Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

eROADRACE AMA/CCS Yokohama 600/750cc Su~ort- - - -- - - - - - - - -Series: Round 5 - ~ Rick Kir k (59) leads Tommy Lynch (13), Doug Chandler (hidden) and Scott Ru ssell (7) on the first lap of th e 750cc Supersport race; Chandler took th e win. . . Arata wins on track, loses off track By Paul Carruthers ELKHARTLAKE, WI,JULY I apan 's Tatsuro Ara ta became . the sensatio n of the 600cc class at Road America by winni ng a classic fournder battle in what was hi s' debut rid e in th e AMA series. But the fin e ride was for nau gh t as the 28-year-old was later disqua lif ied for havin g ill ega l fram e and wir ing harness modifications and an in eligible exhaus t system on his Yam ah a FZR600. On the race track, Arata rode hi s Dunl o p-clad Yamaha FZR600 to a thri lli ng win over the class of the cla ss on the four-m ile Road America circu it. T he 28-year-o ld from J ap an topped Van ce & Hines' David Sadowski, T riR Distributing's defending Na tional Ch am pion SCali Zampach and Van ce & H in es' T ho mas Stevens in a stra ig h t fight 10 the fini sh lin e. T he disqualification of Arata moved everybody up a position and ga ve th e victory and series poi nt s to Sadow ski. T he two Yamaha FZR600s of K&P Racin g 's J eff Farm er a n d Forbes Racing's Kevin Rentz ell top ped Muzzy Kawasak i's cha mp io ns hip leader Scott Ru ssell as they fin ished fourth, fifth and sixt h respectively. Despi te th e intense pressu re o f raci ng with the best of th e 600cc class, Ara ta did n 't fold under pressure. T he Japa nese rider led the maj ority of the laps and led across the lin e to take what everyo ne th ou gh t was th e win in his fi rst -ever AMA race. H e av eraged 95.353 m ph in completi ng th e eig h t laps in 20 minutes, 8. 140 seconds. Stevens earn ed the pole posi tio n for the fina l, than ks to hi s fast time in heat race number one. T he Flori dia n rode h is Vance & Hines Yam aha to a narro w .220-of-a-second win over Arata in wha t wou ld prove to be a mini preview of the final. Third place in heat one went to Rentzell with Russell fourth and La rry Schwartzbach fifth. Stevens turned th e five laps a t an average speed of 94.766 mph. j 14 T he second of the two five-lap, 20mi le heat s went to Sadowski in another close race over Zampach. Dale Franklin finis hed third wit h Micha el Barnes and T ri pp Nobles rounding ou t the top five finis hers . T he start of the eigh t-lap, 32-mi le fin al was 'delayed after a clea n -up of an oil spill from the Tw ins race was j ud ged in suffi cient by riders a fter the war m-u p lap. After a dozen or so wor kers worked diligently on the turn five area, ano ther warm-u p lap was run and the riders ga ve the circu it the thumbs up. Zampach go t th e j u mp at the start of th e .fina l with the Vance & Hines Yam ah as of Stevens and Sadowski in tow. As th e pa ck approach ed the turn five area a t the end of the backstrai gh t, the leaders were four abreas t as Stevens, Zampach , Ara ta and Rentzell hit the binders goi ng into five. Stevens led the field o n the exi t as Ru ssell and Sado ws ki foll ow ed th e leadin g foursom e. Ara ta and Steven s wo uld exchange th e lea d fo r th e nex t three la p s. Zampach was o rigi na lly invo lved in the tu ssle o ver fo urth pl ace with Rentzell, Russell an d J eff Farm er, as those four follo wed the ba ttle ahead of Stevens, Arata and Sado wski. But Zampach was able to p ull clear of the battle beh ind him to join the fro n trunners. By th e fift h la p , Zam p ach had dis posed of Sadowski and was o n th e. tail end of the Arata/Stevens tuss le. A lap lat er, how ever, and Sadows ki too had rejoined the figh t. Ara ta began th e final lap wi th the lead as the four strea ked down th e back straigh t. The new com er co ntinued to lead for th e rest of the lap as th e others ga ve chase. Stevens ' cha nces of a win ' were erased in the fin al corner as he left eno ug h of an opening for his teammate Sad owski to slip through. T he pass pushed Stevens wid e and Sadowski went by. At the sam e time, Zampach was then able to get by Steven s to fini sh third (second after the protest ). Immediat ely following the race , the p ro tes t was fi led agai n st Arata' s Yam ah a by Mad Dog Racing's Barnes. And hou rs later the decision to di squalify the J ap anese rider was made. Sadowski was happy wit h his finish , whi ch at th e tim e he thought was second, aft er a good charge tow ards th e front: "Not bad for an old puke," he sai d. " I thoug ht abou t it (passing in turn 14) aft er I caugh t up. T hey were setting up wide and there was room . Thomas (Stevens ) wasn't going to give it up easy; we hi t again ." Stevens was n't particul arl y hap py wi th hi s teammate's pass: " If he wasn ' t my teammate he wou ldn't have gotten away wi th tha t pass, " he said. Addi ng lat er in regards to Arata's disqua lifica tio n : " He (Arata) rode really well. It 's u n fo rt unate , but a ru le's a rul e." CN Results HEAT 1: I. Thoma s Stevens (Yam); 2. Ta tsuro Ara ta (Ya m) ; 3. Kevin Rentzell (Yam) ; 4. Scon R ussel l [Kaw ): 5. Larry Schwarubach (Yam); 6. Joh o Ashmead { Kaw ): 7. Jeff Fa rmer (Ya m ); 8. Darin Ch ic (Yam); 9. Mik e Moores (Yam ): 10. Tho mas Dinar do (Ya rn): 1 1. ~ Mark Erick so n (Yam) ; 12. Matthew Win nacker (Kaw): 13. Suzann e Brigh tb ill (Ya m); 14. Keith O ll iges (Ya m ). . T ime: 12 min., 39.770 St:'C •• Distan ce: ~ s, 20 m iles. la A\'nageS : 94.766 mph. Milrgin 0 Victory: .220 sec. H EAT 2: I. David Sadowski (Ya m) ; 2. Scott Zampach (Ya m) : 3. Da le Fra nk lin (Yam ); 4. Michael Barnes (Yam ); 5. Andrew No bles (Ya m): 6. J oh n Choa te (Ya m) ; 7. J o h o J aco b (Ya m ); 8. Jo h o Co ndron (Ya m); 9. Rick Breuer (Yam); 10. Mark T esch (Ya m ): 11. David Doc (Ya m ): 12. Robert Delle (Ya m) ; 13. SCOtl Ruehle (Ya m) ; 14. Ch uck McCa be (H o n): 15. Brian Westp ha l (Yam). T ime: 12 min.• 46.940 sec. Distance: 5 laps. 20 mil es. Average Speed s 9:i.880 mph . MarJ;:in o f Victory: .O:iO 600 S5 FINAL: I. David Sadow ski (Yam ); 2. SCOlt Zampach (Ya m ); 3. Thomas Stevens (Ya m); 4. Jd( Farm er (Ya m ); 5. Kevin Remzel l (Yam ); 6. ScOIl Russell ( Ka w): 7. Dale Frankli n (Yam ); 8. Mich ael Barnes (Yam ); 9. Andrew Nobles (Ya m ); 10. Larry Schw aruba ch (Yam ); I I. Darin Ch ic (Yam); 12. J ohn Ashmea d (Ka w); 13. J ohn Ch oat e (Yam); 14. J o hn 5 J acob (Ya m) ; 1. . Mike Moor es (Ya m ); 16. J ohn Co nd ro n (Yam); 17. Mark Eri ckso n (Yam ); Itt Ma tthew Winnackcr (Kaw] : 19. Da vid DO(" (Yam ); 20. Rab en Odie (Ya m ); 2 1. Ri ck Breu er (Yam); 22Suza nn e Bri ghtbill (Ya m ); 23. Mark Tesch (Yam] : 24. Bria n Westp ha l (Yam): 25. Keith Oll iges (Yam): 26. Chuc k McG abe (Kaw ]: 27. Thom as Din a rdo (Yam) ; 28. Roh n H ebel (Ya m) . 600 SU P ERS P O RT SERI ES POI:'IT STAN Drsc s. I. Sco tt R u ssell (65); 2. David Sadowski (60 ); 3. Sco tt Zampach (55); 1. Jel l Farmer (50); 5. Thomas Stevens (49); 6. (T IE) Michael Barnes/Kevin Rem zcll (34); 8. Joh n Ashmead (26): 9. Larry Schwa nzhach (21); 10. Jo h n Choa te III (22 ). AMA/CCS Yokohama 75Oc( Supersport Series: Round 5 . Chandler nips Kirk at Road America By Paul Carruthers Photo by Werner Fritz ELKHARTLAKE, W I,JUNE30 uzzy Kawasaki 's Dou g Ch an dler won h is th ird race of the J iverace old 750cc Su persport Series today af ter reeling in and nar rowl y beat in g Yoshimura Suzu ki up start Rick Kirk a t Road America. Chandler averaged 97.248 m ph in winni ng the eig ht-la p. 32-mi le fin al as he topped Kirk by a wh eel length at the fini sh lin e. Third place went to Chand ler 's Kawasa ki teamma te Scott Ru ssell wit h Yoshimura 's Tom my Lynch and privateer Robert Wright ro undi ng o ut the top five fini shers. T he win moved Chandl er , wh o missed th e third ro und in Brainerd, Minneso ta, closer to h is tea mma te Russell i n the race for th e 750cc Su persport titl e. T he Georgian leads the Californ ian by eigh t points, 81-73. M --------- Kirk , with hi s best fin ish of the seri es coming in his tryou t ride with Yoshi mura, moves into thi rd p lace with 49 po ints. _ H ea t race action saw Ru ssell topp ing Kirk, in h is first ride aboa rd th e Yoshimura Suzuki, by 6.090 seconds. But it was much closer th an that. Kirk, a former mot ocrosser, gave Russell a cha llenge befor e he lost a port ion of the exha ust syste m o n hi s Suzuki GS XR750. Wrigh t finished th ird on his GSX R750. Cha ndler ran away and hid in the second heat race, beating Lyn ch by 27.810 seconds. Texan Cra ig Gl easo n fin ished third . Cha nd ler's heat race win wa s th e faster of th e two q ua li fiers a t 12 minutes, 35.560 seconds for an average speed of 95.294 mph. T he fina l saw Kirk get the jump o n the field. He led Ru ssell by 3. I 6 seconds after two lap s of the four-mile Ro ad America circui t: Ch andler, how ever, after a bad sta rt, moved past Ru ssell o n the third lap and after clicking off three laps in the 2:26 range closed to within striking distance of Kirk . After six laps, Chandler trailed Kirk by .58 of a second, after turning a 2:27. 16. La ps seven and eight saw th e Ca liforn ian turn a 2:26.28 and then a 2:26.06 to tak e th e win o ver Kirk. " I couldn 't get past Tommy (Lynch ) in the first corner," Chandler said. " I had new tires o n and I got pretty sideways o ut of eight . I had to tak e it easy and wait. I kn ew we cou ld make it up, and we just started creeping up o n him ." . . Ru ssell's race for th ird was lonely o nce Cha nd ler pull ed away. " I go t a fairl y good start and we ra n him do wn ," he said. '" was goi ng to try someth ing in the end, but I just didn ' t have it." Ini tiall y, Lynch had h is han ds fu ll with Wri ght, but th e priva teer could n 't keep pace wit h the Yoshimura Suzuki teen ager. Wright , in turn, ended u p a lon el y fifth . "The pressu re got to me," early leader Kirk said. " It was lonely o ut there . I could tell they were coming , I just didn 't kn ow wh en. I wanted to win i t, bu t finishing second to wh at I feel is o ne of the best or soo n to be the best in th e world isn' t bad . I'm prett y happy." Cha nd ler and Ru ssell 's Kawasaskis were fitted with Dunlop tir es while Kirk 's Suzu k i u sed Mi ch elin rubber. t:II Results HEAT I: I. Soon Ru ssell (Kaw ); 2. Ri ck Kirk {Suz): 3. Rob ert Wr iKh t (Su,); 1. Tod Hebert (Su, ); 5. John Ch oa te (Suz): 6. MIke Moor es (Suz); 7. Roger L undsten (Suz): 8. J eff R hea um e (Su,); 9. Ada m Bretz (Suz): 10. Roger Hendricks (SOl) ; II. Gary Lenemeier (Yam); 12. Keith O ltiges (Ka w): 13. Dan Thom son {Sue). Time: 12 m in., 40.130 sec. Di ~lancr: 5 laps. 20 mil es. Averagr SPttd: 94.721 mph . Margin o( Viclory: 6.090 sec. HEAT 2: I. Do UK Chand ler (Kaw); 2. Tom m y Lyoch ISu,); 3. CzaiK G leason (Suz): 1. David Smith (Suz); 5. Andre w No bles (Suz); 6. See n williams (Suz): 7. Jo ho J aco b (Ya m); 8. Ray Yod er Jr.. (Su ,); 9. Mi ke Karm (S UI ); 10. Mar k Erickso n (Yam); 11. Suza nne Br ig h tbill (Yam); 12. David H ansen (Suz). Time: 12 mi n. 3 5.56O~. Distance: 5 la ps. 20 m iles. Avera ge Spttd: 95.291 mph . Marg in of Victory: 27.810 sec. 7505 5 FIN AL: I. Dou g Cha ndler (Ka w): 2. Rick Kir k (SUl );:i . Scott Ru ssell (Kaw); 4. T ommy Lynch (Suz): 5. Robert WriKh l {Suz): 6. Keith O lliges (Kaw ); 7. Tod Hebert (Su z): 8. Ray Yod er Jr., (Su,); 9. Craig G lea so n (Sua): 10. John Choate {Sua): I I. Mik e Karm (Suz): 12. Scott "'/ iIlia m!O (Suz); 13. David Smi th (Su z); 14. Mike Moor es (Suz); 15. J ohn Jacob (Yam); 16. Robert Sa ody (Suz): 17. J ell Rh eaume (Sw ); 18. Andrew Nobl es (SUl) ; 19. David H ansen (Suz); 20. Ada m Bra tz (Su z): 21. Ma rk Erick so n (Yam); 22. Roger Hen dr icks (Sua): 23. Suza nne Bri gh tb ill (Ya m ); 25. Dan Thomson (Suz). ' POINT STANDINGS: I. Sco tt Russell (8 1); 2. Dou g Cha nd ler (73); 3. Ri ck Kirk (19); 1. Tommy Lync h (16); 5. Ro ber t Wri Kht (36); 6. Ra y Yoder (32); 7. Mik e Bam", (21); 8. (TI E) Miguel DuHamellTod Hebert (20 ); 10. Guillermo Villarreal (19); II. Craig Gl eason ( 18); 12. Kevin Renuell (17); 13. John Ch oa te (16); 11. Mik e Karm (12); 15. (TIE) Glmo Barry/Mik e Sm ith (10).

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