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/127191
e cam bDUnf, 0 a The Italian Grand Prix was to lulve marked the GP debut of World Superbike Champion Fred Merkel. The Californian qualified 10th for the race on Roberto Gallina's HB-sponsored Honda NSR6oo, but he joined the top riders in boycotting the event. Kevin Schwantz was fast qualifier on hi. Pepsi-Suzuki. BYPflPfi WfflLfY According to SCORE International's president Sal Fish, the motorcycle and ATV classes in the Baja 500 offroad race in Baja California, Mexico, June 3-4, have been scratched from the event. "We're just involved in a big political mess with the ranchers and the government,~' said Fish. "The ranchers in the entire northern and Pacific sections of the course blocked the race and won't let us ride through their land, so we have to reroute the course so it will start and end in San Felipe instead of in Ensenada. But in order to do this, the government only allows us to run in one specific area and this area just isn't suitable for motorcycles. The section we have to run is just too fast, dusty and hot, and combining the very fast four-wheel vehicles with the motorcycles would be a tragedy; it would be just too dangerous for the motorcycles. For safety reasons, we have no choice but to exclude the motorcycles and ATVs from this year's event." Italian Pier-Francesco Chili (Hon) won the fifth round of the World Championship Road Race Series in Misano, Italy, on May 14. Chili topped Brit Simon Buckmaster (Hon) and Switzerland's Michael Rudroff (Hon) in the rain-sodden event. After a rain delay that lasted over an hour, the 500cc GP was started with a full grid, but stopped after only five laps. Heavy rain then drenched the track and the top riders, with the exception of Chili, refused to race, citing dangerous conditions. Only 12 riders competed in the re-start. Wayne Rainey still leads Eddie lAwson by 10 points, 71-61, in the title chase. Chili's win moves him to fourth in the point standings with 39 points. . World Champion Sito Pons (Hon) won the 250cc GP at the Italian round of the championship in Misano, Italy, on May 14. Pons beat J.P. Ruggia (Yam) and 'Jacques Cornu The custom-painted 1988 Honda 'CBR6oo Hurricane of Anaheim, California's Jerry Louse was named the winner of the Cycle News Night at Speedway People's Choice Motorcycle Show at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, California. Mick Carolan's '63 Honda Scrambler took runner-up honors, Scott Richardson's '48 Whizzer took third, Jerry lAmb's '86 Yamaha FZ750.was fourth, and Mark Butler's '88 Pocketbike fifth. 2 In round six of the AMA National Championship Hare Scrambles Series in Hookstown, Pennsylvania, May 14, Scott Plessinger (Kaw) took the overall win ahead of Ed Lojak (Yam). Rounding out the top five were Jeff Russell (Yam), Kevin Brown (Hon) and Mike Toole (Yam). lArry Roeseler (Kaw) captured his third consecutive victory at the 19th Annual Virginia City Grand Prix in Virginia City, Nevada, May 13-14. Roeseler finished ahead of Eric McKenna (Hon), Duke Dowell (Hon), Billy Grossi and Matt Cullin. (KTM). Citing a lack of response from potential sponsors, H.E. Murrell Enterprises has pulled out of promoting the June 18 World Championship 500cc MX Grand Prix at Hollister Hills Motor Spons Facility in Hollister, California. Ben Hance, the concessionaire who runs Hollister Hills, will now promote the GP instead of Murrell Enterprises. ''I'm trying to get as many people involved as possible to save it," said Hance. According to Hance, the GP will run as scheduled with amateur racing to be run on a separate track on Saturday, June 17. Hance says that there will be long, GP-type motos and that entries will be limited. Each entry will also include admission to the GP the next day, and a few of the local Pro class riders can qualify for Sunday's 125cc Support program through Saturday's amateur event. For more information, call 408/6360630. Harley-Davidson factory rider Kevin Atherton reports that his brother Brian is recovering well from his broken leg, broken ribs and back injuries he suffered at the Phoenix, Arizona, round of the 600 National Championship Dirt Track Series on April 22. "Brian's home (in White Pigeon, Michigan) now. He was taken to the hospital last week because he was having stomach pains. They think he has an ulcer and gave him some medicine for that and he feels better," said Kevin Atherton during a break in the action at the May 13 Camel Pro Ascot Half Mile. As reported last week, Rob Muzzy protested the top three finishers in the Ma)' 6 AMAlCCS Yokohama 750cc Supersport road race at Road Atlan tao Muzzy said he did so in order to better define the existing Supersport rules. Muzzy, who's preparing Doug Chandler's Kawasaki ZX7 Supersport and Superbike machines, told the concerned parties in advance that he would file a protest, and cited five factors - cam·timing, compression ratio, alternator output, ignition and deck height. Muzzy was most concerned wi th the cam timing, which varied by as much as seven degrees on the intake side of the inspected maChines, a large discrepancy considering all three motorcycles were supposedly identical Suzuki GSXR750s. Muzzy .eointed out that it's possible to significantly Former AMA Formula One and Two Champion Randy Renfrow, 33, returned to racing at Road Atlanta after missing the last two 1?f'Ofessional road races at Sears Pomt '88 and Daytona '89. Renfrow missed Sears Point with a severely bruised leg, the result of a crash at the WERA 24 Hours of Willow Springs, and in his absence David Sadowski was enlisted to ride the Vance Be Hines Suzuki Superbike. Sadowski signed with Vance Be Hines over the winter, leaving Renfrow without a ride for this year's Daytona Cycle Week. Renfrow contemplated retirement until he was contacted by Commonwealth Racing to ride their Honda RS750-powered Pro Twins bike. "Martin Adams talked me into riding it and I'm glad I did," said Renfrow after he won the Pro Twins Grand Prix. Two Brothers Racing's Kevin and Craig Erion debuted a second Honda Hawk GT in the Pro Twins Modified Production class at Road Atlanta. The new bike, which they say weighs under 300 Ibs., features works components from a Honda RC30 including the front suspension, wheels, brakes, radiator and carburetors, and is far tricker than the Hawk that Craig rode to an 11 th-p1ace finish at Daytona. Unfortunately, the team experienced three engine (likely piston skirt) failures during the weekend, one each on Kevin's race and backup motors, and then another after Craig made the "supreme sacrifica" and lent Kevin his motor, which then also broke. Kevin had turned lap times in practice that were two seconds faster than those recorded by race winner Craig Shambaugh during the race, so the bike appears to be extremely competitive. It'. now just a matter of improving the reliablity factor. One of the rumors circulating at the Road Atlanta race has Cagiva (Continued to pa.ge 4)