Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Scott Zampach guided his Honda Hurri~ne to the win in the C Production Expert class at the Michigan Gran Prix. Jeff Fredette edged out Kelly Getz for the overall victory at the Uttle Muddy Enduro in Illinois. they (the check scorers) had me four' minutes late, I knew that was wrong," said Fredette. "The guy on the back-up-sheet said he remembered when I went through and that there was an error because he had circled it on the back-up sheet." Dave Pucharich, class winner in the 250cc A class, dropped 18 points, but he had other problems. "I had a hell of a ride going until the last section," said Pucharich, "I'm on a new bike this season, a Honda 250 from Mungenast Honda in St. Louis, and I didn't have the front brake cable routed correctly and it broke just after I went into the final section. That was a tough section; I needed that front brake." There were other needs: Bike Barn owner Bill Gussie won the Open A class with a 19 point ride, but limped into the final check with a semi-dry gas tank. Gussie, besides riding, pits and hauls gas for his Can-Am customers or any other rider who asks. When Gussie went through the last gas stop his friendly nature became a casualty after he found all his gas cans empty. "I've got a big tank on this Can-Am," said Gussie, "but I'd better not run out of gas." While Gussie was looking for gas, Jim Boyne, Duane Eller and Jeff Haask, in the_Open A class, turned in identical scores of 23 and after counting the seconds they finished in the above order. Gary Peterson didn't have any trouble keeping his 200cc Can-Am on the trail arrows. He dropped 28 markers with Dan Buck and Gary Williams each dropping 31 and Buck took the nod at the tie-breaker. Richard Groncki, aboard a Husqvarna 400 from MCC, won the High Point B trophy .with a 31 point ride, but doubted that he would be able to finish the last section. Groncki, before leaving the eighth check asked for a drink of water and was mistakenly given something else. "I was so thirsty that I chug-a-lugged three or four mouthfuls before I realized it wasn't plain water," said Groncki. "It tasted like some kind of soap mixture. Anyway I'm clean on the inside now. It was a good thing that was the last woods section, I was too weak to ride any more." "We had about·60 miles of trails," said Glenn Sedig one of the trail section captains. "My section was the first and it was a little over 10 miles long, but it was open fun stuff. The other sections weren't that long, but they did get tighter and the last section (Larry Sumption, section captain) was another 10 miler and it got rugged, lots of logs, off-camber hills and a neat creek crossing. We figured that if they had gotten this far they had come to ride and we were ready for them." Results . 01 A: Jeff Fr_e (K.w). HIP A: Kelly Getz (C-A). HIP B: Rich.rd Groncki (Hus). 200 A: 1. G.ry Peterson (C-A); 2. D.n Buck (CA); 3. G.ry Willi.ms (C-A); 4. Tim Hemstr_ (CA); 5. H.""'Y Whiwle (Kew). 250 A: 1. D.vid Puch.rich (Hon); 2. Dennis Mesw.rd (C-A); 3. Rusty Mills (C-A); 4. Mike Mumher (C-A). OPEN A: 1. Bill Gussie (C-A); 2. Jim Boyne (Hus); 3. Du.ne Eller (Hus); 4. Jeff H..... (Hon); 5. Fr.nk Schoefbeck (KTM). SR A: 1. Richard Cromer (Hus); 2. Jim Hern (KTM); 3. Jerry Wesloh (Hus); 4. Dennis Schenk (Kew); 5. Layton Erickson (C-A). S/SR: 1. M.rv Heitkamp (Hon); 2. Corky Root (C-A); 3. AI Bergquist (K.w). 4-STRK: 1. Bryan Kel.ker (Hon~ 2. D.ve Keesow (Hus); 3. Doug Gr.ham (Hon); 4. J. Fisha". 200 B: 1. Terry Schwazenback (Y.m); 2. Doug Morse (Kew); 3. Mike Hel..1(Kew); 4. Brian Reider (K.w); 5. D.n W.nchat (C-A). 250 B: 1. Lavern Newenclyker (C-A); 2. Jorge caballero (Hus); 3. Phil Fuhrmeiter (C-A); 4. Jay J.nsen (Hus); 5. Tito N_i (Hon~ OPEN B: 1. Keith Bowden (C-A); 2. Doug McVinda (Hus); 3. Roger Beckmaier (Hus); 4. Tim Christensen (C-A); 5. Brad Powers (Hon). SR B: 1. John Luka (Hus); 2. Doug Felton (Hus); 3. Roger McKee (Kew); 4. C. Bartley. Zampach wins' Michigan Gran Prix opener By Larry Lawrence GRATTAN, MI, APR. 26 Wisconsin rider Scott Zampach won the first round of the seven-race' Michigan Gran Prix Series at the twisty two-mile Grattan Raceway. Zampach, who finished second to Doug Polen at last year's Honda 500 Interceptor final at Road Atlanta as a Novice, also took home $1500 from Honda by virtue of his C Production win on his Honda CBX600 Hurricane. Last year's Michigan Gran Prix Series was highly competitive. Dan Chivington, Ed Key, Dave Knapp, Robby Braunschiedel and 1986 series winner Jim Knipp all made it to the winner's circle last year. Dave Schmidt blasted off the line from the sixth row on his Tri-State Cycle Suzuki GSXR750 to grab the early lead followed by Zampach (from the last row), Knapp, Gary Gibson and John Eidenberger. Eidenberger moved past Gibson and Knapp on the second lap to grab third place but going into the highspeed right hander turn two, Eidenberger lost control and crashed his 600 Hurricane. Third place proved not to be a good posItion to be in during this race. Soon after Eidenberger crashed out, defending Michigan G.P. champ Knipp moved up into third place and then promptly exited the race course after tangling with. Rich Doon going into Grattan's famous bowL Gibson then inherited third place before crashing spectacularly at 130 mph on the long sweeping back straight. Gibson miraculously escaped injury, and explained that the cause of the crash was a mysterious front wheel lock-up at close to top speed. While the riders occupying third place were having their problems second-placed Zampach was on the move and by midrace had passed Schmidt for first place. Schmidt now could only watch as Zampach used his GSXRIIOO's superior horsepower to extend his lead and take the win by two seconds. The battle for third place came down to the wire as Boonie Knott made a quick move on the home stretch to get Terry Hampton and take third by less than two feet, both riders were on 600 Hurricanes. Chris Corvin rounded out the top five on a Suzuki GSXRllOO. The C Production race was another 600 Hurricane dominated affair as 26 out of the 37 starters were on the Hondas. Kurt Hall got an excellent start on his Greenrose Honda/Klotz/Marusin Hurricane and led the first lap. That Hall even made the race was quite an accomplishment. In the Michigan G.P. Hall's Hurricane would not shift, with only one race between the GP and C Production Hall had to do some quick thinking. His solution was to take the shifter from his Honda VFR700 and put it on the Hurricane. The trick worked and now Hall was out in front of the pack. The always fast Zampach closed on Hall, but didn't appear to eager to pass. Meanwhile, further back, Terry Hampton was making an amazing charge on his Greenwood Honda· backed CBX600 from last place to the lead. The last lap was filled with action as Zampach drafted and then outbraked Hall into turn one. Hall tried to get back by, but his shifting problem cropped up again and it was Zampach heading to the bank with the lion's share of the Honda money_ Hampton again was up against Knott on the last lap, this time around he got it right and used lapped traffic to his advantage to grab third place. Results A PROD EX: ,. Scott lampach (Suz); 2. Shawn Nicoloff (Suz); 3. Ed Key (Hon). A PROD NOV: 1. Mitch Poner (Suz); 2. Ron Widman (Suz); 3. Todd Stemen (Kew). B PROD EX: ,. Bonnie Knott (Hon); 2. Scott lampach (Hon); 3. Ed Key (Hori). B PROD NOV: ,. Mitch Porter (Suz); 2. Jeff Wood (Suz); 3. G.ry Jeffri.. (Hon). C PROD NOV: ,. Scott lampach (Hon); 2. Kurt • H.II (Hon); 3. Terry H.mpton (Hon). C PROD NOV: ,. G.ry Jaflri.. (Hon); 2. Phan laratzke (Y.m); 3. Stave Ross (Y.m). o PROD EX: ,. Andy Fenwick (Y.m); 2. John CopeI.nd (Kew); 3. Cr.ig Battershell (Kew). o PROD NOV: ,. Br.dley M.rtin (Y.m); 2. Craig Renck (Kew); 3. Ed UnnoUer (Y.m). A S/BK: 1. Tom Kpp (Y.m); 2. M.rk T.nner (Suz); 3. Chuck Staph.n (Suz). B S/BK EX: 1. Tom KiW (Yam); 2. Boonie K.(Hon); 3. Chuck Staph.n (Suz). B S/BK NOV: 1. Mitch Porter (Suz); 2. Pete Knight (Y.m); 3. Jeff Wood (Suz). C S/BK NOV: 1. G.ry Jeffri.. (Hon); 2. Rhea laratzke (Y.m~ 3. Stave Ross (Y.m). • CLBMN EX: 1. D.ve Knew (Y.m); 2. Chuck Mathis (Y.m~ 3. R.ndy Gaddev (Hon). CLBMN NOV: 1. John Love (Y.m~ 2. Tim Bart

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