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/126923
Bubba Shobert (1) leads Steve Morehead (42), Tim Mertens (53), Rodney Farris (92), Scott Parker (11), Chris Carr (20) and Ted Boody (12). Rodney Farris rode his Honda to a fourth place finish at Hamburg after qualifying second and winning the second heat race. AMA Grand National Championship/ Camel Pro Series: Round 14 Shobert dominates Hamburg HM By Paul Carruthers Photos by Bert Shepard HAMBURG, NY, AUG 15 Team Honda's Bubba Shobert showed once again that he's not just a miler as he took his third half mile win of 1986 and his fifth National win this year In commanding 6 wire-to-wire fa hion tonight at the Erie County Fairgrounds. I hobert's win stretched hi Camel Pro Series point lead over the new runner-up in the standings and runner-up in tonight's race, Chris Carr. The young Californian's second was almost as impre sive a Shoben's win; Carr came from sixth place on lap one and gradually picked orr riders one at a time until he was behind only Shoben. Third place went to Hamburg's defending w'inner, veteran Steve Morehead of Ohio; Rodney Farris and Ricky Graham rounded out the top five. Harley-Davidson's Scott Parker finished sixth, and now trails Carr by a single point in the series battle for second place. 149-148. Hamburg almost became the race that didn't happen when a thundering rain storm hit the fairgrounds prior to the Last Chance Qualifier. With the track turned into a quagmire, the outlook for having a race looked bleak. Promoter Jay Milligan and crew, however, had other ideas, and after a two-hour delay the track was as good, if not better. th.an before the rain. The top two inches of the track wa, snapt'd ofr, trucks, vans and cars were used to wheel-pack the track surface. and the lime tone course was ready lO go for the $30,500 lational. The tire wear problem that many had anticipated never reared its ugly head at Hamburg. Over the years, Hamburg has been known as one of the more abrasive half miles on the professional circuit, but the rain kept the track from becoming abrasive this evening. Qualifying The Hamburg track. with its long straights and tight corners. wasn't even close to its 1983 speed. Morehead used a high line. much like he had done during the opening laps of last year's win, lO take fast time. The Tex Peel Harley-mounted veteran's 26.396. however, was two-and-a-half seconds off Ricky Graham's 1983 record. Second fastest through the timing lights was Farris' Fisher Cyclesponsored Honda at 26.677. Shoben was clocked at 26.760 for the third quickest time. Bryan McDowell lOpped the Junior field with a 27.677st'mnd showing. Heats The first heat got underway with Pennsylvania's Randy Texter grabbing the holeshot. It didn't take Harley-mounted Morehead (KK Aftermarket Team/F&S/Stump Ins.! Rehmen's) long, however, lO blast by and take the lead at the end of the first lap. Graham followed Texter in third, and Harley-Davidson's Parker held fourth. Morehead was running it in up high on the crown-lOpped track, and was pulling away from the c1oseknit pack. Graham moved past Texter, as did Parker, and soon Parker was pushing Graham. By the seventh lap of the 10-lap qualifier, Morehead held a 2.4-second lead over the pack. Parker went high in turn one-two, and rode around the outside of Graham. The pass held lO the finish with Morehead, Parker and Graham taking the direct transfers lO the main event. Texter held on for founh with rookieExpen Winkie Frietas taking fifth. Heat two wa all Farris; he led light to flag. Farris (Ed Fisher/Gary Nixon/Mach I Racing/Mike Sponseller/Cycle Experts/Nolan Helmets) had carburetion problems with his Honda prior lO qualifying, but exroad racer Gary Fi her and crew got the problem soned out. Scott Pearson held second from the changing of the light with Ted Boody holding off Ronnie Jones forthird. Jones' Honda was dad with a Conti/Blitz rear tire, while the majority of the field was running on Goodyears or Carlisles. Fifth place in heat two wentlO David Miller. Much like Morehead had done in the opening heat, Shoben not only won heat three, but he won easily. Canadian Jon Cornwell followed Shoben (American Honda Co/MolOFox/Bell Helmets) for the first lap before staning a steady fade to the rear of the pack. Cornwell later said the bike was geared wrong and he was fighting it for the duration of the race. Steve Eklund took the runnerup slot from Cornwell on lap two, and Tim Menens also got by Cornwell.