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/127125
Yamaha-mounted Mike Baker (126) prepares for the hand-on-helmet start in Satu~day's Sportsman race. where he finished second. , Larry Roeseler finished third in the Vet Experts. won the Sportsman race and crashed out while battling up fro!"t in Sunday's Expert race. Fog and lots of mud were the two main factors during Sunday's rac,es. especially this particular mud hole. Ward hooks up to Viewfinders'GP win By Nate Rauba and Kit Palmer Photos by Kinney Jones. Ken Faught and Palmer RIVERSIDE, CA, MAR. 5-6 .Gordon Ward took his 250cc Cagiva to the overall victory in the 20th Annual Viewfinders Grand Prix at Riverside International Raceway. Malcolm Smith Racing/ 16 Howard and Sons/Cagiva/ I sponsored Ward started from Pirelli/Kal-Gard/HT Racing-, the third row on the starting grid and worked his way into the lead aft er a heated battle with Kawasakimounted Rex Staten carried him up to early race leader Mike Baker. Malcolm Smith-sponsored Baker, aboard a Yamaha YZ250, came across the line 41 seconds behind Ward to claim second overall. He was actually 1:33 behind Ward on overall time. Suzuki factory motocross rider Ty Davis was third overall on his RM250, finishing 15 seconds behind Baker on accumulated time. Greg Zitterkopf, Yamaha-mounted, finished fourth overall; and Staten rounded out the top five after a derailed chain slowed his drive. Since the event is scored on overall time, results given at the end of the race will not become official for several weeks since all times have to be checked. If Ward is indeed declared the offi cial winner, he will recei ve S1000 for the win. A Viewfinders' spokesman said that approximately 1800 riders rode the two-day Viewfinders Grand Prix, which will most likely be the last Viewfinders GP held at R.I .R, The raceway is scheduled to be torn down for housing development. As th e first IS-rider wave hit the challenging 12-mile-a-Iap course (eight laps) in th e premier ra ce Sunday afternoon, Yamaha YZ490mounted, JT-Racing-sponsored Dan Ashcraft led the way followed by Honda-mounted Danny Sanchez , Husky 's defending National Hare & Hound Champion Dan Smith, Ro eseler, Honda-mounted _Craig Adams and Baker. About 15 seconds -Iater th e second wave hit the course led by Jeff Haase, Staten, Marty Mill er, Brad McLeod and Zitterkopf. Motocrosser Goat Breker was the first off the third and final Pro line, followed by Kurt Sofka, Don Griewe, Davis and Colin Ryan. Ward got going nearly last off his row. ' U p front Roeseler moved into the - Iead with Baker close behind, as positions began to shuffle throughout the first of eight laps. When they came into the scoring area for the first timeBaker had wrestled the lead from Roeseler and put nine seconds on the Kawasaki rider. Randy Morales was close behind Roeseler, but headed for the pits after going through the scoring area. That put KTM-mounted Todd Campbell third, while Breker had moved up to the fourth position on the track. Yamaha-mounted Eric Halgath came through fifth and first 125, and Ward had worked his way to sixth just ahead of Staten. Paul. Krause, Kurt Pfeiffer and Griewe rounded ' ou t the top 10. Baker was on the gas and stretched his lead to 40 seconds on lap two, turning in an 18-minute circuit. Roeseler had backed off slightly and had Campbell on his rear fender.