Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Four-time National Enduro Champion Randy Hawkins (Suz) scored the overall win at the opening round of the AMA National Championship Hare Scrambles Series in Fourche Junction, Arkansas, January 30. The runner-up was Tom Norton (Kaw), while third place went to defending series champ Scott Summers (Hon). The second day of the final round of the Florida Winter AMA Series at Gatorback Cycle Park in Gainesville, Florida , January 29-30 was rained out, forcing the postponement of the Pro class races. The Expert and Amateur class, however, managed to take to the track on Saturday and the big winner was Kevin Windham (Kaw), who topped both the 125 and 250cc A classes. Adam Bechdal (Kaw), Chadwick Shepard (Suz ), Dwayne Bone (Hon) and Chad Kresge (Kaw) filled the top five in the 125cc class, while Jim Chester (Yam), Barry Carsten (Suz) , Bechdal and Allen Richard Horne (Suz) rounded out the top five in the 250cc division. Windham also won both the 125 and 250cc A class championships. The Pro classes have been rescheduled for February 20. West,Coast Speedways, Inc., the operator of the San Jose Speedway a t the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds in San Jose, California, has signed a new fouryear lea se' agreement with the Santa Clara County Fair Association, but no motorcycle races are currently scheduled. According to West Coast Speedways, the Santa Clara County Fair Association has taken steps to improve its beleaguered financial situation and has entered into various lease agreements in order to maximize the use of the fairgrounds. The new tenant's operations will ultimately utilize portions of turns one and two of the existing mile race track, thus eliminating any possibility of running the San Jose Mile. Earlier reports of an AMA National being held on the San Jose half mile track are also innacurate, according to West Coast Speedways, and no short track races are scheduled. "We are saddened by the loss of the Mile at San Jose. It marks the end of an era ," said Rick Farren, president of West Coast Speedways. The Mile will live on in people's hearts and minds as one of this country's premier mile dirt tracks. We are proud to have been a part of a racing legacy so rich in history and tradition. We do, however, support the Fair Association and its attempts to ensure a solid financial future for itself, its tenants and all those who enjoy fairground activities." The first-ever San Jose Mile was held in 1957 and was won by Joe Leonard. The final San Jose Mile was held in April of 1993 and was won by Scott Parker. Motorcyclists have put the brakes on a controversial measure in Colorado, according to the AMA . Riders in Colorado have succeeded in convincing legislators to oppose a bill that combined a mandatory helmet-use requirement with a provision designed to force motorcyclists to enroll in the state's nofault insurance program. The turning 0\ point came on January 27 in the House ,..-4 Transportation and Energy Committee. As introduced, the measure would have restricted motorcyclists r ights b y requiring helmet use for riders of all ages. Since 1977, Colorado motorcyclists have been able to make their own decisions regarding the use of personal safety equipment. In addition, riders would have been forced to purchase expensive coverage to insure them- et. 2 selves against costly injuries inflicted by other motorists, even though accident research shows that a majority of carbike accidents are caused by the car driver. Motorcyclist rights advocates, led by ABATE of Colorado, the Colorado Motorcycle Dealers Association and the Riders For Justice organization, quickly mounted an attack against the measure, designated House Bill 1047. The AMA conducted a mailing to 1855 road-riding members in the state urging them to write letters in opposition to the controversial bill. Jeff Nichols won the D&S Kawasaki Honda Suzuka 8-Hour Challenge video game contest in Arlington, Texas, when two-time World Champion and current AMA National Champion Doug Polen collided with a lapped rider and crashed two .t u rns from the fin ish. Nichols won a Shoei RF-2oo helmet for his efforts. The event raised $700 for the Children's Miracle Network. The AMA and Prostar Motorcycle Drag Racing have team ed up for a dra g racing series in 1994. Th e AMA/Prostar Motorcycle Drag Racing Series will feature competition for a wide variety of sportsman and professional classes, from street bikes competing in bracket racing right up to exotic, nitro-burning top' fuel machines. The nine-round series will begin on March 4-6 with the MRE Sunshine Nationals in Gainesville, Florida, and will conclude with the November 18-20 World Finals in Gainesville. In between, the series will visit Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Indianapolis, New Jersey and Kentucky. Mikuni American Corporation, located in Northridge, California, suffered severe damage as a result of the earthquake that shook the area on January 17. Extensive damage to the company's office has forced Mikuni to close the office and no phone calls or fax messages are being received at this time. Mikuni hopes to have temporary offices. for the carburetor division up and running in their parking lot by February 10. No products can be shipped out of the warehouse until engineers can strengthen the roof of the building. Meanwhile, Mikuni's full-line distributors can assist most customer and dealer requests. Ohio-based Sport Cycles Racing has again been chosen by Yamaha to provide trackside support and be the company's off-road racing team for 1994. The team will consist of Fred Andrews, Duane Conners and Terry Cunningham. Both Andrews and Conners will concentrate on the AMA Grand National Cross Country Series, but will also ride in other selected events leading up to the ISDE. Cunningham will also compete in the Cross Country series as well as the AMA National Enduro Series. Joe Barton; 69, the former owner of Three Star Sportcycles in los Angeles, California, died on January 23rd from liver failure. Barton is survived by his wife Irene and two sons, Mark and Fred. John and Keelie Sparks are offering a privateer rider and his mechanic the opportunity to stay at the couple's home in Smyrna, Ge orgia, for free on the weekend of the Atlanta Supercross on February 26. For more information call 404/ 436-1064. Former road racer Cliff Carr is p lanning on attending Bike Week at Daytona International Speedway and he'd Cycle News Rider of the month: Jerem McGrath eam Honda/l-SOO-eOllECT's defendingsupercross champion Jeremy McGrath was the unanimous choice for the CycleNeWs January Rider of the Month, by virtue of his three consecutive Coors Light Challenge victories. McGrath, 22, is showing even more dominance than he did in his rookie season. With 13 supercross victories in just over a year, the Californian is quickly closing in on Rick Johnson's 28-win total. McGrath is pictured here performing his "patented" maneuver at the Houston Supercross. You've heard about it for the past month or so, but a picture is,worth a thousand words. The move was originated in the bicycle motocross world, and McGrath, a former professional BMX racer, was the first to perform the stunt aboard a motorcycle. ' "There's another jump called a 'can-can,' where you bring your leg over and kick it forward:' explains McGrath. "With my knee braces, I can't bend my leg far enough to do that one." Instead, McGrath does a variation, kicking his leg to the rear of the motorcycle. McGrath's move, also performed by BMXers, is known as the "nac-nac." T like to compete in the AHRMA road races to be held there. All he needs is a motorcycle. The Brit can be reached in England at 0942-719084 (phone) or 0942-728693(fax). stock classes; RK Chain will be the title sponsor for the WERA Formula III Series; and EBC Brakes will be the title sponsor for the EBC Brakes Triple Crown. Rick Doughty and Mike Lightwood have been elected to represent AHRMA's western division, while Mike Kirby and Beno Rodi were reelected in the eastern division. The , new trustees take office at AHRMA's annual general meeting in Deland, Florida, on March 8. Unipro, the makers of Endura and Endura Optimizer, have signed on as contingency sponsors of the AMA Supercross Series. For more information, call 714/366-0818 . Four-time World Champion Eddie Lawson drew the winning names of Bruce Tebo, Joel Hermosa and Nick lenatsch in the Willow Springs Motorcycle Club raffle on January 15. Tebo won a Honda CBR600; Hermoso took home a Budweiser Suzuki GSXRl100 and Ienatsch won the grand prize, a Toyota pick-up truck. WSMC members qualified for the drawing based on their finishes in the 1993 season in 600cc Superstock and in the Toyota Cup Unlimited Formula One Series at Willow Springs International Raceway. WERA has signed contracts with Sunoco Race Fuels, Michelin Tire, RK Racing Chain and EBC Brakes to be title sponsors for their road racing series. Sunoco will be the title sponsor for the WERA National Endurance Series along with Performance Machine; Michelin will be the title sponsor for the WERA Super- Speedway rac er Robert Pfetzing has secured sponsorship for the 1994 season from Dianetics, L. Ron Hubbard's selfhelp book. Pfetzing was sponsored by Dianetics in 1988-89 while he competed in the British league for the Bradford Dukes and then the Wolverhampton Wolves. "I'm really excited about this

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