Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126909
25.580, followed by other heat-rare po lesiuers Steve Eklund (25.585) and Pete Hames (25.602). Rounding out the top five was Samm y Sweet, at 25.657. Springsteen qualified in 15th position, Shobert was 18th . Completing the 48-rider field was Honda rider Michael Reid. with a sing le lap of 27.128 seconds. (Above) the top three: Bubba Shobert (1). and heat-race winners Doug Chandler. (1 0) and Scott Pearson (9 5 ). (Be low) Sammy Sweet (60) leads f ourth-place finisher Chris Carr early in the main . AliA Grand National Champi!Jnship/Camel Pro Series:.Round 4 Shobert completes grand slam By Matt Hilgenberg Photos by Mitch Friedman PHOENIX, AZ, APR. 26 With his win in tonight's Phoenix Half Mile, Bubba Shobert became the third m an in history to complete a grand slam. Before him, only Dick M~~n a nd 'Ken ny Roberts 6 have sco red wins 'iri each type of Grand National Champion- ship racing: short track, TT, I half mile, mi le a nd road racing. "It feels good to have finally won a half mile. They took it away from me a couple years ago, then when I saw the red flag, I rhought rhe y just didn't want me 10 win it. Usually on a single-file restart, the guy in front has a disadvantage. I'm just glad it all came together, " Shobert said. The win also moved Shobert from third to first place in the Camel Pro Series point standings. ' Fo ll o w i n g S hobert (American H o nda /Bell vMo to-X Fox/Kerker/ Vetter) across the lin e at Keith Hall's Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix was Freddie Spencer/S uperTrapp Racing's Doug Chandler, who had to fend off charges from Harley-Davidson-mounted SCOIl Pearson: Chris Carr was fourth , and still holds second in the poini standings. J a y Springsteen made his return 10. GNC racing after missing the main event at the Sacramento Mile and the entire Ascot TT,'but didn't make the National. Suzuki road racer Kevin Schwantz returned from England 10 ride a Bartel' s Harley-Davidson, but also didn't qualify for the main after a co~ple of poor starts in his heat and serrn. The evening started with a bit of contro versy at the new (to Camel Pro) facility. Halfway between turn four and the start/finish line, there was a break in the concrete retaining wall, which resulted in a four-inch piece of the wall protruding at about hand lebar height. There was a concern about safety, so a wooden four-byfour was split at an angle and ducttaped 10 the wall, making a safer transition on the crack. The new track surface also created traction prob lems for m an y riders, and tJJe p erson gelling the most power 10 the ground usually ended up in fro nt. Qualifying Top qua lifier on the lon g h a lf mile was Carr, aboa rd the Harley David. son Motor Co .z'Electro West /Lawwill /Shoei/Hap Jones/RS Taichi/ Hi- Point Harley, at 25.568 seconds. O h io 's Steve Morehead was second at Heats Honda -mounted Ri ch Graham jumped out 10 an earl y iead in the first l O-rider, 10-lap heat race over Tim Mertens. Ted Boody and Carr. Coming out of turn four on the initial go-around, Carr slipped underneath Boody for third. then began running it hard into the turns 10 catch Mertens. On lap six, Carr got under Mertens exiting turn four, then got a good drive. to outrun the Honda rider and tak e over second. Graham had built up a pretty good lead. but Carr was on the move , and began to reel in th e two-time Grand National Champ. Two laps later, Carr got alongside Graham on the front straight, and the leaders ran side-byside through turn one. Graham drifted a lilli e high in two , and Carr too k over the lead, which he he ld to th e finish over Graham. Merten's earned the final transfer spot ahead of Ronnie Jones and Boody. Morehead (KK Motorcycle Supply/ Laubes Cycle/Storzvjohn Dragoo Harley-Davidson ) got an excellent start to lead heat two over Chandler, Shobert and Don Howard; Springer ran fifth . Morehead got a liu le too high in turn four of the second lap, and Chandler /1;0t by to lead the race. Shobert also passed Morehead on lap four. while Springsteen ran fourth; Ran d y Goss was moving up from a -secon d-row start. Near the midway poiru.positions were set, as Chandler led Shobert and Morehead across the line. Goss was trying 10 make a move on Morehead for third near the finish. but couldn't do it. Heat race three saw Eklund get a goodjumpoff the line ahead of R odney Farris and Pearson (Circle Bell Ent.lShoeilCariisle/Hap Jones/ Red . Li ne OillSuperTrapp/SoCal Raci ng FuellTsubaki Chain /Hi -Point/Mik unil K&N /Ka l-Gard /N D /Gran d Prix Pl ast ics/ Works Performance) . Farr is got a lill ie 100 sideways co m i ng off turn four of the second lap , and Pearso n dove underneath to grab . second. Two laps later, Pearson got . an unbelievable drive off fo ur to motor past Ekl und on the inside a nd take over the lead. Eklund returned the favor on the next lap, but Pearso n held on and jammed out front once again whe n Eklund bobbled in turn two. Eklund slipped up high in turns three/four, giving Farris seco nd and Pea rso n a lill ie breathing room . At the finish, Pea rso n took the win over Farris (Ed Fisher/Mach I Raci ng/ Gary Nixon/Mike Sponseller/ Nolan Helmets /Cycle Exp. Honda )and Eklund. Fourth and fifth fell to Eric R au sch and Tom Maitland. As the pack came out of turn two for the first time in heat race four. Sweet (Pyra m id Builders/H-D of, North Texas /Tsubak ilBe ll /Ka 1Gard ) held the lead over Mi ke Garrison and Hames. The top three position s h eld evenly for the rest of the race, but be hind them, Scali Parker was movi ng through the pack, and event ually la nded in fourth after passing Bill y H erndon on lap ni ne. Semis Fran Bro wn was first off the line in th e opening 10-lap semi, trailed by Ronn ie J o nes, Goss and Bood y, who was passed by Springsteen on lap o ne. Two la p s into the event, Brown went high in turn three, and J on es n abbed th e point position. Near th e