Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

eDIlTTRACK e Bologna Motor Show Exhibition Short Track Canadian Steve Aseld ne (8) leads Italian Salvatelli Paolo (21), and Americans Rex Fisher (18)and Kris Kiser (44) into tum one. By Do n n Maeda n the world of motorcycle competition, dirt track is the only sport that America can truly call its own. On ly in America can a spectator witness the high-speed, full -lock slides execu ted by men aboard big-bore four stro kes as they race for the checkered flag. Unt il now. In the past two 'year s, a sudden interest in the sport has emerged in Europe, and a handful of Ameri can dirt trackers have journeyed there to compete in vari ou s exhibition races in, first , Italy and then in Spain. This year, the largest-ever group of Americans cro ssed th e Atlantic to particip ate in a two-day exhibition sponsored by Diesel Jeans , held in conjunctio n with the Bologna Motor Show. A wide range of riders were in vited to participate, and 16 dirt trackers from across the United Sta tes answered the call to spend December 3-9 in Bologna, Ital y, showcasing their talents. . Butch Donahue, owner of Delano Sport Center, a multi-line motorcycle dealersh ip in Del ano, Minnesota, organized the six-day trip that carr ied I Americans·abroad! Eric Graybeal, Mike Hale, James Hart, Aaron H ill, Ron nie Jones, Kris Kiser, Steve Morehead, Terry Poovey and Jay Springsteen. Most of the tuning chores were handled by the riders themse lves, but on hand to assist were Wayne Darling, George Garvis Sr., Damian Gregory, Bob Hale, Joe Houpt,' John Me tz, Ra n dy Triplett and Jerry Wilhemey. The short track races were only one of many exh ibitions included in the Motor Show that filled the Bologna Faire. An estimated crowd of two million funneled through the 12-day show that filled 17 buildings with cars, motorc~cles, b icycl es and various accesson es. A small group of Italian riders was o n h and to co m pete aga inst th e Am er icans, and they ca mpaigned stra n ge and un u su a l m ach in ery. Alt hough a few had American-b uilt · Wood-Rotax dirt trackers, most of th eir machines were han d-built in Italy using photos of American dirt track bikes as a gu ideline. T h ree fu ll p rogr ams were run througho u t the weekend: each having four heats, two semis and a main event. Constantly reminded that this was "exhibition only," the Americans took turn s leading and winning the races. The riders thrilled the crowd with many passes, as each lap feat ured no less than two or thtee lead changes. " It was a blast," said Atherton. " But it sure felt weird to bury it in a corner on purpose." Besides the fact that it was on ly to be. a show, the tra ck itself also prevente d the racers from riding at 100% as the sand and concre te-mix- based JliII (I7) leads Da rl in g (4) and Kiser (44) around th e sand and concretemix-based sh ort tr ack. (Back row , left to right) Steve Aseltine, Tony Donahue, Kevin Ath erton , Chance Darling, Geo rge Garvis J r., Eric Graybeal, Steve Morehead, Rex Fisher. (Middle row, left to right) Salva teIli Paolo, Terry Poovey, Dave DureIle, Mike Hale, Kris Kiser, Ronnie Jones, Aaron H ill, J ames Hart. (Fron t) Tour director Butch Donahue. 34 27 Americans and 16 mo torcycles across the ocean. "T he purpose of this trip is for the sole purpose of exposing the Europeans to the great sport of Ilattracking," said Don ah ue. "We need to expand our horizons and make the spo rt worldwide." Rid ers making the trek to Bologna were Steve Aseltine, Kevin Atherton, Chance Darling, Tony Donahue, Dave Durelle, Rex Fisher, George Garvis J r., surface held up poorly under the 600cc mac hines. Deep ruts forme d in most of the turns, and course workers tried in vain to fill the m with shovels between each race. . "They can use the same track for the motocross races next week," joked J ones after a heat race. H art , a J unior cla ss rider from Ill in o is, was crowned the overa ll "c hamp ion" after turn ing in consis tent 1-2-3 finishes in th e three main

• Cover