Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

.Ausrralia's Oran Park on October 12. Warren Willing, former Australian road racer, and now team manager for Australia's Marlboro Yamaha team, will handle the mechanic duties for the American effort. Motocrosser Tom Carson suffered a broken femur in a first turn crash at the Hollister round of the 500cc National Motocross Championship on August 17. Carson. who was in the top 10 in the 500cc standings, underwent surgery on Sunday, August 17 to have five pins and a plate put in his broken leg. On Monday, Carson had to undergo a second operation to remove one of the pins. Carson is recovering at his home in Ohio; cards and letters can be sent to Box 336, Hopedale, Ohio 43976. When Eddie Lawson was questioned in front of TV cameras after winning the August 10 Swedish GP about whether the absence oJ Freddie Spencer tarnished his second 500c World Championship, Lawson answered, IlWho?" The AMA Professional Dirt Track Advisory Board met on Sunday, July 27 in DuQuion, Illinois, and discussed such issues as the current number of short track and TT Nationals, and the question of licensing ages for Juniors. The board agreed that the $30,000 minimum purse might be keeping new tracks out of the National series and the board will seek additional events of this type, at lower purses, provided these events fit into a reasonable travel schedule for riders. In regard to Junior age , limits., an' AMA review-is' being conducted with a minimum age requirement of 18 being studied. The AMA favors retaining the current age limit of 16 for the Pro-Am class and 17 for a Junior license. but liability insurance concerns may force a modification. The AMA Professional Dirt Track Advisory Board also unanimou Iy supported a sta£[ proposal to implement random drug testing at professional events. The AMA staff is working with experts in the field to develop a formal program; implementation will start prior to the end of 1986 or early in 1987. The 1987 World Championship Road Bace Series will more than likely not include the proposed Argentine or Portugese GPs. The Argentine GP has been dropped from the provisional fixture list to be ratified at the FIM annual con. gress to be held in Sicily in October. The Portugese round has also been dropped with a lack of cash and a clash with prospective promoters being blamed. The Japanese GP will be held for the first time in 20 years. af Suzuka on March 29. Also returning is the Czechoslovakian GP at the new Brno track on August 23. The Second Annual Dick Mann Vintage Motocross will be held on September 7 in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The race, for motocross bikes from 1974 and earlier, i the third round in the Historic MX Challenge Series sponsored by the California Vintage Racing Group. The Manndesigned track will be laid out on rolling, grass-covered hills and rac- ing' will feature alL classes for unit and non-unit contruction motorcycles. The fourth round of the series is the Dick Mann Vintage Rally at Sandhill Ranch in Brentwood, California on October 12 with the CZ World Championship rounding out the series at DeAnza Cycle Park in Sunnvmead, California on November 16; for more information call the Mountain Roadracing Association at 303/665-8357 or CVRG at 415/8296091. The Mountain Roadracing Association is hosting the Sixth Annual Steamboat Mountain Road Race through the streets of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, on September 6-7. Saturday's program is for vintage bikes and Sunday sees the seventh round of the MRA Suzuki GSXR and Yamaha Superbike Contingency races; for more information call the MRA at 303/6658357. The August 23 AMA/MotoWorld U.S. Endurance Road Race Series round at West Virginia's Summit Point Raceway was won by New Haven Suzuki, with Kevin Rentzell and J err Atwell riding the team's Suzuki GSXRl 100 to a 26-second margin of victory over Wendell Phillips and Larry Shorts on the Lockhart Racing Suzuki GSXRIIOO. MARRIED: David Graham. Kayo Corporation racing/sales coordinator, to Pamela Rose Shannon. August 16 in Roanoke. Virginia. Following the final AMA 125/500cc ational Motocross Championship Series in Washougal, Washington, on August 24, a four-lap mechanic's race 'Wa'sheJd: Thewin'nerwas~ricEaton's "~ mechamc Kenny AlmqUist who led every lap. Second went to 500cc privateer competitor Scott Williams' mechanic, Mike Williams. Jim Holley's mechanic, Clark Jones, finished. third followed by Jim Anderson (Brian Myerscough) and Ron Lecruen's mechanic, Rick Asch. Other racers included Micky Dymond's mechanic Chris Haines, Jeff Ward's Tom Halverson, Honda's MX Team Manager Dave Arnold and Ray Teatherton (George Holland). Almquist won $310. m A three-man appeal board (Clyde Denzer. Glenn Jordan and Carl Reynolds) met on August 25 and upheld the one-year suspension the AMA imposed upon veteran dirt tracker Scott Pearson for refusing to allow a displacement check teardown of his bike's engine at a non-National short track race he won in July. The appeal board. considering the many years Pearson has competed without incident, shortened his suspension by several weeks. Pearson will be allowed to return to competition on June 1. 1987. Camel Pro competitor Rodney Farris won't remember the double-header Indy Mile weekend with any fondness. Farris crashed on Saturday night, borrowed a $1200 gas tank from Honda and destroyed that when he crashed on Sunday, and then rus sponsor, Ed Fisher, found out that his 10' motorhome wouldn't fit through a 9'2" tunnel as they were leaving the Indy Fairgrounds. We guess Rodney could say, in describing rus Indy weekend, "rr it weren't for bad luck, I wouldn't have any luck at all." 3

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