Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

track conditions and tried the high side all evening. He and Rickman, aboard a Yamaha, appeared to be matched very close in the 250cc class. Rick m a n 's experience and good covering of the low side kept Willia ms at bay. Williams would come out of the turns in a full flank broadslide leading, only to lose the spot by the time the tight twosome hit the start/finish line. In Mini action Chris Copley outlasted and out-rode the field in the 50cc ranks. Copley has been the . heavy hitter in this class all season. and leads th e point standings. Brian Strong showed his rear wheel to the other entries in the 60 and 80cc cla sses. Mike Hacker, riding a Kawasaki, appeared to be ab le to challenge in th e early going but fell off the pace. Hacker had his own battle with Suzuki rider, John Nickens that was keeping him from a front place challenge. The 80cc feature was a duplicate of the 60cc race. The 500cc races were won by Rick ma n, but it appeared in all that he wou ld not take the checker first. Clay ton O liver pressed Rickman . hard in the first heat. A newcomer from Clearwater, Florida, Shawn McNary, learned the track quickly to wage a tough battle from third. In the second qualifier R usty Caita, on a H onda, held Rickman off for four of the five laps. Both crossed the line just inches apart. Oliver was third; McNary was fourth. Rickman got a good start in the final. Rusty Gaita . was all over him, getting by for haifa-lap, on the second circuit. McNary put on a charge for second on the third lap and made it work, setting his sights after Rickman. McNary closed within two bike lengths at the halfway mark, but it appeared Rick. man got a second wind and pulled away. On the eighth lap McNary again got close and set up for an ou tside pass, but he bobbled coming o ff the fourth turn. It was his last chance to win , but he gave a good account of himself, the first time at the track. Results 260: 1. Chris Rickma n (Yam); 2. Jay Williams (Hon); 3 . Brian Stron g (Yam). 500: 1. Chris Rickm an (Kaw ); 2. Shawn M cNar y (Hon ); 3 . Rusty Gait a (Hon). 50 : 1. Chris Copley (Yam ); 2. Ben W alters (Suz); 3 . Kenn y Long (Suz). 60 : 1. Bri an Strong (Hon); 2. M ike Hack er (Kaw); 3. John Nickens (Su z). 80: 1. Brian St rong (Kaw) ; 2. Mike Hacker (Suz); 3. Jo hn Nic kens (Suz ). YSRSO Series opens at Willow Springs By Terry Whytal ROSAMO N D, CA, AUG. 2 Beautiful weather greeted riders and spectators to the opening event of the SMXlYamaha YSRSO Series at Willow Springs. The one-third mile course featured seven turns and a long front straight that allowed competitors to reach speeds in excess of 40 mph. Eight classes of riders, based on weight and rider skill, competed in the first of four events designed to qualify the best California riders for the World Final Race of Champions, to be held at Willow on August 30. Rid ers from o ther areas of the U.S. and Japan will also compete in the event. In the 101-140 Advanced class, Den nis Horton posted a two heat score of 2-2 to take the overall win ahead of first heat winner Guy Weav er. Third went to Henry Rodarte who won the second heat after a tumb le left him last in round one. Scott Charles swept both 101-140 Novice heats despite a poor start in round one. Chasing Charles to the checkers was Jimi Thornton while t hird overall we nt to Mi ch a el H edrick. The 140-250 Advanced event was topped by Yamaha public relations ace Willie Amaradio. Amaradio was rumoured to have received special riding instructions from World Champion Eddie Lawson prior to the race but his second heat victory was more likely the result of creative horn and turn signal use . Second overall was first heat winn er J .R. Hess and he just edged third place finisher Sheldon Andry. The 141-180 Novice class was split into two divisions because o f the large turnout of riders. In division one action Russ Bond claimed the win over Gary Garner and Joseph McRae. The division two victory went to Chris Ro lda n over Tony Mace. Brent Boyer p laced third. Mike Sokoloff handily defeated the 180-250 Novice field . Sokoloff's main competition came from Jacques Butaeu who reached the checkers in the runner-up slot in bo th heats. Third overall went to Jon Siglar. The Women 's class was topped by Collen McCoy, who was dearly fastest in practice and ran away with both heats. The ba tt le for second involved Lynda Donova n, Lanett Curtis and Ellen Taylor. At the finish it was Donovan claiming second. Results 101 -140 ADV ; 1.Dennis Honon; 2. Guy Weaver; 3 . Henry Radone. 101 -140 NOV: 1. SCOIl Charles: 2. Jimi Thonon; 3. Michael Hedrick. 140·260 ADV : 1. Will ie A maradio; 2. J .R. Hess; 3 . Sheldon Andry. 141 ·180NOV 0 -1 : 1. Russ Bond; 2. Gary Garner; 3. Joseph McRae . 141·180 NOV D·2:P 1. Chr is Roldan ; 2. Tony Mace; 3. Brent Boyer . • . 180·250 NOV : 1. M ike Sokoloff; 2. Jaques Butea u; 3. Jon Siglar . WMN : 1. Colleen McCoy; 2. Lynda Donovan; 3 . lanen Cunis. Thie baud s cores at Saylands Speedway By Bill Spencer FREMONT, CA, JULY 30 Ken Thiebaud joined the ranks of new winners topping the Handicap portion while Eddie Ingels won his seventh Scratch main of the year at round 14 of Thursday nigh t Class A speedway racing a t Bay lands Raceway Park . Handicap heat winners were D ua ne Yarrow on the Snooky Owens Weslake, Thiebaud holding off Bart Bast in the second round, and Rocky Robinson and Bobby Heddon in the other two heats. In the first semi, it was Thiebaud once again on a roll with Bast closing to second with Mark Day holding off the pack. Ingels wowed the crowd with some fan cy rim riding technique in the second sem i, taking over the lead on the last lap and winning over the Petrich Cycle/PJ -I Bobb y Heddon and Mik e Solis. Thiebaud utilized a very good start in the main to get away from th e maddening crowd and held until the checkers fell. Ingels and Solis had a great battle with Ingels trying his best to get around but foiled in th e attempt. Bast and Robinson kept them honest throughout. Ingels set the stage for the Scratch heats with a big win over So lis. Bast won th e second heat. Steve Marti n came up with some fine style to bea t o u t Mike Parsons in his heat with Yarrow winning over Steve Crawford in the final heat. Ingels, Parsons and Bast tried three different lines for the first lap of th e first semi with Bast expiring an engine, allowing Ingels a free sh ot that Parsons tried his best to keep close and he did just that. Robinson and Martin dictated policy in th e second semi until Robinson g ot a little wide and it was Yarrow in for th e transfer behind th e Martin & In .. ~ ~ > w " '" 0 '" > '" 0 ... 0 '" e, tOO O"l .-4 ~ sc c-r .... rf:) ~ bIJ ~ -< 'St eve Martin is chased by Bart Bast at Bay lands Speedway. Martin finished second place. behind Edd ie Ingels. in the Scratch main. Son/Mike Hubbard Construction/ EGO Investment Volcano Kid. Parsons looked for the right spot and got a good start but went ba ckwards as Martin, Ingels and Yarrow hooked up for the ultimate ride. Ingels went wide and th en cro ssed lines chasing down Martin while Yarrow kept up the steady-asshe -goes , hanging draft. Ingels took over on lap three and roosted to the win over Martin with Yarrow third over Parsons. Resu lts SCRATCH: 1. Eddie Ingels; 2. Steve Manin; 3. Duane Yarrow; 4. Mike Parsons. . HOCP: 1. Ken Thiebaud; 2. Mike Sol is; 3. Eddie Ingels; 4 . Bart Bas t; 5 . Rocky Robinson . 0 ·2 : 1. Mike Kunsman; 2. Johnny Payton ; 3 . Scon Yarbrough; 4. John Grant; 5. Br ian Pecore. 0 ·3: 1. Bryan Ash; 2. Brad Spencer; 3 . Mark Squadrito; 4. Bryan Barr en; 5. Steve Martynse. Watson rolls to APE Speedway win By Todd Kroh GREENE, NY, AUG. I Steve Watson was on the program this week and on the gas, too. He took home the Handicap main event checkered, and Warren Diem won th e Division One Scratch main at Action Park East Speedway. Watson led only one lap in his heat a nd semifinal race before leading four of th e six lap main even t. In his semi, Watson was stuck beh ind Charlie J acobs for three laps. Wh en it ca me time for him to make his move, George Lazor passed Watson and J acob s 10 tak e the point position. Wa tson held th e seco nd spo t, while Mike Buman made th e main even t transfer by beating a stubborn J acob s to th e line on th e final circu it. J oel Monell led th e other sem ifina l for o ne lap befor e being dusted by a flyin g T om Burge. Monell th en held th e seco nd spot for two more laps befor e Warr en Diem d ropped him a no the r position. Burge was 100 far o ut in front for Diem to make a cha lle nge. Monell, wh o has been o n a hot strea k as of late, held o ff a ha rd cha rg ing Pat Cliff 10 make his third Handi cap main event in as man y weeks. Monell ca me o ff the zero lin e a nd led th e pack for the fir st two laps of th e main. By lap three, a four rider sta m pede was approaching. Wats on , Burge, Diem and Lazor sto rmed past, leaving Mon ell to battl e Mik e Buman for the caboose position. The lack of tracti on o n th e racing surface proved to be Watson's adva ntage as no o ne co uld ma ke a bid for th e lead . The fin ishing o rder remained Wa tson, Burge, Diem , Lazor, Buman a nd Monell. . The Scratch main event went to Warren Diem for th e fifth co nsecutive week. He is now halfway 10 tying H ank Bassett's record for 10 stra ig h t Scratch ma in event wins. H e stormed th e co m pe ti tio n again this week leading every race o n the Scratch program. In the main even t, Di em wa s matched aga inst Wats on, Burge a nd Pat Cliff. Diem put his Godden o u t in front to stay. Watson finished off a great night o f ra cing placing seco nd. Burge was third. Cliff finish ed fourth. Resu lts 0 -1 : 1. Warren Diem (Gdn l; 2. Steve Watson (Wes); 3 . Tom Burge (Gdn ): 4 , Pat Cliff (Jaw). HDCP: 1. Steve Walson (Wes) ; 2. Tom Burge (Gdn); 3. Warren Diem (Gdn ); 4 . George Lazor (Jaw); 5 . Mike Buman (Gdn ). 0 ·2: 1. Floyd Clark (Jaw); 2. Charlie Jacobs IJaw); 3. Jim McCanhy (J aw ); 4 . Don MadISon IGdn). Atherton wails on GoshenHM . By E. R. Wise GOSHEN, IN, AVGI Kevin Atherton won th e 750cc half mile main event by a straightaway at th e Elkhart County 4-H Fair Race, held at Elkhart County Fairgrounds ' in Goshen. . Atherton , riding a n XR 750 Harley-Davidson borrowed from local Harley dealer Lou Grencer, turned th e fastest time of the day during time trial s, won his heat ra ce and powered aw ay in th e feature-. Atherton turned co nsistent laps in th e 26.5-second range. Wood-Rotax rid er Ron Schroder finished second in th e 750cc final a nd R ot ax -mourued Dann y Ko elach rounded out th e top three. " Balt imo re Bullet " Larry Pegram contin ued hi s winning wa ys with a double-victory performance. Pegram top ped both th e 250 and 500cc final s. Honda-mounted J.J. McD ow ell foll owed Pegram home in th e 250cc feature ra ce, with Yamaha p ilo t Pat rick T owler tak in g thi rd . In the 500cc main event, Koelach pow ered his Rotax to a seco nd place finish , whil e an other Rotax rider, Rex Fisher, fini shed third. Results MINI: 1. Chris St ith (Yam); 2. Dave J . Will s ISuz); 3 , Bob Wills (Suz). 200: 1. Phill ip Palm er (Han); 2. Brad Eberl eIKaw); 3 . Gordon May (Kaw) ; 4 . David Bu is (Suz). 250: 1. Larry Pegram (Han ); 2, J .J . McDowell (Han ); 3. Patrick Towl er (Yam); 4. Aichard Deckling (Han); 5 . Ph ill ip Palmer (Han). 360: 1. Nelson Nozurzi ewicz (Bu ll; 2. Chr is St ith (Suz); 3 . Gene Atherton (Oss); 4. Gr egory Calley (Yam), 500: 1. Larry Pegra m (Han); 2. Danny Koelach (Rtx~ 3 . Rex Fis her (Rtx); 4, Eddie James (AlX): 5. Mark Kennedy (Rtx). 750: 1. Kev in Athenon ( H· D ~ 2. Aon Schroder (W ·R); 3 . Danny Koelach (RIX); 4. Aex Fish er (Rtx); 5. Ken Maynard (H· D). 49

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