Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Ronnie Jones won the Expert main at the Hagerstown Regional HM. Bryan Villella topped the Juniorut Hagerstown on his M.e. Racing/Wood Racing Wood-Rotax. • Vaughn charged afler Davis but crashed and dropped to fifth. York moved through to take over second and try his hand at hounding Davis. Meanwhile, Bobby Wagner, who had blown a shock in mota one, joined in on a three-way race for first. York crashed again moving Wagner into second. Soon after, Davis lost control momentarily in a turn, enough for Wagner to takl! over the lead for the win. Vaughn worked his way back to second with Davis taking third. The first mota of the 250cc Open Pro-Am found Vaughn out front with York and Robert Motsinger chasing. Vaughn came in [or the win with Motsinger grabbing second. Mota two saw Wagner hot on the start with Cli[[ord Walker second. Walker made a first-lap pass on Wagner to take the lead, until he crashed putting Vaughn in the driver's seat [or the mota. Walker recovered [rom his [all to hound second place Wagner. Wagner pulled out second, while Walker claimed third. Mike Morris came from last in the first mota o[ the l25cc Pro-Am to tangle with Wallace Fincher [or the mota win. "I ran into somebody on the start:' said Morris, "I just tried tocatch up. With all the dust, I couldn't see. I finaJly took the inside to pass Fincher." Morris secured an earl y lead in the second round for the moto win. Results 125-250 NOV: I. Roben campbell: 2. Tony Waiters (Han); 3. Chari.. Flrrar (Kawl. 125 MOD 12-15: 1. Shane Slather (Honl; 2. Dovid Backington (yaml; 3. Andy Berryhill (Kawl. B5 MOD 12-13: 1. Ban Heibel (Han); 2. Bren Vande_ (Klw); 3. Many Vaughn (VIm). 65 STK 7-11: 1. Charles Draka (KIwi; 2. Jason Hatfield (Kaw); 3. Kerie Fleenor (Kawl. 125 B STK 12-15: 1. Shane Slather IHonl; 2. Da.id Beckin\iton (Vaml; 3. Andy Berryhill (Kawl. AUTO: 1. Jllon Harden (Vam); 2. Kyle Burgen (YamI; 3. Jason Hatfield (Vaml. SR 30+: 1. Rick Frost (Han); 2. Barry Higgins (KTMI; 3. Ronnie Ray (SUl). B5MOD 14-15: 1. Rick l:Ienninger(Kawl; 2. Sean Smeltzer (Yam); 3. Jared King (Han). WOMEN: 1. Barb Russell (SUl); 2. Laurie Creasy (KIwi; 3. Kristy Lindsey (Kawl. B5 STK 12-13: 1. Ben Heibel (Honl; 2. Marty Vaughn (Yaml; 3. Brell Vande_ (KIwi. B5 STK 14-15: 1. Chad Montero (ylm); 2. Tom Sawyer (Suz); 3. Willilm Mutimer (Kaw). SR 4()0-: 1. JeoIn Ram..y (KIwI; 2. WImer Wilbourn (Han); 3. ~ Palmeri (yoml· SR 2S+: 1. Phillip Alderton (Husl; 2. Rusty Seyres (Hont 3. Ken _ a l l (Hus). 125 B STK: 1. Clay Branch IHonl; 2. Ke.nn Wolfe (Klwt 3. Mille Tolli_ (KIwI. 125 A: 1. Billy DIvis (KIwi; 2. Wallace Fincher (KIwI; 3. JeckIon Hiland (Sull. 125 C: 1. Mlrvin Sipes (KIw); 2. Tra.ns Payne (KIwI; 3. Jeff Finkheusen (Vaml. BSSTK 7-11: 1. Shane Hampton (Vlmt 2. carisle Foale (Vaml; 3. Jason Brewer IHonl. 250-0PEN PRO-AM, 1. Jeff Vaughn (VIm); 2. Roben Motsinger (KIw); 3. Clifford WIlker (Vaml. 125 PRO-AM: 1. Mike Morris (KIwI; 2. Jeff Backington IVaml; 3. Rod Marshall (Klw). 250 B MOD: 1. Scott Summers (Honl; 2. Steve Crowe (SUl); 3. Ken Marshall (Hus). 250A: 1. Jeff Vaughn (Vaml; 2. Billy DI.is(Kawl; 3. Bobby Wegner (KIwi. _ 250 B STK: 1. Scan Summers (Han); 2. Chris Brewer (Hon); 3. Mlrk Tripp (Klw). OPEN B: 1. Scon.Summers (Han); 2. Steve Ezell (Kawl; 3. Kevin Poole (Hus). 125 B MOD: I. Tom Sewyer(Hon); 2. Clay Branch (Han); 3. Chris Jenkins (Hon). OPEN A: 1. Milk Stlhlmen (Klw); 2. Rodney Banjamin (Hon); 3. Kevin Linn (Hon). Jones rules Hagerstown RegionalHM By Len Breech HAGERSTOWN, MD, JULY 12 After stalking early leader, and local favorite, Rodney Farris for the first three laps, Ronnie Jones put his Dennis Harrisontuned G-F/Gill Racing/Shoei Helmets/Megacycle/Knight Frames Honda in to first place and proceeded to pull away [rom Farris and the rest o[ the Expert [ield to take the Sixth Annual HubCity Classic on the highbanked clay oval o[ the Hagerstown Speedway. Bryan Villella topped the Junior class while top rated Pro-Am rider Scott Stump padded his point lead in that class with another win. When you think o[ Hagerstown, words that begin with "h" usually come to mind such as hazy, hot, humid and a few other. The only respite was the heavy shower that passed through about 4:00 p.m., but the temperature shot up after it passed. Scratch heats were held to trim the 40 rider Pro-Am field down to the 12-man [ield. Wins went to Stump, Ray West Jr., Dave &lyburn and Richard Foard. At the waving of the green £lag, Stump put his "baby" Harley in the lead with Eric George, West, Ray Burn and Foard in a close pack several lengths back. By the halfway £lags, the front three were separated by about 20 yards each, with ScOll Mohan moving up to pressure Rayburn for fourth. On the next lap, West closed on George, with the former National Amateur Champion taking runner-up honors as they went down the straight on the [allowing lap. Any chance George had of catching West disappeared when he caught his foot in a rut as they entered the third tum. From then on George just held on to third, with a [airly good margin over the Rayburn/Mohan ballle for fourth. Although several of the more than 40 Juniors didn't like it, the Junior heats were drawn instead of running time trials. This created an interesting first heat as the top two riders in the Camel Pro Junior standings were on the line together. Bryan Villella grabbed the lead, while Bryan McDowell got mired in the pack, breaking free to challenge Villella as they entered turn three, McDowell catching Villella's left number plate, going into a vicious high side and earning a ride to the hospital. On the restart, Villella had an easy time for the win, with Jean Bourret and Robert Lewis having easy wins in the other heats, while Eric Johncox took the lead [rom Bob Farver and Bill Newkirk with two laps left. On the start o[ the Junior final, Canadian Bourret, who said he was making his first start in the states, took the lead [rom Lewis, Johncox and Villella. By the third lap, Villella and Donnie Myers had moved Johncox back to fifth. Around the sixth lap, Villella got by Lewis for second as they came of[ the fourth turn. As starter AI Wilcox put out the twolaps-to-go signal at the end o[ the lOth lap, Villella put his Mike Camphouse-tuned Chivington Honda/ Tsubaki/ShoeilCam 21Lucas Farms/ Hogwash-sponsored Woods-Rotax into the lead. Steve Morehead led the Experts in time trials with a 24.01 lap. Morehead took the first Expert heat, but not until after another battle with Rodney Farris, who led the first half o[ the race. Heat two saw two riders go to the edge of the cushion on the very wide groove to finish one-two. Don Estep and Randy Texter ran the high line the distance of the heat. As the [inal thundered down the back straight, Farris had his Johnny Goad/Gary Nixon Enterprises/Nolan Helmets/Mike Sponseller/Cycle Experts/Gerald Williams/Norm Farris/BerDan Enterprises-sponsored Harley in the lead in [rant of Jones with Texter, Dan Ingram, Estep and a lap later, Morehead, bauling over third. After watching Farris' lines [or the first three laps, Jones took the lead coming 0[£ the second turn on the fourth lap. Although the baule [or third spot was close with defending champ, Jon Cornwell, joining the ballle, Estep had put his HarleyDavidson into the [rant of the third place war. Texter started drifting back as his rear tire started going away. Morehead and Comwell battled for .fourth, until Morehead slowed dramatically on the finaJ lap. In addi tion to the winner's share o[ the $10,000 purse, Jones also added over $1000 to that from a $Ioo-a-Iap dealer fund. Jones said, "That money will come in handy since I new in here and have to pay for my ticket." You could also say former two time National champ, Gary Nixon brought home two winners as he brought Jones here from the airport and is a main sponsor for runner-up Farris. Results PRO-AM: 1. Scali Stump (H-D); 2. Ray West Jr. IW-R); 3. Eric George (H-DI. JR: 1. Bryan Villella IW-R); 2. JeoIn Bourret (C-AI; 3. Roban LewielW-R). EX: 1. Ronnie Jones (Han); 2. Rodney Farrie (HOt 3. Don Estep (H-DI. Lucero wins at Inland Speedway By Scott Daloisio SAN BERNARDINO, CA, JULY 9 Steve Lucero picked up right where he left off the previous week when he captured the Cycle Rider Scratch main event at Inland Motorcycle Speedway. One week before Lucero had emerged victorious at the annual Firecracker Derby. Lucero, on the Shoei/Maurice's Used Speedway Bikes/STP/K&:N/ Qual-A-Tech Weslake, blasted off the pole and into the lead over "Sudden" Sam Ermolenko, John Sandona and Rich Sweaney. Sandona quickly worked his way past Ermolenko for second with the surprising Sweaney then making advances towards ErmoLenko. Lucero was at the head o[ the pack cruising while Sandona was comfortably in second but his motor was beginning to seize. Sweaney relegated Ermolenko to last on lap three and Ermolenko then bailed into the turn-three crashwalI. When the checkered nag fell it was Lucero by a healthy margin over Sandona and his sick motor. Ronnie Correy saved the best for last and he nabbed the win in the Handicap main 0[[ the last bend. Keith "Snakeman" Larsen beat Scouy Brown 0[[ the line at the outset from the 20. Correy quickly dashed inside Brown for second and put his radar on Larsen. Ermolenko was getting tremendous drives and was in third by the end of lap one even though he started on the 40. Ermolenko's gallant ride only lasted until lap four when he fell. Correy finally caught Larsen-on the final lap. He got inside the "Snakeman" as they came of[ the [inal turn. As they crossed the line the crowd stood on their feet and gave a collective roar at the sight of the photo finish. Correy took the win by a valve stem over Larsen and defending National Champion Alan "Crazy" Christian. Results SCRATCH: 1. Steve Lucero lWesl; 2. John Sen· done (Wes); 3. Rich Sweaney lWesl. HANDICAP; 1. Ronnie Correy (Wes); 2. Keith Larsen (Weal; 3. Alan Christian ewesl. 2ND DIV: 1. Craig Furman (Jaw); 2. Chris Martin lWee); 3. Jim Peery (Jaw). 3RD DIY: 1. Billy Hamill (Jawl; 2. Dovid Diu lWas); 3. Mart Coker lWes).

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