Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Blais bags AAMRR endurance win By Joe McKay W EST P ALM BEACH , FLA,-AP R . 6 ' A to tal of 307 rid ers tu rn ed o ut for the AAMR R South Moroso Mo torsports Park roa d races in West Palm Beach , toda y. And Kelly Getz and his Can-Am 250 were untouchable at the Prophetstown hare sc rambles; he eas ily captured the overall. OPEN : 1. R.J. Fadd is (KTM ); 2. Paul Norris [Hu s): 3. Mark Maddox (KTM ). SA : 1. Garv Halc h (Yam ); 2. Curtis McGuire(Hon); 3. Joe Jesse (Hon ). SUP SA : 1. Bill Edmundson (Hon); 2. Stan Norris (Hus); 3. David A lbert (KTM) . 4 ·STRK: 1. Doug Hyatt (Hon ); 2. Randy Ashby (Hon ); 3 . Dav id Newton (Hon) . TRAIL RIDER: 1. J ohnn y Nun ley (Kaw); 2. Darryl Allman (Yam ); 3 . Bryan Huntsinger (Han). Getz grabs P-town HS By Merle Acord PR OPH ET ST OW N , IL , APR. 6 " I like everyth ing abou t Prophetstown," said Kell y Ce tz, and well he should. Cetz riding a 250cc Can-Am , overa lled 30 hi s seco nd ha re scrambles of th e sea so n a nd both wins h ere a t P-to wn . " T h is is a tough track ," said Getz . " Most o f th e trail s are tig h t and th ere's lo ts o f sand a n d lot s o f whoops a nd n ot a lot o f o p en stuff: it' s tough 10 ge t a brea th er. You have to be in sha pe to ride hard for tw o hours a t P rophet stown. I didn 't ge t a good sta rt. We wer e bunch ed u p fo r th e first three la p s, with th e tight tra il s yo u had 10 p ick th e spots to pass." Dan Fargen rode a Ka wa sak i KDX to seco nd overa II, two mi nu tes beh ind G et z. Fa rge n spent most o f the da y e xce p t th e last la p el bo w-to -elbow with Ca n -Am rid er Ra nd y J ohnson. " Wha t happened to Ra nd y?" asked Fargen, " 1stopped for gas a nd Randy go t a head o f me a nd I never sa w him aga in. I thought he had won it. " " AII I needed was a cup fu ll o f gas, " said J o hnson. "1 knew it was goi ng to be clos e, a nd I took the cha nc e a nd I ran ou t of gas. Fargen and I had ru n to gether a ll day a n d I knew I co uld n 't stop fo r gas a nd sti ll bea t h im . W hen I ra n o ut I was n 't th at far from the finish , bu t I would have had to push u p a sa nd hi ll a nd after two hours o f t his stuff I just co u ld n 't do it. " " I ha te to stop for gas . I rea lly get depressed, " sa id Dal e Smith , who finish ed second in th e 250cc A behi nd Da vid P ucharich . " AII that work to ge t aro und those guys and th en it seems th e whole world goes by whi le you're getting gas. So toda y I used m y ex tra tan k and d id n 't have to stop," Smi th was referring to a n auxil iary , sq uare , one-ga llon p lastic tank tha t straps to th e fro nt of the machi ne o ver the nu m ber p lat e. Troy McD o n a ld did n't ha ve a ny ga s problems bu t h e d id quali fy for th e " bi te th e bu ll et" award . Me Dona ld , a 19-year-ol d ligh tweight , broke h is ri ght th um b two week s ago a t the Bike Ba rn H are Scra m bles, but i t takes more th an broken bones to kee p him away from ra ci ng. MeDo na ld mo tored a 200cc KDX fir st o ff the li n e a nd led the field to th e barrel s o n the firs t la p . But he bega n losin g one a nd two posi tions ea ch lap as the deep whoops took their toll ; at the e nd o f an hou r a nd a ha lf McDonal d co u ld no lo nger grip th e th ro tt le tight enoug h to turn it. " I thoug ht mavbe I co u ld do it," he sa id . " And I h ad to trv ." It wa s ~ differ ent p robl em for Ron W h ipple, th e Open A cla ss winner. " 1 ca n ' t find m y duffle bag with a ll m y riding gear. The last I seen of it wa s at Cusse' s hare scra m ble two week s 'ago ,"Whipple borrowed gea r (he had a spare helmet ). David Bergq ui st o veralled th e Mini cl ass and put o u t not ice th at if it 's a tough track h e wi ll be th e ri de r to beat, Bergqu ist rides MX a nd hare scra m bles a nd seems to have reach ed th at platea u where rider a nd machi ne get to know eac h o ther and when th is ha p pen s to a Mini r ider i ts a quarttum j ump in rider ability. Results 200 A: 1. Dan Farg en (Kaw); 2 . Craig Hayes (Hus ); 3 . Mike M unther (C·A) . _ 250 A : 1. Dav e Pucharich t H us ); 2. Da le Sm it h (Kaw) ; 3 . Dave Losey (Hon ). OPEN A: 1. Ron W hipple (Yam); 2. Fran k Schoen ebeck (KTM); 3 . Glen Fuegen (Vam) . SR; 1. J ames Hero (KTM ); 2. John Shafer (Hus ); 3 . Ro n George (Kaw). 200 B: 1. Robert M itchell (Kaw); 2. J am ie Nees (Kaw); 3 . Rust y M ills (C·AI . OPEN & 250 B: 1. Sco tt Taylor (Vaml; 2. Scott Lewey (C·AI ; 3. Rand y Heusinkveld (Ma i). MIN I: 1. Richard Ste phen s (Yam ); 2. Chris George (Kaw ); 3. Jason KavzJarich (Kaw l. 53 of them lined u p in th e Lelvlanstype start for th e 90-min ute end u ra nce race, whi ch Kevin Bla is a nd his 900cc Kawasaki Ni nja handi d ly won . Cl ear ski es prevailed as th e 53 rid -· ers ran to their bikes for th e sta rt. Miam i, Fl orida's Blai s, o n h is NCL/ P a l m e tt o Kaw a 'i.aki / P3 Ra ci n g / i\1.0.M . (Mrs. Bla is) 900 Ninja , fou nd himself o u t in front at th e sta rt. Cl ose behind wer e Team Miami Vice Captain Steve T elde r (Suzu ki GS X R I I00), Bryan Schwing on the Schwi ng Racin g Yamaha FZ750 , Ri ck J a ckson on the T ea m Rapid T ra nsi t· J& B Ka wasa ki / Red li ne Mo torcycle Parts/ 600 Ni na , a n ti Brett Sargea nt o f Na p les o n a 600 Kawasaki . After 45 minutes, so me teams elected to cha nge ri ders as th ev p itt ed for fuel. Ri ck Mi ll er j umped o n G ina's Ni nja and prom p ly p icked u p six p laces in Class T hree . Sargea nt crash ed in turn o ne, whe n a nothe r rider cu t ac ro ss the lin e, a nd broke h is left co llarbo ne. Pat C urra n cl imbed a boa rd th e T eam Cocon u ts/ Re d line Ra ci ng '/ Glades Hon du /S hipshaven Yachts VFlOOO In te rcep to r, whi ch wa s ru n ning two la p s down due to a fuel problem tha t clea red itself up. Blais and Schwi ng bo th elected to run th e 90 mi n ut e race a lo ne. Both pi tted with in o ne la p o f each ot her. Schw ing who wo n the first 90 m in ut e rac e in February, j us t d idn ' t ha ve th e m uscle to stav with Bla is. Bla'i s took overa ll honors and th e Class One wi n . T eam Mi am i Vice wit h O l iver H orzbergat th e finish were seco nd in class. Winfo rd P r ice was fi rst in C lass T wo fo llowed bv Sch wing. G us ta vo Lon don o / T erry Dietz p iloted th ei r FZ to Class T hree hon or s, wi th Tea m Rap id T ra nsi t (R o sa t i/Mi ll er ) seco nd a n d Mark , Da lton th ird. Jim Reed cli nched the Class Four wi n, o ver Pat Su ll iva n o f Opa Locka . T he sp ri n ts sta rt ed with G reg Esser o n th e Su n belt Vea l/ Yamaha 250, ed g ing o ut J ohn Fra nce (H o nda 250 ) for first p lace in th e Formul a T wo even t. Esser 's seco n d wi n o ver France in two events. Dalton finished th ird o n h is 550 Suzu ki . The Nov ice class had a real ba tt le g oi ng betwee n J im R on an , Dan Robert s, J erry J aco b a nd H a ns \\' ilson. On th e la st lap, Ronan cra shed leaving Robert s, J aco b and Wil so n 1-2-3 a t th e flag. All separated by th ree and a half seconds. An oth er rid er returni ng to Moroso was Sco tt Cant rell o n hi s shinv new Suzu ki G SXR lIOO, sponsored in part bv Suzuki o f Pa lm Beach. Ca ntrell o u t-g un ned Bla is to th e checkered flag for a win in th e Mod ified P roduc tion One class. H ol zberg finis hed third o n h is Suzuk i. M ia m i's R ic k Shaw too k Mod ified P roduct ion Two ho nors with an easv wi n ov er Price, Terrv Ba rk er, A'I Capo n igro a nd Stirli ng Watts. Front runn in g Novi ce riders J ohn C urwi ck, Mi ke Kenned y, Pat J ohnson , Ca rl Ha rm s a n d D6n J a cks went first th rough fifth. Yamaha 's new FZ600 showed wh y it s go ing to be th e bik e to beat in th e Pro d uction Three di vision . Lond ono c ro ssed th e l in e j u st in front o f Mia mi' s Dietz a nd Ron Cole o n th e Gold Coa st Ya mah a 600 , a lso o f Mia m i. H ans Wil son led No vice ride rs Mark G reco and Gordon Forester to th e chec kered flag. Pat Su lliva n batt led G len n Car lso n fo r th e win in Producti on Fou r. Formula O ne ace J ohn Long , rid ing a T Z750 Yamah a , cap tured first p lace by th e end o f lap o ne a nd never slowed. T her rea l ba ttl e was ba ck in th e pack . Ca ntrell. Shaw , France, Schwing a nd Mill er (Suzu ki o f Pal m Beach /Redline Racing/ GSXR750)a ll tryi ng to ge t a roun d him . H e man aged to hold th em o ff for th e fu ll 10 laps for second p lace. Mike Kenned v in heri ted the Novice lead a fte r H ol zberg go t ca ugh t up racing with J ohn Curwi ch for th e lead a nd missed a ve rv cr itica l bra ke marker. H e left th e tr,;ck at wel l o ver 130, bu t suffered o n ly bruises. Jimmy Sh elton a nd Jua n Carlos Diaz were second and third j u st behind Ken nedy. Results ENDURA NCE CLA SS ONE: 1. K~ Blais (Overall); 2. Team M iam i Vic e; 3 . Team Coconuts. CLA SS TWO : 1. W . Pr ice; 2-,B, Schwi ng ; 3 . H. Wi lson. CLA SS THREE: 1, London o /Diet z; 2. Team Rapid Trans it ; 3 . M . Dalt on , CLA SS FOUR; 1. J . Reed; 2. P. Sull ivan . SPRINTS F· 2 EX: 1, G. Esser ; 2 . J . France; 3 . M . Dal ton . F·2 NOV : 1. D. Robert s; 2, J . Jacob; 3 . H . Wil son. M P· 1: 1, S. Cantr ell ; 2. K. Blai s; 3. A . Holzbe rg . M p·2 EX: 1. R. Shaw; 2. W . Pric e; 3 . T. Bar ker. MP ·2 NOV: 1. J . Curwick; 2. M . Kennedy ; 3 . P. John son . PROD 3 EX: 1. G. Londono; 2. T. Dietz; 3 . R. Cole. PROD 3 NOV : 1. H. W ilson ; 2. M . Gre co; 3 . G. For ester . PROD 4 : 1. P. Sullivan ; 2. G. Carls on. F·1 EX; 1. J . Long ; 2. S. Can tr ell ; 3. R. Shaw. F·1 NOV ; 1. M . Kennedy; 2. J . Sh elt on ; 3 . J . Diaz. MP·3 EX; 1. R. Cole; 2. G. Lon don o; 3 . P. M adi gan . Mp·3 NOV: 1. D. Robert s; 2. H. Wil son; 3 . J . Ja cob, M P·4 : 1, C. Que nzler ; 2. J . Cole. BoIT: 1. J . Szoldrak; 2. R. M at ison ; 3. P, Su ll ivan . VINT: 1. J . Long; 2. R. Winkler. F-4 : 1. S. W olf ; 2. J . Reed. PROD 1: 1. D. Chancey; 2. K. Flicking er; 3 . A . Caponi gro. PROD 2: 1. R. M iller ; 2 . T. Ba rker : 3 . R. J ackson . PROD NOV : 1. M . Ken ned y; 2 . C. Harms; 3 . H. Wilson , SHOO TOUT; 1. J . Long ; 2. D. Chancey; 3 . S. Ca ntr e ll. Moen wins D-38 hare scrambles By Bob and Diane Bell PLASTER CITY, CA , MAR. 9 Tom Mo entook his Imperial Valley Cycl e Center-sponsored Honda CR500 to a n overall win at the AMA District-Sf Short and Sweet Hare Scra m bles. " My sta rt wa s perfect, a nd I got th e hol esh o t," sa id Moen. "It 's bee n a yea ra n d-a-ha lf since I've led from the sta rt . Getting number on e is go ing to be tough th is year. " The co urse was la id o u t bv l25 cc Vet Expert Terry Stra u wa ld. 'H e decided to tr y h is best to make a sma llbik e co urse by runni ng through so me tight a nd rocky silt hills ri ght of f th e sta rt. Moen was n' t worried as he h ad found a smooth li ne arou nd th e hills a nd wa s long gone befo re th e main pa ck h it check o ne , Ri ch O 'Brien held th e 250cc lead with second o vera ll a t th e end o f loop o ne a nd d id a sky shot j u m p that had spectators di ving for co ver. " I sca red m yself to death whe n I real ized how high I wa s," sa id O 'Brien lat er. Steve Walker had hi s Open Danny Machine Works/KSI H onda in third ove ra ll , foll ow ed closel y by Open rider s John Bird o n a KTM a n d Ph il Means o n a H onda, Moen ex tended his lead as O'Brien devel oped a flat o n loop two . Walk er was now in second a nd Mean s passed Bird for third, Wal ker took Iris best sh ot a t ca tch ing Moen but co u ld only close to within two minutes. At th e fini sh, Moen took hi s first overall victory of th e yea r. Mo en said, "I lov ed th e track. It was li ke motocro ss, very rough." Walker was a n easy second wi th Means th rough for third , Th e 250cc class was won by Yarn aha -rnounted T odd Kenned y a t fourth

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