Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Bubba Shobert (67) and Jay Springsteen lead Ted Boody (12) and Randy Goss at the start. Shobert and Springe'r placed 1-2. AltA Grand National Championship/ Camel Pro Series: Round 6 Shobert shine·s in San Jose S1 By Dale Brown SAN JOSE, CA, MAY 5 Team Honda's Bubba Shobert kicked off a banner weekend for him with a near wire-towire win in the 25-lap Honda San Jose Short Track National. In taking his first-ever Nationa] win on a small track, Shobert had to fend off the latelap charges of Harley-Davidson's Jay Springsteen. The defending champion of the event, CanAm rider Alex Jorgensen, finished a distant third. Behind the winner's circle trio, the battle for the AMA/Camel Pro Series points lead was played out. The points leader, Harley's Randy Goss, had fourth place seemingly secured with five laps to go. However, behind him Honda's Ricky Graham changed his line, found a new lease on life and passed Goss with two laps to go. That narrowed Goss' lead to just one, ,63-62. . "After leading all those laps, I was never so tense as I was until the last lap was over," said Shobert, adding, "I knew Jay was going to try something." That there was room on the groove to pass surprised some. Cold winds blew most of the day, drying the track. The winds died somewhat by race time, but it was still less than comfortable. Around 5000 spectators ignored the cold, however, and came out to give the event an attendance boost over the previous year. However, the weather did have an impact. Track prep measures pushed the program back until it was 90 minutes late. After that it was a rush to get everything finished before the night's curfew. Time trials 6 Harley-Davidson's Scott Parker earned himself the pole position in the first of six heats by stopping the timing lights with a 17.565-second lap. Teammates Graham and Shobert were next, going 17.598 and 17.628, respectively. A back-in-action Scott Pearson made his first appearance before hometown fans in over a year, and he qualified fourth fastest. The remaining heat race polesiners were Steve Morehead and Texan Charlie Orr. Almost a second separated the 60rider field. Clocking an 18.511, Terry Graham was the last rider in. Heats Garth Brow got his Harley-Davidson 500R going first to lead heat one going into turn one. Springsteen, Steve Ekl und and Parker were in pursuit around the opening bends, but then Parker started slowing dramatically. However, AMA officials didn't like the start and red-flagged the race. The delay allowed Parker to have a slipping clutch adjusted, and he was ready for the restart. Brow again shot into the lead with Springsteen leading the chase. Brow led the first three laps, but then Springer got underneath him exiting turn two, and went on to build a handy lead in the remaining 5.75 laps. Behind Brow brewed an Eklund/Parker banle, and on lap five, it swept past the Michigan privateer. Parker was in the transfer slot, and although Eklund stayed within millimeters through lap eight, he couldn't make Parker budge. So the two Harley teamsters had direct tickets to the National, and Eklund and Brow led those bound for the first semi. Megacycle Cams/Knight Racingsponsored Ronnie Jones held the gas on going into turn one and he and his Harley-Davidson single came out in front of Graham, Doug Chandler and Dan Ingram. The second lap saw "," " II • Terry Poovey crash out of the race unhurt, while teammates Graham and Chandler set up their own fight. Chandler broke clear by lap four, and just past the hal£way point, put an inside move on Jones to take the lead. Chandl.er went on to win, while Jones found himself the target of Graham's blast-furnace pressure. But the Oklahoman had learned his lesson and refused to allow the inside line to open again. Graham. along with Ingram and others, would simply have to try again. After an openil)g lap shuffle, Shobert had the heat lead over Pete Hames, Mickey Fay and Goss. When Larry Maitland's lap-two crash brought out the red flag, however, Shobert was left to try it again. Do it again he did, and the Honda teamster led laps 1-10, stretching it as he went. Hames was second initially, but Goss took over the position on lap three and then it was two factory riders headed for the National. Four laps £rom the end Fay passed Hames for third, but all he got was a bener spot in the semi. The fourth heat opened to a real firestorm as Mike Gilkey drew first lead with Ted Boody all but riding his motorcycle for him, and Alex Jorgensen, Randy Green and Scott Pearson also in the neighborhood. Gilkey and Boody came across the finish line side by side at the end of lap two, and Boody seized the lead right after that. Jorgensen and Pearson also got Gilkey on the same lap. By the halfway point it seemed that Boody, who was riding for Tex Peel and Arai Helmets, had a secure lead over Jorgy and' Green, with Gilkey now out of the race due to mechanicats. But Jorgensen, the Pioneer Trucking/Lillie/Hi-Point-sponsored Can-Am rider, closed it up in a hurry and passed Boody going into turn three on the sixth lap. Jorgensen led it for two laps, but then Boody returned the favor one turn earlier and led it to the finish. ]orgy was second, followed by Pearson, Green and Gary Stott. New York's Fran Brown snapped up the heat five holeshot. Rod Sullivan had a close brush with Lady Luck's bad side as he slid out in turn one, but officials red-flagged the race for a jumped start and Sullivan was back in business. Sullivan, who rides for Mockbee, Kal-Gard, ND and Maggini Hay Company, made the most of his good fortune. He holeshot the restart and was never headed. Behind him Brown ran second all the way, gaining a National berth for sponsors HarleyDavidson, Stevens Racing and Buffalo H-D. Sal Hoffman ran third until lap seven; Brad Hurst ran third from there to the finish. The final heat featured another red flag as three riders went down in turn two. Two made it back to the line; Brad Wiebler was out with bent forks. On the restart Chrlie Orr was off the line first, but ran second at the end of the first lap to Bellville Honda/Megacycle Honda rider Tim Mertens. Mertens led from there to the finish, with Orr second to the halfway point. There he met his' match in North Carolina rookie Bill Davis and his Rotax-bred Milwaukee special, and they went on [or the final direct transfer. Mike Garrison passed Orr, finishing third. Semis The two 10-lappers would take only one rider each. In the first semi, Mickey Fay wanted to be that rider and got off the line firsl. However, Graham was that rider. He passed Fay through turn four and led to the finish. Fay challenged him briefly towards the end of the race, but it was not to be and Fay wound up second over Eklund. Charlie Orr came out of turn four leading the first lap of the other semi, only to be greeted by a red flag and a restart. On the restart, Pearson pulled one of his legendary starts and the PIC/Circle Bell/ShoeilBlendzall/ Knight/Megacycle/M&M Leathers Honda rider was on his way to the National. Garrison advanced to second by lap three and stayed there, eventually followed home by Randy Green. Lest Chance Qualifier Ekl und passed holeshot artist Garrison in turn [our to lead the Last Chance Qualifier at the end of one hip. limmy Filice, who had a from- row start for the first time of the evening, passed Garrison for second on lap two and began to pressure Eklund. Eklund ignored it for two laps, but then went high off the groove in turn four and, Filice was by like a shot. Eklund tried to come back, and succeeded for awhile, but Filice opened it up at the end and took his Harley Owners Group/Sure-Fire/Carlisle Racing entry into the National. Junior National It was a familiar name jumping into the lead of the 12-lap Junior final: Jorgensen. Kim Jorgensen grabbed the lead ahead ofWood-Rotax teammates Chris Carr and Don Estep, and Alex's younger brother stayed on top right to the finish. Ohioan Estep passed Californian Carr [or second on lap two, and the top three positions were sel. Frank Sanchez took fourth about the same time, and also held on to the finish .. After his win Jorgensen said, "Towards thg end the bike started making a real weird noise, so I was kinda worried. Just putin there that I'm an old man who hasn't raced in about two and a half years."

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