Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

The start saw Fastline's Stem (21 I lead Dutchman's Renuell (21, HyperCycle's Farmer (1 I, Kevstone (181, Rough Stock and Team Tyler (441. . AMA/CCS EBC Brakes Endurance Challenge Series: Round 2 Dutchman wins at Road Atlanta, but not by much. By Brian Catterson Photos by Greg Mitchell and Catterson BRASELTON, GA, MAY 6 ~ll too often endurance road racing is a SImple matter of survival of the fittest, with the margin of victory measured in laps rather than seconds. But at the second round of the AMA/CCS EBC Brakes Endurance Challenge Series held at Road Atlanta, the two 12 top-ranked endurance racing teams, Dutchman Racing and Hyper-Cycle, put the racing back in endurance. Dutchman's Dale QuarterIey and Hyper-Cycle's Jeff Farmer engaged in a late-race battle that saw Quarterley cross the finish line first by 10.80 seconds after three hours and 1141aps of the 2.52-riJile circuit at an average speed of 95.673 mph. But it wasn't easy for Dutchman, as both team riders, Kevin Renuell and QuarterIey, rode injured, with Mike Harth eventually substituting for Renuell. The Rough Stock Racing All-Stars - John Ashmead, Rueben McMurter and Dr. David Kieffer - had the win in the proverbial bag until the team's Honda RC30 developed engine problems late in the race, forcing their premature retirement. Team Gibsonia/Englert Racing's Bob Englert and Dave Smith rode a constantly improving race on their Yamaha FZRlOOO, starting off eighth and gradually moving up to occupy third at the checkered flag. Fastline Racing's southern Californians Jeff Stern and Jeff Rheaume, who've finished third in their last two outings, today came in fourth place on their Suzuki GSXR750 after running in the top five for most of the race. South Florida Racing's Rick Shaw and Bill Beesch put their Yamaha FZRlOOO into the fifth slot after losing a lap and running as back as 18th during the first ho . GTU (under 600cc) action saw defending champ Cam Roos of Roswell Honda, joined by newcomer Stephen Mathews on a Yamaha FZR600, come from far behind the leaders after the first-hour standings listed them in 34th place, two laps down. The duo dispu ted the findings but regained the lost laps, regardless, eventually taking the lead in the final hour to finish first in class. Longevity Moore Racing's ewton Heston and John Choate piloted their Honda CBR600 Hurricane to second place in the GTU ranks, also coming from way back after experiencing drive chain problems during the early goings. Third place in the GTU ranks went to Florida's Team Toomer' with riders Glenn Barry and Jon Roberts riding a steady race and running as high as eighth overall on their Yamaha before being caugfit and passed by both Roswell Honda and Longevity Moore. Toomer finished third in class and 10th overall. Cycle Unlimited Racing's Titian Bue and Bill Loomis finished fourth in the GTU class on their FZR600 despite an off-track excursion by Bue on the first lap which left them with two £Ianened Astralite wheels. Lofgren Racing's Mike Moores and Lanre Nordby finished fifth in GTU on yet another Yamaha. Team Motorsports's Yamaha FZRlOOO into seventh place. Toomer led the GTU machines, followed by Longevity Moore, Team Ohio and Roswell Honda. A lap later, Ohio took the GTU lead, a position they would hold until being 'caught and passed by the Honda of Team No Bail before the completion of the first half-hour. Ashmead put the RC30 into the overall lead on lap four, and would hold the position until being passed by Keystone's Ricky Orlando a halfhour into the race. The pass caught Ashmead unaware. ''I'd slowed down," said the Daytona 200 winner. "I didn't know anyone was closing on me." Ashmead simply turned up the wick to retake the lead. Nearing the completion of the first - - - _ . . L - l - hour, Renuell pitted in agony. "My right knee still hurts," he said, the Dutchman Racing captain Dave result of a previous weekend's club Schlosser never looked so happy. race get-off. "The pain's making me squint so bad I can't see." Quarterley jumped on the bike Dutchman team captain Dave after a six-second pit stop. "We'll be Schlosser showed up at Road AtIanta in this in the end," ~aid Schlosser. with two Suzuki GSXRllOOs, the Ashmead handed the leading bike 1988 model that the team camoff to Canadian McMurter, briefly paigned to second place in the losing their position at the front of championship last year as well as a the pack to Keystone ~cing. "It's new '89 model that had not even been tough out there, and this wind's not track-tested. Quarterley, who premaking it any easier," said Ashmead. viously said that his Daytona DutchIndeed, the wind was ferocious, man ride was a one-time deal, has especially on the nearly half-milesince had a change of heart and will long, 170 mph back straightaway. now contest the entire series for the Keystone's Orlando soon pitted, Pennsylvania-based effort. Dutchhanding the bike off to talented man was also hurting from a lack youngster Fabian Cortez, who of practice, with the team deciding rejoined the race just in front of to race the '89 model despite the fact second-place McMurter. The two that they hadn't practiced on it. They circulated the track together, with soon discovered that it was down on the Canadian National Superbike horsepower compared to last year's Champion geuing by to once again bike, bUl.considering the fate of that put the All-Stars into the lead. machine, it was the right decision. Arnaiz held the third position With Quarterley and Renuell on before a pit stop caused the team's the '89 bike, Schlosser had enlisted downfall. The quick-fill can Harth and Tom Kipp to ride the '88 dumped gas all over the bike, the tires machine under the Dutchman Racand Arnaiz's co-rider Phil Kress. ing II banner. That effort lasted just After what seemed like an endless pit a short while, however, as the bike stop, Kress rejoined the race, turning developed engine trouble and retired one cautious lap before gassing it on on lap three while holding down his second lap and crashing. The seventh place, Kipp never even Concord, California, rider suffered having the opportunity to ride. three broken bones in his right wrist. Defending Champion Carry AnAt the end of the first hour the drew of Hyper-Cycle was also fieldGTU leader was Extreme Racing, ing a new Suzuki, but co-Champion followed by Toomer, Ohio, Team James Domay was absent. Domay, No Drugs and No Bail. still recovering from leg surgery late Fifteen minutes into the second last year, was out in California hour, Keystone's effort came to a helping the team's other effort at the grinding halt as the Suzuki threw its WERA Six-Hour at Willow Springs. chain on the front straight. In Domay's absence, Andrew The halfway point saw Rough again enlisted Jeff Farmer, who'd Stock still out front, followed by joined Hyper-Cycle for the first time Hyper-Cycle, Dutchman, Fastline at Daytona back in March. Andrew and Gibsonia/Englert. GTU leaders had been ill then, opting to stay Toomer led No Drugs, Roswell home on the West Coast, and was Honda, Extreme and Ohio. No returning to the saddle at Road Drugs' race soon came to an end, the Atlanta. Farmer hinted that he may Hoeppner brothers retiring from the join Domay as permanent co-rider race with electrical troubles. later in the year with Andrew opting Hyper-Cycle's Andrew passed for team captain status once Domay Rough Stock's Dr. Kieffer for the lead returns to action. during the second hour with DutchFastline's Jeff Stern got off to an man's substitute rider Harth also excellent start to begin the threegoing by. Shortly thereafter, Andrew hour event, the former AFM champ piued, handing off to Farmer, while leading the powerful Suzuki] 1005 Harth was replaced by Quartedey. of both Dutchman teams and HyperQuarterley rejoined the race right Cycle and the 750cc Honda RC30 of behind leader Hyper-Cycle, and the the Rough Stock Racing All-Stars race was on to the checkered flag. through the esses and onto the back Rough Stock's Ashmead soon straight. But the Fastline Suzuki 750 started his second stint and was was no match for the potent Hyperturning some blistering lap times in Cycle machine, and Farmer motored an attempt to catch the leaders. The past Stern down the long back RC30, however, had other plans and straight and into turn 10 ahead of Ashmead coasted into the pits on lap the field. 98 with what Dr. Kieffer called Lap two saw Farmer leading "major internal engine damage." Dutchman Racing's Rentzell, with Rough Stock's misfortunes proDutchman Racing II's Harth third, moted Gibsonia/Englert into the Fastline's Stern fourth, Rough third and final rostrum position. Stock's Ashmead fifth, and the Team Gisonia/Englert Raong, who rapidly closing Keystone Racing were making their first appearance sixth. Richard Amaiz was hot on the (Continued !o page 21) Keystone Suzuki's heels, putting

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