Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127561
e~w~~~~~~ e Cf') 0\ 0\ ~ (Kaw) and Mike Jones (Suz) were the big winners at rounds four and five of the AMA National Arenacross Series in Indianapolis, Indiana, February 5-6. Whitley scored the 250cc class win on Friday night and Reynard topped the division Saturday. Jones earned the wins both nights in the 125ee class. Two-time National Hare &< Hound Champion Danny Hamel (Kaw) won three classes at the Desert Vipers Adelanto Gran Prix in Adelanto, California, February fr7. Hamel scored wins in the Pro, Unclassified and 500cc Expert classes, while Ty Davis (Kaw) won the 125 and 250cc Expert classes. Larry Roeseler (Kaw) topped the Vet class. Aaron Hill (Hon) passed fellow dirt tracker and AMA Grand National Champion Chris Carr (Suz) on the final lap to win the 250cc class of the San Jose Endurothon in San Jose, California, February 7. John Tavis (Hon) won the Open class with Dan and Don Hart teaming up to win the 125cc class. Harley-Davidson, Inc. announced on February 3 that it has become a minority investor in a new company owned by motorcycle engineer and designer Erik Buell. The new company, Buell Motorcycle Company, will concentrate on product development and manufacturing a line of limited production, specialty motorcycles aimed at the sport custom niche market. Buell has been marketing Harley-Davidson-powered Buell sport bikes for several years under the Buell Motor Co. banner. "We'll back our existing product, but with the investment by Harley-Davidson we have formed an all-new company." Asked if he'd retain his present dealer network, Buell said, "Harley-Davidson • will handle the sales and distribution. I would imagine they'll place the product in their existing dealers which is basically what we have done." Design activity on the new company's product line will begin shortly, however production is not expected in the current calendar year. Jeffrey Bleustein, president and CEO of Harley's Motorcycle Division, said, "Our teaming with Erik Buell is truly a win-win situation. HarleyDavidson gets a share of Erik's ability to implement innovative design into motorcycles and their components and Erik gets capital needed to help his new venture succeed." Buell, a former employee of Harley and a former racer, will head the new company that bears his name. He is credited with the design of Harley's current anti-dive front suspension system and holds patents on several components used in limited prod uction motorcycles. ATK Motorcycles was purchased from Ken Wilkes by a Salt Lake City group of businessman headed by enthusiasts Dale and Frank White on February 6. Production of ATK motorcycles will resume in three to four weeks following a move from City of Commerce, California, to Salt Lake City, and a name change to ATK America. The new owners' plans include increased production of bikes, a greatly reduced time period between ordering and delivery of the bikes, and an increase in dealer communications and service. The Whites say that they and their staff, which includes Bjorn Elvin, a Swedish mechanical engineer who previously developed Husqvarna and Husaberg four-stroke motorcycles, are committed to improving existing models and developing "new, exciting, world-beating off-road motorcycles." Continental Two World Cham ions meet A 2 rue Company will be the rare photo opportunity occurred at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California, on Tuesday, February 2, when two World Champions met each other for the first time. Formula One World Champion Nigel Mansell of England was testing his new Newman/Haas Lola-Ford in preparation for the upcoming Indy Car season and threetime 500cc Motorcycle World Champion Wayne Rainey was back at his nearby new home after testing in Australia. As the two were introduced and shook hands, Rainey quipped, "Listen, pal. I live just up the hill over there and I want to know what all this noise is about." A few minutes later, Mansell introduced Rainey to the large number of journalists on hand for the test session. "They say we drivers are a bit off," Mansell said, "but at least I have four wheels, he's only got two." title sponsor of the new AMA 883 Grand National Series. The sponsorship provides a $22,000 point fund for the lo-race series that is made up of five TwinSport road races and five 883 National Dirt Track Series races contested by riders on slightly modified Harley-Davidson 883 Sportsters. "We're pleased that we could get involved with the new series and doubly pleased that we could establish a point fund that will reward the riders," Continental's Greg Tysor said. "We don't market tires for use in the series, but are pleased we can support a series that fields bikes we do make street tires for - the 883 HarleyDavidson." The Continental Tire 883 Grand National Series champion will receive $8883 and the remaining money will be paid out down through 10th place in the final point standings. Daytona Cycle Week will host the first two rounds of the series, a short track on March 5 and a road race on March 7. The series continues with a road race at Laguna Seca on April 18, a half mile race at West Virginia Motor Speedway on June 5, the Milwaukee Mile on June 9, a road race at Road America on June 13, half mile at Allen County Fairgrounds in Lima, Ohio, on June 26, half mile at Denver's Rocky Mountain Speedway on August 14, and a half mile at southern California's Pomona Fairplex on October 9. The concluding round is a road race on October 17, part of the annual AMA/CCS Daytona Race of Champions meet. To be eligible for the point fund money, competitors will be required to display Continental Tire stickers on their bike's fork legs and a Continental patch on their leathers during series races. TwinSport Champion Scott Zampach says that he can't meet that requirement. "I use Dunlop tires and I display Dunlop stickies on my bike's fork legs," Zampach said. "While I'd certainly like to share in the point fund, I've got to take care of the company that takes care of me. The way it stands Continental's fund is a contingency program rather than a rider point fund. I hope that can be changed." Road racers will be gunning for their share of the $236,000 in purse money that will be up for grabs in pavement events at Daytona International Speedway during Daytona Cycle Week. The Daytona 200 by Arai has a total purse of $161,000 which includes $4O,(J()() that will be paid out to the top 30 finishers in each of two Arai Twin 50 races ($20,(J()() per race). The rider earning the pole posi tion for the 200 will receive a limited edition Rolex Daytona watch and $1000. A 200 win is worth $16,500 including a $3150 Arai bonus, second pays $11,000 including a $2250 Alai bonus, and the third place finisher will receive $7600 including a $1650 Arai bonus. The International Lightweight GP race has a $30,000 purse, $6000 of which will go to the winner. The Harley-Davidson TwinSports road race has a $15,(J()() purse ($3000 for first), plus $10,000 will be distributed to the 10 riders who earn the most points in a combination of the 883 Production Dirt Track Race and the road race ($3500 to the top points earner). There will be two EBC Endurance Series races at Daytona; the first, a three-hour event, will take place on Sunday, February 28, as part of the AMA/CCS meet and will have a $5000 purse. The second series round will be the inaugural event utilizing the new split format where GTO and GTU classes run in separate races. The GTU event will be 60 minutes long, take place on Thursday, March 4, and has a $3500 purse; GTO will be 90 minutes long, take place on Friday, March 5, and offer a $6500 purse. The Daytona HP4 600cc SuperSport race is the only one of the series offering a purse, $15,000. A all other meets this class and the SuperSport class are supported by tingency awards. China will host its first-ever road race, combination car and motorcycle ra meet featuring drivers and riders wi Hong Kong competition licenses 0 March 6-7. More than 100,000 spectato are expected to attend the event and it' estimated that over 200 million will it live on TV. The racing will take p on a 2.5 mile street circuit in Zhuha City, which is located at the southern ti of China's Guangdong Province. Zh City is a 10 minute drive from Maca and 36 nautical miles from Hong KOng. Plans call for a permanent road rac course, the Zhuhai International Circuit to be built at a site 20 minutes north 0 the city. Construction, which will this June, is expected to be completed b the end of 1995. China plans to hos World Championship events there beginning in 1996. Riders and or teams looking to rent a garage at Daytona International Speedway dUring Camel Motorcycl Week, or looking for someone with a garage to share, should call Gary Van Voorhis at Daytona, 904/254-6729. Foreign entries for the March 7 Daytona 200 include Japan's Takahiro "Tiger'" Sohwa and Arkia Yanagawa, New Zealander Aaron Slight and Italy's Adriano Narducd. Although firm entries haven't been received yet, it looks as though the Team Motor Cycle News squad from England will include Steve Hislop on a Ducati, Brian Morrison on a Kawasaki and Mark Fanner on a Yamaha. Three more riders will be added to the list of Brit entries shortly. The list of major forces likely to do battle in the 250cc In terna tional Ughlweight lOOk on Friday, March 5, is headed by American's Jimmy Filice, Rich Oliver, Chris D'Aluisio and Canadian Jon Cornwell. They will be joined by Honda France teammates Regis Laconi and Oliver Jacque. 'fwo German and one Scottish rider round out the European contingent at this time with a trio of Venezuelan riders - Luis Lavado, Eduardo Aleman and Jose Rodriguez - also set to compete. Gary Bailey will again design the track for the March 6 running of the Daytona Supercross By Honda at Daytona International Speedway. Defending series champion Jeff Stanton will be going for his fifth consecutive Daytona SXwin. Team Light Speed will contest the WERA Pro Series and Northeast Regional road race events, with Barry Rompella, Dan Sabol Jr., and Chris Riener riding the team's Honda CBR900 and CBR600s. The bikes will be tuned by Chris Buck and Allan Burghardt. Pirelli has been named the official tire of both the Southern Enduro Riders Association (SERA) Enduro Series and the Florida Motocross Qub (FMC) MX Series. In addition, Pirelli will post and pay contingency to riders using Pirelli tires and finishing in the top six places in. all FMC and SERA-sanctioned events in 1993. All classes of competition will be eligible for the contingency certificates which will be redeemable at any participating Pirelli contingency dealer for the purchase of a Pirelli tire. Riders interested in more information and dealers who are interested in participating should callSOO/722-1108.