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/126951
Doug Polen won .1500 in Honda contingenCy cash for taking the inaugural round of the AMA Supersport Series on a 600 Hurricane. Florida's Thomas Stevens took second in the Supersports race. Gary Griffith (5) led the Supersport class off the grid and into tum one at Daytona International Speedway. AMA/EBC Brakes Supersporf Championship Road Race Series: Round 1 Polen powers away with Supersport opener By Farren Williams Photos by Henny Ray Abrams and Daytona International Speedway DAYTONA BEACH, FL, MAR 6 Texan Doug Polen made winning look easy during the first round of the AMA's hew Supersport Road Race Series, held today at Daytona International Speedway. 8 Polen, who started on the seventh row of the Supersport I grid, used the first four laps of the rain-shortened lO-lap race to reel in early leader, and eventual runner-up, Thomas Stevens of Florida. The Texan then pulled away during the final six laps to finish the event with a 1O.~-second advantage over'Stevens. The show position was claimed by Georgia's Gre~ Tysor, who turned in a spirited nde that rocketed him from an 11th-row, second-wave start to third place at the checkered flag. "The race was pretty boring, actually," Polen said afterwards, "but winning the inaugural Supersport face is one that I'U always remember." The all-new Supersport class is made up of Professional and AMA ChampIOnship Cup Series Experts riding middleweight production sport bikes. Most of the racers at Daytona rode 600cc four-cylinder machines, although three-cylinder 750s, overhead-camshaft twins up to 750cc and pushrod twins with a lOOOcc ceiling are also legal. Supersport bikes must be raced in near stock condition (shocks, brake pads and exhaust systems may be changed) and must be fitted with DOT-approved street tires. Certain safety items, steering dampers and steel braided brake lines, may be added. Championship points will beearned by top riders at each of the nine Supersport events to be held in conjunction with 1987 AMA Nauonal road races. At the end of the season a National Supersport champion will be crowned and EBC Brakes will divide a $10,000 point fund among the top 10 riders 10 the series. . If racing 'at Daytona is any indication, the first Supersport champion will win his title aboard Honda's new 600cc Hurricane. Polen's Hurricane led an unending string of Hondas across the finish line - a string that didn't snap until Florida's Jeffrey Brown took the checkers in 15th place aboard a Yamaha FZ600. Of the 60 riders who finished the event, 26 were riding Hondas. . Tennessee's Gary Griffith grabbed the holeshot from row one to lead fellow Hurricane pilots Donald .Tacks, Stevens and Ricky Orlando