Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

GIN THE WIND By Papa Wealey ~ Larry Roeseler (Kaw) edged Kevin Hines (Suz) by one point to capture the overall victory at round one of the AMA National Championship Enduro Series in Coalinga, California, February 17. Jeff Rossen (KTM) rounded out the top three. Erik Kehoe (Hon) was the overall winner in the 125cc Pro class at the GFI Winter MX Series North-South Showdown held in Huron, California, February 17. Bader Manneh (Yam) topped the 250cc Pro class, Billy Frank (Hon) won the 500cc Pro class and Jim EUis (Hon) was the Vet Pro class winner. Danny Hamel (KTM) was th e overall winner of the District 38 King of the Desert race held near EI Centro, California, February 16. Second went to Paul Krause (Kaw), with Chris . CrandaU (AT K) finishing third. Damon Bradshaw (Yam) won th e supercross race held in the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, February 16. . Camel Supercross Series points leader Jean-Michel Bayle (Hon) finished second and Mike Kiedrowski (Kaw) was third. In the annual AMA corporate member meeting held in conjunction with the Cincinnati trade show on Saturday, Febru ary 16, a controversial change to the .Code of Regulations, prohibiting simultaneous participation by an individual as an AMA Congress delegate and trustee, ' was approved by a 17-5 vote. The AMA's code now states that an individual may not hold the office of Congress delegate and trustee at the same time. The vote directly affects board of trustee and congress members Paul Schlegel and Mike Cova. tn th e same meeting, two new corporate members of the AMA Board of Trust ees were elec ted. Am erican Motorcycle Institute's Lamar Willi- ams and Intersport Fashion West's Dennis Labonge will take over the seats vacated by Mark Blackwell of Suzuki and Jack Mangus of Cycle News. Ray Blank of Honda was reelected to another two-year term as a trustee. In the AMA Board of Trustees meeting that followed the corporate member meeting, Paul Dean, editorial director of 'Cycle and Cycle World magazines, was elected chairman of the board, Dal Smilie vice chairman, Bob Perkins treasurer, Tim Hoelter assistant treasurer , and John Hoover secretary. American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation Board of Trustees chairman Dal Smilie, vice chairman Bob ' Perkins, treasurer Bill Baird, secretary Bob McClean, and Mort Wood were re-elected. Patti MiUs replaced Paul Dean on the board and John Hoover defeated Paul Schlegel in a vot e for th e remaining seat. Eight individuals received th e Motorcycle Industry Council's (MICf Key Award at the MIC's 'Annual Banquet on February 16 in Cincinnat i, Ohio. The honorees are: Soichiro Honda, founder of Honda Motor Corp.; Don Emde, owner of Infosport and publisher of th e Emd e Report; John Wyckoff, chairman of th e board for Intersport Fashions West Inc., Courtney Caldwell, publisher of American Woman magazine and founder of th e American Woman Road Riders' Alliance; Bob Jones, co-owner of J&W Cycles'in Washington , Missouri; Dana Ben, AMA D-37 Legislative Officer ; Clark CoUins, founder of the Blue Ribbon Coalition; and Vaughn Beals, Jr. chairman of th e board for Harley-Davidson. Suzuki has announced that it will post nearly $800,000 in ro ad race contingency money for the 1991 season. Riders of Suzuki Katana 6OOs, GSXR750s and GSXRllOOs will be National Trail Bill on track for 1991 A 2 landmark hill that would enhance off-highway recreation opportunities from coast to coast is off to a good start, thanks to Senator Steve Symms (R-Idaho) and Representative Thomas Petri (R-Wisconsin), who have teamed up to reintroduce the measure in Congress this year. . . . The bill, entitled the National Recreational Trails Fund Act of 1991 and designated as Senate Bill 400 (S400) in the U.S. Senate, would enable states to upgrade and expand multiple-use trails, acqu ire easements for public recreation, construct trail-side facilities and even fund trail maintenance programs to protect the en viron men t. Congressman Petri, meanwhile, is expected to introduce a companion bill in the U.S. House of Representatives on February 19. The funds to complete the necessary work would come from gasoline taxes paid by a variety of trail users. As it stands, these taxes are allocated to fund the construction and maintenance of highways and other roads, not off-highway recreational trails. The proposed plan could set aside as mu ch as $80 million each year for trail development and maintenance programs. The bill would also create an advisory committee to administer grants to states for trail projects, establish criteria for trail-side facilities and make recommendations on establishing federal policies. Since its introduction in 1990, the bill has gained the support of man y groups, including the American Motorcyclist Association. And now, it 's also beginning to win the approval of influential lawmakers who could help ensure the bill's passage this year. One such legislator is Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-New York), who has pledged his support of the bill. Moynihan heads the Senate Sub committee on Water Resources, Transportation and Infrastructure, the panel that will soo n be considering the bill. According to Symms , the bill reflects input received from last year's field hearings and public comments submitted by all groups interested in th e welfare of America 's recreational trails. . . "T h is is a bill that is good for everyone concerned with maintaining safe, environmentally sound trails for people to use," said Symms. He al so noted that the legislation " strikes a careful balance" between motorized and non-motorized trails and will benefit every trail user. Motorcyclists can show their support of the National Recreational Trails Fund Act by writing to their senators and congressmen in Washington. Write to senators at: United States Senate , Washington, D.C. 20510; and to congressmen at: U.S House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 20515. Wrecking ball hits Ascot "0 h, we're just getting everything cleaned up for the start of the next season," joked Chris Agajanian of Agajanian Enterprises as he looked out at what once was the legendary Ascot Park. "We 're pulling out all the lights , shining 'em up, and putting them right back." After 33 long years, Ascot Park closed its gates for good on Thanksgiving weekend of last year. Famous for its half-mile oval dirt track, the race track played host to nearly every form of motorsport competition at on e time or another since it first opened its gates in 1957. Demolition of the facility began in early December, and all that now remains are the grandstands and bathrooms, a skeleton of the on ce-booming raceway. Squelching rumors that said the lighting system had been sold to CMC's Stu Peters, Agajanian said that all the equipment will be put into storage until a later date when a new race track would be opened. Agajanian commented that a deal on th e new facility is "abou t 60%" secured , but would disclose no information as to the proposed tra ck's location. eligible to earn money in both club and National-level events. Suzuki will pay a total of $1775 per class at 7J club even ts across the country for a total of $378,075; they will pay a total of $4200 for the 600 and 750cc Supersport classes at 10 events for a total of $84,000; another $33,600 is up for grabs ateigh t WERA F-USA Series races; and there is a $10,000 championship bonus for the 750cc Supersport class and th e WERA F-USA Series. Suzuki has also posted contingency prizes in the WERA and AMA/ CCS Endurance Series with a total of $4000 per event going to WERA 's Heavyweight Superbike class and another $1500 to each of WERA's other classes, Middleweight Superbike, Heavyweight Production, and Middleweight Production. There is also a $10,000champ ionship bonus available for a title in the WERA Heavyweight Superbike class. Suzuki has posted $1900 for each GTO and GTU class event at the AMA/CCS races, and a $10,000 championship bonus for th e GTO class title . Suzuki has posteda total of $40,000 for the 1991 Suzuki National Cup Series Final at Road Atlanta in October. A win in the GSXR750 and GSXRllOO finals will be worth $5000 with $20,000 being paid in each class, back to 20th place. Metzeler has posted nearly $300,000 in contingency money for WERA and AMA/CCS road racing events in 1991. Metzeler will pay contingency to the top 10 riders in WERA Novice Sprint class racing, with a $100 certificate, redeemable towards the purchase of Metzeler tires, going to the winner. Only the top five places will be rewarded in the Expert classes. In AMA/CCS competition, the top five in the 750 and 600cc Supersport classes at each event -will receive Metzeler money, with $200 going to the winner. Metzeler will also pay the top five in the final standings, and the top five Experts will also have a similar payout for each event as well as final standings. Harley-Davidson workers have voted to accept a new contract that rais es the average base pay to $13 an hour and guarantees them a 14% raise over the next three years. Over 1400 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers went on strike on February 4. They were demanding a contract that would compensate them for salary and benefit reductions made in the '80s when the Milwaukee-based manufacturer was fighting off bankruptcy. The emp loyees were expected to return to work on Tuesday, February 19. For th e first time, Harley-Davidson will pad the purses of the HarleyDavidson U.S. Twin Sports Road Race Seri es with their Screamin' Eagle Contingency program. HarleyDavidson will pay an extra $150 over the first-place prize money , $100 for second and $50 for third. Harley will also payout $1100 at each of seven National drag meets through the Screamin' Eagle Drag Racing Contingency Program. Speaking of Harley-Davidson, Ted Simmons, 41, the All-Star catcher who spent 21 years in the majorJeagues before retiring as a player in 1988, is sporting a new Harley-Davidson tattoo on his left arm. Simmons is now the dir ector of player development for the St. Louis Cardinals, the team he spent the first 12 years of his playing career with. " I started out riding a Honda 305," said Simmons while he showed Papa the tattoo that was a Christmas present from his children. "Bu t after riding a Harley . .. well, it's the only way to go. " KTM factory motocrossers Mike Fisher and Keith Johnson will visit H&H KTM in Douglasville, Georgia, to answ er questions and sign autographs on February 22 in conjunction with the following evening's Atlanta Supercross. H&H's new location is at 8820 Bright Star Road . . The historic racing team West Coast British Racing will represent the Royal Tank Corps 7th Armored Division Desert Rats, currently serving in the Persian Gulf, during Daytona Speedweek 's Historic Day on March 4. Team owner Michael Green 's father served with the Desert Rats in World War II. "I still have a photo of my dad's tank with a motorcycle strapped to the back , thus I saw it fitting that our motorcycles carry their tank badges," says Green. TravelCraft will once again be offering a helicopter shuttle service at the April 21, U.S. road race Grand Prix in Monterey, California. For $65 round trip, TraveiCraft will take you from Monterey to within 100 yards of the start-finish line at Laguna Seca International Speedway. TravelCraft

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