Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

World Championship 250cc MX Series: Round 1 Kinigadner! By Neil Webster JEAN D'A GELY, FRA CE, APR. 8 Tall Austrian Heinz Kinigadner pulled off a surprise win at the opening 250cc GP of 1984, KTM-mounted Kinigadner LOok a second moLO win aher reeling in local hero Jacky Vimond and pressuring the 23-year-old until he crashed. Vimond had taken a walkover first race, winning by 19 seconds from Gilera's Marc Velkeneers. He settled for third overall after coming back for 11th after his fall. KTM's Arno Drechsel suffered a broken rear brake lever after his bike threw a chain and had LO drop OUl. Things went more LO form in moto two, with Drechsel coming through for second as Vimond slipped back. Husqvarna works man Jo Martens took third in the first race, but a fall in turn one dashed his hopes of second moto points. . Former 500cc runner Gary Semics was America's only representative, but failed to get into the points after seuing second fastest time in practice, The notorious first turn c1ai med him in both moLOS, but Semics vowed he would stay on in Europe to either get GP glory or go bust in the effort. Results 1. Heinz Kinigadner (KTM) 4-1; 2. Marc Velkeneers (Gil) 2-6; 3. Jacky Vimond (Yaml 1-11; 4. Mauririo Dolce (Hon) 6-4; 5. Gert Jan van Doorn (SuzI12-3; 6. Arno Drechsel (KTM)DNF-2; 7. Soren Mortensen (VemIS-8; 8. Jo Martens (Hus) 3-DNF: 9. Jorgen Nilsson (Han) 11-7; 10. Jeremy Whatley (Suzl DNF-5. World Championship 125cc MX Series: Round 1 VanderVen! VITTORIO VENETO, ITALY, APR.8 Dutch veteran Kees van der Yen silenced critics who said he was too old for the 125cc class by winning both legs of the season's first tiddler GP. The 27-yearold former 250cc star had a clear run on his factory KTM in moLO twoaher works Suzuki man Michele Rinaldi crashed out of the second leg, dislocating a shoulder for the second time in two days. Finnish rider Pekka Vehkonen took second overall on a Cagiva with a 4-3 tally, but is already 12 points adrihof the flying Dutchman. • Results 1. Ke.. yon der Ven (KTMI 1-1; 2. Pekka Vehkonen (Cag) 4-3; 3. G. Andreoni (Apr) 7·2; 4. M. Contini (Kaw) 3-7; 5. D. Strijbos (Honl 6-4. Terl YEARS AGO England's Phil Read, riding a threecylinder MV Agusta, won the 500cc class in the French round of the World Road Racing Championship Series. Yamaha's Giacomo Agostini led the first haH of the evem, but then dropped out with undisclosed mechanical problems. After his demise, Barry Sheene placed second on a Suzuki while Gianfranco Bonera was third on another MV, The GP debut of Canadian Yvon DuHamel lasted less than a lap before his bike blew. Although Ago DNF the 500cc event, he came back to win the 350cc GP on a Yamaha twin. Speedway racing opened its door in southern California and Mike Bast resoonded by win nine two of three cratch mains and placing second in the other to Bill Cody. Cody also nabbed one Handicap main. Bruce Penhall went from winning the Second Division final on the first of three nights to winning the First Division Handicap main on the third evening. Oregon riders Mark Williams and Ed Herrmann finished 1-2 in the Expert main event of theannual TTregional at Boise, Idaho. Factory HarleyDavidson riders Gary SCOlt and Mert Lawwill finished fourth and fifth in the feature event. Jack Jensen and Dave Rosenquist (Suz) emerged victorious in the Open class of a Fremont, California, marathon. Rick Hocking had the early lead in the event, but he weill out with carburetor difficulties. Bultaco rider Rick Burgelt had a twofor-two day at a Washougal, Washington, motocross. Burgett won the 250cc Pro class after besting Huskymounted Chuck Sun, then took the Open Pros from Maieo pilot Bill Cook. In a 'IT scrambles race at Sprocketts Park in Bakersfield, California, the 250cc Expert class fell to Yamaha pilot Frank Adamo. After topping Suzuki riders Tom Boles and Doug Garrison in that one, Adamo tried his hand in the 125cc Expert class and finished seeond there, behind Rick Delgado (Yam). James Potter was elected president of the Motorcycle Industry Council. Potter had been executive director of the MIC since 1971, and a Los Angeles City Councilman for eight years before thal. Motorcyclists won a significant victory when the Bureau of Land Management issued amended managemem regulations. The phrase, "Open unless posted closed" was the key issue. A Trans-AMA qualifier at Spillway Park in Santa Maria, California, saw two classes go to factory MXers and one to a privateer. The privateer was CZ rider Tony DiStefano, and he went 2-1 for the 500cc win. Suzuki's Rich Thorwaldson had a 1-2 for the 250cc victory, while Honda's Marty Smith bliued both l25cc motos. Eddy Lejeune continued his winning ways in the French round. World Championship Observed Trials Series: RoundS Lejeune fops in France By Mike Rapley RAZES, FRANCE, APR. 8 Victory in the French round has always eluded Eddy Lejeune, that is until this year's event when the Honda-mounted Belgian superstar scored a tremendou win. It looked as if Thierry Michaud would be the winner as the Fanticmounted rider led aher both the first and second laps of the three-lap, 16second course. But as he started the third and final Lap with a two-mark advantage over Lejeune, his concentration failed him and he dropped almost twice the number of marks he had lost on the first lap which put him down LO third overall. Bernie Schreiber had a fair day LO finish fourth, but it was the last two sections of each lap that proved Bernie's downfall. The Californian fived these two hazards on every lap for a LOtal of 30 marks. If he could have saved some of these, it would have improved his result dramatically. Disconsolate and despondent, Bernie couldn't fathom why when his rivals weren't having anywhere nearly so much trouble. Philippe BerIatier, the latest French rider LO barge onto the scene, finished second overall, 17 marks down on the incomparable Lejeune. Berlatier was sixth at the end of the first lap, then fourth at the end of lap two before finally moving up to second. In comparison, Michaud leadinj!; at the end of every lap inspired Lejeune LO show-just as he so often does-that he gets beuer as the trial progresses. Lejeune was the on Iy rider LO improve each lap, a performance which LOok him LO his third win of the five rounds so far and establishes him a six-point lead as the series moves into the sixth round in West Germany. Held over a course regularly used for a French National Championship trial, the event was expected LO favor the home riders. But on the dry grippy rocks embedded in dry earth, Lejeune was in his element with his faithful followers never in any real doubt about the outcome. It certainly wasn't a day for Spaniards Toni Gorgot and Andreu Codina. GorgOl, fifth in the world last year, is still struggling with the impressive, butapparemly uncompeLitive Kobas, with modifications to the bike beingmade·almostdaily. Codina had a problem of his own making. All year Codina has ridden a Momesa fiued with Comstar-type wheels and tubeless tires. The from wheel is slightly heavier and with many rock steps in France he switched to a lighter tube type Lire/wheel combination. So far so good, but the tubeless rear he was using appeared to give little grip so he changed for his final lap. On arrival at the first section he had a puncture, and with no time to repair the flat, he retired. • Results 1. Eddy Lejeune (Hon) 69: 2. Philippe Berlatier (lt8) 86; 3. Thierry Michaud (Fan) 89: 4. Bernie Schreiber(SWM) 98; 5. Stave Saunders IArm1115; 6. Gilles Burgat (Fan) 127; 7. luis Gallach (Mer) 12S); S. Pascal Coutu,ier (SeU 13S; 9. Diego Boai. (Fan) 129; 10. John Lampkin (Fan) 140; 11. Danilo Galeaui (SWM) 142; 12. Joel Doseun. (JCM) 147; 13. Tony Scarlett (Yam) 150: 14. Toni Gorgot (Kob) 152; 15. Gianni Tabarelli (Set) 152. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANOINGS: 1. Lejeune (90); 2. Michaud (84); 3. Schreiber (69); 4. Serlat,er (62); 5. Saunders (49); 6. Surgat (48); 7. Lampkin (3S); S. Cordannier (311; 9. Gallach (27); 10. Codina (23); 11. Couturier (21); 12. Chiaberto (20). 1

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