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/127563
be going even faster - so maybe Eddie
will be stepping into a movmg train.
Are you disappointed to be racing here
in the AMA rather than in Europe?
I'm back here and I'm happy to be back
. here. The only difference is that I woUld
still like to go back there and show what
I can do. Then after that, I don't care.
The caliber of racing is really good here;
it will put me in good shape if I go back
there in '94.
This season will see a Kawasaki with
number 17 on it again. It's the same
brand of bike and the same number
that your father used in the '70s. Did
you plan it this way?
It was an option that opened up to us
because Scott (Russell) had the number
last year and now he has the number
one plate. I wasn't sure if I should take it
or not because people will probably confuse me with Scott. Finally, we just said,
'Yeah.' After all, it's more my number
than it is his. The other number would
have been 97. It's nice having jt with
Kawasaki and stuff because of my dad.
Hopefully, it will spark some speed and
bring some interest.
The ultimate goal for you is obviously
the AMA Superbike National
Championship. Is it 'within your
reach?
Rob Muzzy hired me thinking I could
do the job. I know the bike has the
potential - I just have to get it to handle
better for me. This track (Phoenix
International Raceway) is really different because it's really bumpy. If we can
get it working here, then Daytona
should be really good. I think I can be in
contention for the championship. I
would like to see myself in there, but
you never know. I feel pretty confident
with the team and motorcycle that we
have. It's a long series, so we'll play it
that way.
You were fast when you left here at the
end of 1991, so we don't e?cpect you to
be anything but faster after a season of
GP racing, Will the experience gained
in Europe help you here?
I think the experience will help me. For
one thing last year was a frustrating
year, so this year I am looking forward
to going fast on a bike I can make work.
I want to do what I can do, and that's go
fast. Every time I start to go fast, I end
up ge.tting shaked around suspensionwise, but we're doing some changes that
will make it better. The superbikes are
really getting good. They're getting a lot
of power from them; they're getting
lighter. It's not like the old superbikes of
five and six years ago - they are really
performing well right now and the step
from GPs to superbikes isn't that 'big
anymore. In fact, the Kawasaki I've got
now is. a better handling bike than the
Yamaha 500 I had last year. I probably
couldn't make the first corner here on
that bike without ending up on the
grass. That thing just didn't want to
turn.
You will. also chase the AMAlCCS
600cc crown this year. Does jumping
back and forth between the 600 and the
superbike present a problem?
The only problem with switching
between both bikes is the first few laps.
It takes about three laps because I
downshift the 600 too fast because it
doesn't haVe the anti-slipping clutch the
superbike has. And then you think,
'Hey, how come it's not passing 13,500
(rpm): but it only goes to 12,000.
Sometimes it's the other way around.
But you get used to it.
Miguel DuHamel picked up where he left
off ~in 1991 in the AMA/CCS 600cc
Supersport Series opener on February 15,
winning the Phoenix round on his first ride
aboard the Kawasaki. In the Superbike race,
DuHamel finished fifth, giving him 26
points and a good start in the '93 AMA
Superbike National Championship... Editor.
Get With The Program!
III
:e-:
.
SPECTRO ANN·OUNCES
"SPECTRO GOLD" CONTINGENCY PROGRAM
-
III
:e-:
-
Continuing in the tradition of supporting motorcycle racing at the "grass roots' level, Spectro will be offering racers contingency awards totaling more than $50,000 in 1993. Winners in the races listed below, who have used Spectra oil
exclusively and who follow the program rules will be eligible for the listed awards.
0.1(, RfiCERS, ITS TIME TO GET WITH THE PROGRfiM fittD Witt WITH SPECTRO!
ANA ALUGATQR ENDURO - $400 -I CLASS "OVERALL"
3rd - $5O.DO
2nd - $1 DO.DO
1st - $250.00
AMA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ROADRACING SERIES - $36,000
5 Classes (600 cc Supersport, 7SOcc Superspott,
Endurance GTO, Endurance GTU. Hartey-Oavldson U.S. Twins)
1st· $25O.DO
"
3rd-$50.oo
2nd· $100.00
2113-14
Phoenix, f¥.
313-7
Daytona. FL
4/17-18
Monterey, CA
511-2
Charlotte NC
61S'
Milwaukee, WI
6112-13
Elkhart, WI
6119-20
Loudon, NH
7117·18
Braselton, GA
7/3-811
Brainerd, MN
8/7-8
Lexington, OH
8I28-2S
Sonoma, CA
10/17'
Daytona, FL
-Harley-Davidson Twir- onfY."
512
5/23
811
818
SIS
10/31
Coalinga, CA
Maxeys. GA
Weilston.OH
Navarro, CA
Perkinston, MS
Teiler City, CO
Lansing, MI
New Waverly, TX
Bear. DE
3121
Radiz. KY
Hurricane Mills, TN
Redding. CA
HooI