Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

entry on their Middleweight Production class Yamaha FZ600, Red Stripe came from 16th overall to finish third overall, and win their class. Riders Andy Deatherage and Brent Schuster were the only Middleweight Production team to finish in the top 15. In the Middleweight Superbike field, Boulet Racing and Rebel Racing battled the entire six hours on their Yamaha 500s. Their race came down to the final lap where Boulet narrowly took the class win and finished 12th overall with both teams completing 139 laps. The Lightweight class was· the largest of all and throughout the race the teams of R&S Racing, Team Woods lOne and series regulars Royale Racing battled the entire six hours on their Yamaha RZ350s. With Team Hondamove out of the picture on their NS400, it was anybody's race. Team WoOdstone's Phil Whetstone and Bob Woods won the class by one lap, placing sixth overali with 141 laps. With two hours remaining in the race, Solmax's Russell pitted for a rider change. Bailey took over the Solmax entry two laps ahead of Team Suzuki. Fifteen minutes after taking over, Bailey was taken out in turn nine when he was hit from behind. The excellent announcing by RACE officials alerted the Solmax pits of the crash so they could prepare for the unscheduled pit stop. Bailey lost no time in getting the bike up and back into the pits where a tech irtspeaor was waiting. Meanwhile, Team Suzuki's Ulrich showed Stevens a pit boarft that read "#5 In Pits - EZ." RACE officials re-teched the undamaged Solmax Yamaha and Bailey reentered the race, never relinquishin~ the lead or allowing Team SuzukI to get on the same lap. Bailey pitted 10 minutes later so that "Sliowboat" Russell could ride the last hour. Knowing of the lead he had, Russell backed off his lap times and began putting on a show for spectators and corner workers, sliding the bike through turns and doing wheelies on the back straight in the rain. Solmax took the checkers after 150 laps and Team Suzuki was second with 148 laps. Solmax's Russell was allowed to take a checkered £lag lap with team owner Cindy Bowen on board. Russell and Bailey were extremely happy about their -win. "Solmax is back!" exclaimed Russell, "I can't wait to get 'em in Texas in two weeks." As an added treat for the S.olmax USA win on the stock Yamaha FZR, Yamaha representatives were in town for their dealer show and 1988 bike preview. Over 400 Yamaha dealers and representatives from across Canada and some from the U.S. were bussed in to watch Solmax take home the checkers for Yamaha. Other than Team Suzuki, Solmax Racing USA is the only 1987 WERA team to win at least two endurance races overall. Team Suzuki's second place finish put them back in the series points lead as they only needed to finish nimh to regain the lead. • ALL IN ADAY'S WORK. ~ tl-t V ..0 o ..... u o .. e-Iioo. For II.'IT _mt Pirrifi liar,., or ..... i./o_ioo. wril< "" Pirrili Ti.. MofotqIc/t DMsioo. 200. ~ Ploa. Soil< 700. OqIrI_r eN. Sol.... CA 95.,0. ,. e:..-Ia. wril< "" Pirrili Ti... I",.. 6300 ~i

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