Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

; INTHEWIND~~_aw_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_ Ohio's Jeff Russell (KTM) was the overall winner in round two of the AMA National Championship Enduro Series at Pitkin, Louisiana, March 17. Steve Hatch (Suz) was the runner-up, while George Waller Jr. (Suz), Kevin Bennett (Hon) and Alan Randt (KTM) rounded out the top five. Defending National Champion Randy Hawkins did not compete at the Louisiana National because of an injured wrist, -su ffered at a lo cal end uro , February 10. e The Sierra Club-Angeles Chapter of Los Angeles, California, recently sent a mailing to its members that was headlined, " Desert Alert! BarstowVegas Lives! Corpse seen riding from gravel" The purpose of the chapter's mailing was to urge its members to attend the March 21 BLM public workshop at the Pasadena Convention Center. The BLM is seeking the public's imput regarding motorized vehicle off-road events in the California Desert. The BLM is proposing an amendment to the Recreation Element of the California Desert Conservation Area Plan that would define under what conditions motorized vehicle events can be permitted on public lands outside of designated OHV areas, clarify the application of existing regulations regarding OHVs, and streamline the OHV event permit process. . The Sierra Club-Angeles Chapter tells its members that "earlier workshops have been dominated by ORV users." As will, we trust, the Pasadena meeting on Thursday, March 21, at the Pasadena Convention Center (300E. Green Street) which begins at 7 p.rn, Be there" Jim P illon , head of District 37 AMA's Dual Sport division, is urging all dual s port riders to attend the above mentioned BLM public workshop. Pilion requests that dual sport enthusiasts wear a white ribbon on their left arm. If you can't make the March 21 BLM meeting in Pasadena, then take the time to write the B L M a letter and tell them that you feel they should issue permits for sanctioned point-to-point off road races, such as the Barstow-toVegas race, and for sanctioned dual sport events. You have until March 29 to submit your written comments. Address your letters: Bureau of Land Management, 1695 Spruce St. , Riverside, CA 92507. Road racer Kevin Ren tze ll will teach at an intensive two -day riding school, Advan c ed Asphalt Technique, which is being held by the Southeastern Sportbike Association (SSA) at Alabama's Talladega Gran Prix Raceway, April 26-27. For more information, write the SSA at P.O. Box 420683, Atlanta, GA 30342. The U.S. round of the Pan Pacific Supercross Series, the Hawaiia n International Supercross In, will take place at Honolulu's Aloha Stadium on Saturday night, June 29. The promoters, 1,{otorsports Hawaii, expect 25,000 spectators, including a tour of nearly 1500Japanese fans. They also expect many of the top mainland racers to compete because the Honolulu event coincides with a two-week break in the U.S. motocross schedule. Motorsports Hawaii is a group of Honolulu racing enthusiasts and former MX ace John Desoto is serving as an advisor to the group. Special tour package rates are available from Panda Travel at 8081734-1961. Race entry information for riders in the U5 and/ or 250cc Expert classes can be obtained by calling Pati DeSoto a t 808/671-9041 orby FAXing 808/671-3677. ' Hold everyth ing! The L.A. Old Timers have announced that the Mamm oth O ld Timers MX National has been resurrected. The club had earlier announced that the event was canceled but AXO /Sinisalo, AMP , Bridgestone, FMF, Hi-Torque Publ ications, O 'Neal, Pro Circuit, Mid Cities H onda and White Bros. have stepped in to help bring this event back for its 19th running at Mammoth Lakes, California, June 15-16. For more information regarding the L.A. Old Timers race, call 714/633-9503 or 982·8696. Road racer Mark Cruz of San Gabriel, California, suffered a severely dislocated left elbow and separated shoulder in the Circle Bell Pro Twins GP2 race at Daytona, March 8. " The dislocation was so bad the bone came through the skin: ' said Cruz in a phone cal l from Daytona Beach's Halifax Medical Center on Tuesday, March 12. "I'll be in a cast for several weeks and ou t of action for two to three months, according to the doctors." Cruz was released from the hospital on Thursday (March 14)." Several sharp-eyed readers hav e called or written to tell us that we erred in our Daytona preview issue as regards identifying Daytona 200 winners B ill T u m an and B illy Mathews. They appeared in two different photos, both times along with Dick Klamfoth. For the record: in both photos, Mathews is number 98 and Tuman number 51. The American Motorcycle Institute's Brute H orsepower Shootout that took place at Daytona Beach during Cycle Week drew 131 competitors who 2ut their bikes on the school's dyno. Dennis DeSmet of St. Clair Shores, Michigan, was declared the champ. DeSmet's Unlimited Imports class turbocharged Suzuki GSXRIOO churned out 172.38 horsepower. The Suzuki GSXRlOO of Mark M oisan of Miramar, Florida, was tops in the Street class, registering 144.53 hp. Unlimited Harley-Davidson class honors went to Randall S m alley of Miami, Florida, for the 108.58 hp his 98 cubic-inch, nitrous oxide-equipped Harley-Davidson FXRS registered on the dyno. Bob J anell e of Sunbelt Motorsports tells Papa that promoters of Camel Supercross Series races are upset with him for calling his March 30 race in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the Dixie Classic Supercross. "They're our friends, so we're going along with them and renaming the race the Dixie Clas s ic S t adi u m c ros s ," said Janelle. The Holiday Inn North on University Parkway in Winston-Salem will be the offical headquarters motel and a special room rate of $40 is available to competitors and fans. Call 800/HOLIDAY or the motel direct at 919/723-2911 for reservations; be sure and mention the Dixie Classic for the special rate. Tim Mertens, who tied for 10th in the 1990 Camel Pro Series point standings, has returned to his Belleville, Illinois, home after spending Daytona Cycle Week in the West Vol usia Memorial Hospital. where a rod was placed in his broken right thigh bone. Mertens suffered the injury in a practice session mishap at th e March 3 Barberville Half Mile, the first race run on the Vol usia County Speedway's oval sin ce it was paved in 1989. Ironically, Mertens celebrated his 30th birthday on March 10, th e day he Motorcy-cles donated to college..:::....-_ S _ addleback Coll ege in Mission Viejo, California, received 12 new Honda a nd Kawasaki motorcycles valued at over $30,000 from Action Kawasaki-Honda, a Mission Viejo dealership owned by 'Ch r is Chocek and Angelo Mezzasalrna, for use in th e institution 's Motorcycle Rider Safety Program. Acti on 's President/General Manager Chocek presented the keys to Saddleback 's Program Dire ctor Graham Rintou l during a March 14 ceremony held on the Chris ChOcek (center) an d Angelo Mezzasa1ma schoo l's southern California cam- (right) present keys to Graham Rintoul; pus to promote public safety and awareness of a new law that as of J anuary I requires Californians 'under the age of 21 to complete a state-approved rider training course in order to obtain a motorcycle license. Saddl eback 's safety course is based on the California Highwa y Patrol's Motorcyclist Safety Program. According to the CHP, this program has dramatically reduced motorcycle-related fatalities and injuries in Cal ifornia. Fatalities are down 28%, and injuries down 33% since mandatory training was initiated for individuals under 18. The new law extends the training requirement to include persons under the age of 21. Representing the California Highway Patrol at the ceremony were Public Affairs Officer Ken Daly and Captain Steve Malone. was released from the hospital. "The front end of my bike turned under and th e last thing I remember is flying through the hay bales:' said Mertens, who answered the phone at his family's dealership, Belleville Honda. " Yea h, I'm back to work if you can call answering the phone work. The doctor in Florida said I'll be out of action for six months. But that's just one opinion, I'm going to get another opinion today (Wednesday, March 13)," Mertens said, adding, "But before you hang up, I've got a bone to pick with . you. In your Daytona preview issue you rated the dirt trackers and said I wou ldn't finish in the top 10." Reminded that he'll miss a lot of the season, Mertens laughed and said, "Yeah, your prediction's right now, but it wasn't before this happened." The 1991 White Bros . World Ch a mpion s h ip 4 - S tro k e TT S c r a mble s /MX will be held a t southern California's Perris Raceway, May 18-19. The TT Scrambles will take place on Saturday afternoon, and the MX on Sunday. Entries will be accepted at the track only, no preentries. For more information, call 714/554-9442. So how is five-time. National Hare & Hound Champion Dan S mith doing in off-road car racing? Well, Smith finished second in class in the March 3 Nissan 400 in Nevada. Riding .. . oops, driving a Ford in the Utility class , Smith finished the race in 10 hours, 59 minutes and .05 seconds. The class winner, driving a Nissan, logged a time of 10 hours, 15 minutes and 13 seconds. Motorcycle Performance Center of Roseville, California, will be celebra ting the opening of its new facility a t 8303 Sierra College Boulevard on Friday, March 22. KTM's M ike Fisher, who is seventh in the Camel Supercross Series point standings following hi s fourth place finish at the Phoenix Supercross, will be autogr aphing posters at the store from 4 p.rn , to 7 p.m. For more information, call 9161791·2000. The Salinas R amble rs M.C. will host a clean-upof remote areas of the Clear Cre e k Managem e n t Area in conjunction with nationwide Earth Day activities on April 21. There will be overnight camping on the club's property Saturday night, and a barbecue on Sunday afternoon. Clubs and individuals interested in helping should contact Ed Tobin at 408/3844495. A record 400 buyers turned out for Jerry Wood 's Daytona A n t ique and Classic Motorcycle A u ction where $800 was raised for the AMA Heritage Museum by selling donated items from Paul jamiol, Willard Wolfe and Do n Emde. Items autographed by Gary Nixon and Roy Bacon were also auctioned off and raised another $1000 for the museum. The top bid at the auction was $29,000 for a 1948 AJS 7R. Motocrosser Larry Ward won't make his expected return to action at the March 23 125/25Occ National MX in Sacramento, California, but will wait for the April 6 St. Petersburg Supercross in Florida. Ward tore ligaments and damaged nerves in his ankle when he crashed at the Atlanta Supercross. Doug D ubach will also return to action at the St. Petersburg Supercross. Dubach has been out of action since the February 9 .Sa n Diego Su percross where he tore cartilage in his knee. Tri Cit y H o n d a in Clearwater, Florida, will be hosting an open house on Friday, April 5, in conjunction with the April 6 Tampa Bay round of the Camel Supercross Series at the Florida Suncoast Dome in St. Petersburg. Team Honda 's jeff Stanton, JeanMichel Bayle, Rick Johnson and team manager Roger DeCoster will be on hand from 5 p.rn. to 7 p.m. as will Peak Racing Team's Brian Swink and Jeromy Buehl. Larry Maiers will emcee the affair. Also holding an open h o u s e on April 5 will be B a rne y ' s Yamaha in St. Petersburg. Team Yamaha 's Damon Bradshaw and Doug Dubach will b on hand from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. to sign autographs and help Barney's with what they claim will be their " la rges sale ever." The sale will take place al day Friday and Saturday, April 5·6. Commonwealth Honda team owne Martin Adams reports that hi s two man team of Daytona 200 winne

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