Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

" .. ; .. ;-.::.; :.,~ ; ....• : '.: .. -.". ',:':'. ::.: .; ': : -, :.... '. ',. ~ n La~:~~~·;~~ :.:i~;~:·~~~L~;:.:w~~::7~~:d~?.; ·: :'::.. . .. .. , . ....... .. '. . . : :. ' " ..~ ...... ' . ' ..... . .. ... . ." . ., • • : : . •. • • ~. ••. • : :.: . . , " '; . .. . . ' . ' . . : .... . . . . . . .~ :... '. :- . : ' .::::.: . . , : ',: '. ~ " :': : : r , .:': . . ....~ .~ ' . ~. . . . . ' ... . . :-:: ;::.' . . :.- .: ' ' : . . ~ . '; .. . . .:. : : : . . . ..... . ~... . . .: ' --- .. ... .. ' . . .....• ". :'. .' .. .. . '. . . . . . ' ::'-. : ,:. ~:: , : .. ' . ' ..'::'.:.-: ':.~~ ..-: .::::":::.' :'. : ' .: : ::':, : :.. ., . ' " ';' '. : 1994 he is in the best position, eve r, to do so . Pegram will fill the spot left vacant on the Undo Racing team after th e departure of Ricky Graham, and will once again pilot Hondas after a two-year stint on - Harley-Davidsons. A two-time Na tion al winner, Pegram knows what it tak es to win, but lacks the experience of the series' older veterans . Youth and courage can only take you so far before fate s teps in, b ut if he ca n avoid crashes and injury, Pegram could be a serious title contender. Armed with the ma chines that carried Graham to victory in '93, Pegram is perhaps th e best-equ ipped r ider on the circuit. Wheth er or not he can work the same magic as Grah a m remains to be seen. H is ri gh t wrist a nd, p e rh a p s more im p o r ta n tl y, what's inside his helmet, will be the deciding factors. Put "Worm" down for third. . .. '., ; .... : d . :::: -", . ... . ' ".~ - .. , . '. .... ..... . ... . '.' .., ' '.' r: ·:c . ,:. ." ' .: .. .... .... . .. . ' , T ' .. .' ... .. . ' , ' '. ' .': . ' ., ':. ' . . ....: . ' , ': : . . .. , .•. .. . ... . ~ . ', .' .. . ' '., .' ..... .. .. . .. . ' ": .' : : : .. . ' ,' . .. • ... ' ., o :. ::.-~.:: ' . : -. ': .... . .. . . : ' .. ' . . ... .'. .. .: ' ' . .' .... ....... .. .. . .' .... - :' .. " . .. . . .:. ':. ........:':.... .... . . . .. ... . . : .. .. '. .: : ' . .... . p': : : : . ' : ::: ••• •• ' '. ' R . . .... '.. ~ : .' . Will Davis • #21 • Age: 28 Hometown: Goldsboro, North Carolina inkin'" Will Davis sco re d a popular win at the Dallas H alf Mile - the fourth National win of his caree r - and looks forw ard to the 13 half mile races in '94. A strong short track rider as well, Davis has yet to excel on the mile and TT courses. Davis contested all of the "big bik e" races aboard the same A&R Racing Honda RS750, and at times the Dennis Towne-tuned machine failed him. This year, how ever, the team obtained an additional Honda and will have a back-up machine in '94. Davis is a hard charger, bu t jus t as often as we have seen him running near the fron t of the pack, we ha ve seen him struggle towards the rear with sma ller problems. U Davis can escape the bad luck that has plagu ed him in the past, look for him to be a definite top-con tender. Davis will most likely win one or two half mile Nationals - but someone's got to finish seventh overall. j .. . . od ney Farris toned his riding sty le d own considerab ly and enjoyed his best -eve r se ries placing in '93, a nd expects to improve upon his fifth-place ranking in '94. One of the most -aggressive riders on the circui t, Farris stands an excellent chance of Scoring his firsteve r National win this year . If he wins early in the season - look out. Th e confidence gained could be all Farris needs to be a top three contender. Las t year, Fa r ris' Eddie Adkins-tu ned Harley-Davidsons failed him a few times, but look for "Hot Rod" to be mounted aboard some of the field's best machinery in '94. In the past, w ild riding, crashes and inconsistency have been Farris' d ownfa lls. The wild riding and crashing seem to be behind him, wha t remai ns to be seen is wh ether or not the veteran can rema in consistent. They say that nice guys firiish last, but in this case - look for at least a sixth-place finish. "W • • •• .... . o Rodney Farris • #92 • Age: 31• Hometown: Winchester, Virginia T . .... . :... . . . ... he 1993 season was a frustrating one fo r fo ur-tim e Grand National Champion Scott Parker. After lo si n g th e cha m p ions hi p to his fac to ry teamma te Carr the p rev io us year, Parker hoped to race back wit h a ve ngean ce and recapture hi s crown . Instead , every thi ng we nt wrong . Not only did Parker win on ly once d uring the season, he was shut out of the title ch ase with sever al races to go . To cap things off, he ended the season on a sour note when he crashed and injured his tailbone during practice at th e Pomona Half Mile season finale. It took Parker longer than he expected to heal up in the offseason, and a lt h o ug h he has been training ha rd for the Daytona season opener, we don't expect him to possess the fire tha t has carried him to 53 National w ins. Par ker will add to his win list, but the fear of being injured - as well as the fact tha t he really has nothing to p rove - will hold him to fourth. . . . ' .. '. ; hough Kev in Atherton announced that he would be taking to the pa ve men t in 1993, the fo r m er Team H arleyDavid son rider con tes ted th e majorit y of the Grand Nationa l Ch am p ion s h ip Series aboa rd p r iv a tee r H arle ys a n d ended the year eighth overa ll. Along the wa y, Atherton scored a runaway w in at the Parkersbu rg Half Mile, but was held back in the fi nal s ta ndi ngs b y lingering injuries. Ath erton will start the ' 94 se r ies in comple te health, wi th all of his attention ded icated to the dirt. Though he still yearns to road race, Ath erto n reports that he will be all business on the ovals. Tom Cummings will provide and prepare Ath er ton 's Harley-Davidsons, and the team reported ly has soun d financial backing from a member of the infam ous Ford (Motor Co mpany) famil y. The support, money, and ta lent are accounted for; all that remains to be seen is Cummings' ability to make a Harley purr. _ Assuming that Cummings does his job well, we foresee Atherton winning a race or two , but ending the series fifth. ... . . ··'c·. .. Kevin Atherton • #23 • Age: 23 • Hometown: White Pigeon, Michigan . : , o Scott Parker • #2 • Age: 32 • Hometown: Swartz Creek, Michigan . : . .,.: .. ' ~ . ;. ;. , .: ..:;.:. . . . .. . . ..... .. '. . ': .' . .'. .': . ' . '. :. '. .. , ', .. .~ . . ' ,. ' . .~ ". ": /",: . ..' ' '.: . .. .... ' ; ... .. . .' .:. ' . ""!.'~ ." . r-:.' :':.' . : . : ;.: . .:... '~ ~

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