Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

on ly to s uffer a d e ton ation p r ob le m early in the race. Chuck Sorens en, Rich Oliver's teamma te , was e ig h th, h is Pe r formance Sou th Yamaha slow on the uptake due to a je ttin g misca lculation. Southwest Motorsports' Danny Walker was ninth, unable to find an engine combin at ion tha t worked, and Andrew Trevitt filled out the top 10 on the Hu rst Motorsports Yamaha. Unseasonably cool temperatures and stiff, changing winds swep t over Daytona on Saturday, d ropping temperatu res into the 50s and ma king tuners guess on gearing, jetting, and tires. The first attempt at a race start ended in the International Horseshoe with a series of crashes that knocked Moto Liberty's Masahiro Iizuka and Top Lin e Cycles' John Stanley ou t o f the race. Mike Barnes had also crashed, though not in the sa me sequence as his teammate Iizuka, and wa s ab le to return to the pits for some hasty repairs. The second sta rt was cleaner; Filice aga in jetted into the lead with Oliver in tow in fro n t of Iena tsch and Jonatha n Cornwell on the McBride Cycles' Yamaha. Within a fe w laps a h ie r a r ch y formed, with Filice at the front of a lead quart et; a nd a second grou p of seven riders fighting for fifth. Oliver took the lead on the third lap and then Filice took it bac k, each rid er having strengths on the track. "He had a little mor e top end on me a n d I guess he geare d better for th e wind, " Filice said. Tha t was evid ent on the ba ck straight where they ran headon into the wind, with Oliver gaining a sligh t edge by the chican e. Filice and Oliver split from the pack, h olding better than nine seconds on Cornwell on the sixth lap . Ienatsch was fourth, but in danger of being caught by the pack of five rid ers contesting fifth. Cornwell's time at the front end ed on the ninth lap when his bike began to cut out as he cam e off the west banking. He rode down to the apron, looked inside his fairing and noticed that a spark plug cap had come off. He replaced it, re joined the race and continued on u nt il running out of gas on the final lap . Since th e scorin g went back to the 17th lap, however, he was cred ited w it h 19th place. "My luck runs true to for m. Ever y ti m e I have an engine prob lem, it' s spark plug related," Cornwell said . Daytona was Cornwell's first race since his lon g -tim e tuner Alex Ma yes pa ssed away. "He would ha ve appreciated 't he irony," Cornwell added. It was also on the ninth lap that the race for first ended. Oliver made a mistake coming out of the International Horseshoe and lost tou ch with Filice. Once he'd lost the d raft, there wasn't much Oliver could do . "I got sideways off the International Horseshoe and it snapped my feet off the pegs," Oliver said. "It kind of balked me. I could try to go berserk and catch back up, or wait for him to make a little slip. I knew that if he didn't make a mistak e, he was going to win." Oliver 's deficit showed up on Filice's pit board and that helped relax him. "My pit crew showed two seconds on the board. It relaxed me and helped me flow a little better, hold better lines," Filice said. Running lap times under his qualifying record, Filice had b etter than five seconds on the 11th lap and added about a second a lap . The race was his, and he quickly gave the credi t to Wayne Rainey, who he called on the phone from the p ress room . "I wish I could be there," Rainey said. "Jimmy has a lot of hear t, and I'd like to thank Jimmy; I'd like to thank everybod y. I can' t express m yself now. We put that deal together and pulled it off." . "It's a lot of Wayne," Filice said. "He go t me here. You can tell on my leathers tha t there's not a lot of backing except this m an here ," said Filice, poin ting to the Rainey patch. "He's a good friend of mine and I love him . He sen t me here to defen d m y number one and my race record." "I needed hi s draft off the corners because out of the chicane he could ou taccelerate me," Oli ver said. "I'd lose a little bit; I could eventually draft back in si xth gear, but (in) firs t, second, a nd third gears, his bike was a little quicker." The order from third to seventh continued to shuffle as the race approached mid-point, with Barnes and 0' Alu isio now ahead of Ienatsch, who could n't keep up on the bowl. " Ba rn es was holding me up in the infield, but it d oesn ' t matt er if he's got the steam," Ienatsch said. For th e final eigh t laps of the race, Barnes and 0' Aluisio swa pped back and forth, the cut and thrust favorin g neither, the race to be decided on the final run to the flag . Ba rnes d id the ine vitable, p ulling off the lat e pass an d fini shi ng third, abo ut 13.5 seconds behind Oliver. 0' Aluisio wasn't far behind. " I wa s a b le to camp o u t behind D ' Aluisi o, an d a couple of h u nd red yar ds before the line I got by him pretty easy," Barnes said . "I learned a lot from these gu ys; I learned a lot from Chris. We both had a couple of moments. He seemed to be getting out of the in ternational Horseshoe bett er , and we'd get each other going in. I'd get into the d ogleg, and he'd go around on the outside. I think coming ou t of the chicane I was a little better." " I think he was teasing m e," 0 ' Aluisio said. "There was no way I could come around him on the draft. If I pulled out I went b ac k w ar d s fa st." 0 ' Aluisio knew his only hope was to pressure Barnes into a mistake, bu t that hop ed-for mistake ne ver came. "I was really hammering him in th e in fie ld, pressing him on the brakes." Ienatsch crossed the line fifth, about 14 seco n d s b e h ind 0' Al u isio, with Ho ugh nowher e in si ght after seizing . But the scoring change altered the order, and Hou gh began his firs t full year in AMA 250cc GP racing with a fifth. "I had a ball . I can 't say I've had tha t m uch fun in a long time," Ho ug h said befo re exp la ini ng how h e los t touch w ith the leaders. "I wa s running with Barnes and 0 ' Aluisio and I got sucked in to the draft. I scrubb ed some speed off, but I d idn't get all m y gea rshi fts because I was off the po we r. They were gone. I tried to focus on them, but wi thout the draft on the str aight I couldn't catch up ." His next p rob lem would be Ienatsch, something his cre w alerted him to with a "+0" pit boa rd. "I looked . back once and sa w Nick th er e, otherwise I stayed under the bubble." Salaverria took seventh at the end of a battle with Chuck Sorensen despite a detonation problem tha t beg an m idrace. Sala verria was using his back-u p motor after seizing his race motor in the morning practice. "I d idn't know where to go on the jetting, " Salaverr ia sa id, giving one explanation for the d etonation problem. "It wouldn't come off the comers at all and acclera te like the other gu ys." Sorensen was also suffering jet ting problems which cos t him a chance to pressure Sala verria. "Me and Al were playing with each other. He 'd get me off the chicane because my bike was slow- (Above) The race was red-flagged tw ice , once due to this crash on the f irst lap Involving Masahiro Ilzuka and John Stanley. Both riders were hospitalized and released. (Below) Michael Barnes (12), Chr is D'Alulslo (2) and Donald Hough (SO) finished third, fourth and fifth, respectively. 7. AI Salaver_ria (Ya m); 8. Ch uck So rensen (Yam) ; 9. Da nny Wal ker (Yam ); 10. Andrew Trevitt (Yam); 11. Iurgen Lingg (Yam); 12. Bill Q uin n (Yam ); 13. Gre g Esser (Yam); 14. Mike Sulliva n (Yam); 15. John Fra nce (H on); 16. Aa ro n Tu rn e r (Yam ); 17. Pa blo Escalan te (Yam ); 18 . Ad a m Fa usse tt (Ya m) ; 19. Jo n Co rnwell (Yam); 20. John Sha rra rd (Yam); 21. Christop her Rankin (Ya m ); 22. Eduard o Alema n (Yam); 23. Iur ge n Kn upe (Apr) ; 24. Geep Te rranova (Ya m) ; 25 . Jaso n Pad e n (Ya m); 26. Fred Eiker (Ho n); V . Alan Ca thcart (Due); 28. Richa rd Bolen (Yam ); 29 . Edwa rd Sad va r (Yam) ; 30. Timothy O'Co nno r (Ya m); 31. Gordon Mackay (Yam); 32. Boyd Bradfield (Ho n); 33. Bobby Keith (Ya m); 34. C hri s Taylor (Ya m); 35. Bill Himmels bach (Ya m ); 36. Frank Aragaki (Yam); 37. Leon Co rtes (Yam); 38. Dr . Charles McKay (Yam); 39. Glen Pa ron (Yam); 40. Kevin Brown (Yam); 41. Werner Streich (Ap r). 2SOcc GP CH AMP IO NSH IP POI NT ST ANDING S: 1. Jim Filice (35/1 w in); 2. Rich Oli ve r (32); 3. Mich ael Barnes (30); 4. Chris 0 ' Aluisio (28); 5. Dona ld Hough (26); 6. Nick lena tsch (25); 7. AI Salaverria (24); 8. Ch uck Sorensen (23); 9. Danny Walker (22); 10. An drew Trevi tt (21); 11. Jurg en Lingg (20); 12. BiU Qu inn (19); 13. Greg Esser (18); 14. Mike Sullivan (17); 15. John France (16); 16. Aa ron Turner (15); 17. Pablo Esca la n te (14); 18 . Adam Fau sse tt (13); 19. Jon Comwell (12); 20. Joh n Sharrard (11); 21. Christopher Ranki n (10); 22. Eduardo Ale man (9); 23. Jurgen Knupe (8); 24. Geep Terra nova (7); 25. Jason Paden (6); 26 . Fre d Bike r (5); 27. Ala n Cathcart (4); 28. Richard Bolen (3); 29. Edward Sadv ar (2); 30 . Timo thy O'Co nnor (1). ing down there. It wasn't revvin g out completely," Sorensen said. eN Dayton a International Speedway Daytona Beach, Florida Results: Marcl'l 11 2SOcc QU AU FYING, 1. Jim Filice (1,s,;.687); 2. Rich Oliver (1:57 .219 ); 3. Micha el Ba rn es (1:57 .795 ); 4.1 0n Cornwell (1:59 .288); 5. C hris 0 ' Al uis io (1:59.378); 6. Nick lenatsch (1059.423); 7. Chuc k Sorensen (1:59.473); 8. Donal d Ho ugh (1059.596); 9. Chris Taylor (1:59.955); 10. Danny Walke r (2:00.110); 11. Luis Lava do (2:00.254);.12: AI Salaverria (2:{)().350); 13. Masa hiro lizuka (2:01.069); 14 . [u egen Lingg (2:01. 451); 15 . A ndrew Trev itt (2:01.456); 16. Jase n Paden (2:0 1.708); 17. Greg Esser (2:02:410) 18. John France (2:02.582); 19. Pab lo Escalante ; (2:03.009); 20. Christophe r Ra nkin (2:03.259); 21. Bill Quinn (2:-{)3.365)~22. Aaron Turner (2:03.650); 23. Nigel Bosworth (2:03.698); 24. John Stanley (2:04.098); 25. BiU Himmelsbach (2'04.328); 26. John Sha rra rd (2:04.362); 27. Geep Terranova (2:04 .370 ); 28 . Iu rg e n Kn upe (2.: 4.422); 29. Werner Streich (2:04 .461); 30 . Bobby Keith 0 (2: 04.539); 31. Alan Carter (2:04.706); 32. Adam Fa usett (2:04.72 1); 33. Eduardo Alema n (2:04.805); 34 . Rick Bull ock (2:04.996); 35. Fred Eiker (2:06.082); 36. Alan Cathcart (2:06.487); 37. Rich a rd Bolen (2:07.111); 38. Leo n Corles (2:07.317); 39. Glen Paron (2:07.438); 40. Edwa rd Sad var (2:08.506); 41. Frank Aragaki (2:08.660); 42 . Bill Bo rse lli (2 :10 .6 95) ; 43 . Timo thy O 'Connor (2:12:496); 44 . Dr . Cha rles McKay (2:20.046); 45. Kevi n Brown (2:22.542). 2SOcc GP FINAL: 1. Jim Filice (Yam); 2: Rich Oliv er (Yam) ; 3. Michael Barn es (Ho n ); 4. C hr is 0 ' A luisio (Ap r); 5. Dona ld Houg h (Yam) ; 6. Nick Iena tsch (Yam); '· ····fl T ·. '..... ·.V······ ·B ' .. .. rle Upcoming rounds Round 2: Phoenix, Arizona - March 27 Round 3: Pomona, California - April 10 .. wentbad .on about the : sixth lap and the . motor.was slow ing down :. Then the chain came off,~ Taylor said. ' .. .'. Iii · Nliies Baldwin, 'who was making· retUrn 'to Mi~hael ' Barnes had to w~it. to get his Moto . · racing after a seven-year lay-off, failed to make . Liberty Hondas , after .the truck transporting ' · the final. after crashing.in pracnce. He brokea .. them from.Texas bleVo/.upon Monday:. "The . · bone in his lower left leg and tour bones in his truck broke down 81 miles w~st of Tal!ahas~' : right foot: and 'returned home to Canada lin ' " see.' They . calledmeand said you d b~ller Thursday. Dave Schll isser, head of the·Duteh- ·· flfida dualiewith a fifth whe~I,oryou won't .. ; nian 'Racing team ·that'Baldwin is riding for, . bepracticinq . IlefiMonday n ight and .we . .satd he ' may be back'for the WERA Road " \'iere out.thereon Tuesday," . . . ' . : .>. . . . '. . '. Atlanta race..Schlosser also' had to find'a ·see- : " . . ond rider for his endurance team: Ray Yoder, .'. Jimmy Filice said that thjs was stricny a one-: · who was to ride 'with Scott Gray this year, fell · . race deal for the Wayne'Rain'ey Racing team. · during 'AMA/CCS \'ieekend and went.home . . ': He said he hadother plans for me .season, Baldwin replaced him, but theninju'red hlmseff which·.he· would announce as -soon as they : . . ..' , . · so Andi Fenwick was drafted onto the team ' .firmed up, . for·Daytona.:sChl~sser saie! .he hadn't decided . ' .. .. . ' . . . · who would join Gray.at Phoenix; '.. . , Moto Uberty's Masahlro .Izuka and Top Une . l ' . . . . . . . . . ··:· Cycle'S John Stanley were involved lrrths: · · Ze ro. Grav lty'.Raci ng's 'Ch r l s ' Tay lo r was · . spectacular first-lap .crash of the '250ecGP '.forced out of the race w hen hischalrr derailed ' .. final. Tl)ough.both appeareda t first to be seri- : -on the 12th lap while he was runn ing [ust ouslyinjuredrandwereremoved by ambiIinside Ili e .top . . .b earing ·in .the motor . lance,. they. were both treated and released. 10. ."A . . . . . .. . . '. . a > .

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