Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

e~~":~~~~G~~Pa~-a-c~-m-:-:tin-l-:" Y'- ag-am-'-s-t-s-o-m-e-o-n-e-s-o-r-ec- - nu-·d- -A-t1-anti-'c-ar-ea-to -k-p-ar-t-in-th-e-rec-e-n-t- -pr-o-gr-am- fo-r-(-~-e-n-e-x-t-ro-un-d-)'-"-M-ar-tense Rumor has it that Jeff Ward had a heart-to-heart talk with Reynard, which played a major role in the youngster's decision to remain with Kawasaki for the first three years of his professional career. With Honda's Jeremy McGrath having clinched the Camel Supercross Series title with two rounds remaining, and teammate Doug Henry having sewed up the 125cc Eastern Regional crown two rounds earlier, the only supercross championship left to be decided is that of the western region. Following the Pasadena round, Team Splitfire/Hot Wheels Pro Circuit's Jimmy Gaddis leads Suzuki's Phil Lawrence by just five points. Lawrence finished second to teammate Damon Huffman at Pasadena, one position in front of Gaddis. Though Lawrence can steal the title if he wins the last two rounds, his chances would have been even better with a win at Pasadena. Huffman apparently wasn't interested in participating in team tactics, however. In the early part of the season, Lawrence put a couple of aggressive passes on his teammate, which may have been a factor in Huffman's decision not to slow down. 'Tve been hearing a lot of people griping about the way I was riding in the early part of the season," said Lawrence following his win in the first heat race at. Pasadena. "If they don't like it, then they don't have to ride with me." In the main, Huffman didn't. Kawasaki support rider Mike Fisher competed in his first supercross of the year at Pasadena. Fisher, who rode for KTM the previous two years, failed to qualify for the main event. With Jeremy McGrath winning the 1993 Camel Supercross title, Honda riders have n\>w earned the prestigious number one plate for six straight years. In addition, the title has gone to a Team Honda rider for 10 of the last 11 years, with Team Kawasaki's Jeff Ward breaking the streak in 1985. If you plan on competing in the June 5 AHRMA Vintage Dirt Track National at Lembo Park in Modena, New York, be advised that you must run mufflers and meet a 102 dB/A limit. The noise restrictions apply to both two- and fourstroke bikes. For more information, call Ray or Della Malley at 914/427-2248. The June 12 American Historical Racing Motorcycle Association meet at Seattle International Raceway will feature the debut of Sound of Singles (50S) and Battle of Twins (BOT) races under the AHRMA banner. Both 50S and BOT classes will get their own N a lional series next year. "We have been expecting big things from 50S and BOT racing ever since we began developing rules late last year," AHRMA Executive Director Jeff Smith said. "But we've been surprised by the tremendous interest being shown toward these classes. Seattle will mark a new chapter in motorcycle racing history:' 2 Road racer Nancy Delgado blasted to a win in her lawnmower racing debut in Atlanta recently. She topped David Justice of the Atlanta Braves in what was described as a "somewhat fast and exciting race:' Although Delgado isn't quite ready to trade in her Power Barsponsored Formula I1 Grand Prix bike for a Snapper riding lawnmower, she said she enjoyed taking part in the race that was featured on justice's weekly radio program. "Dave was relentless, but I had him beat from the start," Delgado said. "It was really exciting to ognized. He's not only an outstanding ball player, he's a ton of fun." Delgado was on the show to promote the May 14-16 WERA Michelin Road .Atlanta Nationals. Grand National Champion Chris Carr and four-time Grand National Champion Scott Parker will compete in the Peoria 600 National Championship TT at the Peoria M.e. clubgrounds in Peoria, illinois, on Sunday, June 13, the day after the Harley-Davidson 90th anniversary celebration in not-so-distant Milwaukee. That'll give Harley fans a shot at stretching out their celebrating another day. The AMA has called on the federal govemment to fund a new comprehensive study of motorcycle accidents. The appeal came in a hearing before a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee to analyze the effects of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Act (ISTEA), adopted late in 1991. In testimony before the House Subcommittee on Surface -Transportation, AMA Washington Representative Jim Bensberg pointed out that it has been more than a decade since extensive research had been conducted on motorcycle accidents. He called on legislators to shift funding into this area from other programs that deal entirely with the issue of mandatory helmet-use laws. The last in-depth study on the causes of motorcycle accidents was carried out in the 19705 by the University of Southern California Traffic Safety Center. That study, organized by Professor Harry Hurt, included a comprehensive analysis of 900 motorcycle accidents. The findings of the study are still being used extensively in designing motorcycle safety programs. The hearing also gave the AMA an opportunity to testify on a wide range of issues passed as part of ISTEA, from motorcycle safety funding to High Occupancy Vehicle lanes. In addition, the AMA , along with the Motorcycle Riders Foundation and ABATE of California, argued against language in the current law that proposes penalties for states that don't pass mandatory helmet laws. The AMA's testimony and the concerns raised by the other motorcyclist groups had an impact, especially on West Virginia Rep. Nick Joe Rahall, chairman of the Surface Transportation Committee. Referring to the helmet law provision in the highway act, Rahall stated, "It seems like a cruel hoax is being perpetrated up on the motorcycle public. First we have an incentive grants program that is really a disincentive...then under a blackmail regime, we try to force states to enact helmet laws, but place the burden on motorcycle rid. ers themselves as to what constitutes a legal helmet. I have no love for this program. It smacks of Big Brotherism:' The Laguna Seca OHV Park motocross track is now open for"casual riding" on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. For more information on riding at the park, call Monterey County at 408/7554899. The Coalition for the Reopening of the Laguna Seca OHV Park is working with Monterey County on allowing promoters to hold races at the facility. More information will be forthcoming ASAP. Interested promoters may contact Matt Rohr at 408/394-0740 from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. Please do not call county officials with requests to promote races at the facility. Over 2800 motorcyclists from across the Ride For Live VI that was sponsored by the Eastern Harley-Davidson Dealers Association to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Participants in the ride raised $296,590. The top fund raiser was Tom Jacknowitz of Wrightstown, New Jersey, representing Brian's H-D, who raised $8400. Randy Texter, president of the dealer's organization, announced that of the 41 motorcycle dealers and club who participated, the top fund-raising dealership award was presented to Schaeffer's H-D of Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania, for raising $35,027. Pete Giammalvo of Sideways Promotions - promoter of the New England Dirt Track Series, tells Papa that eastern New York and New Hampshire, combined, will play host to 33 dirt track races this season. Even though the tracks are in AMA District 1 and District 3, the schedule has been drawn up so that. there are no date conflicts. The New England Series consists of 11 races at three different tracks in New"Hampshire, including three races during the annual Loudon road race week, while the New York races will take place at the Square Deal Riders and Electric City Riders facilities, and at Lembo Lake Park. All the tracks are within seven hours drive time of each other. Giammalvo stresses the importance of competitors making sure they're up to date on the sound requirements of the different venues. For informalion on District 1 races, call Giammalvo at 508/874-1732; for District 3 information, call Ray Malley at 914/427-2248. Husaberg rider Joel Smets was in action at the 500cc MX GP in Sittendorf, Austria, May 9, despite the fact that the Belgian had broken his ankle a t the opening round in England in early April. Smets rode with a metal plate in his ankle, and finished third overall. Smets wasn't as successfull at round four, held May 16 in Nykoping, Sweden, but still managed a fifth-overall placing. Swede Marcus Hansson, who was considered to be a preseason favorite to win the 500cc MX World Championship, was unable to make it to the Austrian GP due to a strange virus. The virus had been troubling Hansson for more than a month, and doctors had trouble diagnosing the cause. Hansson was said to be exhausted by the slightest physical exertion, and slept up to 20 hours a day. The extra sleep must have done Hansson good, as he stormed to a pair of moto wins and second overall at last weekend's Swedish 500cc GP. Finn Pekka Vehkonen is another European 500cc rider who is having trouble with siclcness, though his malady is reportedly caused by an iron deficiency. Vehkonen rode in Austria, where he showed good speed, but he didn't have the endurance to post a good finish. His performances improved in Sweden, though, where he finished 12th overall. Jacky Martens arrived at the Austrian 500cc MX GP with a computerized electronic ignition fitted to his spare factory four-stroke Husqvama that he rode in practice. The ignition was provided by the Ducati part of the Cagiva group, and is similar to the units used on their world-beating superbike road racers. "We just got it last week," explained Martens' mechanic Graham Kent. "It's dialed in from a lap-top computer. We have been promised the computer and a added, "Initial tests at the factory have been very impressive, but I need to score points here, and it would be too big a risk to race with the system (too early)." The development department at Husqvarna has also been hard at work, and the already-fast 57Sec motor used for round one has now been replaced by a long-stroke 633cc powerplant. The Husky is now down to 231 pounds, just six and a half pounds above the legal limit for the class, and the equivalent of a good Honda. Extensive use of titanium, including in such parts as the shock spring and the brake discs, is making the difference. Also, the Marzocchi fork has been replaced by a factory Showa inverted unit, which is rumored to be over two pounds lighter and to sell for a cool $12,000. Martens' results suffered in Austria when he was hit in the face by a rock. Preliminary reports from the Swedish GP do not indicate whether or not the computerized electronic ignition was used there. Martens finished sixth overall in Sweden. Where's Bryan Folks, the son of Best in the Desert's Casey Folks, been recently? The younger Folks, who was a top-level desert racer in the 125cc class a few years ago, has been living in Albino, Italy, since September, where he works at Acerbis Italia. Folks recently signed a deal with Farioli KTM, which will see him contesting the Italian National Championship 125cc MX Series. Folks will also compete in select rounds of the World Championship 12Sec MX Series, and hopes to contest the entire circuit in 1994. According to Acerbis Adventure, several top European rally riders, including Stephane Peterhansel, John Hedricks, Thierry Charbonnier, Jordi Arcarons, Davide Trolli and Angelo Cavandoli, are planning on competing in the Nevada Rally this August, and are seeking aftermarket companies to provide a support vehicle with mechanic and tqols. If you are interested in sponsoring a top rider in an international event, call Bill Berroth at 619/562-1440. MARRIED: Cycle News Associate Editor Kit Palmer and Theresa Wheelock, on May 15 in Redlands, California. The couple honeymooned in Belize. FORMED: Trophies of the Gods, an awards manufacturing firm, by Mark Long, former parts manager of La Habra (California) Suzuki. The new company is located at 1019 W. 1st St., San Pedro, CA 90731; 310/832-8450. HIRED: Lee Parks as editor of Motorcycle Froduct News magazine, replacing Bob Jackson who has been promoted to associate publisher. Parks, who competes in WERA Pro Seri~ road race events, was formerly associate editor at Motorcyclist magazine. PROMOTED: Tim Buck, by DG Performance to vice president of marketing and sales. Buck has been with the firm for 13 years and has been marketing manager for the past three years. PROMOTED: Steve Skibel, by DG Performance to distributor accounts executive. Skibel has worked in the firm's sales department since April 1991. OPENED: Rocket Rex Racing Race Tech Center, offering suspension and motor service, bike repair, race bike prep and motocross instruction, by Rex Staten at 10001 Choiceana Ave., Hesperia, CA 92345; 619/247-7486. c:N

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