Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

At the finish it was this close as Scott Parker (11) defeated Ricky Graham in a three-lap "Trophy Dash" after the National was stopped and restarted. AMA Grand National Championship/Camel Pro Series: Round 8 Parker takes 'Trophy Dash' Ascot win By Dale Brown GARDENA, CA, MAY 12 As can happen in racing, fate played a large role in factory Harley-Davidson rider Scotty Parker's one-wheel-length victory in the Ascot Half Mile National. Honda's Ricky Graham had built a clear lead in the 20-lap event when Garth Brow crashed on lap 18 and brought out the red flag. When 6 o£ficials reverted the race LO lap 17 and called for a restart, Parker came out on top of the three-lap "Trophy Dash" that went right to the wire. Privateer Steve Morehead finished third ahead of Honda's Doug Chandler, while Randy Goss worked his way from last to fifth. The placings combined LO give Graham a fivepoim lead in the standings, 78-73. Overwhelming would be underdescribing Parker's jubilation over the win that snapped a dry streak going back LO 1982. ''I'm pumped'" exclaimed the Michigan rider in the winner's circle, "We wamed LO beal Honda and we did. We're back, and we're going to keep charging'" Iron icall y, prior to the restart, Parker had argued against it, as did Graham. Although ecstatic over his own' success, Parker did say, "It was kind of a bad deal all together. Ricky didn't have anything to do with the restart. and we just wem [or il." The win brought smiles back LO the Harley-Davidson camp. where the mood had been somewhat somber after three-time Grand National Champ Jay Springsteen missed yet another race due to his mysterious ailment. "Jay felt fineall week," said Harley Racing Manager Clyde Denzer, "but when he got up this morning he was ill again." Another LOp 10 rider missing the race was Jim Filice, who crashed in practice and was out [or the night with a reported sprained knee. Ascot's infield nag £lew at haH mast to mark the passage of Ascot founder J.e. Agajanian, who succumbed to illness the week before. Opening ceremonies included a lengthy tribute LO Aggie, who established a motorcycle racing stronghold on the west coast. Time trials Forty-seven riders tripped the AMA clocks, and as he did the week before at San Jose, Parker set fast time. He rode his AI Spangler-tuned XR750 Steve Morehead (42). here battling with Bubba Shobert late in the race. advanced to take third at the finish. around the cushion oval for a time of 21. 72 seconds. Graham was the only other rider under 22 seconds at 21.93. Privateers Brow (22.01) and Morehead (2.05) also earned heat race pole positions, while Honda teammates Shobert and Chandler qualified 5-6. Despite giving away 250cc, Junior. Chris earr and his Wood-Rotax single turned in a quick 22.72 for top Junior time, with San Jose winner Roger Thompson clocking a 22.93 on a restricted Harley-Davidson. Heats Shobert passed Alex Jorgensen going into turn three and led the first heat across the finish line on the first lap. Parker was third across the line, but nailed both Jorgensen and Shobert in turn one [or the le<:\d. That was all she wrote [or the first IO-Iapper, and Parker led LO the finish. Shobert closed slightly at the end, but was still second, with the final directlrans[er going 10 Pioneer Trucking/Hi-Point/ J. Erickson/R&B H-D Shop rider Jorgensen. Oregon's Barry Pelkey topped Jeff Haney in a battle for fourth. The second heat featured Graham in a leading role that could best be described as start-to-finish. Tim Mertens ran second on the opening lap, butthen Graham's teammate Chandler passed the Belleville Honda/Megacycle-sponsored, XR 750-mounted privateer and the top three remained static LO the finish. Scott Pearson occupied the fourth slot for eight laps; Tom Maitland held it for the final two. Terry Poovey jumped inLO the heat three lead with rookie Robert Land, who almost missed the race when his bike started leaking gas on the start line, second over Brow. Behind them Ted Boody cut a swath through traffic from a second-row start, and the order at the end of two laps was Poovey, Brow, Boody, Land and Goss. Former Grand National Champ Steve Eklund had his bad luck string grow to four races when he wem out with a blown engine. Shoei/EFG Racing/Sisemore/ SLOrz/Hap Jones-sponsored Poovey led the race to the halfway point, then was challenged by Brow. Brow, riding Mert Lawwill'saluminum-framed XR750 for Electro West, Arai and Lawwill Products, led laps 4-7. As he did so, Goss put a move on Boody and all of a sudden it was a four-rider freight train. Poovey regained the lead on lap eight, but just past the white flag was passed hy Goss. Poovey came back on the final corner and took the £lag first as he, Goss, Brow and Boody crossed the line within milliseconds of each other. However close, Boody was the odd man out. Condor Trading Corporationsponsored Matt Rosowicz was the man out from early in the final heat, with Ronnie Jones and Morehead second and third. On the fourth lap two things happened: Morehead passed Jones for second and Gary Scott caught up to the leading group. On the fifth lap two more things happened: Morehead passed Rozowicz for the lead, and Scott did a beautiful job of saving it from a turn one highside and getting his bike up to the haybaJes after the chain derailed. In the remaining five laps Morehead did his thing for sponsors Esquire, KK Supply, Storz and Megacycle by building his lead, while Megacycle/ Knight Frames/Warren H-D-sponsored J ones got the best of Rozowicz for second. Fourth wem to Mickey Fay. Semis The first semi featured a two-rider battle for the single transfer, with Mike Garrison and Tom Maitland going at it. Garrison, sponsored by Garrison Roofing, led the first half of the race with little challenge, but then Maitland moved up LO make it a five-lap street fight. Maitland led across the line only once. but he made Garrison work every step of the way for the win. Hank Scott, who was badly injured at Ascot three years ago and feels that he is steadily overcoming a mental block about racing there, worked up to finish third. The second semi was a Boody/Fay battle for the first haH, but then Boody led it all the way and the Tex Peel!Arai-sponsored rider was in the National. South Carolina's Bill Davis finished third. Last Chance Qualifier Fay got thejumpon Ross Klauand Hank Scott as the Last Chance Qualifier started, but JeH Haney's crash on the back straight brought out the red £lag. Haney was unhurt, Fay was un fazed and duplicated his holeshot, but Scott couldn't repeat his good start and was mired back in seventh. Fay went on to lead it all the way. Scott took second from Chris Cannon on the final lap, but it was too late. Fay, sponsored by Ammco Tools, SuperTrapp, Marushin, Hi-Point,

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