Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126775
-----------------------........ Lawson to miss Laguna Seca . By John Ulrich LONG BEACH, CA, JUNE 19 Eddie Lawson says he will not compete at Laguna Seca July 21-22, despite promoter advertisements to the contrary. In a special phone interview with Cyde News, Lawson, who called from Yamaha N.V. headquarters outside Amsterdam, Holland, said "I just picked up a copy of Cycle News and saw an advertisement saying that I'll be racing at Laguna. I won't be there. I want to ride but Yamaha Japan doesn't want me to ride. Yamaha U.S. wants to race but Ago (Giacomo Agostini, Team Marlboro manager) doesn't. And I'm leading the World Championship points, so I guess I won't be riding." Lawson also talked about his ride in the June 17 Yugoslavian Grand Prix. "About the fifth lap it was all over," Lawson said. "I just about jumped off 10 times. The tires just didn't work; they were hatin' that racetrack. But the next race is at Assen (Holland) and they work pretty good there. " Lawson said his Yamaha went extremely rich during the race in France the week before, running on three cylinders on slower parts of the track. Talking about fellow American Wayne Rainey, who competes in the 250Cc class, Lawson said "Wayne's the fastest guy on the racetrack, but when he starts the thing, he's dead last off the grid. It just won't start. He was fast Qualifier at the last race, but got off the line dead last. He was catching up but after 10 laps his tire.were junk and he started working beckwards. "He's got the slowest bike on the track. His mechanic is good but they're using all stock stuff." Lawson said that Rainey's competitors all use trick parts such as the H8tH cylinders used with success in America by Dave Busby and Don Greene. ~ 00 O"l ...... BYP4IP4I Wf4lLfY The June 22 Camel Pro Series Santa Fe TT National in Hinsdale, Illinois, was rained out and rescheduled for August 3. Contrary to what you read recently in these pages, a gallon of Blendzall Octane Booster sells for $25.20, not $3.75. The June 24 Camel Pro Series Formula One National at Pennsylvania's Pocono International Raceway, was also rained out, along with the Formula Two and Battle of the Twins races. It's rescheduled for August 4. In the June 24 Sun Valley Grand Prix, held near Hailey, Idaho, Howard Pickett was the overall winner on a 260 Yamaha. Joel Rucker was second overall on a 260 Honda, and Dan Lees captured first Open bike honors at third overall on a Yamaha. Approximately 300 riders competed in the event. held only a few miles from the famed ski resort of the same name. Mike Melton (Hus) was the overall winner of the High Mountain National Championship Hare Scrambles in St. Johns, Pennsylvania, on June 24. Ed Lojak (Hus), Fred Hoess (KTM) and Geoff Ballard (C-A) followed in the overall standings in the rain-plagued event. Exploding Harleys: Harley-Davidson ha. recalled over 2400 XL1000 models equipped with the company's new combined clutch hub/altemator assembly, seen above. It seems that rotor magnets may break up and jam between the stator assembly and the clutch hub, causing the rear wheel to lock. The affected models were built between November 16, 1983 and April 11, 1984; owner. of .uch machines should return them to dealer. for installation of updated parts. Here's a look at an artist's conception of the Ciba-Geigy aluminum honeycomb used to build the frame ofthe radical RG500 road racer featured last week. The honeycomb structures are faced with sheets of aluminum, and the whole thing is glued together. The technology was developed in Formula One car racing several years ag~, before the cars progressed to carbon-fiber structures. The RG600 built with the material is under development by Heron Suzuki, the United Kingdom Suzuki importer. 4 ••r I 1 I, ," Three clubs are banding together for a three-race Vintage Challenge Series for vintage/classic road racers. The first event, hosted by the AFM North Vintage Club, will be July 27-28 at Sears Point. The second round, run by the Classic Racin~ Motorcycle Club, will be run at Wtllow Springs September 1-2. The final event will be the Southern Nevada Road Racers' round, October 27-28 in Las Vegas. There will be three classes: Pre-'67 under 300cc, Pre-'67 301-5OOcc, and Modern Classic (pre '72). Bikes should be GP or production clubman racers; treaded tires will be required. For further details, call Chris Quinn at 415/785-4396 or Mike Green at 415/829-6091. The June 23-24 NMRA Summer Nationals at Connecticut International Raceway in East Haddam saw John Sands (Hon) take the Top Fuel win when Larry McBride's (Kaw) engine demolished itself near the end of the run. Sands' winning run was an 8. 11-second, 164 mph blast. George Bryce (Suz) won the Funny Bike class with a 7.70/ 180.18, while Terry Vance (Kaw) posted an 8.47/152.41 for the Pro Stock win. Jacky Martens (KTM), with a 3-1 moto tally, was the overall winner in the June 24 West German 250cc MX GP. Points leader Heinz Kinigadner (KTM) sustained a knee injury and didn't race. Team Green vans continue to post the miles. Their west8m van will be at Mammoth Mountain on June 29 through July 1, then head south for an NMA qualifier at Barona Oaks July 8. The central van will be at Tyler, Texas on July 1, and then will attend the GNC Good Times National at Lake Whitney, Texas, on July 7-8. The English duo of Chris Morton and Peter Collins took the World Best Pairs speedway championship over teams from six other countries in the June 17 event at Longo, Italy. The American duo of Bobby Schwartz and Shawn Moran finished fourth, eight points off the winning score. Morton and Collins tallied 27 points, while Denmark (Hans Nielsen/Erik Gunderson) and New Zealand (Mitch Shirra/ Ivan Mauger) knotted at 25 points. The Danes won a run-off for second. Schwartz tallied 11 points and Moran eight; and the U.S. duo was in the thick of it until Moran blew an engine while leading the 17th event. ,c['1~)J (J)t"r 't' •.• Pssst. Don't tell the IRS, but: Terry Poovey earned $4,595 in purse money and $260 in lap money for winning the recent Harrington Half Mile NationaL. Runner-up Ted Boody took $3,050 of the $26,000 purse and earned $140 for the seven laps he led. Thirdplace finisher Steve Morehead pocketed $1,985. Contingency sponsors adding to those totals included Bates, Bell, Castrol and Klotz. Check out coverage of the 0-37 Not So Tuff-E-Nuff Enduro on page I fEq ···.·t.·.·j ~'. run'lIHc