up on the rear of his. engine, and by lap 26 this found its way into the carburelOrs and the Yamaha seized, giving him quite a scare before he martaged 10 haul it down. "I just couldn't get going right," said a crestfallen Caner. "Just wasn't my day." Excitement in the closing stages centered around Rainey's efforts to beat his own records, and whether Maueoni would go non-slOp: he did, on a standard-size fuel tank and with enough gas left for a parade lap. Ricci was second, and both riders could well ~pring a surprise in their home GP at Misano in a week's time. Results 'I ST LEG: 1, Kenny Roberts (Vem): 2. Lor~nzo Gh" aelli (Suz); 3. Watter Migliore'l (Suz~; 4. Klaus KNIn ISuz); 5. Steve Williams (Varni; 6. Oavtde Tarctozzi . (Bim); 7. Paolo Ferrani ISuz); 8. MarK) Rubano (Kaw); 9, Fernandina Ronchese (Suz); 10. Tima PohlOls (Vem). . 2ND LEG: 1. Roberta: 2. Virginia Ferrari (Vam); 3. Sergio PeUlndini (SUI); 4. MI••imo Broccoli (Hon); 5. Ghiselli; 6. Williams; 7. Aktssandro VIUesi (SuII; 8. Pohjola; 9. Gianfranco Zanardo IlC.lw); 10. HI"mut Muller lKew). OVERAll: 1. Roberts; 2. Ghisilli; 3. Williams: 4. Rube110; 5. PoIljole; 6. Klein; 7. Muller; 9. DiMmer MIIreherd (Kewt, 10. Tercloui. 25Occ: 1. Mauimo Meneoni (Vim); 2. Flu.to Ricci (Yam); 3. Vittorio Gibenini (Vim); •. tvan carlo Villini (MIlA); 5. Neely Crouo (Armt, 8. _ Terdozzj (Yemt, 7. Fabio Mert:8ccini (Yemt 8. Andon SIloo (Yemt, 9. MerceIlo I e _ (Yemt. 10. Wayne Rainey (Yeml. HONDA DLY ANNOUNCES A CH Spills dotted the landscape at Saddleback Park, as competing factories tried to out-produce Tham fhnda But the Tham fhnda clean-up crew of David Bailey, Ron Lechien and Johnny O'Mara was up to the challenge. Their equipment: Honda RC motocross machines. Motorcycles that set the standard for high-performance when prepped with Honda oil and chemical products. Their mission: Mlp- up all three classes in the Saddleback National motocross. Their results: A clean sweep. "'i)u can prepare your machine with the same oil and chemical products that --.;;;:......... ThaIn fhnda uses. From engine oil to chain lube, brake cleaner to liquid gaskets, they're advanced technology that's priced to sell Most importantly, they ~tresults. The proof? They're the quality products _ThaIn JIonda uses to clean-up. HONDA