Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Western hotline Bubba Shobert took his RS750 Honda to two wins at the Ascot half mile. He topped both the Expert main and the Trophy Dash. Shobert shows 'em how at Ascot HM By Maureen Lee GARDENA. CA. APR. 20 Noting the recent achievements of teammates Doug Chandler and Ricky Graham, Honda's Bubba Shobert said in a soft drawl before the start of this AMA Pro half mile at Ascol Park, "Well, lhey'veeach won one now. I gues lhey're wailing for me." They didn'l waill ngasShobendominaled the IS-lap Expen main e\enl. Shoben also proved successful in the Trophy Dash. The top qualifier at22.22 seconds. Shobert met Chandler, Pete Hames and Bob Land in the four-Iapper. Ilame~ hot into the lead followed b} Shobert. Land and Chandler.. hobert look the lead by going low bUI Ilames grabbed il back almO~1 at once and the fighl was on. On Ihe lasl lap Ihey approached turn four. both riding full OUL Hames was on Ihe inside line. and Shobert on the OUIside, rear end hung out almosl in Ihe marbles. Shobert held the thrOlLle full on and got to the checkered nag firsl. Not many Experts have had the ability or nerves to leave it on riding the outside line in Ascot's turn four! Land finished third and Chandler fourth. Chris Cannon and his new Tim Doherty-built Harley were given a brief chance at fixing teething problem~ durin the first Expert heat when Paul Iwanaga fell off by himself and the red lighl came on just as Cannon's mount swrted popping and stuttering. hobert had been leading it over Land and ;\Iike Garrison. After some fralllic work from the Cannon crew away they weill again. finishing hobert. Galri on. Larry Earhart. Penns\''''anian Ste\e Burkholder and Can·non. Theserond Expen h('al fealured anolher restart after Eddie San Roman gal left on the line. it wa~ Pele Hame~ in fronl of Delaware's Eric RaLl>ch. New York's Frank Blown, Chandlcr and Bub Carroll. ~exllap Ihe "Ascot mystiquc" caughl lip wilh Eric Rausch in the south turn. He parted company wilh his Harlcy which literally broke inlo three bils hitting the wall, while Rausch was lucky enough to slide until a haybale slopped him. The youngster was inconsola ble when he saw his lilerally shalLered motorcycle and all preselll understood long way home 10 Delaware. On the re~tart Hames again took the lead and thai was all she wrote. It finished Hames, Chandler. Brown and Carroll. Land was into turn one first in Ihe Expert emi but in a blink Brown was leading Land, Cannon and Bud Carroll. Cannon wa doing the be t he had in a long time on his new equipment when Ihe carburetor decided il jut didn't walll to work any longer and quit: right on the while-flag lap. hobert admitted that they made ome changes on Ihe bike after Ihe heats and how much they had helped in the Dash. Off he went inlo Ihe lead of Ihe main, followed by Garrison. Brown. Hames and Chandler. By lap t\\·o Chandler W,IS fourth wilh Hames sixth. On the Ihird lap hobert weill a little 100 high and Ihe eager Gan'ison LOok full advamage 10 blast Ihrough the space. Two laps laler Bubba look Ihe lead back, leaving Garrison and Chandler I dice. Try as he might, including sliding up to the haybales and losing time, Chandler couldn'l gel. Garrison. Track conditions werean importanl part of the evening's story. The wind blew can~Ianll\" and if time had not been taken prior'lO the main 1.0 fully water and grade they'd have never made il. As it was,lhe longer the main wemon,the more Ihe surface was going away undel"l1ealh them. B} Ihe lime Ihe white nag was ;hown Ihough. Chandler. in a greal ride had made up his losl time. The Honda rider was bv Garri on to nail down ~econd behind his teammate. and as the heckcred nag came out I [ames had fourth. Land lOok fifth; thell came San Roman. Brown and Bud Cal roll. Chri, Carr blew away the fin.t Junior heal. allhough he \\"as chased hard by Ihe olher direci Iramfer. Rand\' Bird. and ;\/earl Barnetl.. Due 10 Irack condi Iion e\'eral riders ca me off Ill(' line wi th I hefron I wheel a lofl.. Rog-er Thom pson did it 011 Ihe W

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