Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

It was for that very reason that Pearson took no chances in the first semi. He grabbed the holeshot, took to the hi~h line and led the race from start to fInish to guarantee his berth in the National. Ingram, Chad Felicio and Ted "Too Tall" Boody rounded out the top four. Boody was riding - and trying to adjust to - a Harley Davidson borrowed from Tennessee Expert Tommy Register, who failed to qualify for the program. Boody, who said ·he hasn't been on a Harley in aoout three years and who added that it felt "weird" trying to ride one, borrowed the bike from Register after his Hud Racing Honda blew it's engine during practice. The final semi was an Estep runaway. The Ohio Expert, who finished fourth in the third· heat, put his Steel Masters Harley up near the hay bales and gassed it. No one could catch him, although Bryan Harden, Ronnie Jones, Rainey and Sweet each gave it a try. Last Chance Qualifier Rainey was first off the line in the LCQ, but was passed in turns one and two by Boody and Dan Ingram, who powered around the outside. ingram held the top spot until lap three, when Boody used a low line to get around the lndiana rider, w.h.o was riding high on the cushion. Boody, wbo was looking more and more comfortable aboard the borrowed Harley, led the final seven laps to earn the last spot on the National starting ·grid. Jones got around Ingram coming out of turn two on lap five, but missed the main event by one position. Camel Challenge "I got second here once," said a confident Mertens before the start of the Camel Challenge_ "I know I can win it." Three-time National Champion Springsteen, who qualified seventh and who was in the race only by virtue of Morehead's misfortune, grabbed the holeshot at the start of . the Camel Challenge, but secondrunning Mertens - true to his word - took the lead away from Springer' on lap two and never looked back. Springsteen held onto second for the duration, while Parker finished third after bumping Carr to fourth on lap four. Shobert ran fifth from flag to flag, and Chandler was never able to get his Freddie Spencer/ SuperTrapp Honda out of sixth. "When they first set it up (the Camel Challenge) I didn't think it was fair to me because I never time trialed that good," said Mertens, who is' backed by Belleville Honda/ Snoei/M&M Racing/Maxie. "But now, '1 guess it'S' different. It's a dream come true. I just wish my dad was here to see it." National Carr nailed the holeshot aboard his H-D Motor Co.lLawwill/Shoei/ RS TachilHap Jones/Hobiesponsored Harley-Davidson at the beginning of the 20-lap feature race and headed for the inside line. Chandler followed Carr into turn one, riding in the middle of the track, while Parker rocketed off row two and powered around the two front runners on the outside. By the time the trio exited turn two, Parker was out front and running away. When Parker, on the outside, and Carr, on the inside, moved 'together coming out of turn two on lap one, they spewed a pair of crushed limestone roostertails into Chanaler's face. Blinded by the spray, Chandler backed off the gas and reached for a tearoff, allowing Mertens, Shobert and Davis to motor by. Jay Springsteen (9) led Scott Parke.r (11). Bubba Shobert (1). Chris Carr (201. Tim Mertens (53) and Doug Chandler (10) on the opening lap of the Camel Challenge. Mertens earned $10.000 when he won the race. Chandler managed to pass Davis on lap two, as did Estep, who was charging hard after a row-three start, running his XR750 high into turns one and three and coming out low, and on the gas, through turns two and four. Estep had the track dialed. During the first seven laps, he appeared to pass at will, using his high/low line to get by at least one rider each lap. He picked off fifth-running Chandler, took fourth from Shobert, stole third from Mertens, and bumped Carr out of second. He then set his sights on Parker, who held a four-second advantage. By the midway point, Estep was closing on Parker, Carr was alone in third and Chandler battled fiercely with Mertens for fourth. Following in freight-train fashion were Shobert, Pearson, Springsteen, Cornwel.I, Davis, Boody, Poovey and Sweet. Graham, who felt uncomfortable riding McDowell's Harley, and King were struggling at the back of the pack. Estep ran it deep into turn one on· lap 11, up near the hay bales, and twisted his foot when he stuck it in a hole. The injury throbbed with pain for the rest of the race, but the Ohio rider continued to push hard and continued to close on Parker. <;:handler used lap II to charge toward Carr's rear fender while Shobert started slipping backward in the pack. On lap 12 a fast-closing Estep began to pressure Parker, Chandler hounded Carr for third and Pearson pressured Mertens for fifth. Springsteen was circulating in ninth, trailing a Shobert/Cornwell fight for seventh. Chandler slid around Carr going into turn one on lap 15, to set the top five finishing positions. Shobert had slipped to ninth, running behind Cornwell, Pearson and Springsteen. Boody had moved his borrowed Harley into 10th and wa,s setting the pace for Poovey, Sweet, Davis, Graham and King. Coming out of turn four on lap 20, headed for the checkers, Estep and Chandler were suddenly, almost unexpectedly pushing at Parker's Factory Harley-Davidson rider Scott Parker' won his second consecutive National Half Mile in Louisville before a partisan pro-Harley cr.owd. rear fender. Estep grabbed the gas, but had to back off when Parker got sideways and blocked his line. Estep recovered and tried to pass Parker at the finish line, but was short by a half bike length. The two front runners were just out of Chandler's reach. Chandler led Carr and Mertens across the line. By the finish, Springsteen, Pearson and Boody had moved into sixth through eighth, respectively. ShQbert finished ninth and Poovey took 10th ahead of Sweet, Davis, Graham and King. Cornwell, who suffered a late-race get-off in turn two on lap 17, finished 15th. "Boy, I really loved that," said Estep after the race.• "It was the best ride I've ever had. It was so smooth." "That. roost really got me on the first lap," said Chandler. "Even in the heat race, when I was catching up with Chris (Carr), there were. times when I couldn't get the tearoff off in time. The only thing I had to go by was the 20 on Chris's back." "It wasn't my kind a track," said Carr with a shrug and a smile. "After the last two weeks I'm happy just to finish." "I just couldn't get it together," said Shobert. • Results 20-LAP NAnONAL: ,. Scott Parker (H-D); 2. Don Estep (H-D); 3. Doug Chandler (Han); 4. Chris Carr (H-D); 5. Tim Mertens (Han); 6. Jay Springsteen (H-D); 7. Scott Pearson (Han); 8. Ted Boody (H'D); 9. 8ubba Shobort (Han); 10. Terry Poovey (Han); 1,. Sammy Sweet (H-D); 12. Doug Davis (H-D); 13. Ricky Graham (H-D); 14. Rich King (Han); 15. Jon Cornwell (H-D). FIVE-LAP CAMEL CHALLANGE: 1. Tim Mertens (Han); 2. Jay Springsleen (H-D); 3. Scott Parl

• Cover