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/127181
That I sang at Ma m m a's in Suzu ka City , and w ill never be th e same again . L ena then Letterman were go ing on and it was still plenty light outside. A cross-the Pond, that is. We were away in far-off Japan last week - th ere for that nation's Form ul a One opener moto rcycle road race. Doug Polen was riding on a new contract, alon g a new horizon on our Pacific's op posite sho re. At Suzuka Circuit south of T ok yo, dow n past Nagoya, down T omei H igh way and its flow of truc ks. It was endless and exciting as we drove on thr ough the rain, Minobe-san at the helm , sweeping Doug and Diane along with the night. And next morning a preSp ring m ist mad e tha t venue a fine Japan ese print - brought su dden ly to life by the lions' pit roar. Th e FI 750s! Fujio Yosh imura held the wren ch tha t gave Doug 's Suzuk i fi re and urge. But th e clouds opened, the rain curtain drew abou t, and it was a run in the wet right up to the race. T o that gri dding of all Japan 's best - and one lon e T exan in th eir m idst. Suzuka ranked beyon d Europe's finest was a circuit that cam e alive wi th the color and art of this amazing sport . Th e Yos himura sisters, Y um iko and Namiko, were there, so p rom inent in th is man rider's game. Th ey gave it a bloom of its oum t-then with Diane joined th e start grid's um brella girls. The race was short, over in a flash it seemed - Pol en but an ins tant shy of the rostrum. A nd only days now from his first ever Grand Prix ride - the '89 season opener, here at Suzuka, too. In a road racers' Japan where th e sport is a canvas that knows no limit, going for perfection like the artist 's brush. Like the Shin kansen, that blue-a white Bu llet Train painting the l andscap e beneath Fuji's ancient rise. T his -new Japa n that offers so m uch towa rds motorcycling's future . A nd yet holds to th e sense and elegance of oldest traditions. Konnichi wa, 0 Japan! Ohayo and Komban wa f But never Sayonara. And never Goodbye to my Suzuka N ight, th ere singi ng at Mamma's, m icrophoning lyrics to laser disk scen es for Th e Green Green Grass of Home. There in that distant racers' pla ce. H ail A rigato! It is so very nice to meet you. And until we meet once more. William Edgar MOTOCROSS : Bayle and Kiedrowski capture Gainesville Nat'l wins Dunn dominates GSN series finale at Glen Helen ROAD RACING : Dutchman Racing aces Daytona Endurance SUPERCROSS : Daytona preview with Gary Bailey ENTRY LIST: Daytona's foreign competitors 6 24 12 16 18 HARE SCRAMBLES: Plessinger edges Cunningham in Lousiana Nat'l . . .. 22 Nolin beats LaPorte at . King of the Desert 28 RESULTS: After the checkers 29,59 LOCAL RACING: Hometown berm-busting race action .. : 32 CALENDAR: Coming attractions .40 ' WANT ADS : You want it ? Somebody's got it .46 ON THE FRONT PAGE : Jean-Michel Bayle (top) captured t he 250cc cl ass w in in the opening round of the AMA National Championship 250cc MX Series in Gainesv ille, Florida. See page 6 . Photo by Nate Rauba. Dutchman Racing (below) scored the ove rall win at the AMA Endurance Series opener at Daytona . See page 12. Photo courtesy of Daytona International Speedway: r-----------------------~----------------------------- - - -- - - - -- , -- _ SUBSCRIPTION-ORDER FORM . - Name_--:;;;-===;-;::--;-;-;;;-;;; _ IP l f A S E PR INT C LEAR l't' l Address City _ • Order Date: ---,-_State -LZip _ Charge my 0 V isa 0 Maste rcard .C;C _ OK, please start my subscription to Cycle News and send me the "ewspaper o every week for one year (50 issu es) for $35.00 o every week for two yea-rs (10 0 issu es) for $65.00 o six months second class (25 issu es) for $18.00 0 ... yeIIr 150 iss.... I. 2nd elo.. Canldo or Mo.ico ond oil othor foroign eountrio. $75 .00 (U.S . fund.) _ Firat ca.. end eirmail rete. available upon request. ~ o Th is is a renewa l o Please bill me o Enclosed i s check or money o rder Send to: ~ CYCLE NEWS, Inc., ~_ ? ignature MC /Visa# _ Expi ration Date P .O . Box 498 , Long Beach , CA 90801-0498 I _ (213) 427-7433 ~ 3