Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

red Hunnicutt ran hard early-on. suffered a flat front tire. att'~ strong bid from behind, and was already being challenged again by fifth-running Parry. Parry, who was leading the 250cc class, was followed through by Brell Howell, who had wrung out his KXI25 Kawasaki on the wide-open stretche to scream into the C class lead at sixth overall. But even sixth was not safe for Howell, who had to look back constantly to check on fellow 125cc competitor Mike Heyler, who had worked his way up to eighth overall at pit two, and was steadily gaining ground. A gutsy ride by Honda-mounted Bill Becker had given him the lead in the Vet class 'at pit two, in seyenth overall, with a comfortable margin over Wes Anderson, jr., who was back in 16th overall. McDonald held his new position at the front of the pack through the fourth pit. As the course followed the chewed-up route of the SCORE Parker 400, McDonald open up his lead and took the checkered flag more than five minutes ahead of Crandall's XTM. "I won? 1 don't believe it," said a hot and tired McDonald at the finish. "This is my first win overall in anything. They told me I was in first when I got to the third gas stop. I was ~eaUy surprised. I'd passed Hunnicull and that put me in third leaving pittwo, but 1 didn't see the others so I thoughlthey were still in fronl." McDonald described the 234 miles of hot and dusty racing as "A lot of fun. It was hard to see the course a lot oftime ; it got prellY virgin out there. But overall, I loved il. I want to say thanks to Ma hburn Kawasaki for hel ping me keep th is th ing together," . he said, patting the tank of his Kawasaki, "and to the Viewfinders for the pits." . Secund across the finish line was Crandall. "I had a.good ride," said the 17-year-old hotshot. "The cou rse was good. It was a variety of thingsfast stuff, a lot of cross grain, a lot of roads, and there was one sandy section that was tough. I think the worst bit was the last section. That was really rough. It was the SCORE course, and that really takes it out of you." Crandall, of the Prospectors M.e., wanted to thank a long list of sponsOrS, including Procycle KTM, Z Racing, Cycle Am, SCOll USA, Duralube, "and Mom and Dad - they're the most important of all." Third overall, and first 250cc, was Parry, who had worked his way up steadily after dropping back to 17th overall at pit two. "First off, let me thank the Checkers for doing all that it takes to put the Curt Crandall rode his KTM to second overall. second Open class. ra e on," said Parry. "It takes a lot of work and they deserve some thank for that. Now let me say that they probably only used one roll of ribbon on the whole course. The markings were terrible." Parry. sponsored by Granada YarnahaiAXO/PjIlYokohamaTires/ SCOll Goggle, said he spent mo t of the race trying to recover from a nat tire early in the running. "I was Tirst 250cc off the start, but about 10 miles pa tthe bomb I got a flat tire running over a cactus. I didn't have any spare . tires, so when 1 got to the first gas stop we had to change the tube. I think I left the pits in 30th or 40th overall. 1 had a lot of time to make up. 1 just hung in there and kept the pace going. "It feels good to win a big one, and this is definitely one of those," said Parry. "And I want.lo say thanks to my wife and kids - they did pit four all by themselves." Fourth overall went to Open Vet Bill Becker, of the Rovers M.e., who was suffering from a lack of gears. "I was stuck in fourth gear all the way in," said Becker. "That was all 1 had left." Becker is sponsored by DRS/ Grazianos Restaurant/Yokohama tires. A bloody-nosed Brett Howell coasted a ross the finish line in fifth overall, taking the top honors in the 125cc Class. The econd 125cc to take the checkered flag - an Alhambra Yamaha YZl25 piloted by Mike Heylercro ed the finish line in sixth overall, just under one minute behind Howell. The second 25Occhome, in seventh overall, was a Yamaha ridden by Kenji Gauthier, and crossing the line in eighth overall was Open Expert Ron Shuler (Yamaha), who said the Memorial was the first big race he has ever finished. The fir t Amateur to power across the line was Open Vet Greg Winters on a Honda, who was running ninth overall when he took the flag. • Unofficial Results OVERALL: 1. Mike McDonald (Kaw); 2. Curt Crandall (KTM): 3. Kenny Parry (Vam); 4. Bill Becker. (Hon) 5. Bren Howell (Kaw): 6. Mike Heyler (Vam): 7: Kenji Gauthier (Vern); 8. Ron Shuler (Yam): 9 Greg Winters, (Hon); 10. Charlie Barney IC-A). OPEN EX: 1. Mike McDonald (Kew): 2. Curt Crandall (KTM): 3. Ron Shuler (Vam). 250 EX: 1, Kenny Parry (Vam); 2. Kenji Gauthier (Vam): 3. Paul Palmer (Vam). 125 EX: 1. Bren Howell (Kaw); 2. Mike Heyler (Yam). VET OPEN EX: 1. Bill Becker (Hon); 2. Tim Fagg (Hon); 3. Jim Robinson (Yam). VET 250 EX: 1. Gary Covington (Vam). SR OPEN EX: 1. Earl Shuler (Yam). SR 250 EXT: 1. David Kersting (Kaw). OPEN AM: 1. Dave Benzler (Vam): 2. Shaun Oevlin (KTM): 3. Steve Rogers (Hus). 125 AM: 1. Chris McDonald. (Yam). VET OPEN AM: 1. Greg Winters. SR OPEN AM: 1. H. Lee Oenning (Hon). Thierry Michaud rode his Fantic to win the 75th Scottish Six Days Trial in Fort William. Scotland. by a margin of four marks. Scottlsh Six Dafs Trial Thierry's triple (riumph FORT WILLIAM, SCOTLAND, MAY 5-10 Frenchman Thierry Michaud added his name to the list of greats when he won tl,Je 75th anniversary Scottish Six Days Trial by the narrow margin of fOUT marks over Steve Saunders. For Fantic's Michaud it was his third consecutive Scottish win, in a week hit by atrocious weather when at least four groups of sections were lost through the tremendous amount of water flowing down them. Michau.d started off well, posting with Eddy Lejeune the equal best score on the opening day (after a protest which was acknowledged five days .Iater), but dropped down the placings on Tuesday and Wednesday before scorching back to the top of the tree on Thursday with a clean sheet. He held his 'place to the finish despite a ferocious last gasp challenge from Honda-mounted Saunders. Brit john Lampkin looked to be in with a good chance aboard his Fantic in the early stages, but he had a disastrous day on Friday which ruined any chance of a win. However, undaunted he held onto third place to keep Eddy Leje,une, biddin fOJ: a win in his sixth attempt, in fourth place. Brit Gerald Richardson had a cracking week, finishing fifth ahead of his Yamaha teammate Tony Scarlett who in turn beat another Yamaha rider, Harold Crawford. Without a doubt the talk of the week was the weather. It rained every day, for much of the day, with only Tuesday anything like reasonable. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday were the wettest, indeed. Wednesday was reputed to be the wettest day in recent memory. What must be appreciated is that despite the conditions, Michaud was able to win. The trial went ahead in weather that would normally keep the Frenchman indoors. Ye~, in true World Champion fashion, he persevered to finally come up trumps and join the names of Hugh Viney, Mick Andrews and Martin Lampkin as a hat-trick winner of the Scottish Six • Days Trial. Cagiva to attempt 225cc· record TORRANCE, CA, MAY 19 Cagiva orth America President GianFranco Castiglioni announced that the company will sponsor an attempt on the 125cc World Land Speed Record in August on the Bonneville Salt Flats near Wendover, Utah. The current record of 153.8 mph was set in 1953 by an NSU streamliner. Cagiva'sattempt will usean American-built, street-legal streamliner powered by a 35-horsepower Cagiva WMX 125 liquid-cooled, two-stroke motocross engine. The streamliner, designed and built by Dan Hanebrink, Bob Lebo and Andy Baines, achieved 557 mpg in the 1986 Craig Vetter High Mileage contest using a 13-horsepower, 180cc four-stroke, . ingle-cylinder Honda engine. The German-built NSU that set the record in 1953 had 20 horsepower and reported drag coefficient of 0.88. Hanebrink, Leb and Baines claim a drag coefficient of 0.08 for their streamliner and anticipate reaching speeds of over 160 mp at Bonneville. Hanebrink is the projea design engineer and is in charge of chas is and suspension. Lebo is in charge of Dan Hanebrink (left) and Cagiva's Alberto Camelli shake as Bob Lebo mans the Hanebrink/Lebo/Baines streamliner. aerodynamics and Baines handles engine and drive train turning and engineering. Former AFM Road Racing Champion Rudy Galindo is the project coordinator responsible for human and safety factors design. All fOUT will pilot the streamliner. with a flip of a coin determining who ,¥ill make the actual record attempt. "We welcome this opportunity to prove the superiority of Cagiva engineering," said Castiglioni. "If the group is successful we will not only. hold the World Land Speed record, but will be recognized as having the world's fastest street-legal 125cc motorcycle as well." • 31

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