Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Round 2: Phoenix International Raceway (Lett) M Smith (68) leads his teammate ike Kevin Magee (23)and Thomas Stevens (11); Stevens finis hed eighth, Smith was ninth and Magee did not finish. (Middle) Fritz Kling gave the HarleyDavidson VR1 000 Its flrst-ever finis h; he ended up 14th. (Bonom, from lett to right) Edwards , Corse r and Merkel celebrate their top three finishes. "1 was lucky that I didn't crash," Smith said. "1 was just riding smart and smooth and I thought I had 'em covered. I saw the shadows and heard him coming and I jusf tensed up before he hit me." Although he inherited eighth pla ce, Stevens was less than enthusiastic about his res ult: "1 got pinched off at the sta rt a n d I w a sn 't aggress ive enough. I sho u ld ha ve started hi tting people like the rest of them - that was pret ty much the race for me." Mer kel's second-place finish was his best resu lt in AMA racing since he wo n his las t Superb ike National back in 1986. "1 feel great," Merke l said. "There's eigh t more ro u nds an d anythin g ca n hap pen - just look at Pasc al today. It' s unfortunate, but it' s racing." Di a sof ter on e, while James went with a h a rd er blen d - and bo th ended u p together for the run to the flag, with the young Edwards ultima tely holding off his veteran team mate at the line. "I figured it would have been better in the middle of the race," James said of his rear tire. "1 was tired from the 600cc race and I had to wait until they wo re down to my level. I'm happy with fourth. I feel really good about my riding." James had to work his way past both Sohwa a nd Sadows ki en ro u te to h is fou rth -place finish. Schwa, who is s till recovering from a broken collarbo ne , faded while Sadowski stormed thr ou gh to finish fifth. "I go t a big surge of energy towards the end," Sad ows ki said. "I go t di nked in traffic and they got away at one point." Crevier was another rider who blasted his way th rou gh from a mediocre start to even tually fin ish sixth . Soh w a held on for se ve n th, with Stevens ge tting the best of a d ice with Sm ith and Kipp - than ks mainly to Kip p's help. The tri o ha d been running together and looked certa in to take the g ru dge ma tch all th e way to the fin ish . Sm ith led Kipp an d Stevens as they started the 39th lap, but Kipp got a little overzea lous in tum two and rammed Smit h off the r ace track . Kipp cr a shed , Smith recovered, and Stevens snuck by both of them to finish eighth. "I th ought he wa s running wide, " Kipp exp lained . "With the Honda, they can change direction fast. He came back down and I p lowed into him. I hit him p ret ty squa re . I just felt bad that I hit Phoenix International Raceway Goodyear, Arizona Unofficial Results: March 27, 1994 S U P ER BI KE QUALIFY IN G , I. Troy Corser (1:0253 2/86.931 m ph ); 2. r ascal Picotte (1:0256 1); 3. Fred Me r ke l (1:03.510); 4. Co li n Edwards Il (1:03.515); S. Thoma. Stevens (J:03.6 J8) ; 6. Tom Kipp (1:03.827); 7. ja mie Jam es (1:03.873), 8. Takahiro Sc hwa (1:03.954); 9. Ke vin Magee (Ul4.088); 10. Mike Smith (1:04.204); JI. David Sado wski (1,04.252); 12. Dale Quarte rley (1:04.258): 13. Steve Crevier (1:04.398); 14. Erie Moe (1:04.898); 15. Fritz Kling (1:05.264); 16. Scott Gray (1:05.352); J7. Miguel Du Ha mel (1:Q6.090): 18. Mich ael Kra ft (1:06.151); 19. Brad H azen (1:06.159); 20. Ch uck Graves (1:06.461); 21. Joe . Pittm an (1:07.146); 22. John Ashmead (1:07.199); 23. raul Harrell (1:07.27S); 24. Da n Turner (U I7.532); 25. David Kie ffer (1:07.724); 26. Brett Ray (1,08.644); 27. Tommy Lyn ch (1:09.230); 28. Michael Benson (1:09.374); 29. Scott Lan d is (1:09.663); 30. Kevin Ho lman (1:11.219); 31. Matt Cusamano (l: t2.2 74); 32. Joe Gallagher II (1:16.912). SUPERBIK E FINA l.: 1. Tro y Co rser (Due); 2. Fred Merkel (Kaw); 3. Colin Edwa rds II (ya m); 4. Iamie James (Yam); 5. David Sado wski (Due); 6. Steve Crevi er (}(aw); 7. Takahiro Soh wa (Kaw); 8. Tho mas Steve ns (5uz); 9. Mike Smith (Hon); 10. Dale Qu a rterley (Kaw); 11. Scott Gray (Kaw); 12. John Ashmead (Kaw); 13. Brad Hazen (Du e); 14. Fritz Kling (H-D): 15. Micha el Kraft (Hon); 16. Eric Moe (Kaw); 17. Paul Harrell (Yam); 18. Dan Turne r (Yam); 19. To mm y Lynch (Suz); 20. Da vid Kieffer (Due); 21. Brett Ray (Kaw ); 22. Scott Landis (Suz); 23. Tom Kipp (5uz); 24. Pasca l Picott e (Du e); 25. Kevin Magee (Hon); 26. Chuck Graves (Suz); 27. Miguel DuH amel (H-D); 28. Joe Pittman (Du e); 29. Kevin Ho lman (Kaw ). Time: 44 m in .,53.220 sec. Distances 421aps / 63 m iles. Ave rage Sp eeds 84.m mph. M.arg in of Victory: 6.170 sec. SU P ER BI KE NATIONAL C 'SHIP POI NT STANDINGS (After 2 of 10 rou nd s): Due to the fact that the raee is u nde r protest , p o int sta nd ing s we re not released. Upcoming Rounds . Round 3: Pomona, Califomia - April10 Round 4: Monterey, Califomia - M 22 ay im, hi " '.''S ·r ·.1e:f.·1 ." . 1 a 'plus 5, plus 6' and I could see 'em, so I knew I was holding my gap." With Corser ou t front and extremely comfortable, the racing action was taking p lace further back in the pa ck. Initia lly, it w a s Edw a rds, Sohwa a nd Merkel fighting over th ird p lace, b ut Merkel soon mo ved past h is Japanese teammate and closed in on Edward s. On the 20th lap, M erkel w e n t un d er Edwards under braking for tu m one. "I just kn ew if I got pas t hUn in the first tum and had a clean run through the infield, I could get aw ay," Merkel sa id. It w orked . Alth o u gh Ed wards stayed close, he nev er serious ly threatened aga in. "I used a so fter compound tire than Fre d (M erkel ), " Edwards sai d . " I could n't ge t the hard er one to hook up . We used it in the endu ran ce race for testing and I couldn't do q uic k tim es with it. We took a gamble and used the other one." Ultima te ly , Edwards ca me unde r siege late in the race from his teamm ate James. The p air h ad chosen differen t compound Dunlop .tires - Edwa rds used . :.... .' . ,. ihiln we.had 'h ~sil prOblem with the steering . 'damper: F"r s ome .reason .they stinted selz-: .... ::. :.': in~'up ' on. us arid wewent through·four ·of' . .. . .' . .. . . . . ... '. them. Wa:ve improved tDe suspension quitea · Most of the .top riders'were:somewhat critlcal i- bit. We·were way' \luI'there before • in' the.' 01 thecondl tlohs at Phoenix lnternatlonalx. .parking loi be hind left field. ' The gl'-yS are . , Raceway, Although ttie banked c?valsectio(l·: . working·realtY hard arldwe'redefinitely ·get-·. oi the course had been repavedanilfeatured '? 'ling a 'Iot closer: '::: .:. .' " : " :. .'. : ".:. . ...: ;. .: .. ' :' better traction.than last y.ear, therelsstillno.' -: ..' : , .' . :.: .. . : ':'. : ': ' ; " ruri'off and the'fast left hander on.to.the front .:'. The Bridges ton',;'Arizona :Superbll · 'vihOle PoJ iti~ dearandl . ·majoriiy of those quesnoned.'fe~ iIle' one-/iO)Jr . a . d!irft.want to get Into it l,kne>y' th. y (th!l' twq·.; encurance race.should' e~her ~o backto run- · e Fe~acCi. DuG\'i tis) <;ouldJust go away from u~.": . ::.'ning on Satu.rday;ilr at leas(be.run ~t:the end . · ." . ' . .. . ,... . . ' . . of the day on Sunday. . ' . ". . '. ' .. Although F;ilz KI'lng' firiis f·;ed. 15th ·o n·.lhe .··. · : . ' " .' . " ·Har1ey:Davi dsoll VRIOOO;M lgui!!I ' DuHa mel ;. .A. few.of the top AMA superbike:teanis will be . , coiiti nu~d to be plagued by proble· s iNith·the .:· testing at Laguna Seca· I~ · Mo(llereY: Calif6 r- . m : · new bik ."We had a' brake .proble m: . the '.; .nia:prior·to .the LA-Superoike Grand -Prhi in' ·e. :. ' eve r: popliJar 'French Can 'adJan '.s ~ i d : ~ lt . . 'Pomona : c aHfornia; on 'April:"1: I O ·Muzzy. seemed: like ihere .was a big sjjot,:or.some, ::. Kawasafd, Smokin: Joe's·Racing al)d.Yostiiin!J". : d '. thing: where ifdidn:t feel right. We fix6d it, but. :':-ra'Suzuki Will allall.en the jojnt test-aay:' . ' .:.'. a < .' : : '.. : .' . " :' ~: .' , .. :. :.. '. ' " ." ' " '' "'. ,. : ." '. " -:' . ,; . -. ... ., . ': ' :

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