Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

% o II: ~ C C e ~ ~ % lL Bruce Nelson leads George Lazor, Lan McBride and Tom Burge at Action Park East Speedway. Nelson won the Pepsi Summer Sal_ Championship. Mike Faria goes around Steve Lucero and Tom Burba at Ascot South Bay Stadium to win the Scratch main. Faria also won at Orange County. Nelson wins at A.P.£. Spdwy By Todd Kroh GREENE, NY, JULY 6 lento (Wu); 3. SIeve Lucero (Weo). HANDICAP: 1. JeIf Jonu (Wea); 2. Mike Feri. 3. 51... Lucero (Weo). 2ND DlV: 1. Dua". BI.ke (Weot 2, Jimmy Genlil. (Wu); 3. Kelly Inmon (Getn). 3RD DIV: 1. Billy H.mill (~w); 2. Jim BIen lJew); 3. Tony Fr.nt (Wea). Faria files in AscotSpdwy l~w); By Scott Daloisio GARDENA, CA, JULY 10 Mike Faria had his potent Jawa on song Thursday e~ening at Chris Agajanian 's Ascot South Bay Stadium and he almost pulled off a double win. Faria won the Scratch main but he lost out lO jeU jones by inches in a thrilling Handicap main in front of a crowd of over 4000 fans. Faria (sponsored by Shoei/Carlisle Tires/Hi-PointlGeorge Wenn/Cody Products) was cooking coming into the Scratch main as he had won both his heat and the semi. The action started before the tapes lifted in the main as Alan Christian, out of gate three, got his front tire too far into the tapes. When the defending National Champion was pulling his tire back the tapes lOuched his head pipe and broke, causing him lo be disqualified. On the restart Steve Lucero grabbed the lead when both Faria and Sam Ermolenko wheelied off the line. Faria started in one but he swept wide and as they charged down the back chute on lap one he rode around Lucero. That was about it for the lead but it was then Ermolenko's turn lo try Lucero. Lucero held him back until lap three when Ermolenko got by out of turn four. By that time Faria had opened up a huge lead and the win was his for the second time of the year at South Bay Stadium. .ltwasjones ontheLazer/Pjl/Up Time-sponsored Weslake all the way from the 20 in the Handicap main event. Warren Diem, who became a crowd favorite with some brilliant out~ide rides earlier in the program, agam went to the outside in the main event. He had the crowd on his side but he caught the back chute wall on lap two and dropped to the back of the pack. Faria had started on the 40 as a reserve but he found his way into second on lap three and he then moved on jones. He made up the distance between himself and the leader and he tried to get by on the inside as they powered oU tum two on the final circuit. jones held him back and he then edged Faria inlO turn three. As they came oU turn four Faria got inside of him and they crossed the line elbow-to-elbow. The win went to jones by inches with Faria, who is eager lo challenge Erik Gundersen at South Bay Stadium at the end of the month, taking a hardearned second. Results SCRATCH: 1. 'MIU F;';i"l.Mwt 2. Sam e,;,,:,. Thomson, Tyler win at Woodside MX By Jim Deane SANDPOINT, 10, JULY l!t A $1000 Pro purse brought out a larger field of Pros to Woodside MX than usual, but for Lowell Thomson. and Scott Tyler it was all in a day's work. Thomson won the 125s, and took second in the 2505, while Tyler won both the 250 and 500cc Pro classes. The first 125cc Pro moto was all Thomson's from start lo finish. Steve Oster ran a strong race for second, but was really never a challenge on his Yamaha. Moto two saw Oster mounted on one of Thomson's spare Kawasakis', and for the first three laps Thomson must have been wondering about his generosity, as Oster pulled the holeshot and led Thomson convincingly. By the middle of lap four, Thomson found a way around Oster, and led at the finish by a large margin. The 250cc Pro class was only a contest for second place as Tyler completely dominated the rest of the field. His awesome riding left all the other Pros shaking their heads in disbelief as he led every lap of both races. And ifthat wasn't enough, he did the same thing to the Open Pros. . In Amateur action the story of the day was Kawasaki rider Mike Ebel. To Ebel's surprise, a brand new KX250 was hidden in the race van, so lOsay thanks to Mom and Dad, he not only went I-I in the 125s, but did the same on the new 250. Results AUTO: I. Robbie Weilenote;".r (Y.m); 2. M.1t V....-IHon): 3. o.v;d unc!ry (Yem). 80: I. Joe G _.....n lKew); 2. John~ heueen IHon); 3. Jimmy uMelluolHon). 80 BEG: I. ~ lOubben (Kew); 2. Mll'c Johnson ISuzt 3. John ~ne (Hon). 80 NOV: 1. JeIf urHn (Hon); 2. Stanley Heyer (Kew); 3. Joe Gobelh'ueen (Y.m), 80 INT: 1. Mett Wor1>eo (Kew); 2. Todd Sohini (Hon); 3. 80rt MeAli. .r (Hon). 80 EX: 1. Rick SimmOl (Hon); 2. Bri.n Thomson (y.m). 125 BEG: 1. M.1t urson (Hon): 2. Rob Sm.IHool (K.w); 3. Willi. Mill... IHon). 125 INT: I, Rick Simmel (Hon): 2, Bri.n Thomoonl (K.w): 3. Chrio Runell (Kew). 125 NOV: 1. Mike Ellet (K.w); 2. Sem Mill..p (Honl; 3. AHie Downo (Y.ml. 125 PRO: 1. to_II Thomoon (Kew); 2. Steve Doter (Yemt 3. ~mie Munoon (Hon). 250 NOV: 1. Mike Ebel (Kew); 2. Gory Hunuk... (Y.mt 3. Phil Bridgers (Hon). 250 INT: I. John Brooko (Kew); 2. Clint WI....field (Mont 3. ereig Joneo (Hon). 250 PRO: 1. ScottTyter(Yemt2. ~tThomlon (Kewt 3. S (Kew). OPEN NOV/INT: 1. Ken - . - . CMont 2. lIory K;.,.{HonI; 3. ~CHonl., " , 't 4-STRK SPTMN: 1. BlI Sz8lIl_ (Yam). ae- Bruce Nelson won the First Annual Pepsi Summer Salute Championship over the July 4th holiday weekend at Action Park East Speedway. The 16-rider all~tch program consisted of 20qual- Ifymg heats where each rider would race against the other 15 one time. After each competitor had completed five rides the points would be totaled and the top four would go into a four-race, round-robin final. The 20-heat qualifying round was close and competitive and after the first set of five races Nelson, La20r, Fey and Steve Watson were on top of tbe heap, but the second round saw a shuffle. The four leaders were slaled to ride against each other. Lazor escaped with the win followed by Nelson, Watson and Fey pUlling Lazor in sole possession of first place. At the same time Tom Burge started lo make a move up in the standings with a first place win in heat five. Going into the final set of four heat races Nelson, Lazor, Burge and Watson were the leaders but' one race can make all the difference as Watson could only manage a third in his final. ride ~hile Ted Fey copped a wm tn the hnal heat, sending him to the final four with Bruce "The Mongoose" Nelson"ceorge "Lazorbeam" Lazor and Tom "The 7-Up Kid" Burge. Nelson began the four-race championship final on the pole position wlt!.t.Fey, Lazor and Burge in gate poslUons two through four. Lazor grabbed the holeshot but took a wide line in turn one hooking up in the deep cushion allowing the other three underneath. Nelson saw the checkered followed by Burge, Fey and Lazor. elson came back to win the second main over Fey, Lazor and Burge lo take a commanding lead with six points at the halfway point. Fey was in second place with three points, Burge had two and Lazor one. The third main was the race of the ~vening. Lazor bolted out of the gate mto lurn one only to pitch it sideways a little too much. Nelson and Fey roared underneath, with Nelson holding a slim lead. On lap two, Fey put a wheel inside of Nelson coming off turn four and puBed past him down the front straight. Lazor closed continually on Nelson during the final two laps but time ran out. The win by Fey tightened the points right up and p~t "Terrible Ted" within striking distance. The fourth and final main arrived with Nelson needing a secondplace finish to take the championshi p outright. As the gates went up Fey and Lazor dove inlO tum one lOgether. Their bikes touched for a brief instant but il was enough to cause Lazor t~ go down. Nelson, who was following Lazor closely into the tum, had nowhere lo go. Lazor was stunned and lay on the racing surface motionless while the entire crowd was silent. The extent of his injury was nOI as bad as initially thought. He was taken to a nearby hospital for further examination. After the delay, Burge, Fey and Nelson were set to begin the restart. Fey swept to the win and it looked like a runoff for the title might be in the offing as Nelson was relegated to third but he had enough left to edge Tom Burge for second making him the overall winner. Results -MAIN EVENT PTS: 1. Bruce Heloon ClOt 2. Ted Fey (9); 3. Tom Burge (3). QUAUFYING PTS: 1. Nelaon (13t 2. (TIE) Burp! Fey/Lezor (11 t 5. (TIEl Lewio~ (lot; 7. (TIEt FelIon/RecinIW--.s 19t 10. mE) C111f/Mcilnda (7); 12. Deily (4t 13. mEl Con_/~ (3); 15. Monell 12t 16. Cornwell (1). Hicks, Pfetzlng smoke Ventura speedway By Bill Locey VENTURA, CA, JULY 8 Gary Hicks was the rider to beat at this week's running of the Ventura Raceway speedway. Hicks dominated every race he competed in, including the Handicap main, while Rob PfelZing took the Scratch main victory. Hicks, off the !to-yard line, hammered everyone convincingly to win his Handicap heat race by a large margin. The semi was more in doubt - si~ guy~ inches .apa~t for five laps - with Hicks taking It on the final bend. Hicks outgated his four competi-' lOrs in the main event and even Bart Bast, not to mention 1981 Ventura Track Champion Steve Lucero, could catch him. Faria's recurringmagnelO problem kept him out of the main. In Scratch racing, l7-year-old Hicks smoked off bot local Ed Castro and NorCaI's jimmy Sisemore to take his heat, then did the unthinkable in his semi - he dusted Faria - the track champ and all-time Ventura winner. Hicks was a five-for-five and bidding for a sweep in the Scratch main. But PfelZing was unbeaten in tbe Scratch side of the program as ",:ell. Pfetzing.and Faria got the gate, diced for a sLraJghtaway, then PfelZing took the lead before turn three and "Flyin' Mike" couldn't get close, let alone pass. Bentley Barrett made it two in a row as he won Second Division off the 10. jon Boyer passed him once, but couldn't hold on in the main. Don ",Too Tall" Odom won the Third Division trophy. Results SCRATCH: 1. Rob Plemng; 2. MIU Ferie; 3. Ed CMlro. HANDICAP: 1. Gory ~ 2. Bert 80.; 3. S Lucero.

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