Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Randy Mamola and his NS500 dominated the Match Races. (Above) Haslam (5) leads Mamola (3). Spencer (1). Lawson (4). Marshall (11). Gardner (behind Spencer). Aldana, Baldwin (43), Sheene (behind Baldwin). McElnea and Cooley. (Below) Lawson and Haslam jet off the line. Transatlantic Challenge AngloAmerican Match Race Series Americans score smashing victory By Alan Cathcart CASTLE DONINGTON, DERBY, ENGLAND, APR. 22-23 America sent their team to Donington Park for the Easter weekend Match Races, and the star-studded squad came, saw and conquered a powerful British te~m by the embarrassingly wide margin of 259 points to 136, u.s. riders, mounted on the latest in Japanese factory machinery, won everyone of 10 the six races comprising the revised version of the Transatlantic Challenge, with Randy Mamola making a great return after a seven-month layoff by winning three of the events on his debut aboard a works Honda NS500 three-cylinder, to emerge as top overall scorer with 67 points. Teammate Freddie Spencer won twO races on his Honda NSR V-4. but crashed going into the last lap of the fifth event while comfortably in the lead, ending up with an appoi'ntment with the X-ray machine. In the final race, Kenny Roberts scored a win in what was supposed to be his last ride in Europe for a clean sweep by the Yanks. . . In a departure from tradlllOn, all six races were held as usual over the Easter weekend, but at jus.l one. cir- cuit instead of three as in the past. Thai track was Donington Park, which had never before been in the Match Race schedule. Mamola's lap record for the 1.957mile circuit took a baltering during' qualifyingon Salurday with Spencer, Roberts and Mamola himself all breaking it. Freddie set the new mark at I minute, 13.27 seconds(96.16mph) to also take the $1,050 prize for fastest qualifier. Race one From the nag Haslam scorched into an early lead on his home track, followed by Mamola, Lawson, McELnea and Spencer: Roberts was last but one. and Aldana already tai led off for last place even after Crosby made a quick pit stop to replace plug lead. At the end of lap two Haslam had a 200-yard lead over Mamola, with Spencer accelerating between Lawson and McElnea down the main straight to claim third. Roberts, 100, was on the move, claiming sixth place on lap four, and outbraking Lawson into the chicane a lap later for fourth. At the back, Wayne Gardner was slowing with an out-of-balance rear wheel, Sheene passing him for 10th place on lap five. Up front, Mamola was closing on Haslam, with Spencer and Roberts dueling for fourth, then Lawson on his own, and McElnea and Baldwin dicing together. But on lap nine IUglily .Iipped past Haslam to lead. Haslam hadn't given up the chance of winning, making a spirited attempt to repass Randy up the inside at the chicane on successive laps, but Mamola successfully fended him of[. Spencer was just behind the pair while Lawson had nipped Kenny for fourth. The race ran out with Baldwin just getting ahead of Huewen on the last lap for seventh place behind McElnea, while Mamola won to lead an American victory by 43 points to 23. Race two Haslam took the holeshot again, with Mamala fourth. Spencer was last away when he bogged down the Honda on the line, while Roger Marshall was showing well in second. Crosby was well up this time, but at the chicane on the first lap the apparently brakeless Suzuki went straight up the inside of the leaders. weaving as Croz stamped on the rear brake, narrowly failing to T-bone Mike Baldwin and running straight across Roberts' bow before throwing Crosby into the air as it hit the curb. Crosby waS unhurt, and owned up to havingcaused the accident himself_ - but as mechanic. not rider: "I fitted a new frolll brake lever before the race, but I didn't realize it wouldn't go all the way back - it fou led on the throttle. I could only get half the braking effect. which was enough for all the corners before but not enough for the chicane al the end of the straight. Nearly achieved my objective of taking out the whole U.S. team in one go, though!" The Suzuki was relatively undamaged. Haslam extended his lead over the pack to around 300 yards, with Mamola hard in pursuit in second, Lawson third (bul about to be passed by teammate Roberts again~ Spencer was already sixth, and closing. A tight bunch of riders behind the leadi ng pack provided some entertainingracing, until Cooley fell offal the Old Hairpin on lap five. leaving his Honda undamaged, but injuring his back. During the neXI couple of laps, Spencer made his relentless progress toward the front of the field, passing both Yamahas to place third. Baldwin was on the move, elbowing past Marshall and McElnea to gain sixth. Haslam's lead was gradually whittled down and by lap nine bOlh Mamola and "Fast Freddie" were lucked in his slipstream. On lap II, Mamola outbraked Haslam to take the lead at the chicane, with Spencer following through almost at once. ~wson was still

• Cover