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/127220
Australian Michael Dowson rode a Marlboro Dealer Team Yamaha to fourth place in leg one, but crashed out of leg two whi le running second. Not one to let the pressure get to him , Merkel meditates before the start of the race . Will we see " Flyin' Fred" go for three straight titl es? th eir sig h ti n g la p for leg tw o , however, a ver y light rain ap pea red. A multitude of mechanics, wheel s, and team personnel descended o n the grid as th e rid ers regrouped. Mertens cha nged hi s rear and sa t on the grid with hi s new tire secretly en cased in a protective tire wrap. As th e tra ck was onl y slightly damp th e onl y 'correct choice was full slicks a nd just about everyo ne ma de th e right decision. Dawson, Merk el, and race one winner Rymer grabbed th e early lead and a t th e end of th e first lap it was Da wso n , Slight, Andrew Stroud (Ya m a h a FZR-750R ), R ym er, Mertens , Merkel and P hill is. Merten s kn ew he had to go for brok e-and was quickl y pushing hard, but found himself a seco nd behind Dawson. Kiwi Andrew St roud was putting together an inspired ride, bringing cheers from th e partisan cro wd wh en he battled back past Merkel after th e World Champion had us ed th e power of his H o nda to pass him down the back straight. Stroud rode around th e o u tside of Merkel a t Dunl op , the sweeping bend which leads from the back stra igh t on to th e start/finish line. "r Stro ud, Merkel , R ymer, and Ph illis made u p a freigh t tra in on lap six , and were joined by Ma l Ca mpbell on la p eigh t. Roche, meanwhile, parked the Duca ti on lap seven to end his day without scoring a poin t. T he action wasn 't complete , however, as Stroud erred in the esses and sli pped backwa rds through the field . Sligh t was next to falter as he cras hed a t the esses o n lap 12, blam in g an experime n tal tire co mpo und th at didn 't work. Sli ght was still cred ited with the fastest lap of th e race, a record-brea kin g 1:08.17. . Merten s, mea nwh ile, had close d th e ga p to Da wson by lap 13; and Campbell was up to th ird. As th e leading du o headed down th e back stra igh t o n th e 14th la p , Mert en s go t ' by Dawson a nd instan tl y pulled away as light rain again started to fall. Merten s had a big m om ent exiting . Dunlop on la p 20, as he turned times in th e 1:08-ra nge, but Merk el kn ew from h is pit signals wha t he had to do - a nd he hooked up with Campbell a nd di ced wit h th e Honda Australi a 'rider to the fini sh. . Dawson wa s the next to go, as he cras hed a t th e esses on lap 25, later adm itting a lack of conce ntra tion led to hi s fall. Goddard, wh o stu nned th e overseas rid ers with hi s win in th e Au stra lian round , was in a com fortable fourth pl ace until a crash on lap 29 put him o u t of th e race. Apart from a minor concu ssion, Goddard wa lked awa y unscathed. Despite a comfortable win , it was no t eno ugh for Mertens as Merk el celebrated his second successi ve title with a sta rt/ finish straight wh eeli e. After the race Merkel paid tribute to his crew , Pirell i tires (which took th eir first -ever road racing Wor ld Championship) and his sponsor Rum i. " Osca r Ru m i saved my career," First-time winner Rymer (left) and two-time World Superbike Champion Merkel share a laugh on the Manfeild winner's rostrum . Merkel said. " After three American su pe rbike titl es (84/85/86), I was dumped and Oscar ca me alo ng and offered me a rid e in Eu rope. We raced in Europe in '87 a nd found o ut su perbikes would ta ke off in '88. We made pl an s for th e new series, and th e rest is history: We've won two World Championships. I want to finis h my career with O scar. "Even with my plans up in th e air a t the moment - a Du cati rid e is a real possibility, or su pe rbikes agai n with H onda. It would be real go od to co me back for World Superbike title number three, a nd I would just love to kick th eir asses again." When asked about th e likelihood of a 500cc G P rid e, Merkel said, "Maybe, bu t I'm no t keen to ru n off the pace towards the back of the field on a pi ece o f out-dated junk lik e a lo t of guys do. There's no enjoyment in tha t. I'm not go ing to race G P bik es to go broke and I would only be interested in a top-line, wellbacked team with factory bikes." .- Results RACE ONE: 1. Terry Rymer (Yam); 2. Aaron Sligh. • (Kaw): 3. Fred Merkel (Hon): 4. Michae' Dows on (Yam); 5. Rob Phillis (Kaw ); 6. Jari Suhonen (Yam); . 7. Anders Andersson (Yam); 8 . Glenn Williams (Due); 9. Takah iro Somwa (Kaw);'10. Simon Crafar (Yam); 11. Steve Crevier (Yam); 12. Eddie Kanenbrg (Suz); 13 . Russell Josiah (Kaw ); 14 . A nd y Mc Gla ddery (Hon); 15 . Brian Bernard (S uz). RACE 2: 1. St ephane Menens (Hon); 2. Mal Campbell (Hon): 3. Fred Merkel (Hon): 4 . Terry Rymer (Yam); 5 . Rob Phillis (Kaw); 6 . Andre w Stroud (Yam); 7. Jari Suhonen (Yamt 8. Anders ; Andersson (Yam); 9. Takahi ro Sohwa (Kaw); 10 . Giaon Crafar (Yam): 11. Andy McGladdery (Hon)); 12. Gran t Ramage (Suz ~ 13. Eddie Kanenberg (Suzl: 14. Russell J osiah (Kaw): t 5. Scon Williams (Yam). . FINAL CHAMPION SHIP STANDINGS: t . Fred Merkel (272); 2. Stephane Menens (265); 3. Raymond Roche (222); 4 . Fabrizio Pirovano (208) : 5. Ande rs Andersson (159): 6. Jua n-Carlo Folappa (139): 7. Terry Rymor (134): 8. Monti (99); 9. Ja ri Suhonen (90); 1O. M ich a ~' Dowson (79) . 7