Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Duane Summers. who finished second in the April running of the event. averaged 116.13 mph to win the La Carrera road race. Filephoto. Former AMA Grand National Champion Gary Nixon (left) gives advice with co-promoter Loyal Truesdale (center) during the riders' meeting. A wide variety of motorcycles from Kawasaki 250cc Ninjas to Honda CBXs went through tech inspection and participated in La Carrera III. Co-promoter Cliff Carr leaves the line with the Highway One Special driven by Brad Jarvis; Jarvis wo,n the Open Three-Wheeled class. La Carrera III $ It's Summers' turn at La Carrera By Paul.Carruthers Photos by Sharon Clayton and Carol Sims ENSENADA, B.C., MEXICO, SEPT. 19 Ducati 750cc F-l-mounted Duane Summers turned in a heroic performance to win the La Carrera III Mexican road race, averaging 116.13 mph on· the 115-mile road that links the coastal cities of San Felipe and Ensenada in Baja California. According to Summers the race was easy. "I just rode," the 22year-old former desenTacer said after his 116 mph performance. Vh-huh, and Babe Ruth just swung. "I stayed in my own lane and was real careful," Summers added. "Reno Leoni built the motor, but it was a while ago and it's a little tired now." Second place in the event went to David Peel on his 1978 Laverda ]ota triple. Peel averaged 109.87 mph to win the Open Triple class. Third overall and first in the 500cc Twins class was former winner Fred Eiker. Eiker rode a 1987 Kawasaki EX500 at an average clip of 109.78 to ed'ge April La Carrera 500cc class winner Olin Daunell (109.49 mph). Another former winner, Cycle World's Steve Anderson, finished fifth overall and first Open Single on the Ron Wood-built Wood-Rotax single. Anderson, who averaged 109.43 mph, said the'bike ran flawlessly, adding, "If Fred Eiker would have ridden Ron's bike he would have won. I just wasn't 'a hero enough, but in my book Eiker's a hero." April 'winner Geoff McCarthy ended up finishing sixth overall while wmning the lOOOcc Twins class aboard his 900cc Ducati. Jay Tobey, Eddie Bush, Jon Exley and H.L. Hisgen rounded out the top 10 overall. The eVent was marred by the death of 43-year-old Gerald Hanson. The Fountain Valley, California, resident . crashed just after the halfway mark in the race in an area where riders were warned about a patch of gravel. .The Stock lOOOcc Twins class was won by Shawn Bushey and his 1978 BMW RlOO. Bushey finished 11th overall. Tobey wound up seventh overall while winning the Open Triple class on his 1979 Honda CBX900. In the Dual-Purpose class, Morgan Malocco rode a Howard and Sonssponsored Honda XR600 to the win followed by Kawasaki's P.R man extraor.dinaire Mel Moore on a 1987 KLR. Former La Carrera winner Steve Balmer finished third on a 1988 350cc Cagiva. Kawasaki picked the La Carrera event to showcase their new 1988 Kawasaki EX250 twin. The little screamer ended up-dominating the class with Motorcyclist magazine's Jeff Karr leading the way. Karr, a former Formula Two road racer, averaged 9-'.08 mph to finish 15th overall. "I can't remember ever having a motorcycle wide open for that long, !' . Karr, who was rumored to have the fastest of the little 2505, later said. The Open Three-Wheeled class was won by Brad Jarvis in the Highway One Special, a VWpowered three-wheeler hand built by Cycle News President Chuck. Clayton. In the Vintage ranks, it was Bill Burdette on his 1970 Norton Commando leading the way followed by John Leisner (AMA 250cc GP competitor Andy's father), Cosmic Kelly· and Wes Cooley Sr. Former AMA Grand National Champion Gary Nixon was once again in attendance at La Carrera, giving up h~s rent-a-ear to ride a Kawasaki EXSOO. What happened to Nixon? Well, that depends on who you ask. Nixon says he ran out of gas and got going again to finish fifth in class and 27th overall. Others say Nixon for~ot to turn the'gas on before recovermg to finish fifth in class and 27th overall. Nixon blamed co-promoter Cliff Carr, who incidently finished sixth in the 250cc Twins class and 31st Qverall on a tricked-out 250cc Ninja. Carr cl

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