Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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Tuner Kel Magee. Rob McElnu won both heats of the opening round of the Swann Insurance Series. File Photo. Australian Superbike phenom Kevin Magee made his tryout on the Marlboro Yamaha YZR500 a good one with two seconds behind McElnea. Australian Swann Insurance Series: Round 1 McElnea doubles in Swann Series opener By Bruce Newton Photos by Peter Geran SURFERS PARADISE, AUSTRALIA, NOV 23 England's Rob McElnea has set himself up for a $50,000 Christmas present after winning both heats in the opening round of the Australian Swann Insurance Series at Surfers Paradise Raceway in Queensland. McElnea's double win on h e l eK 1Carru th ers- £ellIed ~arlboro Yamaha V-four means he 15 the only rider in the running for the bonus prize offered to anyone who can win all six heats in the series. N 0 one has ever taken home the $50,000 bonus due to the fierceness of the competition. This year, however, there is only one rider, Australian Kevin Magee, who has a realistic chance of topping the fifth-ranked Grand Prix rider in the world. Magee, who is riding World Champion Eddie Lawson's 1986 Yamaha YZR500, finished second to McElnea in both races while therestof the field trailed in far behind on comparative!y uncompetitive machinery. Simon Buckmaster tooks his TNT Skypack-sponsored Honda RS500 to two fifth place finishes to lie fifth overall in the series with two rounds to go. Buckmaster suffered consistent bike problems throughout practice and bombed bot.h cl utch starts at the fast circuit, leaving him to fight through the field in the twO 12-lap heats. McElnea and Magee stamped their domination, on the ~eeting during pracuce with both posung I: 13.2 times 10 claim equal pole position. McEI~ea was given the number one posilion, however, because he set his time before his temporary teammate. . Third fastest was multiple AustralIan 250/500 Champion Donnie Osborne on the ex-Malcolm campbell Honda RS500. Osborne's 1:15.8 was more than two seconds slower than the two Marlboro Yamaha riders. Michael Dowson put the Yamaha FZRIOOOR production bike fourth on the grid in its world debut with a sensational 1:16.2 time. outh Aust:alia's Hamish McNichol qualified fifth fastest on a TZ750 with a 1: 16.6 time ahead of Buckmaster's I: 17. Mc ichol did a brilliant- job of grabbing the lead and holding off McElnea for over a lap on, the eightyear-old TZ750, but the Englishman would not be denied and he was soon into a lead which he would never surrender. Magee and Osborne were soon into second and third, settling the lOp order for the rest of the race. The pace was way outside Campbell's I: 12.6 lap record. The track was greasy and boiling hot in the stifling weather, sending even the Marlboro riders' Michelin radials off in a few laps. Dowson settled into fourth place on the Michelin slick-shod FZR while McNichol, Buckmaster and David Horton became embroiled in a tremendous dice. Buckmaster eventually came out on top while Horton nipped by McNichol on the last lap to claim sixth. The second heat was more of the same, except Osborne played the rabbit on his Honda for McElnea before the Grand Prix star swept by to once again lead to the flag. Magee once again settled into second place while Osborne, through no fault of his own, had to watch the two Yamaha riders disappear into the distance. Dowson was a clear fourth place, determined to do well after teammate Magee was chosen to ride the factory YZR500 instead of him, while Buckmaster was once again embroiled in a late-race dice for fifth place, this time with Wayne Clarke on a GSXR750based lOOOcc Superbilc.e. The heroic McNichol seized early leaving Horton to finish seventh. McElnea was considering the possibilities of collecting the $50,000 after the racing action came to a close. "I didn't know that much about it before 1got here, but obviously I'm going to think about it now." This is McElnea's fourth consecutive trip down under for the Swann Series and he has never won it. This year is by far his best chance to emerge victorious. In fact the main question will be whether the highly-rated Magee can snatch a heat win from McElnea. The 24-year-old Magee is rated by many as the most naturally talented rider in Australia. He finished second in the Suzuka Eight-Hour with Dowson on a modified FZ750 and then returned to Japan at the invitation of Yamaha to finish second to Christian Sarron on an FZR750 at uzuka. He was noticeably more cautious in cornering the YZR than McElnea at Surfers and on an average about half a second a lap slower. However, considering he has ridden Production and Superbikes all season and first threw his leg over the YZR on the Wednesday before Surfers, his performance was creditable. Oran Park is the venue for round two of the series and is traditionally a disaster for McElnea. This may let Magee, Osborne, Dowson and Buckmaster take advantage for a taste of the spoils. • Results HEAT ONE: 1. Rob McElnea (Yaml; 2, Kavin Magee (Yam); 3. Donnie Osborne lHon): 4, Mike Dowoon (Yam); 5. Simon Buckmaster (Suz); 6, David Horton; 7. Hamish McNichol; 8. Craig Trinder (Suz); 9, Tony Armstrong (Suzl: 10. David Snape, . HEATTWO: 1. MoElnee: 2. Magee; 3. Osborne; 4. Dowson; 5, Buckmaster: 6. Clarke: 7, David Horton; B. Snape; 9. Slave Wans: 10. Trinder.