Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Rueben McMuner making his first appearance in winners winners circle. Founh and fifth places went to John Ashmead and Ricky Orlando in the Russell Performance Superbike final. McDonald, via his win aboard the McDonald Racing/HRC/Wiseco/ Moto-X Fox/Megacycle/Bel-Raysponsored Honda, moved himseU into second in the point standings behind Honda factory rider Merkel, 76 points to 55. John Bettencoun didn't race due to a broken left wrist sustained in an accident during Friday's practice session. He holds third in the standings at53 with McMuner moving his International World of Motorcyclessponsored Honda into fourth with 47. Quanerley and his Brockton Cycles/GS Performance Kawasaki lost ground and now lie fifth at 42. Quarterley, for the second race in.a row held the pole after a rousing fi ve lap battle in the heat race with Merkel which saw the two bang fairings twice in the last turn with Quanerley taking the win. Merkel and Quarterley sprinted out front on the start, leaving McDonald, McMurter, Robeno Pietri and the Ontario Moto Tech/Bi-Star Honda of Ashmead trailing ahead of the rest of the 31 rider field. Quanerley and Merkel traded the lead until the stan of lap six when Merkel crashed in turn one on engine coolant/oil spread on the track by another rider's crash. The race was red-flagged. Merkel went to the first aid station to repair the effects of a long slide on his posterior. His crew was quick to get the bike to the pits and work to repair the damage commenced. The Honda crew's repair job was helped by the lengthy work of track personnel in cleaning up the problem to the satisfaction of the riders and AMA. In all, the race was delayed one hour, IS minutes. Merkel's bike was pushed to the line approximately 20 minutes afler the crash. "We had plenty of hands to help," said Merlyn Plumlee as Mike Velasco gave the bike a critical once over. "We replaced the handlebars, shift lever, radiator hose, cI utch master cylinder, the steering damper and a bunch of odds and ends like springs on the exhaust pipe and such." "If you think the bike got hurt, you ought to see my butt," said Merkel. "32 laps is plenty of time to get back in the race from my spot at the back of the grid." Quanerley, on a track he has raced on many times, showed his familiarity of the 1.6 mile, 10 turn circuit by scooting away with the lead and immediately opening up a gap over McDonald. Merkel was quickly up to sixth. On lap nine, Quarterley had six seconds on McDonald with Merkel moving around McMuner for third. Pietri and Ashmead got into a battle for fifth two laps later while McMurter stalked Merkel. Jimmy Adamo, with a sick engine.in his Team Leoni Cagiva, headed to the pits. Quanerley, using slower traffic to his best advantage, continued to put ground on McDonald while Merkel was slowing, drifting backward. Pietri, whose crew had spent the entire night rebuilding his engine after a rocker arm broke on Sa turday, felt he had a strong chance for a good finish. Roberto began to close up on Ashmead and McMuner as the lap count headed to 24. Quarterley had seven seconds on McDonald with Merkel 15 seconds off McDonald's pace. McMurter was a short distance ahead of Ashmead, Pietri, Orlando, Kawasaki rider Kevin Monohan, and Rich Oliver with Glenn Barry in 10th. Ashmead, Pietri and McMurter were Joey Sommers led most of the way to take the F-2 final. (Above) Dale Quarterly leads Superbike winner Sam McDonald (29) and McMurter. (Below) Gene Church (8) and Jimmy Adamo dice in BaTT action. However, David Roper won after both went out of the race. (Above) Doug Brauneck scored a second in the National. (Below) Sidecar winners Fillery/Ceeland. wheel-to-wheel on lap 28 with McMurter's slip to fifth caused by a balky transmission. Halfway into lap 29 Pietri was out. "The engine started making strange, expensive noises and I knew it was time to quit," said Pietri. On the 32nd lap, Quarterley's Cinderella story came to an end with a blown engine. "Something let go internally as I was cresting the hill," said Quanerley. . McDonald inherited a lead of over 20 seconds on Merkel and cruised home easily, followed by Merkel, McMurter, Ashmead and Orlando. Oliver rode hard for sixth with Gary Horton using consistent riding to take seventh ahead of Monohan, Terry Hampton and Kerry Bryant. Results 1. !>em McDonlld (Hanl; 2. Frlld M_I(Hon~ 3. Ruellen McMurt.r (Honl; 4. John Ash_lid (Hon); 5. Ricky Orlendo (Hon); 8. Richerd Oliver (Kew); 7. Glry Horton (Hon); 8. Kevin _ h l n (Kew); 9. Terry Hlmpton (Hon); 10. Kerry IIryem (K_I; 11. Frlld R.nl (Honl; 12. 8ud Norton (SUI~ 13. Glenn Bury (Hon); 14. Richlrd Chemllers(Honl; 15. Revmond Royel. (SuII; 18. Mik. HIrth (Honl; 17. Devin a.nley (8MW); 18. R _ Doyle (Han); 19. John Roche IHon~ 20. Chrio Gollowey (Honl. TIMEIAVERAGE SPEED: None due to r..lIrt. POINT STANDINGS: 1. Morkel(78); 2. McDonald (85); 3. John a.n.ncoun (53); 4. McMurter(47): 5. Dlie Qulrtorley (42); 8. Ricky Orlendo (39): 7. Roberto Pi"ri (21); 8. (TIE) OliverIFroddi. Spencer (20); 10. (TIE) Jimmy AdamolAsh_lid (18). Sommers sails to victory LOUDON, NH, JUNE 17 Joey Sommers showed his mastery of Bryar Motorsport Park's 1.6-mile serpentine course in the 32-lap Formula Two final to become the fifth differem winner in as many rounds. Sommers led the final 24 laps and was in command on laps one through four before losing first and then retaking it from Sam McDonald on lap eight to begin his run to the finish. McDonald, on the Honda RS250, took second a good distance ahead of Yamaha TZ25G-mounted Tracy De- Muro, winner of an earlier round. Yamaha riders AJan Labrosse and Dave Busby rounded out the top five. The victory marked the first for Sommers and his Popp's Cyde Center/Nutly Company/Sommers Racingsponsored Yamaha TZ250. Sam McDonaJd outbraked Sommers to take over the lead as the twO dove into turn 10 to end lap four. Sommers led pole sitter McDonald on the StaTt with Saturday's Superbike final winner inching his way to Sommers' rear wheel before taking the lead. Behind them, a furious battle for third involved Busby, Labrosse, DeMuro, Don Greene, Bryan Paquette, Jerry Krasser, Doug Brauneck and Chris Steward, up from a last row start in the 32-rider field. Sommers moved back in from on lap eight with Greene all the way up to third, a full 10 seconds in arrears. Busby and DeMuro sat on Greene's rear tire. Using slower traffic to his advantage, Sommers pulled out two seconds on McDonald by lap 10 with DeMuro in the lead of a battle for third involving Greene, Busby and Labrosse. Three laps later, Sommers had a four-second advantage over McDonald, with McDonald a full 18 seconds ahead of DeMuro. Busby/Labrosse/ Greene were another three seconds back with the rest of the field strung out. Steward joined the Busby/Greene/ Labrosse fight while a distance back Brauneck was inches ahead of Krasser and Paquette as the 18th lap went into the books. By lap 20, Sommers had enlarged his leading margin to 11.5 seconds over McDonald, who held an 18 second lead over DeMuro. Greene slipped off the pace in the battle for fourth on lap 24, allowing Steward/Busby/Labrosse to open a nearly two-second gap. One lap later, Brauneck dropped out and on lap 27 Labrosse took sole possession of fourth, using uaffic to edge away from Busby and Steward. Sommers, a track favorite opened his lead to 15 seconds as the final five laps wound down. McDonald was a lonely 16 seconds ahead of DeMuro in third while DeMuro held a 15second lead over Labrosse in fourth. The top six remained the same to the nag with Paquette nipping Greene at the line as Sommers passed them both to take the checkered flag. Krasser took ninth. "My early strategy was to hold back and follow Sam to see what he would do," said Sommers. "That didn't work so then I decided to race with Sam. Traffic worked to my advantage and I began to open a gap on him. From there it was JUSt maintain a pace. This race is for my dad. It's the best Father's Day present I could give him." Results 1. JoeySomm"'(Ylm~ 2. !>em McOonold lHon); 3. Tracy DeMuro (Ylml; 4. Alen Lobr_ (Ylml; 5. a- 8ulby (Ylm~ 8. Chria S_rd(ylmt 7. 8ryon PoqU"'ll (ylm); 8. Don Gr.ne (Ylmt 9. Jerry Kra_ (ylm); 10. Andr_ CoI_ (Yom); 11. John Willilm. {RlXl; 12. Gery _Inko (Ylm~ 13. William Himmol_ (H·D); 14. Michli Pellerini (VIm); 15. Booni. Knott (C-AI; HI. DIn Gel90r (Ylmt 17.Thoma8iohop(Ylm~ 18._Mont· 00'""'" (Yom); 19. Jim Bonner (Y.m~ 20. Rick Olrlinv (Ylm). TIME: 38 min.• 45.867 Mel. AVERAGE SPEED: 79.248 mph. POINT STANDINGS: 1. Chri. St_rd (54~ 2. 01.. 8ulby (49); 3. Tracy DeMuro (47); 4. (TIEl Don Gr.n.1Joey Sommoro {431; 8. 0.1e Franklin (43); 7. S.m McDonlld (32); 8. Kevin 8runlon (291; 9. John Glovet' (21); 10. Weyne Rliney (201. a.ttIe til. rlrirls Roper not so Obsolete LOUDON, NH, JUNE 17 Dave Roper, fresh from a win in the Historic TT on the Isle of Man just two weeks ago, rode a steady race to take the Battle of The Twins after pre-race favorites Jimmy Adamo and Gene Church both dropped out with undisdosed problems. Roper, on the Team Obsolete Ducati, romped home with 48-plus seconds in hand. Krausersponsored Harry Klinzmann, on the MKM BMW, finished second with Sure-Fire/HTWT-sponsored Devin Battley rounding out the winner's cirde. AJlthree were GP class ri

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