Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

GROADRACE WorldChampionship Road Race Series: Round 14 m Schwantz won his fifth 500cc GP of the season in France. Rainey finished third, yet won his second 500cc World Championship. Luca Cadalora was also third, clinching the 250cc World Championship. Steve Webster and Gavin Simmons won the Sidecar title; it was Webster's fourth. with three laps to go; Doo rakkers was also out with cra nkshaft problems . He'd been having a good scrap with h is usual antagonist Michael Rudroff and Italian Marco Pap a, but Rud roff had also ha d trouble wi th a piston seizure , leaving Papa to take 13th. Rai ney is now uncatchable - he is cha mpion for a second year in successio n. Doohan is also safe in second, and Schwantz [or th ird. Meanwhile Gard ner ', (150 gross" 144 net ) a n d Kocinski (141/141) will take the ba ttle for fourth place all th e way to the last Gr and Prix in Mal aysia . 16 250cc GP T he first attempt at th e 23-lap, 63.17mil e 250cc race was nothin g o ther than a sham bles , with oil or wa ter or something on th e exit from th e second gear right-hander at the end of th e old back stra ig ht, and six bik es cras hing th ere on th e first lap . Among them was j och en Schmid, Mar co Lu cchi , Stefan Pre in a n d R en zo Co lleo ni , wh o cras hed first, and was suspected of havin g spilled the offending fluid. Ne x t ti m e ro u n d, wit ho ut a n y warning flags , ano ther six went do wn from the front of the pack, led by th irdp laced Zeel enberg, the n Wimmer, Bradl , Chi li and Reggiani, and Doriano Rornbon i's RS H onda. Next tim e ro und the y did display oi l" flags, and th is tim e leader Cadalora (who had j ust pa ssed Cardus) also fell , promptly foll owed by Ca rdus, and third-pl aced Masahiro Shimizu. The amount of , wreckage and the sparsity of surv ivors now brought ou t the red flags , and the laps run discounted, the race to be restarted and run full len gth. It was a real mercy that th ere were no Inj uries, and th e humor of the situatio n co uld come ou t. No t everybody lau ghed. Bradl , Cardus and Cadalora decided to sta y with their hastily pa tched bikes, wh ich turned o ut to be a good decisi on. Wimmer and Reggiani cha nge d bikes, th in ki ng th at sup erfici a l da m age might a lso be rein forced by mo re serious problems or that their. eng ines may have sucked in some di rt. Both paid the pri ce. Cadalora made th e most o f th e restart, pursued by Bradl , .Zeelenberg and Shimizu, with , he Ger man moving past o n the second lap to sta rt a familiar perform ance, ru nn ing away with th e race . Appro priately cau tio us, Cadalora held on to second as Zeelen berg and Shimizu dropped a way beh ind. The japan ese rider was ah ead w he n R eggiani j o i n ed t he m a n d moved past, but the re was someone even faster coming up behi nd. Carlos Cardus had made a rotten sta rt, with a return of h is cl utch tro ub le', but had pulled up to 17th a t th e en d o f lap o n e. H e ke p t o n chargi ng , picking up places two or thr ee at a time, until he was behind Wileo on lap seven, past both him and Shimizu two la ps later, then by Reggian i as well in another th ree lap s. This was just after half-di stan ce, and Card us moved into th ird wi th a 10second gap ahead of him to race-leader Bradl, but less than four seconds to Cadalora. He made short work of that, and in any case th e cha mp io nsh ip leader was not disposed to risk his title . by figh ting. But Bradl was just that pit too far away and that much too fast, and he hung on to his lead by six secon ds, with third-placed Cadalora another seven seconds adrift. Reggiani shou ld have been ' fou rth, but instead ra ttled to a stop wi th gearbox trouble wi th h is spare bi ke with two laps rema ining, leavin g fourth to Zeelen berg, who had ou tdistan ced Shimizu in the closing stages. Schmid was sixth, narro wly fending off Chili in the last laps. The Italian had al so switched to his spare bi ke, and said later that it had n 't been as well set up . Which was doubtless why he had such a torrid time for most of the race defending himself from the persistent Rom bo ni, who was clea rly fast er through the bends, until he oblig ingly fell off with three laps left. This pair had o utdistanced a good scra p won by jean-Pierre ] eandat from Andr eas Pr eining (Honda vs. Aprilia ); whi le some way back Paolo Casoli fended off Alberto Puig in an allYamaha TZ-M battle. Out 'of 29 restart ers, the re were 19 fin ishers. Not amo ng them: Wimmer, wh o had trouble with the back-up tir es on h is spa re bike, and slid out to crash unhurt while mere ly defending a lowly posi tio n of 12th ; and Criville, who had been left in th e lead aft er th e crashes in the first leg, but wh o changed his clutch for the second race only to have it fail on th e first lap. Th us Cadalora tied up the 250cc title wi th one race to go, and with 228 p oints (206 net ), but th e baffling ari th me tic of. th e drop-two points system leaves Bradl safe in second from Cardu s, even though the net points system suggests o therwise, at 213 (205) to 208 (188). Zeelenberg is disputing fourth wi th Shimizu, with 158 to 142 points gross, and 158-134 net. Sidecar GP Rolf Biland had to win the last sideca r race of the season to take the cha m p io nsh ip , with Steve Webs ter fin ish ing 14th or wors e. The Swiss vetera n start ed the 21-lap, 57.67-mile ra ce from po le position, and did everything he had to do, leading from the start to th e finish. Unfortunately for him , Webst er also did eno ugh, com ing in a safe third aft er a relativel y uneven tful race on a machine 'set up for safety and not speed (he even swi tched toa 14-inch rear Avon from the usual 13-inch, to lessen destructiv e vibration under power). And so th e British rider won his fourth Sidecar titl e, and his first wit h new passenger Gavin Simmons. Second place went to o u tgo i ng cha mp io n Alain Michel, wh o presen ted Webster on the rostrum with a crucial piece of a broken fairing off hi s ri g - that bear ing the number 1. The Guedel brothers were fou rth, at the head of a tight group of four, covered by two seconds. They had ' Egbert Streuer up behind and chargin g. The Dutchman had missed th e start, and had a forceful race from 13th on lap o ne, passing two or three outfits in someIaps. Ralph Bohnhorst was right on his back wh eel, with Masato Kumano just behind him . Van Kempen and de Haas were 12th, a nd Lems tra/ Kuyt 18t h a n d la st. Abbott and Sm ith were amo ng th e no n-finishers, after losin g the ir water. The last Sidecar GP of the seaso n left Webster cha m p io n o n 181 net points, with Biland second on 168, Streuer thi rd o n 134, Michel fourth on 129, and th e Guedels fifth o n 107. t:N Results 25Oe:c Q UAUFYING: I. L uca Cadaloran (1 min.. 44.963 sec.l94.202 mph ); 2. Wil eo Zee lenber g (1:45,017); 3. Car los Ca rd us (1:45. 124): 4. Helmut Bradl (1:45. 182); 5. Masahiro Shim izu (1:45.468): 6. Loris RE ggi ani (1:45.514); 7. P.F. Chili (1:45.809); 8. Martin Wimmer (1:45.822): 9. Jochen Schmid (1:45.909); 10. Alex Criville (1:46.293): II. Do riano Romboni (1:46.446); 12. Paolo Casuli ( 1:46.689); l 3. Marcell ino L ucchi ( 1;46. 789): 14. J .P. jeandat (1;46.937); 15, Renzo Co llen ni (1:46.942); 16, Albe rto Pu ig (1;46.975); 17. Stefan Prein (1:17. 189); 18. A. Pr eining (1:47.213); 19. Hara ld Eck l (1:17.53 1); 20. Bernard Haenggel i (1:47.752); 21. Bernd Kassne r (1;47.885): 22. Ca rlos Catalano ( 1:48.127); 23. Urs Jucker (1:48.233); 24. P.V.D . Goorbe (1:48.329); 25. F. Protat (1:48.469); 26. E. Korpiaho (1:48.623); 27, Stefano Caracchi (1:48.781); 28. Henri Torron tegu (1:48.867); 29. Jean Foray (1:49.433); 30: Ian Newton (1:50.421). 500cc Q UAUFYIN G : I. Jo h n Kocin ski (1:39.964/ 98.91): 2. Michae l Doohan (1:40.817); 3. Wayne Rainey (1:4l.l 76); 4. Wayn e Gardner (1:41.226); 5. Kevi n Schwanu (1:4 1.243) ; 6. Doug Cha nd ler (1;41.954); 7. J ua n Garriga (1:42.3 15); 8. Niall Mackenzie (1:42.469); 9. Did er de Radigu es ( I:42.536); 10. J .P. R ugg ia (1:43.241): I I. Sito Pon s (1:44.000): 12. Adr ien Mor illas (1:44.276); 13. Eddi e Laycock (1:15.918); 14. M. Papa (1:47.762); 15. Eddie Lawson ( 1:47.779); 16. Michael Rud rof f (1:47.820); 17. Gee. Doorakk ers (I :48.823); 18. Andreas Leu rhe (I :48.933); 19. Hans Becker (1:489422); 20. Sim on Buckmaster (1:49.9551. SIDECA R QUALIFYING: ·I. Biland/Walu spe rg (1:47.3 11/ 92. 14 1); 2. Michel /Birchall (1:47.845); 3. Webster/Simmons ( 1:48.040) ; 4. Gu ed el/Guedel (1:48.709); 5. Streuer/ Bro wn (1:49. 181); 6. Klaffen boc/Parzer (1:49241); 7. Eglo[ £lF.glo r[ (1:49.618): 8. Kumano /Roesin g er ( I :49 .639 ); 9. Kumaga ya / H o ugt on ( I:49.653): 10. Bohnhors t/Hiller ( I :19.9 18); I I. Abb ott/ Smith ( 1:49. 960): 12. Dix on /Dixon (1:49.965): 13. Progin /Irlam (1:50.224); 14. Brindley/ Whi teside ( 1:50.398); 15. Bosin ger/Hoess (1:50.474): 16. Brindl ey/ Atk in son ( 1:50.805 ); 17. Wyssen / Wyssen (1:50 .953 ); 18. Van Kempen /De H aas (1:51.603): 19. Sm ith / Hopkinso n (1:52.298); 20. T ho mas / Van Pu yvelde (1:52.810): 21. Nigrowsky/ Co rbier (1:52.901); 22. Krau s/S ch roed er ( 1:53. 120); 23. Ba ker /Prior ( 1:53. 133); 24. H uegJi /H anni (1:53.840); 25. Kost er/Eg li (1:54.360); 26. Lemstra/ Kuyt (1:55.635). 25OccGP: l . Helmut Bradl (Hon );2 . Ca rlos Ca rdu s (Ho n ); 3. L uca Cada lora (Ho n); 4. Wil ro Zeelenb erg (H a n); 5. Masah iro Sh im izu (H o n); 6. j ochen Schmid (Hen): 7. P.F . Chil i (Ap r); 8. j ean -Pi err e j eandat (Han); 9. An dr eas Preining (Ap r); 10. Pao lo Ca sol i (Ya m): II. Albert o Puig (Ya m); 12. Stefan Prein (H a n) ; 13. Marcellino Lucchi (Ap r); 14. E. Korp iaho (Apr ); 15. U. Jucker (Yam); 16. S tefano Ca ra cch i (Ya m ); 17. P.V.D. Coorbe (Ya m); 18. Ian Newton (Yam); 19. J ean Fora y (Yam). Time: 40 min.• 44.529 sec. Distance: 23 lap s, 63.17 mi les. Av~rag~ sreed: 93.031 m ph . Margin 0 victory : 6.322 sec. Fastest lap: Helmut Bradl. I:45.375, La p 5. 500cc GP: 1. Kevin Schwa n tz (Suz); 2. Michael Doohan (Hen): 3. Wa yne Rainey (Yam) ; 4. John Kocinski (Yam): 5. Wa yne Gardner (Hou): 6. Juan Ga rr iga (Yam ); 7. Dou g Ch andl er (Yam) ; 8. Didi er de Radigu es (Suz); 9. Sit e Pon s (Ho n): 10. Adrien Mo riHas (Yam ); I I. Eddi e La ycock (Yam); 12. Ni all Mackenzie (Ya m ); 13. M. Pa pa (Hem ); 14. Andreas Leu th e (Suz); 15. Simon Buckmaster (SUl) . 'Ti me r 47 min.• 37.761 sec. Distance: 28 laps , 76.904 miles. Avera ge speedr 96.878 mph. Margin 01 victory: 0.148 sec. Fastest lap : Michael Doohan , 1:41.200. Lap 28. SIDECAR GP: I. Biland/Waluspe rg (LCR) ; 2. Michel /Bi rc hall ( L C R ); 3. Webster / Simm ons (L CR ); 4. Guedel/Guedel (LC R) ; 5. Streuer/Bnrwn (L CR ); 6. Bohnhor sr/Hjller (LCR ): 7. Kumano/ Roesinger (t.CR ); 8. Klaffenboc/Parzer (t.CR) ; 9. Ba si nger/Hoess (LCR ); 10. Wyssen/Wyssen (LCR ); II . Kumaga ya/Hougton (YKl ); 12. Van Kempen/ De Ha a s «(LCR ): 13. Kraus /Schroeder (Ad m); 14. Sm ith/ Ho pkinso n (Ad m); 15. T ho mas / Van Puy veld e (LC R ): 16. KOSler/Egl i (LCR ); 17. Huegl il Ha nn i (t. CR): 18. Lemstra/ Kuy t (LCR ). Time: 38 rnin. , 13.019 sec. Distance: 21 laps, 57.678 m iles. A,,~rag~ speed: 90.55 mph. Ma rgin 01 victory : 2.532 sec. Fas test laps Michel /Birchall , 1:48.132, Lap 4. 25Oe:c WORlD C'SHIP POINT STANDINGS: l. Lu ca Cadalora (228) 7 win s; 2. Helmut Bradl (2 13) 5 win s; 3. Carlos Cardus (198); 4. Wileo Zeelcnberg ( 158); 5. Masahiro Shim izu (142);6. Lori s Regg iani ( 115) I win ; 7. P.F. Ch ili (99) I win ; 8. Joch en Schmid (92); 9. Martin Wimmer (78); 10. P. CasoJi (65); 1I. A. Pr eining (60); 12. J.P. j eandat (52); 13. Alex CrivilJe(4 1); 14. Car los L.1Vado (34); 15. D. Romboni (32). 500cc WORLD C'SHIP POINT STANDIN GS: I. Wayne Rai ney (233) 6 win s; 2. Michael Doo han (224) 3 wins ; 3. Kevin Schwan tz (204) 5 wins ; 4. Wayne Ga rd ner (150); 5. John Kocinski ( 141); 6. Edd ie Law son (126); 7. Juan Garri ga (112); 8. Didi er de Ra digu es (99 ); 9. Dou g Ch and ler (85): 10. J.P. Ruggia (78); I I. Adr ien Morillas (62); 12. Eddi e Lay cock (53); 13. Alex Barros (46): .14. Sit o Pons (40); 15. Gees Coorakkers (34 ). SIDECAR WO RLD C'SHIP POINT STAN D· INGS: I. S. w eb ster (181) 5 wins; 2. R. Biland (168) 4 win s; 3. E. Streuer ( 131) 1 win; 4. A. Michel (129 ) 1 win : ~5 . R. Bohnhor sl (108) J win : 6. P. Guedel (107); 7. M. Kum ano (92): 8. S. Abbott (82); 9. M. Eglo ff (68); 10. Y. Kum agaya (66): I I. D. Dixon (64); 12. B. Bri nd ley (59); 13. T. Van Kem pen (55); 14. T. Wyssen (52); 15. K. Klaffenboc (39)-.

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