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/127148
Charge yolir Cycle News subscription with your Visa or Mastercharge!! Veteran drag racer Don Earll (f o regro und) beat his son Dave Earll at the Wes tern Pro Gas Motorcycle Association Series race at LACR. (Han); 3. Gary Fargo (Yaml; 4. Randy Denton (Yam); 5. Mark Poner (Hon). Earll edges son in L.ACR Drags By Bob Johnson PALMDALE, CA, AUG. 6 It's not very often that a father and son meet in a competitive drag racing final round, but that's what happened at Los Angeles County Raceway during the Western Pro Gas Motorcycle Association Series even t. Veteran Don Earll went LO the line i1l the final round against his son Dave Earll, and won th e match by the closest of margins, 9.300/1 36.30 to a losing 9.37/138.40 in the double break-out contest. The win b y the senior Earll , coupled by the semi final round loss by points .leader Dale Barber, tightened the points chase. Barber now leads by only 18 points, 1178 to 1160 {or Don Earll, with only one event remaining on the six-race schedule. Qualifying for the 16-bike field was a story in itself, as seven riders were within .05 of th e 9.40 mark (LACR altitude adjusted). Ed Erskine of Phoenix LOok the number one slot a t 9.402; Da le Barber was second with a 9.406 ; Matt Benusches was next with a 9.418, followed by Dave Earll, 9.427; Don Earll , 9.428; Art Engstrom, 9.435; and john Larsen, 9.456. The second round of eliminations began with Don Earll 's Vance and . Hines Sun ValleylTrac Dynamics '75 Kawasaki running a 9.44 , 123.70 (.4 79 rea ction time) to Ed Erskine's perfect, but losin g 9.400,123.10 (.543 reaction time) with his Phoenixbased '84 Kawasaki. Dave Earll took revenge on his mother, Elva Earll, and needed only a 10.63 to get by h er ailing '76 Kawasaki. At a series event ea rlier this year, Elva defeated Dave in the final round. Other ' second-round ac t io n included Dale Barber and Tommy Bolton advancing to the sem i final. A real showdown took pl ace in the first race of the semi final when points leader Dale Barber squaredoff with Dave Earll. Dave really did his dad a big favor by laying down a 9.55/127.80 wind as Barber lost with a 9.63/133 .70. Don Earll then clicked off a 9.48/ 132.90 over Tommy Bolton as his nitrous-aided motor exploded at mid-track, The younger Earll got the better -Iig h t in the final , a .422 reaction time to his dad's respectable .469, ' but Dave's Vance and Hines Sun Valleyl Trac Dynamics-sponsored Ninja ran too quick at 9.370/138.40 as Don Earll tightened the points contest with a 9.380/136.30. L.eneave and Blanchard hot in Alaska By M.R. Edge SUTTON, AK, AUG. 7 Kawasaki of Anchorage teammates Lance Leneaveand Ralph Blanchard won the 125 and 250cc Expert classes, respectfully, at Alpine Raceway , during the Sutton Motorcycle Racing Association's 'seco n d motocross of the year. Blanchard has been dominating 250cc Expert action lately in so u th central Alaska and easily won th e first moto, even after a bad start. The second rn oto wasn 't as eas y as Suzuki -Arcti c Cat Motorsports sponsored Francis Good jetted into th e lead while Blanchard got another one of his poor starts. Eventually Bla n chard worked his way up and tried LO pass G'X>d, who DNF rnoto one. The two swapped positions and diced until the last lap when Blanchard went for a banzai pass that stuck. Good's overall was out of the top 10 but he came away with a second overall in the 125cc Expert class behind Lance Len ea ve. Good won moto one after a long dice with Leneave but had LO settle for second in rno to two . Northwest G lass-sponsored Bruce Stingley thumped his way LO the 500cc Expert class win on his ATK over Kawasaki of Anchorage's Pat Crabb. Results 50 NOV; 1. Josh Sanderson (Suz); 2. Jay Gwalthey (Suz); 3. Charlie Graydon (Suz). 60 NOV: 1. Luke Rambur (Kaw); 2. Sean Grande (Kaw t 3. Mar Henderson (Kawl. 80 NOV: 1. Josh Rambur (Kaw); 2. Shawn Wolvenon (Yam); 3. Ian Forsythe (Kaw). 80 EX: 1. ' Roger Undstrom (Kaw); 2. Scott DeWi nt er (Kawt 3. Randy Patt erson (Kaw) . 125 NOV: 1. Kenny Gordon (Han); 2. Wayne Simonds (Kawl; 3. Mike Reed (Suz). 125 EX: 1. Lance Laneaye (Kawl; 2. Franci s Good (Suz); 3. M iek Guthrie (Kaw) . 250 NOV: 1. James Croy (Suzt 2. Raben Cees (Kaw); 3. Charles Moore (Kaw). 250 EX: 1. Ralph Blanch ard (Kawt 2. Sam Myers (Kawt 3. Edw in Sims (KTM). . 500 NOV: 1. Scott Sanderson (Han); 2. Tony Michaelson (Kawt 3. Bob Plett (Han). 500 EX: 1. Br uce Sting ley (ATKl 2. Pat Crabb (Kaw); 3. Dick Markis (Han). , VET: 1. M itch Alden (Yamt 2. Mak Younkin (KTM); 3. Norm Grande (KTM). OT: 1. Eric Forsythe (Kaw); 2. Pat Poland (Kaw); 3. Roger Bault (Han). Hopperstad tops Bonneville Spr~nts RR By Bill Peters W. VALLEY C ITY, UT, J U L Y 24 Bo u lder Yamaha's j ohn H o p perstad didn 't seem to mind the 100-degree . 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