Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

$-0 ~ ..0 o .... u o Mike Goodwin's not-50-secret plan .to save supercross By Rex Reese Well, if supercross as we know it needs saving (HG.K. Scott's Secret Plan to Save Supercross," Cycle News September 26), then there's apparently nobody in a better position to really do something about 'it than Mike Goodwin. He is, afterall, the father of supercross and has been instru- 16 mental in much of the changes that it has gone through over the years. And like G.K. Scott, Mike Goodwin believes that some changes are in order to preserve and improve the sport. When given a basic explanation of Scott's proposed supercross format, Goodwin replied, "Supercross needs a lot of fixing, and I'm not sure he (Scott) is right or wrong with his approach, but I'll tell you my opinion. "First of all, I believe there's a terrible inequity and the privateers don't get ,a fair shake," began Goodwin. "Starting with the 1983 Rose Bowl race, I gave back-of-the-pack riders free gear,tires and stuH because the AMA controlled the purse. Starting with the 1984 season, I was influential in getting people to pay more money to back-of-the-pack riders and less· to the top guys because they already had their big salaries and bonuses. "Also, we modified the race tracks, which was introduced at the Rose Bowl, to make it easier for privateers to ride since they don't have the opportunity to train for these events as' much as the factory guys do. As a result, we had some of the closest racing that we've ever had. We had the same type track at BuHalo, which. some riders were reported calling 'a cry-baby racetrack.' But I frankly think they're the cry-babies, inasmuch as it has let the privateers place better." Without referring much more to Scott's plan, Goodwin provided further details of changes that will be made in future supercross events: . "Starting with the Los Angeles Coliseum event in November, we'll be having a 'share-the-wealth' program with the riders, based on attendance. There will be two dollars from each ticket, with part going to the Motocross and Trophee des Nations fund, part for a fund for riding parks in southern California, another fund that hasn't been determined yet, and of course prize money." Goodwin states that this form ula will make It possible to achieve a total pur o~.ooo Acguaranteed base purse of$35,000 will come from Stadium Motorsports, with Miller Brewing adding another $50,000, and the final $15,000 coming from the gate. This doesn't include salaries and bonuses paid factory riders, contingencies, and other awards. "We've changed the race track so it isn't so technically diHicult," adds Goodwin. "Most privateers have regular jobs, so they can't practice every day. And they don't have access toa supercross nice track to practice on, like Honda has near Indian Dunes. And supercross is so diHerent that it further separates the factory riders from the privateers. We don't want that. Privateers need to feel good about themselves, make more money, and stay in the sport." Thesupercrosspromoterexplained that with more riders in the sport, factories will continue seeking out new talent, sales of production motocross bikes will be maintained, and spectator appeal- ticket sales -will remain on its current upward growth curve. While admitting that he "loves the idea of running two classes for factory riders and privateers," Goodwin believes that "sandbagging" by some riders in the production Class would present a problem that would be difficult to detect or enforce. Also, Goodwin feels that the withdrawal of factory works machines from racing wouldn't adversely aHect the quality of racing or the development of production bikes. Goodwin says that spectator surveys back up his observations. In fact, beginning in October, 1985, all professional supercross racing will see everybody on production machinery. In addition to the above, 1985 supercross events will feature both 125 and 250cc classes, says Goodwin. "This puts fewer of the factory riders in each class, which lets privateers place higher." In summation, Goodwin doesn't believe "G.K. Scott is wrong, but we can take all the advice we can get." Mike Goodwin's programs which are being instituted mayor may not be the answer either. How they succeed will depend on the participation of those he described in his plan - the factol'ies, private« anti-fans..... • ••• Bob Carpenter lowered the IDBA Pro Stock records to 8.39 seconds and 157.89 mph in winning the American Nationals at Atco. ID BA National Championship Drag Race Series: Round 5 Records fall at Atco American Nationals By Tony Lee COLLINGSWOOD, NJ, SEPT. 8-9 Thirty-five riders set 32 International Drag B' k e A' ssoclatIon eI apse d' ,,' 1 tIme recor d san d 30 . miles-per- hour records on the quarter mile drag 'strip at Atco Raceway during the American Nationals at the famed facility. No wonder: Atco is f f . d' amous or tractIon ~n alr. Mother Nature, not havmg been fooled with, sent perfect sunshine to go with a twelve-foot above sea level air density of 106 both days of the event. Add to that the fact that the Atco crew sprayed "sticky" on the entire strip both mornings and re-sprayed the line between rounds. They have an interesting technique in that they spray 100% Dyna:Bite, flaming it as it is sprayed so that it goes down "burned in." The runs were unreal. Wayne Buckle(s C&W Cycleworks-sponsored Suzuki, for instance, is now the quickest carbureted sit-up gas Suzuki in the world at 8.32 seconds and 145.63 miles-per-hour, but that's nota record. The record in his class, FIX, went to Ray Bellucci on a Kawasaki at (and the word has to be used again) unreal 8.07 while Marty Blades got the mph record in F/X at 159.85. Notan isolated example, assuredly. Going into the event, Terry Vance had the field covered by almost twotenths of a second with his 8.48/156.52 Pro Stock record. Before Saturday's sun had crossed the yardarm, Mike Keyte and Bob Carpenter were dead on the record, Joe Folgore was one- . hundredth off, and Randy Mason only two. The 16 bike Pro Stock field was .22 second apart; you had to count down to the 15th qualifier to get into the 8_7~u.......... • ••••••• , •• The Pro Stock final saw second fastest qualifier Bob Carpenter and his Vazar Power Products/Megacycle/ MTC Engineering-sponsored Suzuki face number three qualifier Joe Folgore and his Atco Raceway-sponsored Suzuki. Carpenter had run 8.37, 8.41 and 8.47 in elimination rounds, Folgore had 8.59, 8.66 and 8.69. Folgore needed the holeshot but he didn't gel it. Red light and an 8.60/148.51 in the runncr-up's lane gave Carpenter and his 8.39/157.89 the win and the records. Everybody at Atco seemed to be running the quickest ever and Terry Kizer in Funny Bike was no exception. Terry's boosted F/B record going into the event was 7.71. His first pass down the track was a 7.69, and before the event was over he'd dropped the record to 7.54. In the Funny Bike final, Kizer and his R W Motors/Mr. Turbo/MTC Engineering/Race Design-sponsored Kawasaki faced the Karata Enterprises/Falicon Performance/Fast by FerraccilMTC Engineering-sponsored Kawasaki of Bob Malloy. Kizer had qualified fastest while Malloy was fourth fastest. After elimination runs, Kizer had Malloy covered by three-tenths of a second, so Malloy knew he'd have to cut the tree like never before. He did. Malloy got the win light with a 7.87/172.41 against a quicker and faster 7.80/181.81 by Kizer. The finish was so close the man in the tower who was keeping the ladder wrote down Kizer's name in the win slot until told by the t:\'irls on W clocks

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