Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

~ o a: ..... m C z ::::i c > « c >lrl m ~ :I: 11. Craig Howard slid to three wins in 600cc Amateur racing, one each in haH mile, short track and TT. Dennis Gonzaluea (81 V) and Jeff Turner stir up the roost in Sunday'sTT. Tommy Carriger (21W) and Wayne Wagster shOW differing cornering styles during 260cc Amateur TT scrambles competition. Scott Scherb came from Texas, scoring one win and a pair of runner-up placings. AMA Western Region Amateur Dirt Track Championship Scherb, Howard shine at Porterville By David Lindstrom PORTERVILLE, CA, AUG. 17-19 Scottie Scherb and Craig Howard were among the stars of the show as the Spinners M.C. hosted the AMA Western Region Amateur Dirt Track Championship at Airport Raceway. Contestants vied in half mile, shoTt track and TT scrambles racing through the three days and nights. Airpon Raceway proved to be a good site for tbe event, with tbe track holding up well and providing good traction. Most riders had high praise for the track and the host club. Half Mile Local riders seemed to have a decided advamage as a brief practice session left many out of towners still pondering jetting and gearing. In tbe 250cc final, Yamaha rider Albert Biscaglio pulled the holeshot and went on to lead !.he race to the flag. Another Yamaha pilot; Todd Adams, looked good in practice, but only got off to an eighth-place stan in the main. Adams fought his way through traffic: "Finally passed five bikes and dove into second place," he related later. Blayne Hollen beck (Suz) finished third. In !.he 500cc final, Howard pulled the holes bot and had a comfonable lead afLer two laps on his Yamaha. Adams had ano!.her poor stan, this time fifth off the line. A sustained charge advanced him to second, but he could never mount a move on Howard. Howard's win was all the more impressive given the consideration that he experienced carburetion problems in practice and had tQ guess at gearing for the race. Mark Corsetti finished third as Yamaha riders swept !.he first nine spots. Short track Honda-mounted Scottie Scherb got a head stan as the 250cc pack funneled into turn one. Wbile Steve Raymond (C-A) and Willie McCoy (Hon) battled over second and third, Scherb slowly increased his lead to finish the race six bikelengths ahead of Raymond. "I really felt good about the ride," said Scherb when it was ovq ~ bQlJlM 4njg~ PAi~ljed . n.. the founh spot. After winning the day before, Howard returned for the 500cc final tonight, but admitted to having trouble finding traction during his heat race. Howard must have solved the problem, because he rode a solid race and finished eight bikelengths ahead of Corsetti. Along the way Corsetti had quite a battle with Tony Harrell (Yam) as the two managed to stay ahead of the four!.h-placed Scherb. TT scrambles Scherb again had a super stan in tbe 250cc main, leading joe Borda into the first turn. However, his lead faded quickly as hometown favorite Ryan Land and Tommy Carriger took over first and second before the end of lap one. David Holmes then worked bis way up !.he leaderboard and proceeded to swap the lead with Land for several laps until he feJl at the midway point. Upon his demise Scherb and Borda resumed running 2-3 and stayed there to the finish. Scherb again put himself at the from of the pack as the 500cc main got underway. jeff Briddle was an initial second, only to be passed by Yamaha rider Kenny King. However, King crashed off a jump on lap two and that brought out the red flag. On the restan Briddle took the lead and held it for two laps before fading back to an eventual third. As Briddle faded, it bacame a Howard/Scherb figbt for the top spot. They went at it in a classic confrontation, Scherb taking the lead through some corners, Howard through others. In the end, Howard prevailed and took the flag 10 yards in from of Scherb. The Open class was a classic Yamaha v . TT~U.qtPP big.bor battle. Car- roll Jackson led the pack into turn one on !.he Queen's Iron, with Steve Burford and Bob Stafford following on Japanese machinery. Burford quickly grabbed the lead and cruised on to the checkered (Jag with a five-second margin over second. jackson faded and Yamaha rider john Hill took over second, with Triumph rider Jack Rothstein edging out Stafford for third. • Results HALF MILE 50: 1. Joe Gilben; 2. Charles Fontenot. 60 STK (7-11): 1. Mike Becerra; 2. Louie Cruz; 3. Ronnie Lewis. 80 STK (7-11): Mike Becerra; 2. Ronnie Lowis; 3. Louie Cruz. 8OMOO(7-11): 1. Mark Burch. 80 STK (12-15): 1. Robby Mcloughlin. BO MOO (12-15): 1. Tommy Lynch; 2. Sean Plymale; 3. Tom Griffth. 125 SCHOOLBOY: 1. Richard Comer; 2. Bryan Holmes; 3. Bryan Berna. 125: 1. Dan Feldhaus; 2. Eddie Alberti. 250: 1. Albert Biscaglio; 2. Todd Adams; 3. Blayne Hollenbeck. 500: 1. Craig Howard; 2. Todd Adams; 3. Mart< Corsetti. OPEN: 1. Riclt Hollenbodt; 2. Paul eat..; 3. Midge Griffith. VETS; 1. Oiclty LoRoy; 2. Oon Meihor; 3. Jerry Greer. SHORT TRACK 50: 1. Charles Fontenot: 2. Joe Gilbert. 60 STK (7-11): 1. Louie Cruz; 2. Ronnie Lewis; 3. Mark Burch. 80 STK (7-11): 1. Louie Cruz; 2. Ronnie Lewis. 80 MOO (7-11); 1. Mart< Burch. 80 STK (12-15): 1. Tommy Lynch; 2. Jason Craven; 3. Seen Plymale. 80 MOD (12-15): 1. Robby Mcloughlin. 125 SCHOOLBOY: 1. Richard Comer; 2. Bryan Holmes; 3. Todd Alberti. 125: 1. Eddie Alberti; 2. Dan Feldhaus. 250: 1. Scott Scherb; 2. StOYO Raymond; 3. Willie McCoy. 500: 1. Craig Howard; 2. Mark Corsetti; 3. Tony Harrell. OPEN: 1. Rick Hollenboctt; 2. John Hill. VETS: 1. Bob Gabler; 2. Ste.. Burford; 3. Oon Meiher. TT SCRAMBLES 50: 1. Charles Fontenot; 2. Joe Gilbert; 3. Gary Walker. 60 STK (7-111: 1. Louie Cruz; 2. Troy Cruz; 3. Ronnie Louis. 80 STK (7-11); 1. Louie Cruz; 2. Ronnie Lawis; 3. Luke Gaze. 80 MOD (7-11): 1. Mark Burch. 80 STK (12-15): 1. Robby Mclaughlin. 80 MOD (12-15): 1. Pote Snyder; 2. Sean Plymale. 125 SCHOOLBOY: 1. Pete Snyder; 2. Bryan Holmes; 3. Richard Comer. 125: 1. Dan Feldhaus; 2. Eddie Alberti. 250: 1. Ryan Land; 2. Scott Scherb; 3. Joe Borda. 500: 1. Craig Howard; 2. Scon Scherb; 3. Jeff Brindle. OPEN: 1. StellO Burford; 2. John Hill; 3. Jaclt Rothstein. VETS: 1. StOYO Burford; 2. Don Meihor; 3. Bill Banels.t. l .'{S, I)! J~' -C'

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