Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127119
Kawasaki's Pau l Krause took t he ear ly lead. but had to settle for second when he lost a footpeg in loop one and was forced to ma ke repa irs. Grant Palenske powered his KX250 to fourth overall. second 250 Expert. Three of the top four ride rs. overall. were mounted aboard Kawasakis. IS DE veteran Larry Roeseler collected third overall aboard a Kawasaki KX250. He also topped the W inter Classic's 250cc Expert division. said Krause. " Eddie fell , ' which p ut me up into second, but I didn't have enough time to catch Dan." Ashcraft's trouble-free ride continued right up to the finis h line and the YZ490 pilot ha d almos t 30 seconds to spare as he swept in to take the checkered flag. "That feels good," said Ashcraft, who thanked Yamaha/Pro Circuit! Dun l o p / J T / R e n th a Il F&L/Sp ec· tro /Da llas Ba ker. " It was a fun course a nd it was mar ked well. T hey ran us in a lo t of fast stuff but 'th ey had a lot of tight stu ff too, and there were a lot of virgin trails." Krause, who finished second in last year's National series, was a littl e disappoint ed with his seco nd p lace finish. " If I hadn 't had to spend so much time in the pits, I think this would 've worked o ut a bit different," said Krause, who is backed by Kawasaki/ Tsubak il Answer /Shoei /Smith Goggles/Metzeler/Spectro/Cham. pion/F&L. " But it was fun even so. They p ut in a lot of trai ls that we hadn 't ridde n before, so we didn' t have to beat ourselves to death over all the whoops like we usually do ." Roeseler charged home to clai m third overa ll and firs t in the 250cc division. " I rode good and the bik e ran good but I cou ldn't catch Dan and Pa ul , that's for sure," said th e Kawasaki/ Scott/Malcolm Smith /Dunlop / Maxi ma / Re n thal /Ts u ba k i / Ascerbis-sponsored racer. " I can make up tim e in th e tight stuff on a 250 but there was hardly anyth ing tigh t a t a ll; ' said Roeseler. " It wa sn ' t an ything like Desert M.C.'s usual races." Hard on Roeseler's heel s throughout the race was Palenske, who crossed the line in fourth overall to take second in the 250cc division. " I was right behind Larry all day," Palenske sai d. " H e got by me 10 miles after the bomb and we diced it out the whole race. I never got to him but I was withi n sigh t of him the whole way. "It was a good course but a little fast in the second loop," said the 250cc racer. 'T he open bik es just ran awa y and left us. I'm going to ride all the Nationals this year. I've just got to get that National 'nu mber one." Pal enske was followed in by fellow 250 pilot Mike Baker, who agreed that the course was, " too fast for a 250. I didn 't do too good off the stan and then I was riding like an old man. " Dave West of th e Vikings M.e. brought his O pen class Honda home in sixth overall, just ahead of Peug h on a CR500 and YZ250 pilot Kurt Pfeiffer, who rocketed up from 11th at the halfway point to claim eigh th in the overall standings. Kawasaki ri ders Postel and Ron Shuler rounded o ut the top 10, whi le John Bra asch (who is sponsored by Covina Yamaha/ O'Nea llSmi th Goggles) overalled th e I 25cc class in 14th overall; Van Bogardus took second in th e small -bore race. Parr y raced home 11th overall to steal the Vet Class win from 12th placed Ch arl ie Bar ney. " He was go ing too hard for me, that's a ll I can say," said KX250 pilo t Barney. . The race was no picnic for Parry , eit her. " I had a good race goi ng and th en I fouled a p lug," he said. " I tried to ride it out but about eight people passed me.o n the second loop. I ha d to ride my butt off to get in front again after that." First in the Open Vet division went to Steve Garner of the Lost Coyotes M.C., and Bill Saltzman overa lled the Sen ior class in 27th overall despite riding most of the race on a front flat. The next Vet to cross the fin ish line was Dave Kersting of the Invaders M.C., (48th overa ll), wit h Ron, " Why shou ld I tell yo u wha t I thought of the race - you won 't print it anyway, " Paproski ta king second in the Open Sen ior division. Dennis Davidge came out on top of the Super Senior race in I II th overall. Clarke Coleman continued his domination of the Amateur division, taking the win in 57th overall. T he first Novice to cross the finish line was David Graham. Don Chiapuzio took his third win in a row in the Open Vet Novice class. _ Results a /A: 1. Dan Ashcraft (Yamt 2. Paul Krause (Kaw); 3. Larry Roeselar (Kaw); 4. Gram Pelensk e (Kawt 5. Mika Bakar (Yam); 6. Dave Wast (Han); 7. Todd Peugh (Hant B. Kun Pfeiffar (Yamt 9. Pete Postel (Kawt 10 . Ron Shuler (Kaw); 11. Kenny Parry (Yam); 12. Charlia Barn ey (Kaw). OPEN EX: 1. Dan Ashcr aft (Yamt 2. Paul Krause (Kaw); 3. Dave W est (Han). 250 EX: t. Larry Roeseler (Kaw); 2. Grant Palen ske (Kaw); 3. M ike Baker (Yam). 125 EX; 1. Jo hn Braasch (Yam); 2. Van Bogardu s (Yam). VET OPEN EX: 1. Steve Garn er (Han); 2. M ike Mu lcone ry (Hus); 3. Stave Smit h. VET 250 EX: 1. Kenny Parry (Yamt 2. Charlie Barnay (Kaw); 3. Wes And erson. Jr. (Kaw ). SR OPEN: 1. Bill Saltzman (Hust 2. Ron Paproski. SR 250: 1. Dava Kers ting (Kaw); 2. Steve Thompson (Han); 3. Larry Gordon (Kaw). S/SR: 1. Denni s Davidge (KTM). WMN: 1. Vicki Scan (Kaw). OPEN AM: 1. Clarka Coleman (Han); 2. Ma rk Haugen (Han). 250 AM : 1. Bob Riegar (Kaw ); 2. Dwa yne Lewi s. 125 AM : 1. KaUey Pate (Yam); 2. Gary Mercer (Yam); 3. Keith Meter (Yam). VET 250 AM : 1. Bob Lumley (Yam); 2. J aff Jackson (Han). OPEN NOV: 1. Casey M cRobert s; 2 . Eric Vanessen ; 3. Ralph Collins. 250 NOV: 1. David Graham; 2. David O'Br ien ; 3. M ike Ma tula (Kaw). VET OPEN NOV: 1. Don Ciapuzio; 2. Greg Roth; 3. Kevin Benn ett. VET 250 NOV: 1. J ack Malone.