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/127190
iean Doug Tolen, Belgian ex-World Champion .Richard Hubin and French Canadian jacques (;uenette on a Toulon dealer's ROO. Actually, a 24-hour race is well set in a pattern by daybrealc: on Sunday, but not this one. At 7 a.m., having led for one-anda-half hours, Mario DuHamel crashed at the chicane on the back straight. He got the bike back to the pits, but the damage was severe. It took the best part of 45 minutes to repair and put the team back to fifth place, 32 laps behind their teammates. While Honda was having its drama, things weren't much calmer in the Kawasaki pit. The French bike was now losing coolant and they were worrying about being overtaken by the japanese team's Kawasaki. Their problem was that Sohwa, the quickest of the Japanese trio, had hurt his right ankle in his crash. The only thing that now seemed certain was that Vieira, Mattioli and Burnen's lead, suddenly up to 10 laps, gave them a winning position. ' However, the fight for the other rostrum places and the honor of being first privateer was far from over. While Mario DuHamel sat it out after his crash, brother Miguel lowered the lap record to I :48.48 at an average speed of 91.14 mph as he was chasing the japanese team. But just after midday, holding third place nine-seconds from the Kawasaki, Miguel crashed and the damage cost four laps. Toland crashed about the same time, messing up the prettiest set of leathers in the race. He was highly displeased with himself; he'd simply tried too hard on new tires. Mattioli had the honor of being on the winning Honda when the crowd observed tradition by invading the track seven minutes before 3 o'clock on Sunday afternoon, his 10-lap lead intact. Bolle, Igoa and Battistini held on for second in front of Sohwa, Tada and Tsukamoto. The two Frenchmen on the leading bike had the honor of equalling the legendary Jean-Claude Chemerin's record of three Le Mans victories. Burnett was the first Brit on top of the Le Mans rostrum since Alex George in 1976. In the end, Kawasaki just failed to get the victory they so badly wanted for the new ZXR, but the performance of their japanese riders in their first 24-hour race and their first event outside Europe deserves nothing but praise and the crowd really took to them, especially Sohwa with his all-or-nothing style. Igoa's midnight attack was awesome, the Kawasakis are quick, especially out of corners, and the factory is putting some serious muscle behind the French team. The winning Honda France team averaged 84.156 mph with its fastest lap being a 90.05 mph one which came on the III th lap of the 731 laps they turned in during the 23 hours, 51 minutes, 26.83 seconds they ran. Honda will run at least one bike at the Spa 24 Hours, Kawasaki is looking for a win to help sell the ZXR and Suzuki's World Champions need to erase their embarrassment. It may not be a World Cha~- , pionship series, but the endurance series is a war between the factories. Yamaha· didn't have a factory team at Le Mans, but they will be going for tbree-in-a-row at the Suzuka 8 Hours and a full factory Genesis is expected at the Bol d'Or in September. .' Results 1. Vlei,./Mlltlioli/Burnen IHon~ 2. Igoa/BoIIe/ B.ttistini IK.w); 3, Sohw./T.d./r.uk.moto lKaw); 4. campbell/DuHamel/DuH.mel (Hon); 5. Monroe,et/DePuniet/Bertin (Hon); 6. RolI.ndPlegue/Fu,ling/Ronfort (Suz); 7. Hubin/ G-./Toland (Hon~ 8. M.u'..IV....../ca..tayud (Hon~ 9. -,-"-/Toming/Moe lHon~ 10. Augiaau/ParadonlThiault (Y.m~ RACE RESULTS PJl Goldfire Pro Oil Racks Up Eight More Titles at World Mini Grand Prix PJ 1 riders continue the sweep of more Amateur National Motocross Titles using right off your dealer's shelf PJ1 Goldfire Pro 2-Stroke racing oil. No special trick formulas! The same oil that has been winning races since 1982 is still the leader in ultra-high rpm, high-horsepower 2-stroke engine protection. Period! Don't Settle For Seconds! "PJ1- The Innovator, Not The Imitator." CONGRATULATIONS, GUYS! SUPER JOB! JACOB MARTIN CHANCE CARAVONA 60ce 6-8 yrs 125ee Stk. Beg. ZACKARY RUND JASON EDWARDS 60ce Stk. 9-11 yrs. 125cc Mod. Nov. RICKY CARMICHAEL DUSTIN EVANS 60ce Mod. 9-11 yrs 500ceAmt. CLINT LATHAM 80ce Stk. Int. 12+ ROBBIE REYNARD 1OSee Open 9-11 yrs Want to save money? ~'~~=p:~~:~L .~LET'S ~~_;;7 '. ~~'-L C\&SS\C ~ GO TO LOUDON . ~1l:~~oUdOt\..~ a.. ~] (SHOEl). ~ .: -: ;\.. \IIJ . - -:~1jiiiiJ,& ~ V 1 -, U .;, 6 -\ .. NEWHAMPSHIREINIERNATIONALSPEEDWAY ROUIE 106 - LOUDON,NH , . ~ _ '.' ~.. • -=1 ___ AMA '''CT_'D'~ !his Advance $55 Weekend "VIp· TIcket Includes: 3 Days of Racing June 16-1~·18, 1989 • 2 Nighls, Overnighl Parking Fri. & sal .' Paddock Included (9 am to 5 pm only) Gates open Friday, June 16th at 10 am "THIS ADVANCE PACKAGE IS MAL 0RDEJl ON..Y befDIe .... l, 1989 and wiI nol be sold lithe _ . ~.,"'~ ./ ~ 66 YEARS RAIN or SHINE "D",,,/;;." WEEKEND "VIP" TICKET ORDER~,c,~'t:t~ . Addr8u ~--- -'-Zip SIa18 HOW MANY WEEICEtIl TICKETS _ QlocII.,...., 00dIr ond lIoIy., LOUDON ClASSIC .. P.O.IloI7IM L.audan, III . . , x$55 -$ Paslllge and Handling TOTAL AImIIIT ENCLOSED S S _ _ 1-,-,.50",,-_ _