Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126935
(,,0' 00 O"l ...... .... ..c Cl) 8 Cl) ;> o Z Dan Chivington (7) pulled an upset over Doug Polen (2) in the Suzuki GSXR11 00 race; Chivington waited until the final lap to make his move. tal tire while most of the field were using Michelin Hi-Sports, Harth was one of the few using what Dunlop's Tony Mills described a a Dunlop K700 race-compound radial. Also buzzing around the paddock prior to the heats was speed trap talk. Some riders were saying that Polen's Suzukis, were up to five mph faster than the rest of the field on the back s!Iaight. Cornering speed alone could have made the difference and as Polen said, "Let them say what they want. They've been saying it all year. I'm not stupid enough to cheat. If I come here and cheat, no one will even remember my name when this is over. " , The Suzuki GSXR750 heats were first on the Suzuki schedule and Gra led the field into turn one. When the pack came around to end the first lap, however, Grayhad his hand raised as he coasted down the front straight. "I don't know what went wrong," Gray said. "It went on two cylinders; I hope it's only electrical." It was Harth (Harth Racing/Shoeil SuperTrapp/Fox) taking over from Gray and leading the way, but the black flag was waving and the starters chalkboard had Harth's number 36 all over it. The injured rider's Suzuki was leaking oil and after he realized it was he who was being black-flagged, he pulled in, knowing he would have to start the final £rom the back of the pack. ~ Harth's misfortune left clear sailing for Sadowski, who turned times in the low I :37s to beat Chivington, Ricky Orlando and Doug Toland. With Suzuki posting a $300 bonus for fast heat time, Polen gave every intention of fattening his wallet even more as he sped off to an easy win in heat two. The Texan was turning 1:34s while easily pulling away from Ewerth (Cycle Nuts and Bolts/Fine Arts). Tysor held down third place, hut was penalized a lap for jumping the start £rom his second row position. Third fell to Thomas Stevens, h 0 nin UOO heat Chivin - ton led Toland into turn one with Gray third and Ewenh fourth. Gray soon disposed of Toland as did Ewerth, Bart Peterson, Tom Walther and Keith Pinkstaff. Chivington clicked off a 1:35.5 and a 1:35.2 to take the win over Gray. What happened to the seventhplaced, AFM South hopeful Toland, who was starting what would basically be a disappointing weekend? "It just deteriorated," he said. "It or you?" he was asked. "It," he answered while looking at a. stripped down rear shock. Polen jumped his Hyper Cycle/ - Michelin/ShoeilRK-sponsored Suzuki out to another lead in the second heat, turning a 1:33.6 and a 1:34.11, beating Steward by over seven seconds. SCOll Cantrell finished third with Osowski fourth and Marty Siegal fifth. "Fast heat?" Polen asked as he pulled into pit lane. "Yeah, four. seconds," was the reply. "That's not bad," said Polen, who was gaining confidence by the minute. .. Everything felt prelly good," Polen said later. "If I run my race everything should be okay for tomor- Scott Zampach (8) leads Kurt Hall (7). Greg Tysor (35) and Ron Ewerth (31); Polen (2) is in sixth spot early in the Honda 500 Interceptor race. row." Suzuki GSXR 1100 Final As it turned out everything wasn't okay for Polen when the GSXRllOO final got underway. The CRRC/ WERA pilot charged from his spot on the inside of row one to lead the fray into the first turn and up the hill. The first indication that Polen wasn't going to be able to take off and hide as planned, came the first time the pack entered the fast back straight. Ewerth drafted past arid led the field at the end of the first lap. It was Ewerth, Polen, Gray, Chivington and Peterson at the end of one lap. The leaders turned a 1:33.2 second lap as Polen regained the lead. Chivington (Chivington Honda Suzukil Michelin) got by Gray, who at over 200 pounds was having trouble staying with the others on the fast back strai ht. Gra would also later sav Ron Ewerth (34) and Dave Sadowski (40) battled for second early in the GSXR750 race; Mike Harth surprised them both to take second. that his bike was running poorly. Polen came out of the tunnel in a vicious slide on lap five, but try as he might it wasn't having any effect on the determined Ewerth. Those two had pulled a lillie ground out on Chivington, but a lap later, on lap seven, Chivington was back in the hunt. The eighth lap saw the leading trio turn a 1:33. 1 as they ran side-by-side on the back straight, playing you draft me and I'll draft you. Gray, meanwhile. was well clear of the fifth place battle of Steward and Pinkstaff. Ewerth led theotherLwo attheend of the 11th lap, but Polen dove hard into turn one. That didn't do much . ood, however, as. the Texan ran wide on the exit and Ewerth shot by going up the hill. Ewerth later said that he was gaining considerably on Polen on the exit.£rom corners beca use of Polen's over-zealous charges going in. As the three went by the start/finish line to begin the final lap, Ewerth led Chivington with Polen dropping to third. As they came down the back straight for the final time, Chivington got a good drive, and drafted close to Ewerth as they approached the bridge. Ewerth ran it in hard, too hard, ran wide and Chivington snuck through on the inside. Polen also took advantage, pulled even with Ewerth going into the final corner, held the inside line and finished 9