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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126934
] S o Z ~wauki-mounted earl Roloff beat the odd. with hi. Formula USA championship-winning ride at Willow Springs. - • Survival;..we survival m<¥lLlP.;C!'~~ paramount in the~bamp'smind prior toe die race: Rolo£f has been plagued by tire troubles during me hot summer months of the Toyota/ ~udweiser /Coca-Cola-sponsored serIes. Coolish, cloudy weamer definitely helped the cause of the 1000 Ninja dubbed the "Terminator." Also cooler air from the front of the bike was ducted to the back tire by a hose running alongside the engine. "I was riding preuy conservatively," said RoloH. "It was funny. We were doing some I :30s and I:29s, but it felt like I could have gone faster if I wanted to." Vreeke's crash brought out me red . £Jag, and the race was restarted from the beginning. Toland, riding a Jim Labine Suzuki instead of the more familiar Vance Be HineslTeam Hammer mount, shot into the lead. Roloff took over second at the end of the first lap, and the two soon parted company with the rest of the pack. Third soon became a battle involving Malcolm Hill, Carry Andrew and Chris. Steward, among others. Toland led the first hal£ of the race as Rolo£f grew ever closer, making the race tighter than Spandex in hot water. Toland's lead was first terminated on the fifth lap as Roloff pulled even down the front straight, and zipped by going into turn one. The two stayed close as behind mem Hill, Andrew and Steward alternated positions with Curtis Adams behind mem in turn. The stage was set for the final lap as Toland retook the lead and was in front coming out of nine. "It's like in a mile," said Roloff later. "You usualIy don't want to be leading coming out of me last tum." The mile analogy was not out of place. Roloff pulled out of Toland's slipstream at the last possible moment, pulIed alongside down the front straight, and got him by hal£ a bike . length at the flag. Steward eventually won the race for third, with Andrew fourth and HilI fifth. Although the November 23 series finale could have been an eight-lap dash for alI the loot, it's not going to be that way. Vreeke said it best: "There's always next year - go back and try to do it again." • Results Doug Toland w .. beaten by half a bike length by Roloff; Toland now ha. a shot at second in the championship. AFM Budweiser/Toyota/Coca-Cola Formula USA Series: Round 9 Vreeke crashes out, .Roloff's the champ ROSAMOND, CA, OCT. 25 Earl Roloff clinched the Willow Springs Formula USA championship in the series' penultimate round, alth9ugh odds were against him to accomplish such a feat at all. 10 Yamaha rider Jim Vreeke .h entered the race wit a com· manding 16-point lead, needing only to finish 10th to wrap up the title. How«;ver. h~ cras~ed on the fourth lap while racmg with the front-runners and the crash ended his season on me spot. "I just lost me &ont end coming down me hill out of turn four," said Vreeke later. "I've got a broken arm and a dislocated elbow, and I've got a couple of pins in my arm. I'll be out of action for at least six weeks, so I won't be able to make the next race." RoloH, me good-natured rider whose win was his mird of the year, was philosophical about the incident, although not knowing the extent of Vreeke's injury at the time. "I might not have done it that way," said Roloff. "But Jim is a total competitor and that's why I respect him so much." Not that RoioH is any slouch. In order to take the win and me maximum amount of points in case there was a November showdown, the Kawasaki rider had to draft past Doug Toland at the finish line. "Anything can happen," said Rolo£f, who coincidentally had arrived in his hotel room the night before just in time to see me Red Sox come wimin a strike of winning me World Series. FORMULA USA: 1. ElIrt Roloff fK-l. 2. Doug Tol.nd (Suz). 3. Chril S_rd (Suz). 4. carry Andr_ (HonL 5. Malcolm HHI (Suz). 8. Curtie Adams (Suz). 7. Lany ShortI (Su». 8. &ic _ _ (Suz).9.RobReinenISuz).IO.DewLangfonl(Suzj. 600 MOD PROD: 1. C.lvln RaYborn III (Hont 2Mik. Gr.... (yam): 3. Milt. ElIrnalt (Kawl. 450 MOD PROD: 1. Stuart Wilk.n (Y.rnI: 2. Dean Mimel (yam): 3. Wdl.rdlv.... (ylml. OPEN SUP STREET: 1. Doug Toland (Sud: 2. Eric. Johnson (Suzl; 3. Ken Itoepecky (Sull. 750 SUP STREET: I. SCon Scaven_ (Suz): 2. Malcolm Hill (Suz~ 3. J.mes DamlY (Suz). 750 MOD PROD: 1. Chuck Gr_ (Suzj; 2. J.mes Damay (Suz): 3. Kavin Oart (y.ml. OPEN MOD PROD: 1. Plul Vogel ISuz); 2. M.rty Seigll (Suz): 3. Chris M.llory (Suzl. . 450 STK PROD: 1. Dean Mizdal (Y.m); 2. Bill Qonov;n (Ylm); 3. Willard ""'... (yam). 600 STK PROD: 1. calvin Rayborn III (Hont 2. Michael ElIrnest (Kaw); 3. Mille Gr.... (V.ml. F-4: 1. M.n Winilrski (Honl: 2. JeIf Irvine (Hon). 250 MOD PROD: I. Willy Sar'; (K.w~ 2. Morgen Rosa (K.w): 3. Scon Kleff lK-l. 750 TWINS: 1. Tom Chriotiln (Hon): 2. Bill E_ IHon): 3. Kr......k Phumirat (Y.ml. OPEN TWINS: 1. Nigel Glle (H-D); 2. T _ Dunna (Duc~ 3. Kavin Erion (Due). OVER 40: 1. Ray Adams (Suz): 2. Jim SrrriIh (Hon); 3. Dennil Kunster (Klw). SINGLES: 1. Rodney WIlIi.ml (y.m). 450 SUP STREET: 1. BirVit SoyIcIIV.m); 2. M.rt Schubert (Y.m~ 3. V.nce Specha (Y.ml. 600 SUP STREET: 1. Stuart Wilken (ylm); 2. JeIf Hoeppner (Kawl; 3. JeIf Hertzog (Kawl. OPEN STK PROD: 1. Chria Sieword (Suzl; 2. Douv Toland (Suzl; 3. Rob Reinen (S"'). 750 STK PROD: I. Rich.rd M-. (Suz): 2. James Donay (Suz); 3. 0 - LanvtonlI5u». F-2: 1. Denny eo. IROl~ 2. J.mes H _ (Yam): 3. Rod Smith (Yam). F-l: I. carry Andrew IHon); 2. SCon c a _ (Sud: 3. Kenny Itoepecky (Sud. OPEN GP: 1_ &ic Johnoon (Suzl; 2. Ken _ _ (KawI: 3, GNg Harris fK-l. SIDECAR: 1. SlUnne/Kel1ogg (Kawt 2. Taylor (Kaw~ 3. _ / 5_ _ CKawI.