Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

ROADRACE · . Final round: Road Atlanta AMA 25Dcc GrandP Series rix fifth, but the challenge never came and he settled into sixth. The ba ttle for seventh was as compelling as the one for second, though five ride rs took part early, they split up in to two gr ou p s past the midpoint. Wood y's Cycles' Andrew Trevitt wa s in control of the group from the ninth lap u n til th e 14t h when 250 GP rookie Christopher Rank in moved by for one lap , before ceding the poin t to Cine Camera's Jason Paden on the next one. The shuffle continued on the 16th lap with Trevitt back in front, Bill Himmelsbach back with the group after having dropped off, and in front of Paden. The pack of four crossed the line with in a second of each other to start the fin al la p , Trevitt in front of Ran kin, Paden and Himmelsbach, and that was how they wou ld take the checkered flag at the end of the lap . Geep Terranova ai was just back in 11tho Road Atlanta Brasel1on, Georgia Results : September 18,1994 250 G RAN D PRIX QUALIFYING: 1. Rich Oliver (1:23 .9 03 ); 2 . Taka hito Mo ri (1 :24.323); 3. C h uc k Sore nsen (1:25.431); 4. Al Sala verria (1:26369); 5. Danny Wal ker (1:26.38 9); 6. Nick Ie natsch (1:26.787); 7. Jon Cornwell (1:27.022); 8. Jason Paden (1 :27.144); 9. Gcc p Terranova (1:27.481); 10. Bill Himmelsb ach (1:27.778); 11. Andre w Tre v itt (1 :28.2 06); 12. Ma rk Fost er (1:28574); 13. Christopher Rankin (1:28.646); 14. John Fra nce (1:28.662); 15. Michael Vadney (1:28.695); 16. Richard Bolen (1:29.150); 17. Jim Bonner (1:29.678); 18: Bill Quinn (1:29.770 ); 19 . Gr eg Esser (1:29.888); 20. Daniel Brennan (1:30.637); 21. John Sherrard (1:31.157); 22. Steve Davison (1:32.254); 23. Bill Borselli (1:32.716); 24. Dav id Deronne (1:33.686) ; 25. Scott Ma rtin (1:34.402). 250 GRAND PRIX FIN AL: 1. Rich Oliv er (Yam); 2. Ta kah ito Me rl (Ho n); 3. Chuck Sorensen (Ya m); 4. Al Sala ver ria (Ya m); 5. Nick Ie natsch (Yam); 6. Jon Corn well (Ya m); 7. Andrew Tre vi tt (Yam); 8. Christo phe r Rankin (Yam) ; 9. Jason Paden (yam); 10. Bill Himm elsbach (Yam); 11. Geep Terra no va (Yam); 12. Mark Foster (yam); 13. Greg Esser (Yam); 14. Bill Quinn (Yam); 15. John France (Hon) ; 16. Richard Bolen (Yam); 17. Jim Bonner (Yam) ; 18. Daniel Brennan (Ya m); 19. Steve Dav ison (Yam); 20. Bill Borse lli (Yam); 21. Micha el Vadne y (Ya m ); 22. Scott Martin (H o n ); 23. Davi d De ro n ne (Yam ); 24 . Danny Wal ker (Yam); 25. Jo hn She rra rd (Yam). Time: 27 min .• 6.035 sec. Distance: 191aps. 47.88 miles . Average speed: 106.005 mph. Margin of victory: 10.332 sec. FINAL 250 G RA ND PRIX CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDINGS (After 10 of 10 eve nts) : 1. Rich Oliver (321/ 8 w ins) ; 2. Chuck Sorense n (257/1 win); 3. Nick lenatsch (251); 4. Al Salaverria (239); 5. Dann y Walk er (216); 6. Chris D' Aluisio (194); 7. Mike Sullivan (193); 8. . Jason Paden (181); 9. ChrIstopher Rankin (174); 10. Jon Cornwell (159); 11. Geep Terranova (145); 1 2. Bobby Keith (132); 13. Takahito Mori (131); 14. Donald Hough (126); 15. Joh n France (122); 16. Bill Borselli (114); 17. Bill Quinn (100); lB. Mark Foster (93); 19. Bruce Lind (90); 20. Bill Himmelsbach (87). By Paul Carruthers Photos by Henny Ray Abrams BRASELTON,GA,SEPT.18 . II Smokin' Joe's Racing's Mike Smith could do to salvage a season .. lost with a crash at the previous round of the series at Sears Point was win at Road Atlanta. The Georgian went out and did just that, b ut it wasn't enough to overcome the Sears Point miscue as Vance & Hines Yamaha's Jam ie James was able to cruise to the 600cc Supersport Championship by finishing in a less-than-relaxing sixth . Despite winning his sixth race in 10 starts, Smith co uldn't get back wha t he'd lost to James at Sears Point, and the two ended the season sepa ra ted by 18 points after a series-long battle in which the duo won each and every race. Second place at Road Atlanta went to Muzzy Kawasaki's Steve Crevier , the nearly man of 1994. The Canadia n finished second five times d uring the season, but could never get the win he so desperately wanted. Still, Crevier was able to finish third in the highly competitive series championship, just 10 points behind Smith . Cr evier's fut ure brother-in- law, Michael Taylor, had his bes t ou ting of the season to finish third, with Kinko's Yamaha ' s Jason Pridmore and Brian Gibbs rounding ou t the top five finish ers . Gerald Rothman [r., who finished seventh today, earned the AMA/CCS Top Expert crown. Smith averaged 101.621 mp h in winning the 19-1ap, 47.88-mile race in 28 minutes, 16.178 seconds. His margin of victory over Crevier was a scant .523-ofa-second . "I started off a little too fast," James said after earning the first 600cc Superspo rt title of his car eer. "I got a reall y good sta rt and I was reli eved. But I starte d to get a little concern ed because th ings ca n hap pen wh en yo u' r e up front. It was a nerve-wracking da y. It's not what I'm us ed to (n ot ha vin g to win), bu t I appr eciate it. 1just got settled in and tried to stay clear of everyone." Pridmo re got an awful jump from his starting position on the outside of tum one as he wheelied and lur ched the Kinko's Yama ha. When the pack completed the first lap it was Smith leading . his teammate Mike Hale, Crevier, Taylor, James and Rothman. A 10 Mike Smith (68), Mike Hale (23)and Michael Taylor (51) battle for first place in the 600cc Supersport final. The victory went to Smith, his sixth of the season. Smi th continued to lead as Ja mes started to fall behind , treading carefully around the 2.52-mile race trac k. Smith led until the sixth la p, when Crevier took h is first turn at the fro nt with Smith, Ta ylo r and Hale tucked in behind. A lap later and it was Taylor at the front, which came as somewhat of a sur prise to Smith. . "I saw Taylor and 1d idn 't know who he was, " Smith said later. "I wanted to see how he rode and he rides hard, just like the rest of 'em." A fifth party joined the lead pack o!' the eigh th lap, in the form of Canadian Ow en Weichel. Unfortunately, the HydMech Saws-backed rider ran off in tum five and would ultimately finish 18th. That left only four at the front, with Smith, Crevier and Taylor taking turns leading, while Hale seemed content to bide his time. On the 14th lap, Crevier got a break in traffic and tried to make an unsu ccessful ru n for it - bu t Smith was back in front a lap later andit was a position he held to the flag. Hale was ho t on the heels of Crevier as the white flag waved , but the young Texan crashed in tum three, returning to the paddock covered in mud and looking a lot like a Woodstock concert goer. "The back end stepped out," Hale said. "I didn't do anything out of the ordinary, it just came aro und on me." " I'm happy to be up here," thirdplaced Taylorsaid. "It's been a long time since I've been on an AMA podium. [ was a little nervous racing with those guys - I've been running along up in Canada. Next yea r 1 plan on doing the whole 600 series down here." James' ride to the title was an ything but uneventful as he and the Yamaha returned decorated with mud splatters: "[ason (Pridmore) go t sideways in tum five about midway thro ugh. He got off a little bit and sprayed me. He was making a charge and I was probably holding him back. I was giving everyone plenty of room, but I felt a guy ru n into me. I think he went down, so I didn't have to worry about him anymore. There were just a few close moments ou t there."

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