Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

9ROAD RACE e Aeromexico Supe_rb_ik_e_ as_ rs M_ te_ between H ofmann (who had slipped back) and Mattioli, and finall y th e struggle tha t was taking p lace for seventh. Poor T on i H eiler, third in the Germ an Superbike Championship, had somehow go tten himself into th e m id dl e o f a ba ttle between three Spa niards wh o had travelled to Mexico to take up som e unfinished busin ess. Garcia held off Lopez Mella and Heil er until Maurel came on the scene. Garcia. who had been ha ving trouble ;>- over the bumps, lost the front end and .... went down in the esses with his Moto Action Yamaha on lap 17, the same ~ lap as Picotte's crash. ~ Maurel, wh o was now lapping in the low 25s got pa st Seidel and Lopez I--) Mell a o n lap 21 and Seidel th en overshot under braking and went up th e slip road. He rejoined the race now out of contact. Once past Lopez Mella , Maurel pulled out a slight gap. Mattioli fina lly got the better of Hofmann for fift h, but the real bat tle was still to be decided between Mark, Mounier and Kipp. The winner of the dice , Kipp, tells it this way: " I was having a really hard time staying in front of these guys because they could both come back past me on the straight and when I ro ro Mexico City is mighty pretty By Chuck Clayton he Mexicans know how to put on a world class superbike race. They reall y do l Aeromexico £lew us all non-stop on new DC9s replete with (ree drinks in tourist class. The newly privatized national airline is o ne of th e sponsors of Superbike '90, and Aeromexico is a fine examp le of the modernization that is going on in Mexi co. Race headquarters was 'the new Flamingo Pla za hotel on Revolucion . Ave. H ere ga thered in first clas s sp lendor were the cream of su per bike con tenders from the world. Ra ymon d Roche, Worl d Champ ion, loo king like a Frenc h movie star; Doug Polen, on e of the few if not th e only top road racer wi th a college educat ion, win ner of the inaugural event here T 22 was behind them I really had to come on to the home stra igh t hard, right up on the curb, to make sure I didn 't lose them. With a couple of laps to go I decided that th e only way I was go ing to get by was to do it all on the last lap. I worked ou t a plan and it worked! I never had a plan wor k so well before. " When we started the last lap I was in Mark 's slipstream and he was righ t on Mounier," Kipp conti nued . " Twen t right up the outside of him when he was already on the brakes for the curve at the end of the straight and I figured if both of them saw me they'd get off th e brakes and at least one of them would overshoot. Mark ran wide and I got under him and ran right up on Mounier. Part two o f the p lan was . next. There was a righ t-hander that was real bumpy on the in side. I had run tight there once and the bike really shook and I saw that Mounier was leavin g a little gap there so I just shut my eyes and dove in there over the bumps. I go t by on the inside and then it was just gas it and hang on through the last comer. I was on th e edge all the way aroun d bu t I made it!" Polen turned in the fastest lap in the second heat, running the 2.48-mile track in 1:25.24, but Kipp and Maurel last year on a Suzuki, now riding the fast Ducati .. . th e list goes on (see race report in th is issue). First th ing we did was borrow a couple of street bikes from Homero Frangos. the biggest dealer in Mexico City, on e of the race orga ni zers and a pal of my traveling companero Loyal Truesdale. With me astride a silver 450 Rebel and Loyal crouched over a GSX750 "crouch rocket" , we set off to see the sights on a warm December da y. We hadn't ridden far before we were pulled over by a motor cop on a brown and white 1984 Harley. Our papers were not in order. H e made us follow him on a hai r-raising rid e back to Hom ero 's sho p, where it soon becam e clear tha t he wo uld overloo k our cri mes if we came across with a free ticket to the races. " First time I ever got stopped by a cop and gave him a ticket l" Loyal remarked. T raveling arou nd the biggest cit y in the New World (25 million souls) I was amazed th at I saw no poor or _ in their battles for second and seven th had set up the joint second fastest lap at 1:25.32 .. . not bad for a couple of yo u ng privateer s again st wo rk s machin ery. La ter tha t ni ght at the awards ceremo ny at th e H otel Flamin go Plaza, Kipp, who took th ird overall highfived with outright winner Polen whil e Mounier (th ird) and Mark (fourth) replayed th e last lap in th eir heads. They all say th ey'll be back next year. CN Resu lts PRAcnCE: I. Arpad Hannati (1:25.16); 2. Tom Kipp (1:25.61); 3. Pascal Pirone (1:25. 4); 4. Doug 6 Polen (1:25 .85); S. Thomas Franz (1:26.29); 6. Udo Mark (1:26.33); 7. Toni Heiler (1:26.39); 8. J.V Mounier (1:26.50); 9. Juan Lo pez Mell. (1:26.61); 10. Luis MaureJ (1:26.64). IlA CE 1: I. Doug Po len (D ue); 2. Raym ond Roche (Duc); 3. Pascal Pirone (Yam): 4. Udo Mark(Yam): 5. AndI"Q5 Hofmann (Ho n ); 6. J -Y Meunier (Ho n); 7. Tony Heiler (V. m); 8. Tom Kipp (V.m); 9. Sven Seidel (5uz); 10. Juan Lopez Mella (Hon). RACE 2: I. Doug Poleo (Duc); 2. Tom Kipp (Yam): 3. J·V Meunier (Hon); 4. Udo Mark (Yam): 5. J.M . Matti oli (Yam ); 6. Andreas Hofmann (Ho n); 7. Luis Maurel (V. m); 8. Juan Lopez Mella(Hon); 9. Toni Heiler (Yam]: 10. Rene Delaby (Hon). 0 / A: I. Doug Poleo; 2. Udo M.rk; 3. Tom Kipp; 4. j ean-Yves Mounier; 5. Andreas Hofmann; 6. Raymond Roche: 7. T oni Hei ler; 8, Pascal Picotte; 9. Juan Lopez Mella; 10. Jean Mattioli; II. Luis M. urel; 12 Rene Delaby; 13 5veo Seidel; 14 Dale . . . Q uanerley; 15. T on i Garcia: 16. Lui s Ar.unoni. h omeless people on the streets. Mexico allows five million poor and hom eless to literall y live on th e landfill site wh ere th e other 20 million dump their trash. There the y build little shacks and recycle the trash as it arrives. eking out a bare living. but better than begging and sleep ing in doorways. That even ing we went to a book launch at th e local Harley dealers. McGraw-Hili was celebra ting th e publication in Spanish of th eir best seller Well-Made in America. Since the book is about how the HarleyDavidson Motor Company prospers in the .face of foreign competition, they borrowed the pr emi ses for th e press party. There I met young Juan Pablo Martin del Campo Steta , the third gen eration of the fam ily that . has been Harl ey deal ers in Mexico City for 60 years. He hasn 't been able to get new bikes from th e factory since 1984, when the rich urban biker boom began. But now he says a few bikes are bein g expo rted to Mexico. The road race course is in a pa rk near the airport named after th e Rodriguez brothers, two world class sports car and Grand Prix driv ers of the I960s. Technical Chief Steve McLaughlin, a longtime force in superbike racing, says he has to acco unt for every gallon of aviation gas th a t is alotted to the racers. " Avgas is rationed to keep it from th e narco pilots," Steve explains. Beautiful, long-legged women people th e pits in groups of four or five. The atmosphere is festive, since thi s race, the last of th e season, is mainly a chance for the racers to win some money and qualify th e track for a po ints event in 199\. · Ron Grant hopes to sell hi s 1990 race bikes to the locals . Dean Mizdal 's bike hasn't arrived in tim e, but he and hi s tuner Marcus Falley manage to borrow a bik e in tim e to race with no practice. Mizdal fini shes 20th and wins $1100. T he big winner ' is Pol en , who snatches both legs of the race and ta kes home $15,000. You sho u ld have been there ! When Superbike '91 appears on the ca lendar, mak e your reserva tions wi th Aeromex ico and joi n the fiesta. Mexico is looking good. C'I LOCAL EVENTS Crumb, Vohland hot at Prairie City Motocross By N uklea r Ne ukam CA. DEC 9 Yoko/lnstincl Racin g/Team Green Kawa saki-sponso red Ra y Crumb coo ked in the l25cc Pro class at Danny Turner's Great No rthern Promotions Pr airie Cit y CMC motocr oss, wh ile Yoko/Suzuki-backed Tallon Vohland dom inated the 250cc Pro division. The 500cc Pro class was a ll Arai/Scott-backed Eric McKenna'sas the Vet Pro class saw FMF/ J ensen Fasten ers-sponsored Dave Coupe run away with the victory. Scou Myen sho t mto the lead of the first 125cc Pro mot o as Chris Neal a nd Vohland dueled for second. Myers maintained control of th e number one spot. Then Voh la nd suddenly pulled off the track with a sour motor and called it quits in the l25cc class . Crumb was really smoking and advanced to second, but at mote's end Myers held on for the wi n with Crumb and Nea l second a nd third. respectively. In the second moto Greg Tirheimer, who cras hed in the first turn in the firs t moto a nd finished fourth. pulled the holeshot, whi le Cru mb soon loo k control of second . Crum b chased Tirheimer and then p'assed the leader at the bottom of the big uphill . Crumb stayed out front for the wi n and the overall, whi le Tirheimer followed in for second and third overall. Myers worked up from a bad star! 10 finis h fourth a nd cla im second overall, while Scoo ter McElroy roosted in for th ird and fourth overall. Vohland top~ both 250cc Pro motos for the overall, while Myers was second each time ou t for second overall. McKenna was awesome in the 500cc Pro class, as he won both motos. Jerome Heiberger claimed second overall with a thin! in the Iirst mot a followed by a solid second in round two. Brandon Reyes showed some wild speed earl y in each mot o bu t crashes in each rnoto resulted in a 2-3 score and thin! overall. Nobody could touch Cou l'" in the Vet Pro class. but McKenna gave u his best shot, Coupe won bo th m OIOS. wh ile McKenna was runner-up each ti meo ut, as a little turf lasting' pr evented a serio us cha llenge 'on the winner. Randy Chap man used a 4-3 tally 10 cla im thin! overa ll. SACR.~ MEI\"TO. Results 500 PR O: 1. Eric McKmru. (H un); 2. J~m:e Hei~ (Honr. 3. Brandon Reyn (Kaw); of. Shaw n Fmling (Kaw ); S. Allm Bn-Iuli (Hon ). !JOO INT: I. lnw- Pile (Hon); 2. Raben Sl()M (Hon); 5. R,..md y w vron (Hon); t. John Willard (Hon ): 5. Todd Luku. 500 JR: 1. M i k~ Hem (Kaw); 2. Howard Mintz (Hon): 5. O1 a r lr-yCa mpbel ! (Ha n). !iOO BF. : I. Viclot l...oxerdice (Hon); 2. Darin Cab l~ (Kaw ) ; G 5. Lan a RobtTU (Kaw): 4. Ma rk byback (Y am) ; 5. Todd Ra,.w.ck (HCHll. • OT MST R: l. l..art)' Hanneu (SUI); 2. Bill McCli nton (A T K ); 5. Jim Sau one ( Kaw). OT· IJ'IOT: I. Jim A~I (Hon); 2. Thorn Yuill (Hon); 5. S I ~Vf' Doll (H us). OT JR: I. Mack Wil wn (KTM ); 2. Den Fle ner (Kaw); 3. Ti m Co lvn-I (Hon) , UTH INT: l. Mark Duv a l (Ha n); 2. Km Sku tley (Hon); 3. Tavin W~i nr ick (Sw). UTH JR.: l. Omny Santos (Han); 2. 8m Rotombn'lJ (Suz); 3. Bill T aylor ( Ka w) ; 4. l.drry MuInck (KTM); 5. John Lee (S Ul ). 60: I. J ~ Ketcha m ( Ka w ); 2. Oonman Milche ll ( Ka w ); 3. Davi d Bin g ha m ( Koiw) ; 4. Dan it'l Bla ir ( K.aw); 5. Dttrl. Yu ill (Kaw). P / W : I. Eri c N yt' (Ya m). 80 BEG : I. Ant hon y Aranda ( Ka w) ; 2. Tremcn Coleman (Kaw): 3. Jam n Bum en (Hon ); 4. JM I Cainum ( K.aw); 5. Clad Hf:dKn ( Ka w ). 80 JR: 1. Jrif Baldwin (SUI); 2. Km n,. Davil (Suz); 3. Johnny Cipol lina (SUI ); of. Saul Smoak (Sur); 5. J ohn Zinda. ( ~ w). 80 INT: J. John Ltddy (Sm ); 2. Breu Klin gO' (Kaw); 3. Brant Stei~ (Hoo ). 125 BEG : I. Ouil Vmdlq (Hon) ; 2. Jttm1y W~t (Stu); 5. Cn-g Demps ter ( Kaw); 4. Nick Nob~ (Stu); 5. Cy BrindJ e (H o n ). 125 JR : l. Jak fO Wind ham ( K.aw); 2. Eddie Zinda 3. J imm y Pi t1'tt (Kaww); of. IbYid Ball (Kaw); 5. MMty ( ~ w) ; Walk~ (Soz). 125 I!IroT: I. Spud Wa hrn ( Ka ww); 2. Michold Brandn ( Ka w ); 5. T yln Hummel (Sw): 4. Danny NellOn ( Ka w); 5. J imm y Mrch nn ( K.aw ). G~ ii~~~~A~r:.b J::~ ~~~~r.(r:~~ Wil iOll (SUI). VET PR O: l. Davoe Coupe (Ha n); 2. Eric McKmna (Hon); 3. Rand y OJ.apman (Sw); of. Allm Bttluti (Hon); !i. Randy Pockra nd l (KTM ). VET INT: l. Ra nd y Blair (Yam ): 2. Ra y S~ (k.awr. 5. Ed Cu mmins. ( K.1Iw): of. Dan Scharf ( K.aw); 5. Vnlin Copeland (SUI). VET J R: 1. St~ Gary (HOd ); t. T on y Pa u~non (Kaw); ! . Andy JmninRi (Ha n); of. Ro min Luato (Kaw); !i. Ed Kwrnko (Sw: ). :50 JR: I. Shaw n McDonald (K.1Iw); 2. Scan Hummel (Suz): 3. SlnT Wf'n~ (K.or w); t . Clarity Campbell (H an); 5. Bill y Can" ( K.1w). 230 REG : I. Mil fO Ha ~n (Han): 2. T odd Oark (Ka w ); ! . Johnny Rm.n (Hon ); t . Patric k Cro wlty (Kaw); 5. JaIOn Sn;, rn (S U1). :50 INT : I. Jawn Gibwn (Sur); 2. Tom 8crTy (Hon ); 3. Phill ip Pal (SUI ); 4. l...m Pol derv aan (Ha n); 5. Michael Brandes ( Ka w ). 250 PRO: I, Ta llo n Vohl an d (SUI): 2. Scull Myers (SUI); 5. n a vto Co u p!" (Ha n); of, UHy D...hi fO li (SUI); 5. Sha wn WClUlMl (H ul). Dawson doubles at Salem AX By Clay Light SALEM, OR. DEC 28 An ar ctic storm (rOnt tha t blew in to the Northwest fro m Alaska didn 'l dampen the en th usiasm of Ihe riders that indured the frii?d conditions during the first of two consecu u ve nil?hts of arcnacross raci ng al the ~n State Fairgrounds in Salem. One such nder was

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