Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Kork Ballington (99) won the 250cc Grand Prix class at Brainerd; here he leads Renfrow (41 and the pack. England's Alan Carter rode a Team Maclean Honda to a third place finish behind Ballington and Renfrow in his first race in the United States. AIttA/Castro'250cc Grand Prix Series: Round 3 Ballingfon edges Renfrow at Brainerd By Paul Carruthers _ Photos by Rick Corwine and Randy Marrs BRAINERD, MN, JUNE 7 In a battle that made the earlier Camel Challenge five-lap sprint race seem about as exciting as a 24-hour endurance race, Team MacLean's Kork BaBington dove under Vance & Hines' Randy Renfrow on the exit of turn lO on the final lap to take his second win of the year in 250cc Grand Prix action, held at Brainerd International Raceway. Right behind the leading duo was Team MacLean's latest import, England's Alan Carter, in what was his first race in the United States. Fourth place went to Team 'Nordica Roberts' John Kocinski with defending National Champion Don Greene fifth. . WiLh his win, Ballington took over the 250cc Grand Prix point standings lead over Kocinski, 51-43. In what is becoming the norm, Lhe 250cc race was the best race of the weekend with six riders going for the lead in the early stages of the race, and five riders battling to the finish. When it came down to the end, however, it was once again a BalIington/Renfrow ·duel. "I was sideways around turn two Jor the last two laps," Ballington said on his way to the winner's circle. It was tha t kind of race. Renfrow lost the clutch early on his Honda RS250, and it may have contributed to Ballington's last turn pass. "I got the rear end hopping going into 10 and 1 couldn't use the clutch to get it down," Renfrow said. "When I drifted wide coming out I was just hoping only one would come under me." Only one did and it was Ballington. After' practice sessions on Friday and Saturday, Danny Cae's Rotax was the talk of the horsepower crowd as he went through the speed traps at 139 mph; the fastest clocking of the weekend. "It was windy," Cae sajd. "And they didn't do MacLean's bikes." Lap times, however, showed MacLean's Ballington and Carter, along with Renfrow and Kocinski, at the top of the charts. The rest were not far bemnd, however. The Nordica Yamahas had tuner Bud Aksland frowning while trying to figure out what was making the little twins randomly become singles. Kocinski's teammate, Calvin Rayborn III, almost crashed in practice on Saturday when he lost the front end in the fastest corner of the circuit, turn one. He saved it with his knee, cutting himself in the process. Kocinski was his usual confident self, trying to figure a way to pick up another second. Carter was enjoying himself in his fir t U.S. race. "It's not too bad," the 22-year-old said. "We're just testing different wheels, tires and things. It's looking good. It'oS good racing here and it's nice to be competitive wiLh a good bike." The first heat race got going wiLh Rich Oliver immediately leading the field by three seconds. James Stephens had his Yamaha in second place followed by Garry Griffith and Kocinski, who was left on the starting line, after one lap. "It went dead on one cylinder on the line," Kocinski said. "It sounded awful, I was the last guy off Lhe start and he (Oliver) had 10 seconds on me after the first lap." Kocinski cut that down to 6.13 seconds at the finish as he disposed of Stephens and Griffith. Oliver took the easy win. The second heat race was a preview of coming attractions wiLh a six-rider freight train crossing the line to end the first lap. Coe led Ballington, Carter, Greene, Renfrow and Rayborn. Cae went from first to seventh on the second lap as Carter took over. His teammate Ballin'gton stole the show on the third lap and led to the finish over Caner, Renfrow and Greene. Cae topped Rayborn on his running-on:one-cy linder Yamaha. "I need to drop anoLher second," said heat one race winner Oliver. "Those guys (the heat two pack) could use a draft and I was by myself. " The final got underway with Carter leading the first lap over Kocinski, Renfrow, Ballington, Oliver and Greene. Rayborn was not with the lead group, but held sevenLh over Stephens. As the pack crossed the line to end 'lap two, Carter looked like he was going to leave them ~hind as he opened up what would be the biggest lead of the race. Oliver was up to second with Kocinski, Renfrow, Ballington and Greene in close formation. By the fourth of the 17 laps, however, the pack was back on Carter as Rayborn started a march toward the lead group. Cae, meanwhile, had moved past the Andrew Leisner7Stephens battle. On lap five, Rayborn worked himself up to the lead group after turning in his first I:45 lap time; two seconds faster tnan his best in .practice. The leaders, meanWhile, were turning times in the low 46range. Rayborn reached his limit on lap seven as he took to Lhe dirt brief) y. jn turn 10, losing ground that he would never regain. He later complained that the Yamaha again suffered through two-cylinder/onecylinder bursts. Up front at the halfway mark it was Kocinski, Ballington, Renfrow, Oliver, Carter and Greene; Carter and Greene touched fairings on one occasion but both said it was no big deal. BaBington took the lead for the first time on lap nine, but it was still anybody's race. Carter, Renfrow, Greene, Kocinski and Oliver were still right there. Oliver dropped from the running on lap 14 when his chain snapped, turning the six-rider race into a fiverider duel. Renfrow led the pack past the start/finish line to start the final lap with Ballington, Carter, Greene and Kocinski glued to his rear wheel. BaBington got by Renfrow in the back section of the course, but Renfrow got him back on the short straight before turn 10. BoLh riders braked togeLher wiLh Renfrow gainins the edge on the entrance to 10. With his rear wheel hopping, Renfrow ran it in a ·Iittle deep and drifted wide. Ballington used hIS experience to take to the inside and outdrive his rival (0 the flag. Carter held off Kocinski and Greene for third. "We had too big of a gap between third and fourLh and they would get me under the bridge," Kocinski said. "The race is so close, you can't afford to lose an inch." "I leaned it out one too many," Greene said. "But it's not too bad for a tuner/rider. I tuned the thing myself and it wouldn't pull off the corners. But I'm starting to creep back up in the poims." "They ride real good," Carter said of his new American competitc;>rs. "Everyone leaves lots of room, and that's different from Europe." • Results . 250 GRAND PRIX: 1. Kork Ballington (Han); 2. Randy Ranfrow (Han); 3. Alan Carter (Han); 4. John Kocinski (Vam); 5. Don Greene (Han); 6. Calvin Rayborn III (Vam); 7. Daniel Cae (Rot); 8. James Stephens (Vam); 9. Andrew Leisner (Han); 10. David Curtis (Han); I 1. Garry Griffith (Vam); 12. Marcello Del Guidice (Vam); 13. Andrew Price (Vam); 14. Doug Brauneck(Vam); 15. GragoryEsser (Han). AMA 250cc GP POINT STANDINGS: ,. Kork Ballington (51); 2. John Kocinski (43); 3. Randy Renfrow (38); 4. Calvin Rayborn III (29); 5. Don Greene (23); 6. Rich Oliver (22); 7. James Stephens (22); 8. Alan Carter (13); 9. Andrew Leisner (12); 10. David Curtis (12).

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