Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

five. On on the very next la p, Petersen raised his hand as he headed in to turn five. The motor on his Yam ah a had expired and along with it went the likeable Petersen's chances for the FUSA championship. Once Oliver saw that Petersen was out of the race, he became very cautious. After running some laps in the mid-I:25 range early, Oliver slowed down almost three seconds a lap. " I didn't want to take any chances, I just wanted to finish," Oliver said. With Oliver slowing, Hall and his "Methanol Monster" closed the gap. With two laps to go, Oliver turned around and saw Hall right on his rear wheel. A second later, Oliver expe rienced something he hadn't seen all year - the big Suzuki out-motored him up the hill heading towards turn six to take the lead. o liver explained his reasons for letting Hall p u ll clear to a 1.58-second victory: "I might have been able to get back by him, but he was riding really well and I would have had to push it too hard." Kipp finished third, a few seconds ahead of Harth, who led Graves, Doug Renfrow and Joe Brett Williams across the line. Both Kipp and Hall were really gunning for the $2000 bonus WERA was offering to the first overall fourstroke finisher. Kipp knew he would have to do better in the second leg; he would have to not only finish in front of Hall, but get some help along the way. The Marlboro crew went about changing Petersen's motor for the second leg. He would later say that the spare had no power on the bottom end, which would affect his riding style. Smith's crew was also getting his bike back together with a new clutch. . The defending F-USA champ had on e more chance to go out and dice with the GP bikes . The second leg start was much like the first. Fast-starting Kipp jumped out to an early lead on his Wiseco' Yamaha followed by Hall, Harth and Oliver. This time Kipp held the point for two laps before Oliver powered by him down the front straight. Smith's 'start went better this time as he took it easy, making sure that he didn't fry another clutch. By the third lap, though, he was up to third, bringing Petersen with him. By the halfway point in the race, Oliver led by four seconds. Smith was second after pulling away from the battle for third between Kipp, Hall, Petersen and Harth.' Further back , an ailing Jacks was battling with Renfrow, while Graves was moving in on both of them. For a few laps it appeared that Smith was closing the gap on Oliver, but the Californian quickly clicked off a couple of very fast laps to secure his lead over the Georgian. Smith, meanwhile. was concerned about oil leaking from the overflow tube on his bike. " It started sliding the back end pretty good," Smith said. "It was probably a good thing I didn't catch Oliver. I might have crashed trying to stay with him with that oil leaking on the back tire." By this time, Petersen had pulled clear of the battle between Kipp, Harth and Hall and was closing the gap to Smith. Oliver crossed the line 3.19 seconds ahead of the photo finish between Smith and Petersen. Petersen, who ended up third, said he was relieved to just enjoy racing in the second leg without having to worry about preserving the championship any longer. Harth came close to hitting Kipp a . Californian Donnie Greene (3) won the F-I1 championship; here he leads Kenny Roberts, Jr. early in the final. couple of times late in the race as he tried to outbrake him, and Hall was playing a waiting game, thinking the ' two would collide as they had last year at this race. Somehow Kipp managed to hold off the big Suzuki GSXRlloos with his Yamaha FZR750RR and nailed down fourth and the $2000 prize from WERA. Harth was fifth with Hall sixth; Jacks, riding in pain, held off a late charge by Graves on the final lap to finish seventh. Renfrow and John Hopperstad rounded out the top 10 in the second leg. Rumors circulated through the pits that Petersen had been placed on team orders to drop out of the first leg so th at Oliver could win the title. Both riders vehemently denied those . rumors. "There were no team orders at all ," said Oliver. "In fact, when we saw that Robbie was having trouble with his bike, my mechanic was over helping them get the bike ready. " I hated to see Robbie lose the championship like that. but I had th e same thing happen to me at Brainerd sol guess it all evened out," Oliver concluded. Oliver becomes the third rider to win a Formula USA championship in the three- year history of the series. Hall and Smith were the first two champions of the series in 1989 and 1990, respectively. Chris D'Aluisio returned to Road Atlanta where he won the inaugural running of the Air Tech Formula Two Series last March. The New .Englander feels right at home on the hilly circuit and proved it by winning the last round of the first-year series on his Davhar Racing Yamaha. Donnie Greene finished second to D' Aluisio and wrapped up his first WERA title. It was a great day for Dianetics Yamaha rider Greene, who last won a 250cc title back in 1986. The Californian won the AMA 250ccGP title three straight years from 1984 to 1986. The only rider who had a chance to beat Greene in the cha mp ionship was Allan Scott of Rainey Racing. Scott led the series until crashing out with teammate Kenny Roberts Jr. in the previous round at Moroso. Now Scott had only an outside chance, trailing Greene by 10 points coming into the final round. That chance dissipated on the warmup lap when Scott crashed his Yamaha while flicking hi s bike from side to side scrubbing in his tires. With Scott's warm-up lap accident, Greene was the new champion before the flag even dropped. He could now go all out for the final round victory without thought of the title. Youngster Kenny Roberts Jr. got a great start and led the pack heading down the esses on the first lap. Danny Regular AMA series competitor Chris D' Aluisio went on to win the Walk er was in the lead pack, but lost the front end in the esses and crashed. Greene drafted past Roberts on the back straight and at the end of the first lap it was Greene. Roberts, Rick Kirk and D'Aluisio. . By lap four D'Aluisio had moved up to second and was zeroing in on Greene. Roberts, meanwhile, had his hands full with Kirk and Michael Graves. On lap five, D'Aluisio drafted by Greene and took over the lead. Greene would later say that the weight difference between him and D'Aluisio was too much of a deficit to make up. In the closing stages of the race. D'Aluisio continued to ' pull away to an eventual 8.65-second victory . Coming out of nowhere late in the race was Al Salaverria on his Aprilia. Salaverria and his crew have had development problems with the Aprilia since coming back home after an unsuccessful bid in the European championships. Finally it appeared that Salaverria and his machine were beginning to mesh. At the halfway point in the race, Salaverria looked unremarkable running in sevent h place. Two laps later he was battling with Roberts for third place. Robert s was in trouble, though. After going so hard in the early laps, he had overheated his tires. "When D'Alu isio went by me I tried to keep up with him and got into some big slides," Roberts said. "T h en when Salaverria went by I nearly crashed trying to stay withehirn. I knew it just wasn 't going to be my day." Salaverria went on to finish a comfortable third. Roberts shook off F-n race. William Himmelsbach and Kirk on the last lap to finish fourth. £N Results F-USA LEG 1: I. Kurt H all (Suz): 2. Ri ch Ol iver (Yam ); 3. Tom Kipp (Yam) ; 4. Mik e Harth (Sw): 5. Chuck Gr aves {Su z); 6. Doug Renfrow (Yam ); 7. Joe Brett Williams (Ho n); 8. John Hopperstad (Ya m) ; 9. Jeff Heino (Yam) ; 10. Stevie Pa tterson (Suz); 11. William Himmelsbach (Yam ); 12. Many Lentz (Hon); 13. Jim Bonner (Yam ); 14. Robbie Pet ersen (Ya m); 15. Don Greene (Yam). Time: 17 min.• 37.70 sec. . DuWlce: 12 laps. 30.72 miles. Average Speed: 105.240 mph. Margin o(Vietory: 1.58 sec. F·USA LEG 2: I. Rich O liver (Yam ); 2. Mik e Smith (Sw ); 3. Robbie Petersen (Ya m); 4. Tom Kipp (Yam ); 5. Mike Harth (Sw); 6. Kurt Hall (Sw); 7. Donald Jacks (Su,); 8. Chuck Graves (Su,); 9. Doug Renfrow (Yam); 10. John H opperstad fYamj; II . J oe Brett Williams (Hon); 12. Stevie Patterson (Sw ); 13. Jeff Heino (Yam ); 14. William Himmelsbach (Ya m ); 15. Marty Lentz (Hon). Time: 17 min., 18.03 sec. Distance: 12 laps, 30.72 mil es. Average Speed : 104.876 mph. Margin O(ViClory: 3. 19 sec. F·USA OVERALL: I. Rich Oliver (Yazn); 2. T om Kipp (Yam ); 3. Kurt Hall (Su,); 4. Mik e Harth (Su,); 5. Chuck Grav es (Suz); 6. Doug Renfrow (Yam ); 7. Robbie Petersen (Yam) ; 8. John H0p'perstad (Ya m ); 9. J oe Brett Williams (Ho n); 10. MIke Smith (Su, ); II. Stevie Patterson (Su,); 12. }, ll Heino (Yam); 13. e Donald Jacks (Suz); 14. W1l1iam Himmelsbach (Yam ); 15. Marty Lentz (Hon); 16. Jim Bonner (Yam); 17. Don Greene (Yazn); 18. Chris D'Aluisio (Yam) ; 19. Danny Walker (Yam); 20. Chris Haldane (Sw ). FINAL F-USA CSHIP POINT STANDINGS: 1. Rich Oliver (126); 2. Robbie Petersen (124); 3. Chuck Gr aves (104); 4. Donald Ja cks (81); 5. Kurt Hall (70); 6. Michael Martin (65); 7. Britt Turkington (48); 8. Brian Bernard (39); 9. Tom Kipp (37); 10. J oe Brett Williams (28). F-2 FINAL: I. Chris D'Aluisio (Ya m); 2. Don Greene (Ya m) ; 3. Al Salaverria (Apr); 4. Kenny Roberts. Jr . (Yam) ; 5. William Himmelsbach (Yam ); 6. Rick Kirk (Ya m); 7. Micbael Graves (Yam); 8. Thomas Montano (Yam ); 9. Brad Sawyer (Yam ); 10. Mike Sullivan (Yam) . Time: 29 min. , 56.93 sec. Distance: 20 laps, 51.2 mil es. Average Speed: 100.972 mph. Margin o(Victory: 8.65 sec. FINAL F·2CSHIP POINT STANDtNGS: I. Don Gr eerie (I04 ); 2. (TIE) Kenn y Ro ber ts Jr.lAlIan See n (77); 4. Chris D'Aluisio (61); 5. Micha el Gra ves (60); 6. Brian Bernard (53); 7. Brad Sawyer (52); 8. Will iam Himmelsbach (41); 9. Nick Iena tsch (37); 10. Dave Sjoblo m (34).

• Cover