Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

~ 00 ....... Team Tamm's John Whelchel captured his first win after joining the squad, winning the 500cc Support class. Mickey Kessler finished second. Heinz Kinigadner (91 finished ninth overall but retains the 250cc World GP points lead. Micky Dymond (451 finished third in the Support class. Bob Hannah (331 made his debut ride after breaking his wrist two months ago. He rode outstanding, finishing second overall with a 3-2 ride. drop Hannah LO third. King, Keller. Velkeneers and Bowwn trailed attbe finish. "IL was tbe best I could do," said Hannah. "Barnett and Lechien had a little more LO give than I did. Basically my arms are tired - I haven't been able LO do anything trainingwise for two months. It's nearly impossible to go 100 percent for over 45 minutes since I'm not in shape." Keller sported a nasty bump on his forehead. "Chandler roosted me with a baseball-sized rock," said Keller, "and it nearly knocked me out. My goggles got messed up and I couldn't sttvery well. I couldn't get much ofa rhythm going, but I hope to get going in the second moto." Heron Suzuki's Whatley finished dut of the points at 17th. "I had a bit oI trouble getting up one of the large hills," said Whatley. "I lost my concentration and fell down. This isn't my kind of going - when we get back to Europe I will be back on the. tracks I ride best on. I hope to make up some points on Kinigadner in the final rounds." Keller launched into the lead as moto two got underway, with Hannah, Barnett, King and Dutchman Gert-Jan Van Doorn mixing it up behind. Lechien had anything but a clean start. "Two guys ran inLO me heading into the first corner," said Lechien, "and I was stuck in the middle of the show - about 15th. I i:eally had to get on the gas." After a lap and a half Barnett left Keller and Hannah scrapping for second and pulled away. King and Van Doom held fourth and fifth, while Lechien was already cruising in sixth a few bikelengths back. By lap five, Barnell appeared well on his way and was opening up his lead over Keller and Hannah by nearly a second per lap. On lap six, however, Barnett began LO slow. peering down at the right side of his bike. Halfway into the lap Barnell pulled off the track and examined the rear brake assembly; the brake cable had broken at the lever pivot and Barnell watched five riders go by. Keller inherited the lead and held for a half lap, then Hannah assumed control. "My rear shock had gone away," said Keller. "I was heading downhill and the bike pitched me over the bars. That set me way back." As Hannah took the helm Lechien swiftl y forged closer. King held third over Bowen, with Barnell back aboard for fifth over Keller, Velkeneers and Vimond. On lap 12 Lechien made his move. "I came upon Hannah and seemed to get by pretty easy," said Lechien. "He was charging and I expected bim to fight back. He did for a while, but then I think hejust got tiredand I got away from him." By the time Lechien took the checkered flag, he had put Hannah nearly 15 seconds in arrears. King followed for a close third over Bowen, Barnell, Keller, Velkeneers and Vimond. "This feels great!" said Lechien, "especially to do it in front of all the crazy people they always get here. There's definitely nothing like Unadilla. I'm really happy to win a GP, and I'd like to give credit to my tuner, Chris Haines, for doing a super job." "I managed to hold Lecbien off for quite a while," King said, "then I held him in my sight for a long time. I relaxed more in the second moto so I did better; I was fighting the bike too much in the mud ruts in the first moLO. But there's still a big difference between my basically stock Honda and the works bikes Lechien and Hannah have. IL shows up even more on rough tracks like this." Kinigadner's 10th in moto two didn't come easily. "Ifell heading up a hill," said Kinigadner, "and I hurt my left leg. Now I have the arne amount of pain in the left as the right. I was completely dead by the end of the moto. I will be happy to get back to Europe - the tracks are much easier. This track is very hard to ride, since it is likea stadium track with all of the bumpy sections. Europe has much faster and smoother courses. I like those better, and I need to keep making points to stay in front of Whatley." Canada's Mike Harnden and Dutchess Recreational Vehicle-sponsored Kurt McMillen. Whelchel cruised home for an "easy" win and overall, with Kessler, Dymond, Snoneland, Harnden and McMillen following. "This is my first win since joining Team Tamm, " said Whelchel, "and I feel great! I had to work hard in the first moto after I crashed, but moto two was much beller." • 500cc Support Results A pair. of Honda riders, Montgomery Cycle's Mickey Kessler and Team Tamm'sJohn Whelchel, were clearly a cut above the rest in 500cc Support class action. Kessler emerged as the winner in moto one after dicing with Whelchel and leading most of the laps. Whelchel crashed toward the end, then mounted another charge that Kessler managed to suppress. Husqvarna's Micky Dymond, riding a single-shock machine, kept third from lap three on, with teammate Andy Stacy finishing founh over Yamaha Support rider Pete Snorteland. Kessler and Whelchel went at it again early in moLO two, with Dymond running a distant third. Whelchel passed Kessler before the end of the second lap and set off on a race of his own, pulling ahead another second or two on each succeeding lap. Kessler settled into a secure second over Dymond. Snorteland, Honda of 250cc GRAND PRIX: 1. Ron lJIchien (HonI2-1; 2. Bob Henneh IlionI3-2; 3. Mort< Bomen ISuzll-5; 4. Alen King Ilionl4-3; 5. Keilt1_n (YemI7-4; 5. JoJo Kell." (Iionl 5-6; 7. MorcVebneers IGil) 6-7; 8. .lIIcky Vimond (Yem) 9-8; 9. Heinz Kinigadner IKTMI6-10; 10. Amo D_IIKTMI12-11; 11. A.J. Whiling (lion) 14-12; 12. Soren Mortensen (Yem) 10-17; 13. Vennig Kervelle (Yem) 15-14; 14. Jeff Hicks (Honl 15-15; 15. Ari Viiri IKTMI 20-13; 16. Doug Hoover (Yam) 19-15; 17. Jeremy Whetley (Suzl17-19; 18. St""" 8urdette (Yem) 24-18; 19. Menfred Scheeuble IKTM); 21-21; 20. Cerlo Coen (Hon) 22-23; 21. Ed Arnet (lion) 27-20; 22. Greg Meyo (Suz) 25-22; 23. Henk Van Mierio (HonI1829; 24. Gert-Jen Ven Doorn (Suz) 9-DNF; 25. Merk Murphy (Vem) l1-DNF. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 250Cc MX SERIES POINT STANDINGS: 1. Kinigedner (194); 2. Whetley (1491; 3. Velkeneer. (1391; 4. Van Doorn (131); 5. Vimond (120); 6. Jecky Mertens (1 181; 7. Meurizio Dolce (93); 8. Jurgen Nilsson (861; 9. Viirin (72); 10. Sven Borggren (59). 500cc SUPPORT: 1. John Whelchel (lion) 2-1; 2. Mickey Kessler (Honll-2; 3. Micky Dymond (Hus) 3-3; 4. Pete Snortelend (Yem) 5-4; 5. Kurt McMillen (Hon) 6-6; 6. Troy Luhmenn (Hon) 8-7; 7. FredVer.ucci (Hon) 7-8; 8. Dereld Atkins (Hon) 10-13; 9. Keilh Menn (Vam) 9-14; 10. Gary Depillo (Yeml 13-11; 11. Vivallngraham IKTM) 12-15; 12. Robert Kally (Suz) 11-16; 13. Greg Turner (HonI19-9; 14. Mark Page 18-10; 15. Mark Brown (HonI20-12; 16. Jeff 8eliveau (Hon) 15-19; 17. RIchard 0001 (Hon) 17-18; 1B. Den Field IKew) 16-20; 19. Peul Hervey (Yam) 21-17; 20. Andy Slacy IHus) 4-DNF. 9

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