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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126925
Bubba Shobert (1) leads Ricky Graham out of Springfield's turn four. Graham led out of the turn on the last lap, but Shobert took the win. R'oeder who took the lead of the 10lap LCQ off the line and held it for' the first two laps. but it was Maitland who seemed headed for the win to give Tex Peel two bikes in the main (Morehead having already advanced via his second in the first heat). Maitland held the lead from lap three through lap eight but his Harley began lO slow on the white flag lap and it was veteran Goss in front at the stan of the final lap. Maitland's bike expired on that final. lap and Goss took the win, and the last transfer to the National, with Adams taking second and Roeder third. Junior National The yellow plate riders were topped by New York State's Brian Bonesteel in qualifying. Bonesteel, just reiurning lO racing after having suffered a collapsed lung in a get-off at the San jose Mile earlier in the year, turned in a 37.212 lap aboard his Lancaster H-D/Mario' Bernardini-backed XR750. The first of two six-lap heat races which would advance six riders from each lO the junior National was a romp for Bonesteel with Chance Darling, Bryan Villella, Erik Graybeal, Canadian Steve Duff and Ray HuddleslOn taking the remaining transfer spots in that order. junior point standings leader Bryan McDowell romped lO the win in the second and fastest of the two heats, leading Bob Farver, Ted Taylor, Ron Williams, Willie McCoy and his brother Bobby into the main. The final produced a great twoman race between McDowell and Bonesteel with the edge at the finish line belonging lO McDoweJI. The win by McDowell was his ninth of the year and the Shoei/Bruce's Body Shop/Diamond/Kal-Gard/Uke's HD/Hi-Point/Ron McCabe Trenching/Ben's Backhoe Service/K&N / CasLToIlH-D MOlOr Company-sponsored Harley rider said he had to use his head lO beat Bonesteel. "When he didn'tdrah by meon thebackstraight on Ihe las I lap I kll('''' h(' was going to Iry and do thai 1H',,,ling down the frontstraight for the flag. I drove it in a little harder into turn three on the last lap, got a good drive off of turn four and beat him lO the line," said McDowell. Bonesteel complimented McDowell on his win and said, "I hope lO reverse this at my home track, Syracuse, nex t week." The third place finisher made the winner's circle ceremony a BryanBrian-Bryan show as it was Bryan Villella who took the show position after having ridden the wheels off his Wood-Rotax. "hode my butt off and was on· the edge. I slipped the groove and lost the draft of their Harle)'s and couldn't get back up with them," said Villella, in describing his fight aboard a 500cc single-cylinder bike with McDowell and Bonesteel who were aboard carburetor-restricted Harley XR750s. Nat'lonal Carr led the field off the line at the start of the 25-lap, 25-milefinal but it was Chandler at the point at the completion of lap one. Carr led laps two and three, Chandler laps four and five, Carr lap six and then the fireworks began. Shoben caught up with Carr and Chandler on the fifth circuit and Graham did likewise on lap six. That lap saw Menens and Springsteen pull to a SlOp at trackside and while Mertens pulled back out to circulate slowly, Springsteen called it a day, as had Estep with a holed piston the lap before. A more irate than usual Springsteen was found stalking the floor of • his motorhome by himself. "Ignition. The damn ignition," said an obviously upset Springsteen. "I was cruising with 'em and I thought today would be my day." What was a two- then four-rider duel soon became a classic duel involving eight riders as Boody, jones, Hames and Scott hooked up with Shoben, Carr, Graham and Chandler. Position swapping took place all around the track and the middle laps of the race saw the lead swapped around at every poim on the track. Graham led lap 10, Shobert lap II. Chandler lap 12, and jones lap 13. The 13th lap saw MenensslOpagain, this time retiring from the race, like Springsteen with ignition problems. The lap also marked the end of Hames' day as the crank let go on his Gardner Racing Harley. Lap 14 saw Shoben open up a slight margin over his pursuers Graham. jones, Chandler, Boody, SCOll, Morhead, jorgensen and Carr. Carr was dropping back due to a rear I Brian Bonesteel (3B), Bryan McDowell (20Y) and Bryan Villella (65X) battled in the Junior National. McDo~ell scored his ninth win of the year. tire that was trying to self-de5[rucl. Shoben continued to open up a margin over Graham and by the 18th lap the top three finishing spots were set- Shoben, Graham and Chandler - but the excitement had just begun. Graham somehow managed lO whittle away at hoben's lead and as the two went into the last five laps it became apparent thai the race would go down to the last lap. Goss, who was running with EkIund and Carr at the back of the field, never saw the last lap. His tuner, Brent Thompson, said, "We lost the front cylinder - a holed piston probably. [t's been a long summer." It appeared as though Graham would sit on Shoben's rear fender until the pair exited turn four on the last lap and most thought that's where he'd try lO draft by lO take the win. Graham surprised everyone, including Shoben, when he drafted by the champ on the backstraight on the final lap. "I was surprised when he came by me on the backstraight, and I just rode through three and four a little harder than usual and got the drive down the front straightlO win," said Shoben in the winner's circle aftet he had nipped Graham for the win at the line. "I couldn't really beat him," said Graham. "My brother, Troy, and I opted to go for a tall gear and I could stay with Bubba and draft past him. but I couldn't get a drive off the corners." Third place finisher Chandler said, "If you can run with lhose guys you've done something. When they decided 10 say goodbye lO me they did JUSl that and left me behind," After talking about the race, Shoben talked about whal is shaping up as a runaway by him for his second straight title: "People think I've gOt it wrapped up and that makes me worry about· something happening to me. I was nervous the la ttwo lap and J'II be nervous at Syracuse next week." . Shoben really shouldn't be nervous. He left Springfield with a commanding 74-pointlead over Carr and needs only a 60 point lead following next week's race at Syracuse lO clinch the '·86 Camel Pro Series title. "We're not giving LIP," aid Carr, quickly adding with a bit 01 a grin despite his disappointing fin' h, "But there's always next year." The tire conLTovery on ttre 'Camel Pro circuit can tines. Carr's 'O:)I1tinental tire "threw ru bber off in three different places. Men and I went wi th the Continental while everyone else went with Goodyear," said Carr. Carr's rear wheel .and tire were removed immediately after the race and spirited away, reponedly by Continental reps. • Results 25-LAP NATIONAL: 1. Bubba Shobert (Han); 2. Ricky Graham (Han); .3. Doug Chandler (Han); 4. Hank Scan (Han); 5. Ron Jones (Han); 6. Ted Boody (Han); 7. Alex Jorgensen (Han); 8. Scan Parker (HD); 9. Steve Moreheed (H·D); 10. Chris C.rr (H·D); 11. Steve Eklund (H-D); 12. Randy Goss (H·D); 13. Pete Hames (H-D); 14. Tim Mertens (H-D); 15. Oon Estep (H·D); 16. Jay Springsteen (H-D); 17. Terry Poovey (Han). TIME: 14 min.. 45.257 sec. 12·LAP JUNIOR NATIONAL: 1. Bryan McDowell (H-D); ~. Brian Bonesteel (H-D); 3. Bryan Villella (W·R); 4. Chance Darlinll(H-D); 5. Ted Taylor (Han); 6. Bob Farver (H·D); 7. Bobby McDowell (W·R); 8. Erik Graybeal (RlX); 9. Stephan Duff (H·D); 10. Wil· lie McCoy (Han); 11. Ron Williams (H·D); 12. Ray Huddleson (Honl. TIME: 7 min.. 22.218 sec. AMA GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP/ . CAMEL PRO SERIES POINT STANDINGS: 1. Bubba Shoben (260); 2. Chris Carr (186); 3. Scan Parker (176); 4. Rick Graham (147); 5. Doug Chandler (137); 6. RonnieJones(114); 7. Ted Boody(101); B. Pete Hames (85); 9. Hank Scan (84); 10. Steve Eklund (81); 11. Steve Morehead (73); 12. Scott Pearson (68); 13. Randy Goss (61); 14. (TIE) Jay Springsteen/Alex Jorgensen (56): 16. Rodney Farris (53); 17. Sammy Sweet (49); 18. Terry Poovey (33); 19. Tom Maitland (32); 20. Tim Mertens (29). JUNIOR NATIONAL POINT STANDINGS: 1. 8ryan McDowell (257); 2. Bryan Villella (189); 3. Brian Bonesteel (89); 4. Curt Cannon (88); 5. Ted Taylor (87); 6. Stephan Duff(79); 7. Eric Sassaman (77); B. Erik Graybeal (62); 9. Leo Washbon (57); 10. Fran· kie Garcia (531.