Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

sn uck into the lead brie£ly on the last lap. Mertens wou ld have none of that , though, and retook the point for good just before they met the checkered £lag. Camlin finished a. close third, earning the last transfer po sition. Ca nadia n Steve Beattie shad owed Ca mlin across the fin ish line, but would specta te for the rest of the afternoon. "I worked too hard for the lead to get second," said Mertens, who sat ou t the en tire 1991 season du e to a broken leg. Wh en asked if the leg bothered him, Mertens replied, "Not at all , I don't even th in k about it when I ride." Davis led the field into turn one in the second semi, ' but Poovey quickly sn u ck past. Morehead was caught sleeping on the line and started nearly last, bu t blitzed into third by the start of lap three. Morehead displaced Davis on lap four and blew by Poovey a ' few turns later. That didn't sit well with Poovey, though, and he drafted past fellow veteran Morehead just before the checkers. Davis finished three bikelengths behind to secure the last trip to the main, just ahead of a disappointed Rogers. "Every time I thinkI'm gone, these guys sneak up on me," said Poovey. " My bike is so fast that I'm spinning in the lturns.", The third and final semi belonged to Pegram, who snared the holeshot and never looked back. Pegram pulled out to a four-second lead by the finish, while Ingram rode an uneventful race to finish a lonely second, comfortably ahead of Kris Kiser. "What can I say, I got the holeshot and never saw an yon e," said Pegram. "H opefully, I can do the same in the ma in event " Camel Challenge At the £lash of the green light, outsi de po le-sitter Durelle dropped the clu tch .and led Graham, Carr, Hale, Springsteen and Atherton into tum one. Graham cha rged into tum . three harder then Durelle a nd assu med th e lead, but Durelle struck back as they raced down the front straigh t. Graham and Durelle repea ted the process on the next lap, but by lap three Durelle had gained a two bike-length advantage over Graham. Meanwhile, Carr rode a lonely third, 10 bike-lengths behind Graham but well ahead of Hal e and Springsteen. Atherton circu la ted the track well off the pace, in last. " AI (Stangler) made some changes for the Challenge, and I guess they didn't work too well," said Atherton , referring to his tuner. On the white £lag lap, Graham closed in on Du relle, but could do nothing to pass him in the last two turns. Durelle scored hi s . first-ever Camel Chall enge win, just ahead of Graham , while Carr fini shed a distant third. Well behin d Carr, teamma tes Hale and Sp ringsteen crossed the finish line only inches apart, while Ather ton bro ught up the rear. '" heard someone on' my butt on the las t lap a nd thou gh t, 'O h man, I better ru n it in as hard as I can l' " said an ov er j oyed Dona h u e H -D / Harl eyDa vidso n /Subu rban H -D / T suba kil M a x i m a / Yo ko / B ief Ie- s pa n so r ed Dure lle. "I didn 't realize until the last lap that I could win the thi ng , th en I go t nervous ." G National As winner of the fastest heat race, Atherton got to choose hi s starting slot for the 25-lap mai n event first and he op ted for the outsi de po le. Next to him sat Durelle, Parker, Grah am , Hale an d Springsteen, while Carr sat back on row two. " I wasn't too concerned abo ut startin g on row two," said Carr. " It could have been worse; I could've been on row thr ee. " Parker hooked up the best off the line an d led the way into turn one. Graham had other ideas, tho ugh, an d zapped the cha mp as they blasted down the back straight for the first time. Behind them foll owed Hale, Sprin gsteen, Carr and Atherton . Parker swapped the lead with Graham in the same fashi on three more times over the next four laps, but tha t was all he would play. On lap five, Parker ran th rough one and two extremel y well, and began to break awa y from the pack. "I saw it starting ," said G raham. " Bu t I could n't reel him back in ." After displ acing Springst een for fourth, Carr set ou t after Hale and began to reel him in. On lap seven, Hale slipped off the groove in one and two and left the doo r wide open for Carr. "The track must have dried up in the main," said Hale. "I was having a hard time with my front end - it wo uld slip ou t from under me goi ng into one and thr ee. " After passing Hale, Carr carried hi s momen tum to the rear of Graham's machine and drafted into second as they exited turn four . Meanwhile, Hale con tinued to stru ggle with his machine an d fell prey to a charging Atherton. A few bike'lengths back, Springsteen and Durell e argued over sixth, and got together as they slid through three and four. "Lleaned into Davey a littl e too hard, and my hand rubbed on his front wheel," said Springsteen. "It wore right through my glove!' A few feet back, J on es and Morehead experienced a similar enco unter. " I ran it inside Steve too hard, and his clu tch lever or someth ing got hoo ked on my boo t," said J on es. "I swear, it felt li ke my boot was going to get ripped off." "My front end must have been a foot off the ground," lau ghed Morehead. "I started to get pissed, but I look ed a nd saw Ronnie waving back at me like he was sorry." Just after the incident, Morehea d's bike began to sp utter an d the veteran pulled off the track. "It started to blubber real bad at the end of the straights," said Morehead. "With the Springfield Mile next week, I cou ldn't afford to be melting down any equipment so I pulled off." At the halfway point, Parker boas ted a three-second lead over Carr, Graham and Atherton , who had closed the gap after passi ng H ale. T wo seconds back , H ale continued to fight his machine, but closing in fast were Durelle, Pegram and Poovey, who suffered a last-place start. "I swear, it took me about four laps to get goi ng ," said Poovey, who circulated the track in last for the first five laps. " O nce I got into the groove, though, I was ha ul in' ." Durelle and Pegram worked past H ale and began to close in on the Carr/ Graham /Atherton battl e. On lap 22, Pegra m passed Durelle and Atherton to motor into fourth, bu t Atherton quickly answered with a pass of his own. "I was feeling Chris and Ricky o ut and I screwed up," said Atherton. "I had to work my ass off to catch back up." When the wh ite £lag £lew, Parker posessed a five-second lead over the pack of Carr, Graham, Atherto n, Pegram and Durelle, whi le Poovey followed a few feet . behind. Graham dove inside Carr to steal second in tum one, but as they raced down the back straigh t for the last time, both Carr and Atherton slipstrearned past Graham. Parker greeted the checkered £lag with a full straigh taway's lead, whi le his teammates vied for second. Atherto n Kevin Atherton (23) nipped Ch ris Carr (20) for second p la ce at the finish li ne. Ricky Graham (3) was a close fourth, ahead of Larry Pegra m (72) . as tucked in behind Carr they raced towards the line, and slingshot pas t just before the checkers. Graham fin ished a close fourth, while Pegram, Durelle and Poovey finished in close formation a sp lit-second later. "I got a bad start, but I worked up fairl y easy," said Pegram. " 'Bu t when I caught up to th e fast guys it was a lot harder to pass. We have some work to do." "I couldn't get arou nd the track as good in the main," said Durelle, "I had a lot of wheelspin , I think it dried up a bit. n Springsteen ign ored the pain in his hand and n ipped Hale for eigh th, wh ile Jon es rounded out the top 10. "I couldn' t get a good, smoo th slide . going ," said J on es. "I was sliding, then standi ng her up, sliding, and stan ding her up. . . " Junior Invitational Kevin Bricker topped AI;u;, Sabadera an d Ronnie Brown in the first six-lap heat, while Cory Perra ult won hea t two ahead of Jeff Eklund and Raym ond Deegan . Allon McBee won the third and final hea t, besting J aime Agu ilar an d Donnie Harrell. Many eyes were focused on 250cc Nati on al Road Race competitior Kermy Roberts Jr. , the son of two- time Grand Nati onal and three-time Wor ld Champion Kenny Rober ts, who made hi s dirt track mil e debut .in the second Junior heat. Roberts ran as high as second in the heat, bu t eventually dropped to sixth at the finish, not good eno ugh to transfer into the main. "There was no p ressure, I just came out for fun ," said Roberts, wh o rode a Clon inger Cellars-backed Rotax. "I was used to the dra ftin g, but the speeds were a little slow." McBeegrabbed the holeshot at the start of the 12-lap ma in , and proceeded to lead the m ajority of laps. Eklund dra fted into the lead for a few laps early in the race, but McBee took con trol for good on lap seven and romped off with the win. Eklund held a firm grip on second, five bike-leng ths behind McBee, bu t well ahead of third place finisher Agu ilar . "I had to work for that one the whole wa y," sa id Sow le Racer s/ Stin ger Engi nes/ Shoe i/Torco/Walters Bros. H DlZoom/Kastor's Body Shop/Custom Chrome/Rentar ia Bros .-spon sored McBee. '" didn 't really pa y atten tion to who was chasi ng me, I just concen trated .on the track and wen t as fast as I could." CN Results 'TIME TRIAlS: J. Chris Carr (36.719 sec.) , 2. Mi ke Hale (36.837); 3. Da~ Dure lle (36.859); 4. Kevin Atherton (36.909); 5. R ICky Graham (36.943); 6. Jay Springs teen (37.182); 7. Terry Poovey (37.010); 8. Larry Pegram (37.182); 9. Scott Parker (37.185); 10. Da n a In gram (37.2'17); I I. Steve Moreh e- d (37.274); 12. Will Dav is (37.366); 13. Davey Can tlin (37.370); 14. Steve Beattie (37.390); 15. Tim Mertens (37.403); 16. Aaron H ill (37.485); 17. George Roeder II (37.565); 18. Ron n ie Jones (37.681); 19. Rusty Rogers (37.727); 20. Sal Hoffman (37.85 1); 21. Glance Dar hng (37.858); 22. Rodney Farris (37.863); 23. Paul Polhemus (37.863); 24. Scott Stump (37.902); 25. Mike Inderbitzen (38.158); 26. Martin Lavoie (38.175); 27. Tony Donahue (38.252); 28. Kris Kiser (38.262); 29. Jaso n Fletcher (38.285); 30. Wink Freitas (38.3 17); 31. Michael Varn es (38.332); 32. Donnie Estep (38.336); 33. Steve Rasmussen (38.400); 34. Rex Fisher (38.573); 35. Stephen Mayfield (38.671); 36. Michael Dillon (38.705); 37. Robert Damron (39.976); 38. David U oyd (39.171); 39. Bah McDonnell (39.974); 40. Dan McDonnell (4l.351). HEAT I: 1. Scott Parker (H·D); 2. Chris Carr (H · D); 3. Larry Pegram (H·D); 4. Aaro n Hill (H ·D); 5. Scott Stump (H on ); 6. Do nnie Estep (H ·D ); 7. Mike In derbitzin (H ·D); 8. Steve Ras mussen (H -D); 9. Don McDo ntt ei (H · D); 10. Geo rge Roed er II (H · D). Time: 6 minutes. 63.57 seconds HEAT 2: I. Mike Hale (H .D); 2. Ronnie Jon es (HD); 3. Dan In gram (H o n ); 4. Terry Poovey (Hon); 5. T im Mertens (H o n ); 6. Paul Po lhen us J r. (H·D); 7. Martin Lavoie (H ·D); 8. Rex Fisher (H·D); 9. Michael Varnes (H ·D); 10. Bah McDonnell (H · D); 11. Do n Wilso n (H o n). Time: 6:82.14 HEAT 3: I. Davey Du relle (H · D); 2. Ja y Sprin~leen (H·D); 3. Steve Morehead (H·D); 4. Steve Beattie (H · D); 5. Rodney Farris (H ·D); 6. Rusty Rogers (H · D); 7. Win k Freitas (H·D); 8. Tony Donahue (H · D); 9. Stephen Mayf ield (H·D); 10. Da vid Lloyd (H on ). T ime: 6:56.15 HEAT 4:1. Kevin Ath erton (H- D); 2. Ricky Graham (Hon); 3. Davey Camlin (H ·D); 4. Will Davis (H on ); 5. Kris Kiser (Ho n ); 6. Jason Fletcher (H ·D); 7. Chance Darling (H- D); 8. Sal H offman (H·D); 9. Michael Dill on (Hon); 10. Robert Dam ro n (Due ). Time: 6:13.0 1 SEMI I: I. Mertens ; 2. Roeder; 3. Camlin ; 4. Beattie; 5. Freitas ; 6. H ill ; 7. Dillon; 8. Fisher; 9. Fletch er; 10. U oyd; 11. l nderbi tzin. T ime: 5:00.27 SEMI 2: I. P oovey; 2. Morehead; 3. Davis ; 4. Rogers; 5. Darling: 6. Stump; 7. Lavoie; 8. Rasmussen; 9. Damron; 10. Ma yfield; I I. McDonnell. Tune: 4:59.47 SEMI 3: I. Pegra m ; 2. Ingra m : 3. Kiser; 4. Donahue; 5. Polhen u s; 6. Hoffman; 7. Estep; 8. Varn es; 9. Wilson ; 10. McDonnell; II. Taylor; 12. Farris. Time: 4:58.23 CAMEL CHAllENGE: I. Davey Durelle (H ·D); 2. Ricky Graham (Hon); 3. Chris Carr (H·D); 4. Mike Hale (H · D);5. Ja y Springs teen (H- D); 6. Kevin Atherton (H·D). Time: 3:Q6 .08 N ATIO N AL: I. Sco tt Par ker (H·D); 2. Kevin Atherton (H·D); 3. Chris Carr (H ·D); 4. Ri cky Graham (Hon); 5. Larry Pegram (1-1. 1) ; 6. Davey Durell e (H · D); 7. T erry Poo vey (H en): 8. Jay Sp rin gsteen (H · D); 9. Mik e Hale (H -D); 10. Ronnie j ones (H -D); II. Dave Ca mli n (H ·D); 12. Tim Mertens (Hon); 13. George Roeder II (H ·D); 14. Dan Ingra m (Hon ); 15. Will Da vis (Hon); 16. Kris Kiser (H on); 17. Steve Moreh ead (H· D). Time: 15;17.257. Averag< speed: 98.095 mph. AMAICAMEL PRO G RAND NA T ION AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIFS POINT srANDIN GS : I. Chris Carr (69) (2 wins); 2. Sco tt Park er (64 ) (2 wins); 3. Kevin Atherton (47); 4. Ricky Graham (33); 5. Larry Pegra m (25); 6. Ronn ie Jones (22 ); 7. (TIE) Will Davia/ Jay Springsteen (21); 9. Terry Poo vey (20); 10. Davey Dure lle (19); II. Dan Ingram (18); 12. Rusty Rogers (13); 13. George Roed er II (12); 14. (TIE) Rodney Farris! Mike H ale ( II) ; 16. Dave Camlin (10); 17. Rich King (9); 18. (11E) Aaron Hi ll/S(ev(' MoreheadIBrian Tillson (7). jR HEAT I: 1. Kevin Bricker (R lX);2. Adam Sabedra. J r. (Yam) ; 3. Ron n ie Brown (Ya m ); 4. Woodrow Roger s III (RlX); 5. Ricky Sm ith (RlX); 6. Ben D. Bostron (HD); 7. Robert Bacosa (R lX); 8. John Pa u l Simo nsen (Hon ); 9. joseph Pi neda (RlX); 10. H . P. Myatt (HD); I I. Sha ne Butchart (H -D); 12. Rich Faccia no (RlX). Ti me: .3:54.10 J R REAT 2: I. Cory Perreault (W -R) ; 2. j eff Ekl und (RlX); 3. Ray Du ga n (RlX); 4. Eric Green (W-R) ; 5. T roy Boseon (RlX); 6. Kenn y Roberts. jr. (RlX); 7. Daniel Argano (RlX); 8. Jeff Annen (W· R ); 9. Darri n Kon echney (H on ); to. Lonnie Pauley (H en ): 11.Joseph Wino;on III (Rtx ): 12. T imothy H ld>o, Sr. (R IX). l T im e: 3:53.81 j R H EAT 3: I. A1lon McBee (H · O); 2. j aim e Agui lar (W-R) ; 3. Don n ie Harrell (W· R ); 4. J im m y Sanchez (R lX);5. Cra ig H ow ard (W· R); 6. Randa ll Berenan (H· D); 7. Ji m my H iguera II (W· R); 8. Jeff Russell (W· R ); 9. Perry Lang (H on ); 10. John Hl ebo III (Hon ); I I. Allen Auzenne (RlX); 12. T raper McDan iel (RlX). T ime: 3:51.66 JR t NVIT AT IO NAL: I. Allon McBee (1-1-0 ); 2. j eff Eklu nd (RlX); 3. jaime Agu ilar (W· R); 4. Cory Perra ult (W· R ); 5. Kevin Briker (Rtx ); 6. Don nie Hartell (W· R) ; 7. Ray mo nd Deega n (W·R);8. Ada m Sebedra (Yam); 9. Eric Green (W· R); 10. Woodrow Rod gers (R lX); I I. Ji m m y Sandie! (R tx): 12. Ron nie Brow n (Ya m). Timer 7:40.12/ 93.889 m ph . 7

• Cover