Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

eINTHEWIND e Kohji Ohkawara suffered a dislocated right wrist and a broken left forearm in a hea t race crash a t the Las Vegas Supercross. The Yamaha factory rider lost.traction just as he was attempting to clear a triple jump and landed ~hort on the face of the third jump. According to former supercross racer Jim Holley, who has been providing lodging for Ohkawara in California, the 19-year-old rider left for Japan Monday, June 14, to have the broken arm set and pinned by his personal physician. "He's doing okay, but he can't do anything right now," said Holley. "Both his arms are in casts from his knuckles to his armpits." Holley accompanied Ohkawara on the flight to Japan and will return home on Friday June 18 to attend the AMA National Championship 125/250cc MX Series round in Sacramento, California, June 20. Suzuki support rider Mike Metzger had a. tough weekend at Las Vegas. In Friday's practice session, Metzger landed short over a long triple jump, hitting his chin on the crossbar and opening up a'laceration that required stitches. Metzger had actually cleared the obstacle on his previous attempt, and was the only 125cc rider to do so. In Saturday's practice, after clearing a jump Scott Myers landed on Metzger, banging him up bad enough that he opted to sit out the rest of the night. Metzger plans to return for next week's National 125cc MX at Sacramento. By pulling off the win in the last chance qualifier, Mike Fisher qualified for the main event for the first time this year at Las Vegas. After reaching an agreement with Kawasaki that has him concentrating on test riding, Fisher only contested the final three rounds of the series. Fisher got a strong start in the main and was running as high as sixth before his chain derailed with five laps remaining. using a nearly horizontal shock position. One side of the swingarm features a triangulated section, to which the bottom of the shock mounts. To lower the center of gravity, the Avenger will utilize the engine as an integral part of the frame, and will also sport a low-slung fuel tank. The 10th Annual Ride for Kids in Atlanta, Georgia, took place on Sunday, June 13 and over 2100 motorcyclists took part in the ride. A parade of bikes 17 miles long wound its way from an Atlanta shopping center to the mountain town of Helen. The ride raised $157,900 for pediatric brain tumor research. The Southeastern Sportbike Association is conducti1"\g an open practice day at Road Atlanta on Saturday, July 10. There will be sessions for different skill levels ranging from street riders to pro road racers. For professional racers, the practice day can serve as a warmup for the following weekend's AMA National Championship Road Race Series round. Space is limited and pre-registration is mandatory. For more information or to register, calI 404/984-2606. The official race headquarters for the June 19 Dallas Half Mile, a round of the AMA Grand National Championship Series, has been changed to the Holiday Inn LBJ Northeast. A special $39 room rate is available to those who mention the races. To make a reservation, call 214/341-5400. A man has been passing himself off as 1975 AMA Grand National Champion Gary Scott in the Little Rock, Arkansas, area. "I've been told he knows a lot about me and is more often than not right about my racing history," said Scott, "but he's also made mistakes like telling people he, meaning me, never wore a full-face helmet and that my brother Hank is dead." Spread the word, folks, the real Gary Scott is not living in the Little Rock area and Hank Scott is alive and well. According to a Husaberg technician, the factory team has been testing a fuel injection system on its 500cc GP class MXer, and is considering having Belgian Joel Smets race with it at the Dutch 500cc MX GP on July 18. Meanwhile, 500cc points leader Jacky Martens still has not raced with the computerized ignition he has been testing on his factory Husqvarna four-stroke. Bob Hannah will be the featured guest instructor at the Tony D Motocross Schools in Millville, Minnesota, on July 13-14 and at Clifford, P.ennsylvania, on July 19-22. For more information, call 410/676-8234. Speaking of exotic four-strokes, American Dirt Bikes, previous owners of ATK, says they are making good progress on their new Rotax-powered thumper, which will be called the "Avenger." The bike will boast a low seat height, which was achie~ed by Former MXer Jeff Hicks will also be a guest instructor at the Bob Hannah MX Racing School at Washougal MX Park, in Washougal, Washington, July 12-13. Both Hicks and Hannah will be the instructors at the two-day event, and there are still a limited number of "seats" available for the school. Hannah will also be attending and signing autographs at the Scott USA Day MX at Washougal on Sunday, July 11. For more information, call 206/695-9221. In conjunction with the June 20 25th Anniversary Hangtown Motocross Classic, a round of the AMA National Championship 125/25Occ MX Series, the Dirt Diggers M.e. will host a full program of amateur MX the day before the National at the Prairie City SVRA Park in Sacramento, California. Amateurs get a chance to ride on the same track that the pros will contest the National on the following day. Registration for the Saturday, June 19, amateur MX will be conducted on Friday from 12 noon to 10 p.m. We're told that former World Champion Brad Lackey, who rode the original event 25 years ago, will compete in the amateur MX on Saturday. There will be no, repeat no race day signups. Both the amateur and National races will be conducted on a new track that was designed by AMA Referee Ron Crandall. The June 20 AHRMA SoCal MX Series round at Glen Helen OHV Park in San Bernardino, California, will be held on the same course as tbe AHRMA Vintage Iron National at Glen Helen on July 31, giving vintage MXers a chance to cut some hot laps on the course prior to the National. For more information, call 714/897-8265. Wilderness Society president and Department of Interior (DOl) appointee George Frampton appears to be in trouble. His confirmation to be Assistant Secretary of Interior for Fish, Wildlife and Parks is now on hold because he may have broken the law while working as a consultant to the DOl. This may be the perfect chance to stop his nomination. Call both your senators at 202/2243121, and request that they vote against the confirmation of Frampton because of his stand against off-road recreation. The AMA National Championship Road Race round scheduled for Atlanta Motor Speedway in Atlanta, Georgia, on October 2-3 has been cancelled, according to the AMA. No race will be held in it's place, making the championship a 10-round series rather than the ll-rounds originally planned. I Veteran road racer Randy Renfrow underwent knee surgery on his left knee following the Charlotte Motor Speedway round of the AMA National Championship Road Race Series on May 2. Renfrow was back in action, ~ ~ SUBSCRIPTION ORDER FORM Name _ Address City _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ State _ _ Zip Order Date _ Please start my subscription to Cycle News: o Every week for one year (50 issues) for $35.00 (can be billed 3 monthly payments) o Every w~ek for two years (100 issues) for $65.00 o Six months second class (25 issues) for $18.00 2 .One year (50 issues), 2nd class Canada or Mexico and all other foreign countries $75.00 (U.S. funds). First class and airmail rates available upon request. though still a bit sore, at Road America on June 12-13, riding his Camel-sponsored Honda CBR600 to a sixth-place finish in the AMA/CCS 600cc Supersport class and a Ducati 888 to ninth in the Superbike National. It was the Virginian's first-ever ride aboard a Ducati: "Man alive this is not what I expected," Renfrow said after qualifying 12th. "It's easy to ride, but when you're trying to go fast it's like anything else. It's not perfect. It feels funny - real light in the middle of the corners. But it's potentially the best package I've ever ridden. I did a 2:22 (two-minutes, 22-seconds) lap with only part of the practice session and parts of both qualifying sessions. We changed one tire and moved the footpegs - that's it. It's real accurate. It goes where you point it, but it's not real secure in the middle of the corners. But it still goes where you point it." Glen Campbell has replaced Penny Nicolai as the AMA's public relations field rep. Campbell (not the singer) attended his first-ever motorcycle race on June 12-13, the AMA National Championship Road Race Series round at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Most of the motorcycling press in attendance at Road Amerca were surprised that longtime AMA/ CCS press-room guru Pat Murphy was not chosen by the AMA to replace Nicolai. Murphy said he sent a proposal to the AMA, but was turned down. Campbell worked with AMA vice president Dick Maxwell when Maxwell was with Chrysler's racing department. For the second time this season, Camel Honda's Mike Smith was knocked out of an AMA Superbike National with a broken clutch on his Honda RC30. Smith, who was forced out of the Daytona 200 on the very first lap with a clutch problem, had more clutch problems at Road America. "The tall gearing is what kills them," Camel Honda crew chief Ray Plumb said. "We'll be okay at Loudon (June 20), but something's going to have to change. They're very marginal." BORN: Alexis Dianne Mitchell, daughter of Cycle News advertising account manager Mark Mitchell and his wife Sandra; in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 5. CORRECTION: In our San Jose Supercross coverage, we reported that Ray Crumb was running among the leaders in the 125cc feature before crashing late in the race. Crumb wanted it to be known that he did not crash, but that the crank in his bike broke. eN SUhscrihe NoW and Save 65'};,! o ~v(·t'/dy This is a 0 New Subscription So issu('s for only o Renewal S3S.0(} o Please bill me o Bill 3 payments of $11.67 o Enclosed is my check or money order Charge my 0 Visa 0 Mastercard • ~ Signature _ MC/Visa# _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Expiration Date Send to: \ ([lID~, Inc. P.O. Box 498, Long Beach, CA 90801-

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