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
"They work great," Chivington said. "It is as good as rubber as anybody's got." Rain on Thursday night made the 3.56 -mile speedway damp on Friday and the schedule was thrown off. It was decided that after the track dried out the riders would be given five-lap warm-up sessions prior to the Superbike Sprint heats. Schwantz used the warm-up session to try the qualifying Michelins again before coming in and changing to the harder compound tire he would later use in the 200_ Sam McDonald was another rider in the pits during the warm-up session for the first heat, but his problems were serious. His 1986 FZ750 had locked up in the chicane. When the flag dropped to start the first heat, it was Goodfellow leading the .field into turn one followed by Schwantz: Tsujimoto was fifth into turn one, but moved into fourth as I the field exited the International Horseshoe. Goodfellow led out of six and onto the banking, but Schwantz flew past on the back straight. "My good motor blew up on Tuesday," Goodfellow later said. "And this one's not as fast." Tsujimoto also drafted past Goodfellow on the first trip around the banking and as the first lap ended it was Schwantz, Tsujimoto, Goodfellow, Marshall and Chivington. It soon became evident that Schwantz was having pToblems when Tsujjmoto shot past to end the seC~nd lap after turning a lap time of 1.57.8. "Sometimes it would rev and sometimes it wouldn't," Schwantz said after the heat. "We think it's probably the ignition." By the fifth lap, Tsujimoto had a five-second cushion on Schwantz while turning times in the high 1.57range. Marshall had gotten by Goodfellow for third place and the final transfer into the Camel ChallenRe. Meanwhile, Andersson led Chiving- I ton in the battle for fifth while Kevin I Rentzell 'and Larry Shorts fought over seventh place.. Tsujimoto ended up topping Schwantz by 8.40 seconds. Marshall took an easy third with Goodfellow fourth, Andersson filth, Chivington sixth and Rentzell seventh. Big money was riding on the start of the second heat as teammates Rainey and Shobert had their traditional $5 bet on the race to turn one. Shobert ended up winninF; the bet, I but lost his cI utch in the process and' was out of the race early, costing him a chance of riding in the $10,000 Camel Challenge. Rainey breezed to a more than 20second win over Filice after leading the field by four seconds after the first lap. McMurter, Ashmead and Randy Renfrow rounded out the top five. Polen was another smoked clutch victim as he fell off the pace to finish 11th. . Filice" had more bad l).lck during Sunday morning's practice session as another of his Yamahas threw a rod. "I got off the throttle to come inte the pits and change tires," he said. "And it blew up. Now it looks like I'm done for the day." Both of Filice's engine casualties occured when he .was shu tting off and downshifting. , Filice was out of the Camel Challenge, but would appear briefly in the 200 with a borrowed motor from, McMurter. . Shobert was actually a little relieved that he wouldn't be participating in the inaugural Camel Challenge. '.'1 think it's a blessing," he said. "Winning the 200 means more to me than the Camel Challenge. The track conditions aren't that great 'and I think it could be hairball out there. I have to ride on Texan Doug Polen turned in his best-ever National finish. taking third in the 200 aboard his Kosar Racing Suzuki. the edge right now to run with them. Wayne only has to ride at about 90%, so it makes it okay for him." The Camel Challenge got underway with Rainey leading McMurter, Schwantz, Marshall and Tsujimoto into turn one. Rainey didn't fool around as he instantly picked up the pace and pulled away on cold tires. Schwilntz shot past McMurter in turn three and both Marshall and Tsujjmoto passed the Canadian in the chicane. Schwantz picked up the pace and gained slightly at the end of the first go-around as Rainey turned a 1:57.8 lap. McMurter slowed drastically' WIth shifting problems and later decided to pull' in. Schwantz was sliding a lot out of six and onto the banking. "They·(the soft tires) went away after two laps," he later said. Schwantz tried in vain to reel-in Rainey and the Honda pilot took the $10,000 win. Tsujimoto took third with Marshall fourth and Ashmead. fifth. Rainey had averaged a blistering 110.940 mph for the five laps. "The head wind was messing me up," Rainey said. "I kept changing my brake markers because of it. I never got into the corners good until the last lap. We'll go better once we get the wind figured.out." Rainey had mechanic Sparky Edmonston stiffen the shock two clicks, but other than that the bike set.up would remain the same for the 200, Rainey said. His VFR750 would be clad in a 17-inch Dunlop KRI06 front tire and an 18-inch KRI08 rear. "The gearing and jetting was off," Rainey (6) leads McMurter (24). Sct'wantz. Marshall and Tsujimoto into turn one of the five-lap. $10.000 Camel Challenge. , Schwantz said. "It was too lean and we'll go half a tooth higher. He can't go that fast in the race and I think I can go faster in the 200. I just couldn't get off the corners with' him." Schwantz had turned a 1.56.5second lap on the final go-around. Following the Camel Challenge, Larry Jeurink rode his Yamaha to the Superbike Consolation win over a field of riders who failed to qualify for the 200. Douglas Cere was second on his Yamaha with the Kawasaki of Bruce Behal third. The start of the 57-lap Daytona 200 by Arai saw immediate action as Schwantz led into one only to have Rainey stuff his Honda through on the inside. Schwantz was forced to pick up the Suzuki and let Rainey through. Like he had in the Camel Challenge, Rainey was the fastest on 9