Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Terry Venee, in the neer lene, tekes off on his winning run et Indy. Venee downed Mike Keyte, fer lene, by turning in en 8.299/158.87 run. NHRA U.S. Nationals Vance wins Indy Pro Stocks By John Brasseaux Photo Courtesy of NHRA INDIANAPOLIS, IN, SEPT. I "If there was ever a time to beat Vance, it's now." That quote from a Pro Stock racer summed up the sentiment floating around Indianapolis Raceway Park's motorcycle pits .for three days at the 32nd Anings, and pan of the bot~om o~ the nual U.S. Nationals. Yes Terry moto as we~l. The mechamcalfatl ure ' h a p p e n e d Just before the lights, at . \:'ance won anorher NHRA Nawhich point the two racers were about uonal event, but he had more of even. Vance recorded an 8.299/158.87 14 a race on his hands this time around. Hindering the Vance 8< Hines racing effon was the lack of one half of the team, namely tunIng master Bryon Hines. Hines was back at his home in California recovering from a fall off a Pro Stock bike at a race a week before Indy. Although he was not' seriously injured, he was not at 100%, and not up to making the trip with Vance to Indianapolis. The finale here was a repeat of the 1985 U.S. ationals race, with Suzukimounted Vance taking the win from Mike Keyte, also on a Suzuki. The loss for Keyte was punctuated by the exit of his left-side crankshaft bear- to 8.892/110.82 win. While Vance grabbed the usual number one qualifying spot at 8.17 in the third session, he was not able to improve upon it. His 1985 Suzuki never again ran in the teens for the rest of the meet, although he did run a steady string of 8.20s. Meanwhile, the rest of th~ riders were running some of the best ETs of their lives. Instead of spreading out behind Vance for four- or fivehundreths, the bubble finally settled at an all-time low of 8.399, a little more than a two-tenths spread. This meant that a few of the riders had a chance of maybe reeling Vance in. After the two rounds of qualifying were completed (two passes on .Saturday and Sunday), the first round of eliminations got underway on a cool and overc<\st Monday. In that first round, Vance raced the 1986 Gatornationals Champion, Rick Stetson. Rick could not quite get a hold of the starting line and slipped to an 8.49, while Vance ran an 8.22. Once back in the pits, Vance replaced the clutch. "The clutch was dragging the motor down in the Iights and reducing the top end speeds. The best thing to do was just replace it with a new one," Vance later said. Keyle began his runner-up finiSh with a win in the first stanza over a redlighting Anthony Anderson. Indicating that he was in a real hurry to leave was Anderson's reaction time of .000. A "triple zero" R.T. means that he left the staning line nearly before the amber bulbs flashed on. !f.eyte ran an 8.28, while Anderson wasted an 8.56. John Mafaro; one of the men who seemed able to catch Vance, was Terry's second round victim. "Pizza John" had qualified in the fifth position with an 8.26 during the Saturday afternoon session, but could not better it. For the rest of qualifying he had troubles with tire slip and with his clutch unit. Those two factors accounted for his slowing rimes. Ma£aro. realizing his plight, gambled on the start and red-lighted as a result. Vance turned his strongest ET of the day and his second best time of the weekend with ap 8.20. Keyte matched his first round 8.28 with another one in the second round again t Marty Blades. Blades had the quicker time with an 8.27, the best of hi racing career and better than what he qualified with. However, he left slightly behind Keyte and was not able to catch up in time to win. In the semi-fiflals, Vance was on his third clutch and facing David Schultz. Had Schultz been able to ,match his second round RT (.412), the outcome between he and Vance might have been different. As it was, hecuta .563 light to Vance's right there .557 and lost, 8.31 to 8.23. . . Keyte's8.31 was more than enough to defeat Ed Dorhmann's 8.43 in the other semi-final contest. After conferring with crewmen Rick Ward and Ray Worth, Vance decided against replacing the clutch yet again for the final. Keyte, meanwhile was loading up his Suzuki for the final. He had taken delivery of a new frame and one-piece fiberglass body before coming to Indy, along with running a trick carb/head piece. Said Keyte prior to the final round, "We're about the only people out here who aren't using Vance&: Hines equipment." Keyte is an engine builder himself and naturally uses his own stuff, with his own combination. On paper, the final looked closer than it turned out to be. Consider that Vance slowed in the final from his semi-final 8.23 to an 8.29. If Keyte could have run at least another 8.31, his small starting line advantage might have garnered him an Indy' win, his engine woes notwithstanding. With the victory, Vance has assured himself the Number One Pro Stock plate again for 1987. Mafaro, the second place man in the point chase, is mathematically out of the running. With Bryon Hines returning to the wrench turning by World Finals time. it just might bea race for second there as well. •

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