Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

RodiI World Championship Supercross Series: Round I Dutchmen clean up in Thial£ Stadium By Alex Hodgkinson HEERENVEEN, HOLLAND, AUG. 31 ·SEPT. I he FIM's ill-fated Rodi l World Championsh ip Supercross Series added ano ther disastrous Chapter to its checkered his tory as less tha n 1000 spectators turned o ut to wa tch home . stars John Van den Berk, Dave Strij bos and Edwin Evertse n dominate racing in Thialf Stadium. The en th usiastic promoters had everything against them . The Wash ou gal National MX kept all the American stars at home, with the exception of Donny Schmit and 1989 Rodil Super. cross Champion Mike J ones. A load restriction on th e international ice skating arena's surface plus a soft dirt compo und left the track far from ideal. Several obstacles were alm ost demolished before racing began, and there were continual problems as sp in ni ng wheels dug through to the concrete or wooden floor , causing many crash es. With one of the warmest and longest late-summer hea t waves in memory hitting the area, nearby beaches summoned many of the potential spectators, especia lly with a rather steep admission price. Two of the top riders, Schmit an d Bieffe Suzuki team ma te Stefan Everts were kn ocked out early on Saturday. Schmit tangled with a pair of riders at the start of his heat, and later withdrew for the evening with a bad bru ise to h is side. Everts also crashed in a hea t and a severe headache ha mpered him in the final. Strijbos led much of Saturda y's fina l and only briefly lost the lead to Pennsylvani a's Jones. After a titanic struggle for many laps with the advancing Evertsen and Van den Berk, J ones faded back to a fifth-place fini sh. Strijbos scored the win ahead of Evertsen , Van den Berk'and Pekka Vehk onen. Van den Berk led all the way to the finish in Sunday's final, which paid points towards the Rodil Championship. Evertsen moved in on Van den Berk 's tail at half distan ce, bu t a mistake dropped him and he had to settle for second. Strijbos took advantage of a crash two laps from the end whi ch claimed Everts, Jones and Schmit to move in and pass Pedro . Tragter for (llI third on the last lap. T Results SATUllDAY: I. Dave Strijbos (Suz); 2. Edwin Everum (Kaw); 3. John Van elm Bak (Suz); 4. Pekka Vehkon (uw). OPEN lNT: 1. JOK Torrrgrou (Hon). PM : l. Juon Bault (Ya m); 2. Mitchell Holston (Ya m): 3. Jus tin H olston (Yam). 80 12-15: 1. J os h Piatt (Sw); 2. Motu Harrison ( ~w): 3. Bryon McElhaney (Ka w); 4. Ihrryl Monh ollen (Sw ); 5. Robb ie Buch ma n (Kaw). 60: Patrick Haynes (Ka w ); 2. Ricky Irwi n (Hon ); 3. Robn't Sha nnon (Kilw); 4. William Shimnon (Kaw). 125 NOV: I. J oey Whitehnd (Hon); 2. Kimm y Bozik (Kaw); 5. Clay Carmichael (Vam ). 125 INT: 1. Wayne Harrison (Suz); 2. Bryan Gilliam (Kotw) ; 3. ShaM' Jen kin s (Kaw); 4. Kyl~ Myen ( KiI~);. 5. Lee Kni ght (Kaw). 125 PRO/ EX: l. Travis Black burn ( K.aw): 2. Strve Allnd (S",); 5. John San.X(W

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