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/126939
Second overall (first 250 Expert) at the Nevada "Monster Run" was' claimed by Honda-mounted Ed Marchini. Lance McPhee powerec;l his Open class Honda to first overall at the final round of AMA/D-36's 1987 Cross County Series at Lemmon Valley. Duke Dowell, riding a 250 Suzuki, finished third overall, (second 250 Expert), to claim the 1986 D-36 Cross Country championship. D-36 Cross Country Series: Final round McPhee's battle, but Dowell's war By Bill Spencer RENO, NV, NOV. 23 It all boiled down to the last race of D-36's a double cross country racing season pointer with three riders in the hunt at the Monster Run, held in the Lemmon Valley 22 desert area just north of Reno. · . b Duke Dowe 11 an d hIS Dla 10 Sport-Cycle Suzuki RM250 held a tenuous 22-point lead over Lance McPheewith Ed Marchimjust one more point with the title very much up for grabs. "We all came .here knowing what we had to do," related Dowell who would attack the r'!ce as hewould any other during the previous 19 events on his Dave Harris-tuned RM250. McPhee brought out his Wal nut Creek CR500 Honda, while Marchini kept pace on his regular CR250 Honda. With dry conditions prevailing and morning temperatures in the teens, a good crowd was on hand for the threehour race with Scott Henry's M-Srar the first to the smoke bomb. Dave Porter was the first rider by the camp site with Marchini mired in the dust but close to McPhee and Dowell. McPhee had won the last two races and was a natural for this event. Porter never made a lap, returning La camp with a busted heim joint on the rear brake stay. McPhee finished the first lap in just over 32 minutes with a twominute, five-second lead on Dowell and Marchini. Right behind was Greg Searle, Mike Harperand],on Almberg. jeff Irwin and his Interlink/Sun River Cycle Husky was back in 12th, and he wasn't liking the dust very much, while Alan Berluti limped in with a' flat tire. john Dotson kept the Brown brothers at bay with Kevin leading DarroH, and Eddie Diaz found himself in front of Ken McKenzie. Starting the third lap,' McPhee slowed as he went by the gas stop, taking off the gas cap and looking inside. But he didn't stop on what appeared La be a very low level of fuel. He decided it was enough and wheelied off into the desert with a two-minute leadon'Dowell, Marchini and Harper, who got by Searle. McPhee pitted before starting lap four, but the Red Neck Rooster crew wasn't happy about the gas situation and brought him back in on the next lap. His lead was becoming monumental as both Harper and Searle were second and third with Marchini some 20 seconds ahead of Dowell. "We came up on some traffic in a difficult place to pass," said Dowell. "I didn't want to banzai through and knock anybody off. I don't feel real comfortable in the dust and so I got passed. I knew that the championship would be gone if ( stayed there, so I really buckled down when we got on a fire road." McPhee returne.d for the last splash of gas still leading by some three minutes with Marchini second with Harper pitting nearly five minult:s back, and Dowell back to fourth but out of the points battle in that position. McPhee started his last lap with a four-minute lead on Marchini, while Dowell came by another two minutes back with Harper missing for some rwo more minutes. "The best sight of the day was when I came up on Harper," stated Dowell. "He was sitting on the seat, rather than standing up and ( knew he was having some troubles." With the checkered flying, Lance rook the win with ease with Marchini second about five.minutes back. Dowell came in some 30 seconds back with a lot of people indicating that he had won the war and Mac Robertson displaying the number one sign on his pit bOard. Harper was just another 30 seconds back so the title chase rurned out to be a very close one. "( want to thank Diablo Sport-Cycle and Hi-Point Racing along with Metzeler, RK Chain and jim Clapp, and A & A Racing's Chris Carter for their support. HRP gave us $500 worth of merchandise to distribute to today's event and so thanks La Steve johnson for their help for the District," said Dowell. After some champagne toasting and congratulations shared, it was off to Boomtown and some gambling with only a short three week break before the season starts on December 14. The class breakdowns had McPh~ the overall and first in Open Expert, while Searle held on for second Open Expert on the Rich Thorwaldson, Big Valley Honda/EP Performance special. Kevin Brown and brother Darrol took third and fouuh with Dave Bertram fifth in class over Eddie Diaz. Marchini had second overall and first 2~Occ over Dowell and Harper with Sven Stillmonk over john Dodson and Conrad Stitser. jerry Brown topped the OT Expert with Walt Feyling second. john Day brought in his Cagiva for third over Rich Christian and jack Coulombe. Dana Boyed brought in his fourstroke Husky for first Open junior over Paul Funaro with Dan Ingram third. Mike Hodges topped the 250cc Junior on his EP Perm/Nevada M/C Special KTM with joe Carter second. • • Results OVERALL: 1. Lance MePhee (Hon); 2. Ed Marchini (Han); 3. Duke Dowell (5uz); 4. Mike Harper (Han); 5. SV8n Stillmonk; 6. Greg Searle (Hon); 7. Kevin Brown (Han); B. Derrol Brown (Han); 9. Da.. Bertram (Husl; 10. John Georgette (Yam).