Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

lo-< Q.) ..c o ..... U Orlando (12), Oliver (27), Renfrow (96) and Chandler slosh along in F-1. (Below) Shobert sprays, Orlando and Adamo duck. Jimmy Adamo took the Reno Leoni-tuned square-four Cagiva to second in F-1. (Below) Flyin' Fred Merkel, Superbike Champion. Results hit traf[ic but with the brakes not working I just couldn't chance it." With the top three decided early on, the focus shifted to fourth. McMurter led Ashmead, Quarterley and Oliver with Adamo on the only non-Japanese machine in the top 10. McMurter, Quarterley and Terry Hampton pulled away with a second trio of Oliver, Ashmead and Adamo just behind. Fourth was decided on the last lap when Quarterley snuck by McMurter entering a corner. "I spent the early part of the race learning the bike and the second part catching up. 1 stayed with Reuben until the last lap. 1 got a better drive on to the back straight and outbraked him at the end of it," said GS Performance-sponsored Quarterley. "He jammed me on the inside. The track's so tight 1 should've stayed on the inside. The idea was to secure third for the championship and 1was having motor troubles. Fifth gear was fluttering and 1 wasn't setting top speed. It's tough to ride alone. Once I got Roberto into my sight my lap times dropped. I was doing 41s when Dale came upand I didn't want to crash," said McMurter. Merkel set a new race record by 22 seconds, averaging 84.921 mph. "It's been a very good season. I've got the two greatest mechanics in the world. We're just running great and winning everything in sight." ''I'm a little disappointed; 1wanted to stick with Fred and make him make a mistake so the championship would be decided in Daytona. Two years ago I beat Fred for the Formula Two Championship; now it's his turn. 1 think we have a good chance to win in Formula Two tomorrow," said McDonald. 31 -LAP NATIONAL; 1. Bubbo Shoben (Han); 2. Jimmy Adamo (Cag); 3. Ricky Orlando (Hon); 4. Oan Chivington (Vom); 5. Som McOonold (Han); 6. Rondv Renfrow (Han); 7. Grogg Smr. (Vom); B. Rich Schlochtor (Han); 9. Hop Eoton (Yom); 10. An Robbins (Kow); I 1. Lorry Shote (Han); 12. Henry DeGouw (Vom); 13. Dove Kieffer (Due); 14. Richord Chombers (yom); 15. Boonie Knott (Su.); 16. Steve Arnold (Vom); 17. Rouben MeMu,,"r (Kow); 18. Doug Chondlor (Han); 19. Mike 80ldwin (Han); 20. Rich Oliver (Suz). TIME - I hr.. 3 min.. 58.876 sec. AVER. SPEED - 69.770 mph FINAL U.S. ROAD RACE CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDINGS: ,. 80ldwin (I 17); 2. Schlochter (78); 3. Renfrow (78); 4. Cooley (58); 5. 8rouneck (46); 6. Roben. (40); 7. Chivinglon (36); 8. Adomo (33); 9. (TIE) Smrz/McMuner (29); I 1. Robbin. (28); 12. Chondler (27); 13. Shoben (23); 14. Richichi (22); 16. Orlondo (20); 18. (TIE) Spencer/Memolo (16); 18. (TIE) Mile. 8oldwin/Chombers (13); 20. 8orgbeum (12). AMA GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP/ CAMEL PRO SERIES POINT STANOINGS: 1. Ricky Grohom (257); 2. 8ubbo Shobert (246); 3. Rondy Goss (226); 4. Scott Porker (208); 6. Doug Chendler (197): 6. Ted Boody (I 22): 7. Ale. Jorgensen (141); 8. Terry Poovey (122): 9. Mike Boldwin (117): 10. Henk Scott (1 I 5): I 1. Steve Mareheed (103): 12. (TIE) Pete Homes/Scott Peerson (93): 14. SIeve Eklund(87t, 15. Richord Sch,*,hter (78): 16. Rendy Renfrow (75): 17. Jimmy Filice (57): 18. Gery Scott (51); 19. We. Cooley (58): 20. Ronnie Jones (50). Merkel all the way for win & title LEXINGTON, OH, SEPT. 29 Freddie Spencer couldn't do it. And neither could Mike Baldwin. But Fred Merkel did. He gave Honda their first Superbike championship with a convincing win in the Wiseco Superbike 100 at Mid-Ohio that gave him a 196 to 165 point edge over Sam McDonald, a safe second here and in the standings. Roberto Pietri made it a Honda sweep with the Kawasaki of Dale Quarterley and Reuben McMurter (Hon) following. Merkel led 'every lap of hiS' record- selling heat, backing off for a threesecond lead in the five lap heat at 8:36.056. Pietro, Orlando, McMurter and Quarterley filled out the top five. Heat number two was all McDonald and was three seconds faster than Merkel's. Maybe it was because he was pushed early by second place Rich Oliver who had plenty of room on John Ashmead and Terry Hampton. Glenn Barry was fifth. . "This was the first record I've ever had in a Superbike race and it pumped me up," McDonald said. Merkel's bike, the only factorybacked machine in the race, is generally acknow ledged to be thefastest on the track. But Pietri and McDonald showed some tricks of their own and it took six tours of the 2.4-milecircuit before Merkel planted himself in the front. With only one long straight and corners seemingly everywhere, part of the factory advantage was negated. "Sammy can vouch for me: our bikes were dead even on the backstretch," said Merkel. "I passed him in traffic. I seemed to get through it better and 1 took some chances here and there." McDonald said that, "There are a lot of things a privateer cannot do. We try to make it as close as possible but HRC in Japan did a good job putting Fred's bike together. Our bikes might look the same, but inside they're nol. "Fred got me at the top of the hill. 1 found a false neutral right when we got into traffic. Our lap times were identical, but 1 had trouble shifting for four or five laps or the race could've gone either way." Pietri said that it felt good to lead for a few laps. "We finally got it together at the end of the season and it's because 1 got a new mechanic, Bill Helltridsch, to work on my bike. "Sammy passed me in turn one. My brake lever came in almost to the handlebar. I stay~d'With him Ul'ltil we Results 1. Fred Merkel (Han): 2. Sem McDonold (Han); 3. Roberto Pietri (Han); 4. Dale Quanerley (Kaw); 5. Reuben MeMuner (Han); 6. Terry Hompton (Han); 7. Rich Oliver (Kow): 8. John Ashmeed (Han); 9. Jimmy Adomcr (I:8g);' 1eY. PM' Hernon '(l'Ion1: 'fl. 0 Ricky Orlondo (Hon); 13. Glenn 80rry (Han); 14. Kevin Monahln IKaw); 15. Kevin Schwanu (KIwi: 16. Marvin West (BMW); 17. Edgar Hinton (Suz): 18. Barney Bernstein (Yam); 19. Rich Chambers (Han); 20. Fred Ren. (Han). TIME - 42 min.. 23.544 sec. AVER. SPEED - 84.921 mph. POINT STANDINGS: 1. Merkel (198): 2. MeDonold (166): 3. McMuner (I 23); 4. Pi..ri (98); 5. Oliver (81 I: 5. Cuenerley (841: 7. Orlondo (67); 8. 8ottencoun (53); 9. Cooley (52): 10. Hompton (39): 11. Hernon (31); 12. Heney (281; 13. (TIE) Honh/ Monehon (27); 16. Adomo (25); 18. (TIE) 8orry/ Ashmeed (24): 18. Spencer (20); 19. (TIE) Roloff/ 8ryant (17). FotrrIIIU TIrO McDonald nips Brunson in photo finish LEXINGTON, OH, SEPT. 30 Unlike the larger displacemen t classes that Honda dominates, the Formula Two class has traditionally been Yamaha's domain. Alan Labrosse won the first of the two heat races with Sam McDonald 20 yards behind. Kevin Brunson was a distant third with series point leader Don Greene fourth and Garry Griffith fifth. The second heat, although won by Dave Busby, would prove decisive to the championship. Chris Steward, the rider most capable of challenging Greene's lead, fell while leading, breaking his collarbone. Tracy DeMuro, John France Jr., George Wallace and Gary Maslanki followed Busby's Yamaha into the final. The consensus favorite in the final was Labrosse. His race, however, ended on the start line when his chain popped its master link and he walked away, head down. Busby pulled out a quick lead on Brunson, Griffith, Gary Gibson and Don Greene.

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