Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Bubba Shobert leads third-placer Scott Pearson shortly before he slipped off the groove and dropped to seventh. (Above) Ricky Graham powered to second. (Below) Steve Morehead (42) leads Terry Poovey (18), Boody and Randy Texter. Junior winner Darryl Johnson shakes the bubbly as he celebrates with Duane Duvall (left) and Don Estep. Miller after a short struggle opening the champagne in the winner's circle. "I got a good start, moved around Don Estep and was then able to move away." The race saw Estep put his Ron Wood Racing-sponsored Wood-Rotax in front for three laps with constant pressure from Miller. On lap four, Miller moved around and the two stayed close together for another two laps. Meanwhile, Duane Duvall was on the move and beginning to close on Estep while holding Anthony Grady and Mike Arthur at bay. On the final lapof the 12-lap National, Duvall got the opening he needed off turn four and motored his carb-restricted HarleyDavidson of North Texas XR750 around Estep for second at the £lag. Arthur edged Grady for fourth. "I knew Don was going to guard the low line in turn four," said Duvall. "When he did, he left me an opening up high and I took it." National "I've been on the pole three times this year, counting tonight, and I haven't won a National yet. I think it's about time," said Boody before the start. "The track has changed a lot since the heat races. It will be interesting to see what strategy some of the cushion riders use since the track is basically a groove." Boody chose his starting position right on the groove, fourth off the grandstand side of the track, with Graham and Goss sandwiching him. Boody got the jump on the start, but in the shu£fle for position off turn two lost out to Graham, Shobert, Pearson and Goss with Scott. Poovey. and Hartley right behind. Boody sliced his way through tra£fic to a closing third on lap three behind Shobert while Graham stretched his lead. By the fourth lap, Shobert was pushed back in third with Pearson nipping at this heels. Graham's lead diminished as Boody picked up ground in the turns. ''I'm going to try the Jay Springsteen sty Ie on the start," Graham said before the National. "Go high for a few laps to gain some ground 'and then get down on the groove and hold on." "I saw Ricky staying up in the cushion and I knew I could make ground on him," said Boody afterwards. Boody closed in on Graham on lap six and moved into the lead coming off turn four at the end of lap seven. "Ted tapped me twice when he was following me," said Graham. "After the second tap, I decided to let him past so I could try to force a mistake from him. He got away." Boody and Graham rolled along easily out front with Boody, after taking the lead, almost immediately opening up about 20 yards over Graham. Shobert was a good distance back in third with Pearson, Scott and Goss behind. Hames led a dice for seven th ahead of Poovey, Hartley and Eklund with Gilkey, Texter, Jorgensen, Cornwell and Drake rounding out the field. On lap 10, Shobert slipped off the groove and immediately dropped to fifth. Two laps later, the top five were set with Boody safely out front and Graham worrying more about holding off the challenges of Pearson than catching Boody. In turn, Scott was hounding Pearson while Goss was a short distance back ahead of Hames. Shobert lost another two places via another off-groove excursion and was seventh. The final eight laps saw the Graham/Pearson/Scott/Goss quartet play shadow and rubberband, but without any rider sufficiently sure of himself to make any drastic moves to pass. Poovey got by Shobert for sixth on lap 15 after Hames slipped up and lost two positions. Eklundgot around Hames in the closing laps for eighth. Boody lofted the from wheel of his Harley halfway to the checkered £lag in a salute to the fans and was just as exuberant in his flag waving on his victory lap. There were handshakes all around among Boody, Graham and Pearson before the three moved over to winner's circle and some champagne to top off a quick 20 laps. "It may have looked like it was easy, but it really wasn't," said Boody. "I nearly crashed in the early laps and that broke my concentration a bit. When I saw Ricky staying up high, I felt he was going to get tired and I knew I could go faster on the groove. We bumped a few.times and when I passed him between turns three and four I think he slipped off the groove and I took advantage of it. In the final laps I was really taking it easy going into and coming off the turns because I didn't want to burn up my tire and find I had no traction with a lap or two to go." "We realIy had to hustle to get Ted's bike ready to go," said his tuner Tex Peel. "We didn't finish working on it until 2 a.m. this morning. We headed out (from Flushing, Michigan) soon after that for Louisville." "The cushion was good for the first few laps," said Graham, "but I didn't know what to expect on the groove so I stayed up there as long as I thought I could. I've never been known as a groove rider anyway. Ted was really running strong and had a perfect combination for the track." ''I'm excited," said Pearson. "It feels good to be back." (Pearson spent J:}early all of the 1983 season recovering from knee surgery.) "I rode my own race, made no mistakes and the bike really ran strong. I know you can't always name every sponsor, but those who are behind me stuck with me when times were tough and lowe them some recognition. Circle Bell, Shoei, Hap Jones, Super Trapp, Carlisle, Megacycle Cams, Esprit, M&M Leathers, GP Plastic, Tsubaki, ND and Mikuni have all been very good to me." KK Motorcycle Supply-sponsored Gary Scott, after a disappointing showing in Nationals so far this season, feels he has broken his string of bad luck. ''I'm satisfied with fourth," said Scott. "After all the problems up to now, fourth is a big improvement. I feel better physically than I have all year and the bike is running good and handling good. Right now I can't ask for anything more. I gambled with a soft compound tire and it worked, but I wore it out by the end of the race." • Results 20-LAP NATIONAL: 1. Ted Boody (H·D); 2. Ricky Graham (Hon); 3. Scon Pearson (H-D); 4. Gary Scon (H-D); 5. Randy Goss (H-DI; 6. Terry Poovey (H-D); 7. Bubba Shoben (Hon); 8. Steve Eklund (H-D); 9. Pete Hames (H-D); 10. Jon Cornvvell (H-D); 11. Mike Gilkey (H-D); 12. Randy Texter (H-DI; 13. Alex Jorgensen (H-D); 14. Scott Drake (H-DI; 15. Mark Hanley (H-D). Time: 8 min.. 17.345 sees. 12-LAP JUNIOR NATIONAL: 1. Darryl Johnson (Hon); 2. Duane Duvall (H-D); 3. Don Estep (Rot); 4. Mike Arthur (C·A); 5. Anthonv Grady(H-D); 6. David Miller (H-D); 7. George Minor (H-DI; 8. Tim Hampton (H-D); 9. John Parker (H-D); 10. Danny Angel IC-A); 11. Rob Brawn (H-D);I 12. Jeff Sizemore (H0). Time: 5 min.. 10.539 sees. AMA GRANO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP/ CAMEL PRO SERIES POINT STANDINGS: 1. Ricky Graham (94); 2. Randy Goss(83); 3. Bubba Shoben (74); 4. Scon Parker (701; 5. Ted Boody (64); 6. Alex Jorgensen (62); 7. Doug Chandler (61); 8. Jay Springsteen (39); 9. (TIE) Pete Hamea/Steve Morehead (35); 11. Jim Filice (33); 12. (TIE) Steve Eklund/ Terry Poovey (32); 14. Hank Scott (241; 15. Scott Pearson (21); 16. (TIE) Ganh Brow/Kenny Rabena (20); 1B. GaryScon (19); 19. Tim Menena (17); 20. Freddie Spencer (18). 11

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