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/127593
GDIRTTRACK AMA Grand National Championship Series: Round 18 - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - -- -- - - - I Ricky Graham wrapped . up the Harley-Davidson 883 Dirt.Track Series with a win. over on the opening lap and led the first three laps past the start/ finish line. Meanwhile, Parker, Graham, Carr, Morehead, Hale , Durelle and Day filed in beh ind and formed what was perhaps the largest lead pack in recent memory. Though he appeared to ha ve a better line than the rest through turns three and four, Graham was not able to break away. Parker dropped off the pace between laps three and 10, dropping as far back as ninth before upp in g the pace and rejoining the front-runners. "I was a li ttle worr ied abo u t tire wear," said Parker. "So 1 laid back and cruised for a while. 1started to pick it up just before the halfw ay point." At the crossed flags, no clear leader had been established, and Graham, Carr and Parker repeatedly traded the po sition. While the top three jockeyed posi- tion s, Davis, Morehead, Durelle, Jon es a nd H ale did likewise onl y inches beh ind , keeping the lead pack eight-riders strong. " It was wild out there," said Hale. "There we r e so man y o f u s racin g around only a few inches apart. There was a bit of bumping and shoving, but th at' s to be expected at a race like this." While Hale expected the contac t, Jones seemed quite perturbed. "Morehead was out there bumping into eve ryone," said Jone s. "He would co me u nder you and turn his front w hee l in to you ..If you didn't back off, he'd wipe your handlebars out from under you." When questioned about Jones' rough riding accusations, Morehead look su rprised. "I was riding rough? Jones came down on me when 1 was going past and laid his bars on me. I wasn't bumping anyone on purpose. That 'sthe only incid ent 1can remember." In the closing lap s, it looked set to be a sh owdown between Graham, Parker and Carr, as they alone controlled the lead for the last five laps of the race. All three riders appeared evenly matched, as pa ss ing occurred on both straights an d in all Iou r turns. As they raced towards the white flag, G ra ha m led Carr and Parker, but Morehead sud d enly found traction as he raced out of tum four and jumped righ t into the thick of things, passing Parker for third. " I d idn't come here to decide any cha m p io nsh ip s," Morehead sai d . "I came here to make some money for myself, not to w orry about ge tting between Chris and Ricky." Morehead carried his momentum past both Ca rr and Graham as they raced in to tum one for the last time, and both riders were shocked to see him . "When 1 saw Morehead there I knew it was all ove r," said Carr. "He caught me tot ally off guard, 1 thought it was just me, Scotty and Ricky." "When Steve went past us 1 thought, 'Oh, boy, that's the best thing that could happen,'" Graham said. "I figured that I would get in line behind him down the back st ra ight and hold the other guys up." And that's just what Graham d id : .Down the back s traigh t, Graham held back and forced Carr and Parker to get in line. It wasn't until turn three that Graham made the pass, and by that time it was too late for Carr and Parker to get a run at him. "I buried it into turn three harder than I ever have," said Graham. "Then I just pinned it out of four and hoped that no one wou ld d raft me." Morehead trailed Graham but lacked the d rive needed to get by, but at the same time, Parker found the momentum needed to . slipstream past Carr just before the finish line. Graham enjoyed a bike-length lead over Morehead, who crossed the fini sh line virtually sid e by sid e w ith Par ker and Carr. "All of the electricity left my body," said Carr. "I thought I had a good chance to w in th is race, but I just got screwed up in the end: I don 't know what it is about this race track, I gu ess I Professional riderdepicted during closed-course event Do notattemptthese maneuvers. Dress prope rlyfor yourride wrth ~ helmet•.ey eprotection. long-sieevedshirt longtrousers. glov . esand boots.Yamaha and theMo torcycleSafely Foundationencourageyou toride sa fely and respect the environment. For further IntonnatlOn regarding theMSF flder course.pleasecall 1-800-447-47 Do notdnnkand fide. It IS Illegal and dang 00. erous. SpeCificatIOns subjectto cha ngewithout notice. ~1 993 't.lInahaMotor Corporation. U.SA (~ )'Press. CA 9(630) - 12 •