Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Cycle News 1990 05 23

Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles

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eIN THE WIND e By Papa Wealey Scott Summers (Hon) was the overall winner at the combined AMA National Championship Hare Scrambles and Cross Country Series race at Flat Top, West Virginia, May 13. Second place went to defending National Hare Scrambles Champion Scott Plessinger (KTM), and he was followed across the [in ish line by Ed Lojak (Yam), JeH Russell (Yam) and Steve McSwain (KTM). Australian Jeff Leisk (Hon) was the overall winner in round [our of the World Championship 500cc MX Series held May 13 in Brou, France. Liesk's Chambers HRC teammate Eric Geboers (Hon) was second overall with 1-5 moto performances and . American Billy Liles (Kaw) finished third overall with a 7-1 tally . Liles still leads Geboers in the point standings, 124-109. Italian Alessandro Puzar (Suz) won his third straight GP by sweeping both motos at round three of the World Championship 250cc MX Series held May 13 in Nykoping, Sweden. John van den Berk (Suz) finished second overall with 2-3 moto scores while Rob Herring (Suz) went 7-2 for third overall. American Trampas Parker (KTM) posted 3-8 finishes and trails Puzar in the point standings, 113-86. American road racer Richard Arnaiz (Hon) won round two of the European Formula I Championship at Salzburg. Austria; on May 13. Arnaiz missed practice and all but II laps of qualifying due to politics and mechanical problems, then almost missed the race as well when his bike developed a short in the wiring harness on the warmup lap. The glitch was repaired on the back straight by a trackside spotter [or his Team Rumi, and Arnaiz went on to win by three seconds over Italian Marino Fabbri (Bim). According to his column in Australia's Revs Motorcycle News, Wayne Gardner attributes his Laguna Seca U.S. GP crash to "going too hard on cold tires." Gardner. who won the most recent GP in Spain on May 7 said in the May 2-15 issue of Revs: "I was trying too hard to catch up in the restarted race , I can't remember ever crashing as early as the second lap of a race before and watching the video again last week, I realized I was going too hard on cold tires." AMA District 36 and the California Enduro Riders Association prevailed in a last-minute court action by Friends Aware of Wildlife Needs (FAWN) aimed at stopping the May 6 Fools G old Enduro that took place at Rock Creek in the Eldorado National Forest. On May 3, FAWN £iled a .lawsuit asking [or a temporary restraining order that would have prevented the enduro [rom taking place; but the D-36 'Legisla tive Action O£fice had anticipated the legal action, and had been working with the district's legal counsel and the U.S. Attorney's o£fice to prepare a response. After receiving FAWN's allegations on the morning of May 3, the D-36 was able to rile a response by 4 p.m. the same day which allowed the federal judge time to review the response before the hearing scheduled [or 3 p .m, on Friday, May 4. Judge Edward Garcia listened to approximately 45 minutes of arguments from FAWN and then stopped FAWN in midargument, stating that no progress was being made. He then denied the motion [or' a restraining order. The enduro took place as scheduled. Rock Creek has been the center of an ongoing battle between FAWN and D36 for several years now, and this latest court action should clear the way , [or future events without further legal challenges. A raffle will be held for injured Irish road racer Gary Cowan during the AMA National road race at New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire on June 10. Cowan, who suffered paralysis when he crashed his Marlboro Yamaha Roberts Yamaha TZ250 at Daytona in March. has very little medical coverage and is expected to be in an English hospital for at least six more months. Numerous companies have donated product to be raffled at Loudon and all proceeds will go directly to Cowan. In addition, a bank account has been set up in Cowan's name in New York to accept donations: Gary Cowan, Acct. #1112058, Bank of Ireland, 640 5th Ave., New York, NY 10019. Those wishing to send cards or letters can send them to Cowan at: St. Andrews Ward, Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury, Buckingharnshire, HP 21, 8AL, England. For more information regarding the raffle, contact Kevin Hennessy at 719/358-9245. . "The last thing I remember was my bike being realy hard to start on the warm-up lap. then trying to beat the pace car round the circuit to the start," K evin M agee, who suffered head injuries in his U.S. GP crash at Laguna Seca, said in a recent phone conversation to Cycle News GP correspondent Michael Scott. " I' ve got a few ideas why I crashed, but there's a blank so I really don't know for sure. I just know I want to get racing as soon as possible. I'm feeling physically pretty good right now. I've got two broken ringers, but th ey're not too bad. Apart [rom that, I'm hardly on any medication, EPA calls for closing of Clear Creek ' T ' 2 he Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released the results of a feasibility study concerning future management of Clear Creek, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) OH-Highway Vehicle (OHV) area in the San Francisco Bay Area . The study calls for the closing of Clear Creek to OHV use because of concerns over naturally occuring asbestos in the soil. Clear Creek is the most popular BLM OHV facility in the area, and has been used by OHV operators [or several decades without any apparent problems. . According to Bill Dart, District 36 legislative officer. while asbestos is very common in California soils, and the Clear Creek area has a higher than normal ~sbes tos content, it is a type of asbestos that is much less hazardous than the type cited as dangerous in insulation used in buildings and ship constuction. The EPA is having a public hearing at 7:00 p .m . on May 30 at the Westinghouse Engineering Center. 570 Britton Ave., Sunnyvale. Dart said, "We need a massive turnout to persuade the EPA not to close the area, and if they do close it, (to let them know) that they are responsible to replace the area." Dart encourages motorcyclists to express their concern by calling Debbie Lowe at the EPA, 4151744-1764, and to come to the meeting. Yokohama tests tires at Day-=--=-=ton=a_ ---' A MA Superbike National Champion Jamie James (at right with tuner Eraldo Ferracci and Yokohama tire engineer Masahiro Sekoguchi) joined Daytona 600cc Supersport winner Jeff Farmer and Pro Twins GP2 winner Fabian Cortez in a Yokohama tire test session at Daytona International Speedway on May 9. "The session was to test front and rear tires [or Superbike, Supersport and Pro Twin with the emphasis on construction changes and new compounds," David Graham of Kayo, the U.S . distributor of Yokohama motorcy~le tires said. "Our overall goal was to run consistent l -rninute, 56-second laps with our Daytona 200 tires . We did that." and I'm doing a few hours of exercise every day." Despite his injuries. the Australian has retained his sense of humor. His head was shaved for the post-crash surgery, and he said: "I was going to get this kind of haircu t last summer, but I didn't get around to it. I'd rather have done it without the operation as well. You know how Niall Mackenzie looks with his short hair? Well, I look a lot better." Team Yamaha motocrosser D oug D uba ch sat out the May 12 Charlotte Supercross due to a dis located coccyx (tailbone) suffered in a first -tum crash at the May 6 Axton 125 /250cc National. ''I'm feeling pretty good now," said Dubach on Monday. May 14. "I'll ride New Jersey (the Meadowlands Supercross) and should be 90% or better. " Three-time AMA Formula Two Champion Donnie Greene may well be the busiest road racer in North America this season. In addition to seeking his fourth title in the AMA 250cc Grand Prix Series aboard his Mciver Racing Yamaha TZ250, Greene is contesting the Canadian 250cc Nationals; he's also riding a Suzuki GSXRllOO for Dutchman Racing II in the AMA/CCS Endurance Challenge Series and the WERA Formula USA Series. During his "free time," Greene works with Keith Code's California Superbike School. The On the Wacht 'motocross track 'in Gaildorf, West Germany, site of American triumphs in the 1985 and 1989 Motocross des Nations events, is reportedly close to being shut down permament ly due to lobbying by environmental groups. The naturalterrain, grass-covered course is spread out on farmland in the hills above the small town of Gai ldorL Camel Pro Series competitor Scott Saunders, holder of an engineering degree [rom Penn State, has picked up a major sponsor in ESAB Welding Products, Inc. According to Saunders, ESAB is the world's largest manufacturer of arc welding equipment, manufacturing the ESAB and AIRCO lines here in the U.S. Saunders, who hails [rom Cockeysville. Maryland, has also teamed up with noted tuner Carl Patrick and the pair will campaign the Camel Pro Series, beginning with the Memorial -Day Weekend Springfield Mile, using a Harley-Davidson XR750 . and a Honda 600. Saunders other new sponsors include Zoom Cycle Accessories of Santa Clara, California, and SIOO Tota l Cycle Cleaner. Returning sponsors include Taylor White Racing, Shoei, Diamond Chain, Main Line Automotive and the Baltimore Country Trail Riders Association. Saunders says you can call him at 301/ 239-7799 for information on ESAB arc welding equipment. The Memorial Day weekend AMA/ CCS road race meet at Georgia's Roebling Road Raceway will be a three-day event with practice and riders' school on Friday, May 25. There will be a post-race cookout [or racers, crews and workers following Saturday's program; everyone is encouraged to pitch in by bringing a covered dish or whatever. G P films will be shown later Saturday night at the Pooler, Georgia, Ra mada Inn, courtesy of Studio Tew Racing. Special room rates are offered at the Ramada In n to AMA/ CCS racers who identify themselves as such at check-in. As we reported last week, Hanna Lora Stermer, the five-week -old daughter of motorcycle journalist Bill Stermer and his wife Marjorie, died on Saturday, May 5, as a result of injuries suffered in a car accident the day before. The Stermers have requested that in lieu of flowers , donations be sent to Valley Presbyterian Hospital Foundation, c/o Jack Koenig, M.D .• Director of Pediatrics Intensive Care Unit, Women and Children Center. 15107 Vanowen, Van Nuys, CA 91405. Dale Walker's Holesho t P e rformance D r ag R acing School will conduct two one-day sessions on June 14-15 at Palmdale, .Ca lifornia's Los Angeles County Raceway. Participants can use their own bikes or one of Walker's track-prepared Kawasaki 900 Eliminators. For more information. call 408/427-3625 or 427-0299. The I ntern ational M otorcycle Aftermarket E xpo (IMAE), sponsored by Dealernews and formerly held in Reno, Nevada• .will move to the Palm Springs Convention Centerl Wyndham Hotel & Resort in Palm Springs, California, this year and take place September 7-9. The new A T K 350 ES will make its debut appearance at the May 19-20 White Bros. Four-Stroke National at southern California's Perris Raceway. According to ATK, the 350 ES will be available in four versions - kickstart MX and cross-country models with a suggested retail price of $4995, and two electric start versions, an MX model at $5995 and a cross-country model at $6480. Dave D e spain, host of TV's MotorWeek Illustrated. is producing a series of videotapes featuring Camel Pro Series races. Eleven rounds of the 1990 series will be taped and made available

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