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/127607
- - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - v ICES 0 INSIDE FEATURES 1994 Yamaha FZR1000 48 LOOKING BACK INTERVIEWS Cycle News Rider of th e Year Thirty years of Cycle News Ricky Graham 6 Three-time World Champion W ayne Rainey 10 AMA Su percross Champion Jeremy McGrath 14 World Sup erb ike Champion Scott Russell 18 AMA Superbik e National Champion Doug Polen 22 National Hare & Hound Champion Danny Hamel 24 500cc World Champion Kevin Schwantz 32 MXer Mike Craig 34 G rand Na tional Cross Country Champion Fred Andrews 38 Two-time World Superbike Champion Fred Merkel .50 TESTS 5Iiocc MX Shootout 1994 Yamaha YZl25 1994 Honda RC45 28 42 46 54 OFF ROAD Davis does it in Laughlin' Hare Scramble .56 ARENACROSS Gad dis guns 'em down at Rockford Arena cross ,.: 62 SUPERCROSS Larry Ward wins; Cooper'clinches title a t Geneva SX 66 For a comple te interview wi th Wa yn e Rainey, please seepage W...Editor. . DEPARTMENTS 12 EVENTS RESui TS 74 86 CALENDAR WANT ADS .88 91 America's weekly motorcycle newspaper Volume XXX Sharon Clayton, President Michael Klinger, Publisher Advertising Terry Pratt, National Accounts Manager Mark Thome, Western Sales Manager Thomas Gonter, Western Sales Manager Forrest Hayashi, Western Sales Manager Mark Mitchell, Eastern Accounts Manager Greg Mitchell, Eastern Sales Manager Rid Matheny, Eastern SalesManager Rhonda Crawford, Western Ad Coordinator Carla Allen, Eastern Ad Coordinator Marketin g &: Promotion Mark Thome, Manager Dealer Sales Toni Kerr, Dealer Representative Cittulation Rheba Smith, Manager Alma Anguiano, Processing Coordinator Pam Klein, BillingCoordinator Carol Begovic, Dealer Coordinator Missy Pierson, Data Entry Coordinator Service and Support Chris Aitcheson, HeadquartersReceptionist Leonard Herring, Serv andSupport ice Eastern Office 4190 First Ave., Tucker, GA, 30084 ; mailing address P.O. Box 805, Tucker, GA 3lXl85-0805. (404) 934-7850. FAX(404) 934-3112 Cycl News (USPS 141-340) is published weekly except the last two weeks of the calendar year for $50.00 e per yearby Cycle News, Inc., 2201 Cherry Avenue, Long Beach, CA90806. Second classpostage paid at Long Beach, CA. CanadaPostInternational PublicationsMail #546615. POSTMASTER: Send addresschanges to CycleNews,P.O. Bo x498, Long Beach, CA 90801-0498. To determinethe expiration date of yoursubscription, checkthe four numbers on the first line of your address label.The first two digits indicatethe last issue number you'll receive and the last two characters indicatethe year of the last issue. SubScription rates: Rates for the United States and its possessions for one year, (SO issues), $50.00; two years (100 issues), $95.00; six months, (25 issues), $26.00; trial sub (15 issues), $19.00. Canada and Foreign, ; one year (SO issues), $90.00; two years (100 issues), $175.00; six months (25 issues), $45.00 trial sub (15 issues), $38.00 . Cycle News welcomes unsolicited editorial material including stories, cartoons, photos, etc. Such materi al, if published, becomes the exclusive propertyof Cycle News. Such accepted material is subject to revision as is necessary in thesolediscretion of Cycle News. Unsolicited material which is not used will be returned if accompanied by a selfaddressed stampedenvelope. All unsolicited material willbe handled with reasonable care, however, Cycle Newsassumes no responsibilityfor the safety, lossor damage to such material. RePrinting in wholeor part onlyby pennission of the publisher. Advertising ratesand circulation information willbe sentupon request. SeeS.R.D.S. WftPA ~dJffTlON 4 Printed in U.S.A. CDpyright" CycleNe.... Inc.1993. rnd....'" Cycle Now. registeted U.s. Palent Office. All righll reserved. . Congratulations EDITOR'S MEGAPHONE .Ricky Graham, Cycle News Rid er of the Year. Photo by Kinney Jones. National Headquarters 2201 Cherry Ave., Long Beach, CA 90806 , P.O. Box 498, Long Beach, CA 9080}-()498 (310) 427-7433; (213) 636-8844. FAX(310)427-6685 I know it's b een awhile since my accident, b ut I wanted to ta ke this time to thank all my family, friends and sponsors for the help they've given me. Most of all, I want to thank my fans for all the support and le tters of encouragement during this time of n eed. All the letters I've received have been a great ins piratio n througho u t m y recovery. You r th oughtfulness and concern I will always remem ber. Wayne Rainey Monterey, CA ONTHE FRONT PAGE: Editorial Paul Carruthers, Editor Kit Palmer, Associate Editor Donn Maeda, Associate Editor Chris [onnum, Associate Editor Scott Rousseau, Assistant Editor Graphics and Produ ction Ree Johnson, Production Supervisor Mandy Loa, Production Manager Dennis Greene, lAb. Tech. Stacey Guest, Graphic Artist Amy Faught, Graphic Artist Victoria Vaus, Graphic Artist Administration Judy Klinger, Coordinator Peggy Rivera, Secretary to thePublisher Want Ads Kelly Branscome, Want Ad Sales AccountinglData Processing Donna Bryan-Diamond, AIR Coordinator Geneva Repass, Assistant Herlane Lewis, Credit Wayne says thanks 64 POINT STANDINGS There is life after first place Letters to the editor Congratulations to Cycle News for thirty years of hi gh-quality journalism in the m o torcycling world . Cycle N ews is a respected product for its service to both the motorcycle industry and motorcyclists in genera l. The Cycle News staff can be proud of w hat a su ccess th e pub li ca tion has become since its inception in 1963. We wish you co n tinued success fo r many years to come. Ed Youngblood AMA President Westerville, OH Enough is enough When a manager of a motorcycle-related product d ecides to sponsor a rider, an event, or a series, it is for severa l reasons. The number one reason is publicity. We, at Con tin ental , are very committed to the Harley-Davidson market, and when we heard of th e AMA ha ving a five dirt track/five road race Grand N ational type series, w e were excited to become ยท the series sponsor. Unlike so me o f the much la rger tir e manufacturers, we d o not have the lu xury of a hug e p romotio nal budget, but w e felt that $22,000 ' p aid directly to the riders w ou ld generate exci tement n ot only among the racers, but also among th e Harley-Davidson dealers who su pport 883 racing . The contingency requirements w er e simple, extre mely r easonab le , and spelled-out clearly in writing before the Continental 88 3 s e ries b e g an. S ince Continental is somewhat new to the racing community, I was personally at the first few riders meetin gs to explain ou r requirements: Run Continenta l decals and you get p a id ; Do n ' t ru n 'em and yo u don't. We felt we w ere b eing very flex ib le in allowing the riders to use a ny tire they wanted a n d still get paid. Practically every co m p a ny requ ires decal placement for eligibility, a nd w e were no exception. . Mr. Mike Morio, yo u are d ead wrong in saying that our product did n ot work. At every dirt track ev ent we had rid ers on Con tinental tires. Jas on Fletcher gave us ou r best finish with a second place at Lima, Ohio. I also p e rsonally hand-cut. dozens of tires and n ev er charged a sin gle rider one penny for a tir e! As a former AMA d irt track a nd road race competitor (20 years worth), I am proud that we were able to put someth in g back i n to motorcycle ra cing. I stand by our contingency requirements, an d look forward to b eing in vo lved in future racing programs. Greg Tysor National Sales Manager, Continental Tire Wallington, NJ A great year Fo r m e, 1993 h a s b een a year with tremendous upward progress! It took many long hours, lots of hard work and determinatio n to reach my goals for '93, but just as important was the help of my many sponsors. They made it possible for m y dreams to b e come a r eali ty . T h ank y ou: A merican Suzuki, MSR, Bieffe, Tre ll eborg T ires, Smith, FMF, Moose Racing, Bel-Ray, Braking, 100" /0, Power Bar, Works E n d u r o Rid er, Acerb is , RK Chain , Jerry Bernardo, Cycle Gear, Un i-Pilter, Answer Pro Taper Bars, Li n k Racing and Sprocket Specialist. Thanks also to my mechanics Dan Fuller, a n d Joe and Neil at Moose Racing for not a sin gle DNF in 1993. I want to thank Randy Hawkins and his mechanic Dale Stegall. They are some of the finest people on this planet. Thanks for all the w onderful times; I'm sure there will be man y more for us to sh are. We're p als for the duration. I also want to thank my girlfriend Audrea, my family and friends for being there to hold me abo ve their heads. I ge t all the glamour, but it w as they who helped carry me to the top. Of course, I can't forget m y wonderful fans w ho really stood behind me and inspired m e to be all I can be. All of y ou r m otivation and e n co u r a ge m en t helped tremendousl y i n making my climb to w ards the top . Although I d id n ot w in the Enduro Champions h ip this yea r, I'm still e xtremely satisf ied and v ery proud of (my) 1993 (a ccompli s h m en ts) . I had National Enduro number five last year, so an ything lower - especially a number two - is awesome. I've learned that not becom.. ing the National Enduro Champion has made m e more of a champ ion. I' ve learned h ow to win, bu t I'v e also learned how to lose with class. When, and if, I become champ ion I'll appreciate it ev en more, because I'll now how it feels to lose it as well! Look out 1994. Rem ember, life is too short no t to be happy. Steve Hatch Ithaca, NY Steve Hatch is a member of Suzu ki's offroad racing team, and he fi nished second to tea mma te Randy Hawkins in the 1993 A MA National Champ ionship Enduro Series...Editor Letters to the editor s h oul d be sent to Voices, Cycle News, P.O . Box 498, Long Beach, CA 90806-0498 or faxed to 310/4276685. Pub lished letters do not necessarily reflect the po sitio n of Cycle News, Inc . Letters should not exceed 200 words and all leiters are subject to editing. Anonymous leiters will not be considered for publication. All leiters should contain the writer's name, address and daytime phone number ... Editor.