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/127194
World Superbike Champion Fred Merkel will come home to the U.S. for the championship round in Brainerd . World Su~erbike Preview: Merkel to defend title at Brainerd By Chris Carter If you asked Fred Merkel, he would say he does not need any sympathy as he retu rn s to America for the U.S: round of the World Championship Superbike Road Race Series at Bra i n er d In ter n a tio n a l Raceway in Minnesota on ' June II . . . . Bu t we Bri tish are kindhearted. It is one of our many qualities, and the thought of the World Champion appearing in front of his home fans with all the other riders gunning for him makes me feel a touch Sad. Of course, Merkel is a worthy Wor ld Champion. One of his biggest rivals for the crown in last year's series, Belgia n Stephane Mertens, said that the champion' was the best rider over the whole series. Merkel's decision to leave his native Ca liforn ia , broaden his horizons and aim for the title in the first year of World Championship Superbik e racing was a brave one. The gamble paid off, and in Europe, Japan , and down in Australia and New Zealand the fans link Merkel 'alo n gside the other world class Yanks like Eddie Lawson, Wayne Ra iney, Kevin ~chwantz, Randy Mamola, Freddie Spencer and Company. Considering almost all the present crop of top-night American Grand Prix stars had cut their teeth on the Superbike trail back home, Merkel 's pedigree was enough to have most enthusiasts prepared for his triumphs. But back to the sympathy. You see, at every other round, Merkel is mere ly the reigning champion, and a man the others want to beat. At Brainerd, though , he will also face a whole bunch of fellow countrymen eager to prove that they are every bit as good as the Ca lifornian. And wi th several of the fancied rid ers having had their share of problems' in th e opening rounds in Engl and and Hungary, the foreigners will be out for Fred's scalp, too . If Cycle News readers believe that the best chance of colorful Merkel being put in his place on his home- coming comes from home-grown talent, I have news for them. There are others, some of whom do not even have the decency to speak English as their native languagel Davide Tardozzi is one good exam p le. The 26-year-ol d Ital ian could, and the Ital ian Bim o ta factory certainly believed should, have won the title last year. They were so an noyed he did no t that they fired him. That did not subdue young Davide, who promptly set up his own team, using Yarnahas, and started to loo k like a championship contender early in practice at Donington Park, England, in the opening round. Unfortunately, he crashed in a major way at the chicane near the Don ington pits, injuring his shoulder and preventing him from riding in the races. H e failed to score in Hungary, too. But Tardozzi does not understand the word defeat. He will be on the charge in America, he told me at the recent Italian Grand Prix, where he was an interested spectator. Stephane Mertens was kicked out of the Birnota team, or more likely left, after several incidents in the season when he-was expected to play number two for Tardozzi, at the expense of his own championship hopes. ' Tardozzi finished third in the ch a m p io n sh ip last season and Mertens fourth, and both could have been in Merkel's shoes, now. Mertens, son of a wealthy Belgian, is a very good racer, although, like T ardozzi, he does crash a little too much . H e has had several seasons racing experience in the Grand Prix 250cc class and h ad some good results. He spent th e winter at Kenny Roberts' ran ch in California durjng th e off-season to toughen up for the year. But Mertens cr a sh ed h eavily, bringing down Joey Dunlop at Brands Hatch on Good Friday, preventing him from riding in the opening round, He, too, will be out to make up for lost time. Fabrizio Pirovano was in with a chance of winning the 1988 World Championship Superbike title right up un til the second leg of the fina l round in New Zealand. He ha d a lengthy stop to change tires and Merkel stepped in. Piro vano is a former motocross racer fro m Italy, ana his abi lity to make the holeshot ,--------.Brainerd pre-entrles---------, USA Fred Merkel Doug Chandler Tom Kipp ยท James Adamo Doug Toland Ottis Lance Jeff Harder David Kieffer John Jacob Dale Quarterley Ricky Orlando Eric Moe Todd Strang Richard Arnaiz Carry Andrew M ike Baldwin Jamie James Scott Russell Jeff Farmer M ike Harth Honda Kawasaki Yamaha Ducati Honda Suzuki Suzuki Honda Yamaha Ducati Suzuki Suzuki Yamaha Yamaha Suzuki Bimota Suz uk i Suzuki Yamaha Suzuki CANADA Gary Goodfellow Suzuki Michel Mercier Suzuki Thomas Douglas Yamaha Steve Crevier Yamaha Ives Brisson Honda Jacques Guenette Kawasaki Rueben McMurter Honda FRANCE Eric Delcamp Honda Christope Bouheben Kawasaki Raymond Roche Ducati Patrick Igoa Kawasaki Jean Lou is Tranois Suzuki ITALY Fabrizio Pirovano Yamaha Davide Tardozzi Bimota Fabio Bilotti Bimota Giancarlo Falappa Bimota ENGLAND Terry Rymer Yamaha Roger Burnett Ho nda Paullddon Yamaha BELGIUM Stephane Mertens Honda John Van Vaerenberg Kaw AUSTRALIA Ma lcolm Campbell Honda CHILE Vincenzo Cascino nla DENMARK Rene Rasmussen Suzuki FINLAND Jari Suhonen .Yamaha JAPAN Kenichiro Iwahashi nla LUXEMBOURG Rene Delaby Honda SWEDEN Anders Andersson Yamaha SWITZERLAND Wolfgang von Muralt Honda WEST GERMANY Ernst Gschwender Suzuki