Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

B~~~!~-:-~-~-:-~~~-p-~-~v-~-e-ry-w-~-~---M---'-t---d-d-d-'--A-d---B--fi---'anv 1ems a e to amo ene tauction e both legs of the opening round of the course when he attempted to cross train England, on April 9. Falappa topped M Georgian Scott Russell (Kaw) in both 0\ legs which took place in the rain. Third 0\ place in the first leg went to England's M Brian Morrison (Kaw) while Italian ... Fabrizio Pirovano (Yam) finished third M in the second race. Californian Fred N Merkel (Yam) finished seventh in both _ races while Georgian Tripp Nobles • ~ (Hon) ended the day with a 10th-place finish in the first leg and a non-finish in ........ the second. Rocky Mountain Enduro Circuit, is survived by his wife Cecilia, parents William and Sharon, brother Douglas, two grandmothers and a grandfather. ~~~rsR~~:I~e~~r~0~7~d~Uf:;~~~ .3- Damon Huffman (Suz) w~ the big winner at the Spring Classic Nationals at Sunrise Valley Raceway in Adelanto, California, April 9. Huffman won and Kyle Lewis (Yam) finished second in both the 125 and 250cc Pro classes. Mike Metzger (Suz) was third in the 12Scc division, and Terry Parsons (Suz) finished third in the 250cc class. Team Hammer, Inc. has,withdrawn from American Motorcycle Racing Teams (AMRT), 'an organization of 10 race teams and three tire companies involved in road racing. A founding member of AMRT, Team Hammer com_ petes as Team Suzuki Endurance in endurance races and ~ Team Valvoline Suzuki in sprint races. In the press release announcing the withdrawal, Team Hammer's Vice President John Ulrich said, "1 had high hopes that AMRT would be a strong advocate for racers, a force for the betterment of the sport as a whole. But AMRT has been a huge disappointment to me and a waste of my time and Team Ha.rtm:\er's money. Instead of using the individual strengths of AMRT members to make the group stronger and more effective, AMRT President Malcolm Hill has frequently ignored members and instead sought input from non-members, repeatedly denying founding members a chance to, provide input in their areas of expertise. As demonstrated by the fiasco at the Phoenix AMA National, AMRT is mismanaged and disorganized with no contingency plans for dealing with at-track problems, and in the absence of AMRT initiative, riders at Phoenix took matters into their own hands. During the winter, AMRT should have been working hard to address safety concerns with the AMA and various track owners but instead didn't even send a member representative to look at Phoenix International Raceway or other race tracks that present safety concerns." Ulrich said that he felt AMRT has been "run by, and for the benefit of, a minority of members" instead of for the benefit of all members. "Hill has also broken clear, agreed-upon AMRT rules and procedures regarding the release of information, to the detriment of AMRT members who followed the 'letter of those rules and procedures. Under Hill's mismanagement, AMRT has avoided its potential and has become worthless in my eyes," Ulrich said. We called Hill's office following receipt of Team Hammer's press release on Monday, April 12, but Hill was unavailable for comment. 2 Burton Vickery, whose family owns Vickery Motorsports in Aurora, Colorado, was killed when struck by a train while competing in an off-road race, the Bartley Grand Prix, in Nebraska on Sunday, April 4. Vickery, 24, was a graduate student in cello performance and orchestra conducting at the University of Denver's Lamont School of Music. Last year he told the Denver Post he hoped to be "good enough to be a cellist in a major symphony orchestra." ~:~a~~:.t~i:~e~e: ~~~~o;>:~ Kawasaki has said "no way" to Jeff Ward returning to motorcycle racing in this year's AMA National Championship SOOcc MX Series. Ward, who announced his retirement from motorcycle racing and switch to car racing at the end of last season, said at the recent Dallas Supercross that he was considering taking part in the series because it consists of just four rounds. The multitime MX champ obviously didn't realize that two of the MX series rounds conflict with rounds of the IndyCar Series, in which Kawasaki-sponsOred Ward competes in Indy Lights cars. As reported earlier, immediately after selling ATK earlier this year, Ken Wilkes announced the formation of American Dirt Bike Inc. He tells us that he'll pay $100 to the person coming up with the best name for the company's new off-road bike. Entries can be mailed (5430 Union Pacific Ave., Commerce, CA 90022) or faxed (213/722-4795:) The deadline is May 1. American Dirt Bike says the new bike will feature a "radicalIy new frame and swingarrn design, 4057 WP Racing Suspension front fork, redesigned countershaft disc brake and a 600cc Rotax four-stroke engine." In the la,te arriving news department, the April 18 AHRMA Hap Jonesl Vintage Iron National Championship MX at northern California's Sandhill Ranch will feature a Past Masters race. Promoter Dick Mann says Jeff Smith, Barry Higgins, David Aldana, Doug Grant, Jim Hunter, Chuck Minert, Buck Murphy, Jim Pomeroy and Tom Rapp will compete in the race. You can also place this item under the la te banner: If you're headed to the Colorado River for the Southern California Harley-Davidson Dealers Association's 10th Annual River Run, you'll be able to catch the Victor McLaglen Motor Corps in action. The stunt and dri11 team that was formed by (in 1935) and named for the late Academy Award-winning movie actor, will perform on Friday, April 16, at 4 p.m. and on Saturday, April 17, at 4 p.m. Andreu Codina, the former world class trials rider who is now the export manager of the Spanish motorcycle manufacturer Gas-Gas, stopped by our offices the other day in the company of California trails enthusiast Martin Belair. Codina was in the U.S. to promote observed~ also "Gas-Gas and I want to do everything in our power to establish trials riding in the U.S.," Codina said. "The sport is growing by leaps and bounds in Europe, thanks to the popularity of indoor (stadium) trials. World Champion Jordi Tarres made· over $1 million last year and he gets $10,000 for appearance money at an indoor event." Cod ina said that in 1994 the World Championship Observed Trials Series will include rounds that combine indoor and outdoor sections. Another change will be a practice session that will allow competitors one shot at each section the day prior to the event. "That will eliminate everyone standing around viewing a difficult section for a long time the day of the trial," Belair said. While in America, Codina took part in a local trials event in northern California and won, picking up just one mark. The runner-up had over sq! "We have 'to get J During the last week, many items have been added to the impressive list of leathers, helmets, etc. that will be auctioned off via a silent auction presented by Cycle News and Laguna Seca Raceway to raise funds for the family of Jimmy Adamo, the road racer who suffered fatal injuries in the Daytona 200 last month. All proceeds from the auction, which will close at the end of the AMA National Championship Road Race Series meet at Laguna Seca on April 18, will go directly to Adamo's widow and two young children via the Jimmy Adamo Benefit Fund. Each of the donated items will go to the highest bidder and all the items will be on display at Laguna Seca Raceway during the April 16-18 National weekend. The items and their auction numbers are: 1. Wayne Rainey Team Marlboro Roberts Yamaha leathers, worn during the '92 GP season by the three-time World Champion. 2. Wayne Rainey Team Honda leatherS (both sets of leathers donated by Rainey). 3. Eddie Lawson Bell helmet, autographed by the four-time World Champion and worn by him during the 1984 GP season. 4. Eddie Lawson Dainese gloves, autographed, worn by Lawson during '84 season. 5. Eddie Lawson illustration by Hector Catamatori, signed by Lawson. 6. Randy Mamola HB International Suzuki leathers, circa 1983-84. 7. Randy Mamola AGV helmet, circa 1983-84. (Items #3 through #7 donated from the Pro Rider Benefit Fund by Dain Gingerelli.) 8. Two Brothers exhaust system for Honda CBR600 F-2, donated by Kevin and Craig Erion. 9. The Ducati Story, a softcover book in Italian by Bruno Ducati, autographed by Ducati. 10. Arai helmet, autographed by Team Honda's Supercross and National Champion Jeff Stanton, Jeremy McGrath, Doug Henry and Steve Lamson, donated by American Hondaline's Rick Mitchell. 11. Arai helmet, worn by Jimmy Adamo during 1981/82 season, donated by John Howe, formerly of Sea Cliff, New York. 12. Seat from the Harley-Davidson XR750 campaigned by Mark Brelsford to the 1972 Grand National Championship, donated by Modesto Honda/Kawasaki's Phil Ray. 13. Storz Performance steering damper kit for Ducati 881/888/900SS, donated by Steve Storz. 14. Bridgestone tires which can be seen and individually bid on at Bridgestone's booth during Laguna Seca race weekend. 15. Wayne Gardner Shoei helmet and pair of road racing boots worn by the 1987 World Champion during the 1986 season, donated by Marcel Fortney of CCI, Inc. 16. Rick Johnson "Too Hip" Simpson helmet and JT Racing gloves worn by the former National Champion MXer while member of Team Yamaha, donated by Kerry Carruthers. 17. Jeff Stanton Arai helmet, worn during '93 Camel Supercross Series and autographed by the Supercross Champion. 18. Guy Cooper Arai helmet, worn in '93 Camel Supercr~s Series and autographed. 19. Chris Carr Arai helmet, from '93 Grand National Championship season, plus a Number One plate, both items autographed by the Grand National Champion. 20. Ricky Graham Arai helmet, from '93 Grand National Championship season, autographed by the two-time Grand National Champion. 21. Colin Edwards Arai helmet in Vance & Hines colors, from '93 National Championship Superbike season, autographed. 22. Mike Smith Arai helmet, in Camel/ Commonwealth colors from '93 National Superbike season, autographed. 23. Doug Chandler Arai helmet, from '93 SOOcc Grand Prix season, autographed. 24. Kevin Schwantz Arai helmet, from '93 SOOcc Grand Prix season, autographed. 25. Danny Sullivan Arai helmet, as he will wear in '93 IndyCar se~on, autographed by the Indy 500 winner. 26. Nigel Mansell Arai helmet, worn during his '92 World Championship Formula 1 season, autographed by the World Champion. (Items 17 through 26 are courtesy of Bruce Porter and Arai Helmets; the last two items carry a minimum bid of $3000 each). 27. Ultimate Racers, a hardbound book featuring 40 chapters on the world's greatest road race Grand Prix motorcycles, donated by author Alan Cathcart and autographed by him. 28. Dale Singleton racing poster, donated by Spencer "Toot" Singleton, the brother of the late 1979-80 Daytona 200 winner. 29. Jim Filice #1 plate from 1991 championship AMA 250cc GP season, donated by Morris Murray and Filice, autographed by Filice. 30. Kerker exhaust system for Suzuki GSXR750, donated by SuperTrapp/Kerker. 31. SuperTrapp Slip-On for Honda CBR900RR, donated by SuperTrapp/Kerker. 32. CLASS Safety School one-day session, available at various locations, donated by Reg and Jason Pridmore. In addition to the items listed above, numerous photos and posters will on sale at the Jimmy Adamo Benefit Fund Silent Auction display at Laguna Seca. AM Photo's Mike Doran has made 50 posters of his Phoenix finish line shot of Doug Polen, Pascal Picotte and Scott 'Russell; they are, autographed and Doran will donate $1000 of the proceeds from their sale to the Adamo Benefit Fund. All items will be on display at Laguna Seca Raceway during the April 16-18 National weekend. To place a bid on any or all of these items, call Bill Spencer of Mountain View Distributing at 408/436-8228 or Mary Wright at Laguna Seca Raceway at 408/648-5116 (Fax 408/373-0533). Top bidders will be notified by phone and/or mail. Shipping charges will be the responsibility of successful bidders and bidders will be requested to write separate checks for those charges. young riders, BMX riders, interested in trials," Cod ina said. "The sport has become so technical that it can, also be appreciated by people who don't ride. That's the reason for its success on television in Europe. But without an American rider of note, like Bernie Schreiber in the late '70s, interest has waned here (in the U.S.). We will change that." If Codina can pull that off, Papa says he'll be referred to as Messiah Codina by the small but very loyal contingent of American trials enthusiasts. Andreu Codina ended his visit by riding and hopping a trials bike (don't tell anyone tha t it was a Montesa, not a GasGas) up the stairs from the parking garage to our second floor offices. A femme staff member who saw him crest the last flight of stairs, ran out and told him there was an access ramp on anoth- er side of the building. Codina smiled ana rode the bike back down the stairs. The FIM has tentatively approved the Sacramento Pacific International Trials Society (Sacramento PITS) hosting a U.S. round of the World Championship Observed Trials Series in 1994. The event site will be the Donner Ski Ranch in Norden, California, the same site where the 1982 U.S. round of the series took place. The specter of fuel injection remained as wispy at the Malaysian round of the World Championship Road Race Series as it had at the Australian round. By. now, the consensus of opinion was that HRC had used it in Australia, but were not using it for the Malaysian race. Evidence remained circumstantial and sketchy, while Honda kept their bikes

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