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/126924
Ricky Graham (3) is about to blast past Ronnie Jones (16) to take the win at the Indy Mile: Scott Pearson (95) finished third. I Ted Boody (12) leads Jones (16) and Graham (3) early in the 25-lap National: Boody dropped back to finish sixth on his Honda. AMA Grand National Championship/ Camel Pro Series: Round 17 Graham wins Indy thriller' Qualifying By Paul Carruthers Photos by Bert Shepard INDIANAPOLIS, lN, AUG. 24 Honda-mounted privateer Ricky Graham pulled out the stops to win a classic, recordbreaking, Indy Mile thriller during part two of the twin miles, held at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Graham edged fellow priva1 .£~t c.funJ"ilf.ldc.IIES'lV q • "'I='~;l\-:l I have been won by any of six riders. Team Honda's Bubba Shobert led early, slid of[ the groove, then fought back to the front pack to finish fourth. Hank Scott, riding for Ohio's KK Supply Aftermarket Team, took fifth. For Graham, today's win was the high point of a very successful weekend of mile racing - a weekend that saw a $56,000 payo[f to Experts who finished the two National main events, (Saturday's purse was $33,000, and the Expert payday on Sunday was $23,000). California's Graham, who finished third Saturday night, came away from the Slate of Indiana with 33 Camel Pro points in his pocket. His 131 total moves bim past Doug Chandler and iOlO fourth place in the standings. Jones also benefitted this weekend, finishing second and fourth to bring his point total to 104, which gives him sixth place in the standings. The rider wbo remains firmly in control of the championship, bowever, is Shobert. With a win and a fourth at Indy, he now leads Chris Carr (who finished II th and seventh) by 59 points. On Sunday the track was fast. With a hot sun shining down on the blue groove, traction was at a premium. Shobert was under the lap record (35.211) in heat race number four, turning consistent laps of 35.199, 35.051 and 35.022. Scott was also fast in heat four, faster than Shobert, in fact - I'!.e beat the factory SLar to the finish line. teers Ronnie Jones and Scott P~;lTson in a race that could .llt. LJi,,'v \In) Rodney Farris didn't break the Indy Mile one-lap track record in qualifying, but the Honda pilot SLOpped the clocks with a 35.496-second time .285 of a second slower tban Shot>ert's 1985 record. Second fastest qualifier was Terry Poovey with a 35.592, and J ones turned in a 35.598 for third. Fourth fastest time was Shobert'S 35.604. Farris and the majority of the field used Goodyear tires Ior qual ifying, with only Carr and Ted Boody opting to run the Conti/Blitz. Heats Farris led Morehead and Parker into turn one of the first heat. Morehead and Farris engaged in a you01 l I .. .), .I.. • J • L .... " ... .J .; ~ draft-me-and-I'll-draft-you routine to pull clear of Parker and Bill Davis by the halfway mark of the 10-lap heat. The two leaders were side-by-side for most of the race, until the last lap when Farris crashed hard in turn one; he was unhurt. The red and checkered £lags came out as Morehead (KK Supply AItermarket Team/Laubes Cycle/Storz/John Dragoo) took an easy win over Parker and Davis, who edged Keith Day at the flag. The second heat had Carr grabbing the holeshot with Poovey drafting past on the back straight. Graham was on the move and was up to fourth at the end of the second lap behindCarr, Poovey and RandyTexter. The four were side-by-side at times with Graham (Honda/Arai! Bel-Ray/Tsubaki/ND) going into turn one considerably faster than the others. The turn one speed paid off as he took the lead on lap five and despite the best efforts of Carr and Poovey, beld on for the win. Poovey managed to beat Carr to the nag, and for the second time this weekend Carr was forced to race in the Semi. Graham had complained of a slow motor after Saturday's night mile, but a call to Honda engine builder Rob Muzzy renewed his confidence in his new powerplant. "He said it might get faster as it gets miles on it," Graham said. Ronnie Jones led every lap of the third heat race, but he had to contend with firsl Doug Chandler and then Ted Boody for the majority of the IO miles. Randy Gess put on a good charge from a poor start, but couldn't quite gel close enough to use the draft of the leading trio. Jones (GilIlGF Raci ng/ShoeilKnigh tRacing Frames/Megacycle) took the win over a photo finish between Boody and Chandler; Boody got the call. Goss finished fourth. The fastest heat of the night was heat four. Shobert, Scott and Pearson diced for the first five laps before Shobert and Scott pulled dear. A 35.l99-second lap, followed by a 35.051 and a 35.022 did the deed, and the leading duo pulled away, running three sub-record laps with Shobert leading every lap, except the one that counted. The cagey veteran Scon .~ •• I ... , J ~t lit.:) n Ue, ~I_ J.lL.l