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/127124
. J ohn As hmead (491 won a down-to-the-wire 600 Supersport race over Gary Goodfellow (111 I. Doug f ol en (231 and -Paul Bray (1 1 XI . .AMA/Vance & Hines 600cc Supers'port Road 'Race Series: Round 1 Ashmead in thriller By Brian Catterson Photos by Hen ny Ray Abrams DAYTONA BEACH, FL, MAR. 6 John Ashmead won a race to th e wire over G ary Goodfellow, N a tional Champion Doug Polen, and Paul Bray to win the first AMA/Vance & Hines 600cc Superspor t race of the 1988 seaso n. A race-long four-way battle , d for the lead between Han a H urricane-moun ted Ashmead, 20 Suzuki Katana-moun ted Pol en , Bray and Goodfellow was decided on the fin al lap with th e cl o se finish swin ging in Ashmead's favor. Goodfell ow took second, while Polen beat Bray for third. In a separate war being wag ed a sh ort distance behind th e lead pack, Douglas Tosten defeated David Sadowski for fifth. The ra ce got underway one hour late because the tra ck was still drying following Friday and Saturday's heavy rainfall; which forced postponement of all sch~du led cl~s.ses excep t the Pro Twins Modified Production. AMA officials ran the Sup ersport race just before the Daytona 200, stressing that th e 600cc' machines with DOT street tires co u ld run on a trac k th a t was potentially dangerous for th e slickshod 750cc Superbikes, and would also help dry the tra ck. . The l O-lap event was shortened to just seven laps in hopes of accom modating the day' s full ra cing program, whi ch was run und er threatening skies. The oi l flag was displayed to remind riders of th e slippery track conditions. Canadian Gary Goodfellow led from the drop of th e gre en flag on his Suzuki , with Bray in second on his Honda, Greg T ysor th ird on his Suzuki, a nd Polen grabbing fourth into th e first turn. Peter Brady/ . Mi chelin/RK/Bel-Ray-sponsored Ashmead led th e tight pa ck coming down th e front straigh t to com p lete' la p one. Goodf ell ow re-took th e lead in the infi eld while working lap two, but was drafted and passed by Bray going down th e back straight. Ashmead then shot past both Goodfellow and Bray on the start/finish straight. At the end of lap two , a six-way battle for first had Ashmead leadi ng Bray, Sadowski, Goodfellow, Polen and Tosten. On lap three, Dunlop/Supertra p p / Kal -G a r d / Sh oei/ T su ba k il Bray Pipeline Co.-sponsored Bray too k th e lead into the infield and held it all the way through the end of lap ' four. Yoshimura / Dunlop/Motu l/RK / ND -sponsored Polen pushed his way into second, with Ashmead falling to t hird, and Goodfellow hol ding fourth. Honda-mounted Tosten led Suzuki rider Sadowski in the race for fifth , which had fallen a little behind the front-runners. Ashmead moved into first to begin lap five, with Goodfellow following through for second, and Bray fall ing to third. Po len then shot to the lead in the infield and hel d it goi ng onto the tri-o val. Ashmead ran second, Goodfellow third and Bray fourth; a lap la ter it was Goodfellow second and Bray third, knocking Ashmead back to fourth. On lap five, RB. Montemayor crashed his Yamaha in turn one; he was not seriously injur ed. Ashmead came from fourth to pass Polen for the lead in th e infield on lap six, with Goodfellow remaining in second and Polen falling to third. Bray held fourth, a short distance in front of Sadowski. On the fina l go-round, Ashmead took th e wi n , wit h Goodfellow second, Po len thi rd, and Bray fourth. Tosten nipped Sadowski. for fifth. Tom Aqu ino, 'Mo rga n Murphy, Edward Key and Scott Ru ssell comp leted the top 10. In Victory Lane Ashmead said he pla n ned on waiting and drafting, but got o ut front and changed his stra tegy. Goodfellow said that hi s gearing was too tall, and the wind slowed him 'down. Fifth place finisher Tosten, who cou ld see th e battle for the lead in front of him, said, " I had the best seat in the ho use. It was the best race I ever saw." • Unofficial results 'l . Jo hn Ashm ead (Han); 2. Gary Goodfellow (Suz); 3 . Doug Polen (Suz); 4. Paul Bray (Han); 5 . Dou gla s Toste n (Han); 6 . David Sadow ski (Suz); 7. Tom A qu in o (Hen); 8 . Mo rgan Murphy (Hen); 9. Edwa rd Key (Han); 10 . Scan Russell (Suz); , 1. John Lowman (Han ); , 2. Russell Paul k (Suz); 13 . Jam ie J am es (Suz); , 4 . Gr eg Tysor (Suz); , 5. M ike Hart h ISuz); 16. Graha m Ja m es J r. (Suz); 17 . Ricky Or land o ISu z); 18 . Jo hn Eidenb erger (Suz); 19 . J ay Levi ngst on (Hen); 20 . Hans Wi lson (Hen).