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/126913
o iii SR I: 1: Halroid Iilh;;nger (KaWl; 2:KIn Fronlten- 9 <{ berry (Hont, 3. Williem Lower (SUl). SR II: 1. George Singler (Han): 2. Lawrence Myers IM-S); 3. Denny Sellman (Han). c 6 Sandona takes u Vl ~ ~ a (.0 :I: lL 00 0") By Scott Daloisio SAN BERNARDINO, CA, MAY 21 John "Sidewinder" Sandonaof Reche Canyon, California, won an exciting three-rider run-off to capture the crown in the Bruce Penhall Classic winner John Sandona leeds Mike Faria and Brad Oxley in the title run-off at Inland Motorcycle Speedway. , Harold Robison (383) leads the 260cc A/Open A combined second moto through the first tum at Moto Sport Trails. Robison went ,-, for the win. OPEN INT: ,. Brlln Plnerson (Ylm). OPEN PRO: ,. Rick Ryln (Han): 2. Tony Rlcherds (Klw). Robison cleans up MSTMX By Peggy Adamic MALVERN. OH. MAY II Harold Robison made a clean sweep of the 250cc A/Open A race at Moto Spon Trails, winning both mOlos with a com- 44 Penhall Classic speedway manding lead over the second place finishers. In the first moLO, the Brunswick Suzuki/Hombre Internationalponsored Robison raced through the first turn with Mike Boggia beside him and fellow Suzuki rider John Ruper close behind. In the second turn, Ruper crashed, finiling himself in last place, making way for An Jackson and Gray Bruce to join the front runners. Boggia slipped around Robison to gain the lead but halfway through the lap, as he headed downhill into the woods, Boggia lost control of his bike and first place.. Bruce and Jackson followed Robison around the downed rider with Tim Deutsch moving through the pack into fifth behind Mark Beamer. As Robi on pulled away from the riders behind, the ballle for second place heated up. After three laps, Bruce and Jackson faded back with Beamer and Deutsch taking over second and third. Shortly aLter his crash, Boggia was back in the race, fighting with Jackson forfounh. On the£ourth lap, Boggia changed places with Jack, . son while Deutsch took second from Beamer. By the final lap of the moLO, Robison had gained a 20-second lead on second-place finisher Deutsch. Beamer, Boggia and Jackson followed Deutsch through the checkered flag, rounding out the LOp five. Robison was out front again when the gate dropped to start the second moLO. Through turn one, Boggia, Jackson and Deutsch were close behind but Beamer and Ruper cut inside to take second and third behind Robison. Boggia and Jeff McCune grabbed the fourth and fifth spots. Two-and-ahalf laps into the race, Boggia and McCune batded with Ruper for third, Boggia passing Ruper with McCune just a lap later passing both Ruper and Boggia LO take over third. Robison was untouchable as he led the entire moto with Beamer finishing a distant second. McCune and Boggia continued batding for third with McCune holding on with Ruper finishing fifth behind Boggia. John McDeavill won the l25cc B class, finishing first in both mOlOS. Chuck Nicholson kept pace wtih McDeavin in the first moLO, finishing second with Brunswick Suzuki rider Karl Kure finishing third. In the second moLO, Steve Gardiner finished behind McDeavill followed by Mark Booth and Nicholson. The Andrews Honda/Fox-sponsored Nicholson LOok second overall for the day with his 2-4 moLO finishes. Results 50: 1. Klrl Scan (ylm): 2. Chris SIt...ls (Yam): 3. Ch.. Arnfilld (Ylm~ 60: 1. Fronlt Bitner (Kaw); 2. Mikl Kllin (KIwi: 3. Jlson Myers (Kaw). BO 7-11: 1. Mlchee' Beker (ylm): 2. Ben Froley (Suz); 3. Jlson Myers (Ylm). SO 12·15: 1. Mlreus SI'lerdS (Klw); 2. Watt Wlo· dersky (KIwI: 3. Tony BonecI (Han). SUPER MINI: ,. WItt Woodersky (Klw); 2. Tonv Bonece (Han); 3. Don Atwell (Han). 125 SCHOOL BOY: 1. Billy Plnlck (Ylm); 2. David Jlnlk (Han): 3. Dlvid Janik (Honl. 125 A: 1. Jlff McCunl (Han); 2. Jlmls CInerin (Klw): 3. Bobby BIker (Klw). '25 B: 1. Jottn McDeevl1t (Kaw); 2."Chuck Nichol· son (Han): 3. Mark Booth (VIm). '25 C: 1. Billy Plnick (Vam); 2. Bryan Jones (Kaw); 3. John Dickerson (Kaw). 250 A/OPEN A: 1. Harold Robison (SUl); 2. Mark Beamer (Yam); 3. Mike Boggia (SUl). 250 B: 1. Marty Popovich (ylm); 2. Tim Pizzute (SUl): 3. Mike leVIn (Hus). 250 C: 1. Rick Boepple (Hus): 2. Bob Harrington (Yam); 3. Henry Havensteln (Hon). OPEN B: 1. Dave Heppner (Han); 2. Robert Bryson (Kaw); 3. David eo. (Han). Second Annual Bruce Penhall Classicat John LaDouceur's Inland MOlorcycle Speedway Wednesday night. In doing so, Sandona defeated a stellar field of speedway stars that included the likes of Bobby "Boogaloo" Schwartz, Alan "Crazy" Christian, "Flyin' Mike" Faria, Brad Oxley .and John Cook. Even though the race is a celebration honoring Penhall, the two-time World Champion, a somber mood reigned in the pits as it was learned that earlier in the day Penhall's archrival Kenny Carter and his wife had been found shot to death in England. Once on the track however, the competitors put their feelings behind them and raced their hearts out. Oxley, one of the surprise merchants o( the night, scored an impressive victory over Faria in evem one. Suprising RonnieCorrey then topped event two while Sandona (Middle Eanh Video/Malcolm Smith/Gene Woods Racing Prod.lScou Goggles/ Rocky Cycle Weslake) earned his first three points of the meeting in event four after Schwartz, one of the favorites, had taken a win in event three. Steve Lucero, who won the 1985 California State Championship at IMS, put himself in the title hum with a narrow win over Shawn McConnell in event five. Sandona, Schwartz and Oxley all carried first round wins imo evem six; Schwartz, out of two.gotthe gate and cut down on pole-si uer Sandona. Sandona then took Schwartz to the wall as they came off turn two and took the lead. Oxley also gOl by Schwartz, but could not get near Sandona. Faria, who has been dominating IMS this season, then LOQk third in his second ride and only had three poims from two outings. Oxley's vicLOry aspirations suffered a severe blow in evem 10 when he was upset by "Fast Eddie" Castro. Faria took event 11 while Sandona fell while running second. However, he received third-place points, as Kurt Strommer had already fallen. That saved the day for Sandona - if he had finished last, he would have not made the run-off. Sandona easily won race 13 over Castro, Keith Larsen and Gene Woods. Lucero, who had been in the thick of the hunt, dropped from contemion with a surprising last-place finish in event 14, where the win wem to Cook over Oxley. Faria, who was seemingly out of it from the start, scored a very convincing win over Schwartz and Christian in event IS and was back in the hum. Oxley came back in event 17 and scored an easy win over Christian, giving him 12 pojms. Faria then beat Lucero in the next evem, pUlling him on 12. Thatldt the final heat for Sandona to seal his own fate. If he won, the title was his. IJ he finished second, he was in a run-off for the crown with Oxley and Faria. For two laps it was a ballle between Sandona, McConnell and Cook. They fought 0(£ McConnell and for the last two circuits, it __ was CoP OU roe o.ulside_\I£ub..5an- dona down low, trading the lead back and forth. The win went to Cook by one length while the crowd gave both a standing ovation. "I was riding the blue groove, hoping it would give me a lot of drive, but it wasn't giving me as much drive as John Cook was getting on the wide line in the dirt," Sandora said. "Going into the turns, I was taking the shoner line, so I was passing him, but down the straights he was geuing a lot of drive so he was passing me." After a quick break, it was time for the run-off. Faria drew the pole with Sandona getting two and Oxley three. As the tapes went up, Faria lift~dand Sandona drove to the pole before Faria could recover. Then, Sandona almost slid off the blue groove in turn one, but maintained his lead. Faria hounded Sandona on the inside (ortwo laps, but on lap three he wem wide and ended up falling in turn two, leaving Sandona to score the win over Oxley. An elated Sandona said, "For the first lap or two I felt him on the inside. I could see his from tire right inside of me, and then after two laps I didn't see him there and Ididn't want to look around because it breaks your concentration on a blue groove track. I just stayed on my line and rode the blue groove not knowing that he had gone wide." Faria was asked what would have happened if .he hadn't lifted, stated "I would have won it, I could have ridden the pole." Results POINTS: 1. John Slndona (Wn) , 2; 2. Brad O.ley (WeI) 12; 3. Mlkl Feria (JIW) 12; 4. Bobby .SChwlrtz (WeI) 11; 5. mE) John Cool< (WII)/Ronnil eorrey (WIs)/Steve Lucero (Wn) 10; B. (TIE) Rob Pfetzlng (WIS)/Ed Clltro (Wnl B; 1D. Alan Chrlstlln (GdnlWesl 7. Faria scores 42nd Ventura Spdwy win By Bill Locey VENTURA, CA, MAY 20 Ventura Track Champion Mike Faria won the .Scratch main event at Ventura Speedway for his 42nd career win at the facility. Two more wins at Ventura and Faria catches Mike Bast as the alltime Ventura winner. Faria won his heat but then had to fly around the outside to overtake National Champion and 1978 Ventura Track Champion Alan Christian in order to take second behind Steve Lucero in the semi. Faria gated on top in the main and was leading handily umil the last lap when he turned and motioned to Lucero to hurry up. Lucero, the 1981 Ventura Track Champion, got a wheel under Faria and came within a fOOl of beating "F1yin' Mike" at the line. In Handicap racing, First Division rookie Kevin Krugh rode solidly (again).and held a tight line. Tuff McBride couldn't get by until the final turn. Ed Castro was third. Track poims leader Jim Sisemore blew a moLO in his heat race and had LO sellle for a Match race win over ew York's George Lazor. The Second Divison main was mellow-at least until the final lap. Mark Brooks was in the lead when Chris Land clipped his rear wheel, straightened out and banzaied through the turn two breakaway crash wall, landing on the car track behind it. As Brooks crossed the finish line, Jim Gravance kamikazed into him, sending both riders down hard. Brooks had his bell rung and Gravance got his arm stuck betwee.n the sprocket and chain.lltook several men several minutes LO extricate Gravance, who then took a ride to the hospital with a severe laceration.