Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

e~ ~ ~ ! Pa~ :-o-~-m-~-a-~_e-'Y'-W-h-o-w-e-re-g-O-in-g-to-w-a-t-ch- -F-re-n-ch-C-a-na-di-'-an-p-as-c-a-I-p-ic-o-t -e-(D-Il-C-)- r-e-se-r-ve-d-p-ar-kin-'-g-,-an-d-a-d-nu-'S-S-io-n-t-o-a e C'lJ 0\ 0\ T"""4 ... 0\ OJ § ~ the Victors World Championship Superbike Series round in Albacete, Spain, on May 30, topping New Zealand's Aaron Slight (Kaw) and Italy's Piergiorgio Bontempi (Kaw) in the first leg and Georgian Scott Russell (Kaw) and Slight in tilt second race. While running second WIth just six laps remaining in the first leg, Russell went down when struck from behind by Giancarlo Falappa (Due). Despite not scoring in the first race, Russell took over the lead in the series point standings. Russell leads his teammate Slight, 81-79. Falappa is third with 75 points. Czech Jan Hrehor (Yam) scored the overall win at round three of the AMA National Championship Reliability Enduro Series at McArthur, Ohio, May 30. The runner-up was four-time National Enduro Champion Terry Cunningham (Kaw), while Steve Hatch (Suz), Tim Shephard (Yam) and Duane Conner (Hus) roUnded out the top five overall. Michael Barnes (Suz) topped both the Formula USA and F-il classes at the second round of the WERA Pro Series at Moroso Motorsports Park in West Palm Beach, Florida, on May 30. Barnes, who won both F-USA legs, beat Michael Martin (Suz) and Danny Wal.ker (Yam) , in the overall results. In F-I1 action, Barnes (Yam) topped Rich Oliver (Yam) and Chris D'Aluisio (Yam) in taking the victory. Marcello del Giudice (Hon) won the F-ill class at Moroso, beating Nancy Delgado (Hon) and Kevin Murray (Hon). D' Aluisio leads the WERA championships in both F-USA and F-I1. The New Englander holds a four-point lead over Walker in F-USA and a one-point lead over Oliver in F-il. Ricky Graham (Hon) was the 750cc class winner at the May 29 AMA Eastern Regional Championship Mile held at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois. Dave Durelle (H-D) finished second, and Kevin Atherton (H-D) was third. Graham also topped the Harley-Davidson 883 support class, over Robert Buffington and Steve Morehead. Jim Sumner (Rtx) topped Mike Hacker (Rtx) and James Hart (W'R) in the 600cc class, while Ken Coolbeth (W-R) won the Pro-Am class, edging Doug Beattie (Rtx) and Paul Morgan ill (Rtx). Dan Ingram suffered serious head injuries in a crash in a semi-final race at the May 31 Springfield Mile. Ingram was taken to St. Johns Hospital in Springfield and at presstime, Tuesday, June 1, remained in intensive care. Ingram suffered a large cut on the back of his skull and subsequent bleeding and swelling of the brain. According to Ingram's mother, Ingram was coherent and his progress was considered rapid by doctors on Tuesday, but it was too early to determine whether or not he incurred any permanent damage. Cards and letter may be sent to Ingram, c/o St. John's Hospital, ICU A-10, 800 E. Carpenter, Springfield, IL 62769. 2 Four-time Grand National Champion Scott Parker suffered a broken right wrist on May 22 while practicing on his backyard motocross track in Swartz Creek, Michigan. "I broke the navicular bone," said Parker, who went on to finish fifth a t the Springfield Mile. "It didn't slow me down a whole lot at Springfield, I could grip the throttle just fine. I was running second on the last lap, I just got beat." Because of the injury, Parker will not compete at the June 13 Peoria TT 600cc National as previously reported. "I want to apologize to me race there, but it would be a bad choice to go out and jar my wrist at a race that wasn't part of the Grand National Championship Series," said Parker. Many of the dirt track racers who were at Springfield, Illinois, over the Memorial Day weekend took part in the filming of a segment for the upcoming made-for-TV movie Ride The Wind that stars Craig T. Nelson, the star of the TV show Coach. The filming is under the direction of Peter Starr, who many will remember as the man behind the film Take It To The Limit. Also taking part in the behind the scenes action was former Grand National Champion Gene Romero. In winning the Springfield Mile, twotime Grand National Champion Ricky Graham earned his 27th career win, and is one victory away from tying Bart Markel for fourth on the aU-time win list. At Springfield, Graham enjoyed considerable success as he set the day's fastest qualifying time, won his heat, won the Camel Challenge and won the National. Additionally, Graham swept the timed qualifying sessions, heat races and main events in the 750 and HarleyDavidson 883 classes at the AMA Eastern Regional Championship Series meet at the lliinois State Fairgrounds two days before the Grand National race. "It was a very emotional weekend for me," said Graham. "Ronnie Jones had his dream race at the Oklahoma City Half Mile in '91 and I had my dream weekend here in Springfield. Nothing could have made my weekend any better, I felt like I couldn't make a wrong move. The Camel Challenge was the only race in which anyone passed me in all weekend long. All of the bad things that happened in the past seem so far behind me. I'm back, and I'm pumped:' In winning the May 23 Finnish 500cc MX GP, Husqvarna 663-mounted Jacky Martens became the first rider in 24 years to win a Grand Prix aboard a fourstroke motorcycle. Dave Nicoll, father of current 250cc Grand Prix competitor Kurt Nicoll, was the last rider to do so, scoring a win at the 1969 Luxembourg GP aboard a factory BSA. Martens' win was the 50th 500cc MX GP win for the Husqvarna factory, and the first since the factory moved from Sweden to Italy a few years ago. The Husky that Martens rode was still not fitted with the computerized ignition that the team has experimented with. According to Martens, he will most likely use the special ignition a t the June 6 Italian GP. "You haven't seen the best yet," said Martens. "We will test in Italy before the GP and should have the computerized ignition fitted for the race. It improved power all through the range." After winning the 1992 World Championship 500cc MX Series title, Belgian Georges Jobe retired from competition, but he now looks set to return to a<;tion in the final three rounds of this ,year's series. The 32-year-old five-time World Champion has already inked a deal to campaign a works Honda at the August 8 GP at Luxembourg, and is in the process of finalizing a deal for the following two rounds in Czechoslovakia and Switzerland. Multi-time 500cc World Champion David Thorpe crashed hard during practice at the Finnish GP and suffered a dislocated hip. "I lost control in the whoops and crashed hard," said the 30year-old. "It feeIs as if my hip will come out if I don't hold it in place." won the second round of the 1993 Motoplan-eastrol Canadian National Road Race Championship at Sanair International Speedway in Quebec, May 30. Picotte, who also won the first round of the series, beat Michael Taylor (Kaw) and Linnley Clarke (Yam). Reigning Canadian National Superbike Champion Steve Crevier (Kaw) crashed on the warm-up lap and suffered a concussion. ' hospitality area with closed-eircuit TV, plus a light lunch on Friday, breakfast and lunch on Saturday and Sunday, and beverages and refreshments from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Flagroom ticket purchasers will also receive a U.S. GP poster and pin. To order tickets by phone (Visa, MasterCard, Discover), call BOO/327-SECA. By mail, SCRAMP, P.O. Box SCRAMP, Monterey, CA 93942 (add $2 per order for handling). Tickets for the September 10-12 U.S. Grand Prix at Laguna Seca Raceway are now available by phone order, mail and at Bass/TM outlets in Wherehouse and Tower record stores in California. A three-day (Friday through Sunday) admission ticket is $65. A Frid~-only tic~t is $15, Saturday-only $20 and Sunday-only $45. The $275 Flagroom ticket provides the 'purchaser three-day admission, a reserved grandstand seat, While the ticket prices are in line with other major sporting events, perhaps even less, Papa questions the camping fees being charged for attendees who arrive at the U.S. GP at Laguna Seca on a motorcycle. A reserved three-night camp site permit costs $225 and it doesn't matter if you arrive at the track in a car or a motorhome or on a bike. One price for all. Same deal for the $60 per night regular (non-reserved) camp- First look: 1994 Kawasaki KX250 A prototype 1994 Kawasaki KX250 was spotted at the May 23 Commotion by the Ocean VI, held at Carlsbad Raceway in Carlsbad, California. The bike was ridden by Mike Preston of Kawasaki's research and development department, and he reported that it was very similar to the version that will hit dealership floors in the fall. "The motor's lower end is basically the same as last year's," said Preston, who raced the bike to a second-place finish in the Vet Pro class. "The top end is a little different, mostly in the power-valve timing." . Other changes include all-new plastic and a larger, gray-eolored airbox that incorporates the side panels and rear fender as its walls. Special handles are built into 'the side panels, and they double as air ducts into the airbox. "A big focus for this year was to get the bike to feel slimmer. The frames are new; so is the swingarm," said Preston. "A lot of people said that past KXs felt bulky and big. Next year's version is much thinner. The overall weight is down a few pounds, but I can't say how much lighter the production machines will be." The revised rear Kayaba shock was mated to a similarly revised upside-down Kayaba fork and, according to Preston, there is no chance that the production machines will be fitted with a conventional fork. The seat cover is purple with pink highlights, and the graphics scheme has yet to be chosen. "Basically, the whole bike is all new, " said Preston. "That saying about only the gas cap being the same is pretty close."

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