Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

<.0 00 0') ... Q.) ..0 a Q.) ~ 0, z Doug Polen (2) leads Ron Ewerth (9), Scott Gray (23), Marty Siegal (25), Scott Cantrell (35), Bart Peterson (36) and the rest of the Suzuki GSXR 1100 field. This was the only race that Polen lost on the day as Dan Chivington (hidden) took the win. Polen made up for his 1100 loss with a total domination of the GSXR750 race; this is Polen's lead after half a lap. Suzuki GSXR Cup Series and Honda 500 Interce~torChallenge Series Finals Polen cashes in at Road Atlanta By Paul Carruthers Photos by Henny Ray Abrams BRASELTON, GA, NOV. 9 Texan Doug Polen avenged the day's earlier loss to Dan Chi vington in the Suzuki GSXRIIOO Cup race by impressively trouncing the field in the GSXR750 race at Road 8 Atlanta. Polen further estab· lished himself as the richest I and fastest club racer in the country by jumping aboard his Honda to capture the ImercepLOr Series finale win. Much as he has been lItroughout the Suzuki·sponsored series, Polen was the man to beat in alllhree of the high paying, $20,000 manufacturer· sponsored races. In lhe 1100 class, however, Polen was outpaced by AMA/Camel Pro Series Superbike regular Chivington in what turned out to be the most exciting race of the day. Chivington, Polen and Road Atlama local Ron Ewenh ballied for 15 laps befor~ ChivingLOn squeezed his way paSl on the downhill leading to the final corner and the checkered flag. Polen also scratched his way past Ewenh in the la'st corner to finish second, Californians SCOll Gray and Chris Steward rounded out the top five. The GSXR750 race was a differem story. No~y could maLCh Polen as he scorch~ his way off the line, clicked of( several times in the high I :~2 range and beat the closely knit battle for second by over 16 seconds. Mike Harth, quite remarkably, bounced back from a Friday endurance race crash lhat saw him break a bone in each hand to edge Dave Sadowski and Chivington for second place. In the rain-plagued Honda Imerceptor final, Polen had his hands full with Novice Scott Zampach in the wetcondirions. When the track started drying, however, Polen clicked off some fast laps, caught and passed his younger foe. Third place wem to Kurt Hall with].T. Terry and Geoff Cesmat rounding out lhe top five. Prior to Saturday's heat races not many in the paddock would have bet very much on Polen being upset. After lheday's heat races that consen· sus only grew stronger. Polen - who with his winnings today came close LO the $100,000 mark for the year - was visiting the Road Atlama facility for the first time. He used Friday's endurance race as a chance to get in some race· speed laps and after gelling in over 100, he was ready to go.' One rider that wouldn't be a factor was Polen's Paul Revere 250-winning teammate Ollis Lance. Lance crashed in turn six in the A Production class on Sat· urday and broke his ankle and knee; lhe Texan was put in a full-leg cast and was sem home after a day in a local hospital. It became quickly evident that Polen was almost unbeatable when he eas'· ily won the second Honda Imerceptor heat race. It was Hall grabbing the early lead, but sOon Polen was past and pulling away. Turning times in the low 1:~9 range for most of the race, Polen cruised in ahead of Hall while Ewerth won a ballle with Danny Walker to take the third place ,position. Chip Terrell finished fifth. In the opening Honda heat, Greg Tysor won the drag race to turn one with Cesmet in hot pursuit. Soon it was Zampach moving into second and closing on Tysor. But Tysor held on to beat Zampach with].T. Terry and Silas Hiscock rounding out the top five. It would be Polen on the pole for the final as his heat race rime was nearly se'ven seconds faster than Tysor's. Tires were a consideration as the riders prepared for the Suzuki heats. Gray, Steward, Danny Walker, Aaron Turner and Joey Osowski's Suzukis were all filled with Dunlop's new MC207 DO,T-approved developmen-

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