Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Rick Soter (BSA) and Harry Schreiber (H-D) were the kings of the hill in the 540 and 800cc classes, respectively, at the Goshen Iron Horsemen Nat'l Hillclimb in Middlebury, IN, on September 18. Soter topped Scott Everett (Tri), Paul Pinsonnault (Hon), Ted Wilkins (Rtx) an d Paul Lowe for the 540cc win. Sch reiber surpassed Steve Dresser (HD), G reg Williams (Hon), Glendal Petty Jr. (H -D) and Lou Gerencer Jr. to capture the 800cc honors. Jeff Willoh (Kaw) was the 125cc class w inner a t the $10,000 Salinas Arena cross '94, held in Salinas, California on September 18. Doug Dubach (Yam) was second, followed by Spud Walters (Suz ). Dubach topped the 250cc division ahead of Willoh and Michael Brandes (Kaw). Takahito Mori (Hon) won the 125cc Grand Prix exhibition race which was held in conjunction with the AMA U.S. Superbike National Championship ' round at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, on September 17. Mori topped Billy Graef (Hon) by 3.262 seconds, w ith Lee Parks (Hon) finishing third. Former 125cc Eastern Regional Supercross Champion Ronnie Tichenor (Suz) wrapped up his second-eonsecutive AllJapan Motocross Championship with a win at the penultimate round, held at the Oshita-Ken, Kyushu District MX facility on September 18. Mexican race organizers RF Sport will promote a pair of 250cc Supercross events south of the border, and are currently seeking top professionals to compete for the $31,000 purse that each event boasts. The November 5-6 event will be held 'in Guadalajara, Mexico, and the November 12-13 race will take place in Monterrey, Mexico: For more information call 011/52-8-333-0913. Montesa importer Martin Belair reports that sixth-ranked American trials rider Lonny Hallsted is enjoying his twomonth stay in Spain, following the September 3 Trial des Nations. "He's been practicing with Amos Bilbao, Joan Pons and Jordi Tarres," said Belair. "He says that he's learning a lot. 1 told him that in company like that, he'd better learn a lot." Several members of the Cycle News testing staff recently paid a visit to yet another Southern California MX facility. Now in its eighth month of business, Rainbow Motocross Park in Rainbow, California, features a 1.8-mile natural terrain course that features several uphills, downhills, off-camber turns, and even a few supercross-style obstacles. Run by owner Bob Harvell, the park is located off the 15 freeway approximately 30 miles north of San Diego, and about 25 miles south of Perris. Open on Saturdays for practice only between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., the track is grated and rewatered during the noon lunch break. Admission is $10 per rider and spectators are fr ee. Thumbs up were given by all who circled the track. For more information call 909/926-4646. ' 2 Rumors have been flying in the motocross industry about d efending Supercross Champion Jeremy McGrath leaving Team 1-800-COLLECT Honda in favor of a factory Kawasaki ride, but a phone call to Kawasaki Team Manager Roy Turner on Monday, Sep tember 19, qu ickly extinguished such tales. "As of today, that is untrue," said Turner. "McGrath has approached us, but realistically, we don't have it in our budget to hire him. While 1 would like to hav e Jeremy on board, it just isn't realist ic. Such a deal would involv e m eetin g with MCI, as I've heard tha t the 1-8ODCO LLECT s p on so rs h ip comes w it h him, and we've had no su ch meetings." Turner confirmed that Mike Kiedrowski, Mike LaRocco and Robbie Reynard would comprise the '95 team. Though other rumors have LaRocco jumping ship to Team Honda, Turner squelched that rumor, as well. "Mike LaRocco is in the second year of a three-year con tract with us," he said. As far as Team Kawasaki signing facto- ry Yamaha expatriate Michael Craig to contest the Japanese National Championships - that rumor has been squelched as well. Craig has reportedly signed his Honda of Troy contract on the dotted line, and will join James Dobb, Mike Brown, Brian Swink and Todd DeHoop on the factory-supported team. As reported earlier, French teenage sensation Mickael Pichon will be joining Team Splitfire/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki in 1995, but according to team owner Mitch Payton, he will contest the Eastern Regional 125cc Supercross Championship Series. "Kawasaki wanted us to field a team on both coasts," said Payton. "So it looks like we'll be at every race this year. Hot Wheels will not be back in'95 - we had a two year contract with them, and we were well aware that it was up at the end of '94. We are, however, negotiating with another outside-industry company for associate sponsorship." Ryan Hughes, David Pingree and Kawasaki Team Green rider Casey Johnson will fly the team's colors in the Western Regional 125cc Supercross Championship Series. Defending Eastern Regional 125cc Supercross Champion Ezra Lusk recently underwent surgery to repair ligament damage in his right thumb. Lusk injured the finger in a crash at the 1993 Binghamton 125cc National. The Georgian will be back in action within a few weeks. Robbie Reynard also underwent reconstructive surgery recently to repair tom muscle tissue in his tender shoulder . The problematic shoulder troubled Reynard throughout the 1994 sea son, and should be back in action in three to four weeks. Many expect Reynard, the winner of the Steel City 125cc National series finale, to com e alive in '95 if he can stay healthy. Defend ing 125cc National Champion Doug Henry will be spending some time in the surf this winter, as he is trading professional surfer Sunny Garcia motocross lessons for a few surfing tips . Henry will instruct Garcia at Kahuku MX Park in Oahu, Hawaii, and Sweden victorious at Wo'rld Team Cup _ ith reigning World Speedway Champion Tony Rickardsson (right) at the helm, Sweden continued their dominance of international speedway b y scorin g 23 points to win the World Team Cup in Brokstedt, Germany, on September 18. Poland was second with 20 points and Denmark scored 17 points to finish third after winning a run-off with the USA and Australia for the bronze medal. Though Team USA carded a fifth-place finish, members Sam Ermolenko and Greg Hancock, along with reserve Billy Hamill, put in a good defense of the title which they had won the two previous years. Ermolenko scored 12 points and Hancock scored five on a slippery Brokstedt track which made passing all but impossible. Many riders were unhappy with the conditions. "The track was extremely slick," Ermolenko said. "If you were fortunate enough to get a wheel in front off the start, there was no change. Nobody rode off the (dirt) line." Ermolenko made a good start and led to the first tum in the run-off for third place, but his rear tire went flat, and he was forced to yield the position. "1 borrowed a wheel from Greg Hancock that had one fresh edge on it and was warm because I figured it would be better to go out with that than with my tire, which was stone cold," Ermolenko said. "1 guess the tire pressure was a little too low." The event marked the first time that the World Team Cup was run under the pairs style format, which allows only three riders per team rather than five and actually involves team riding, as both riders are 'on the track at the same time. Under the new format, seven countries qualified for the World Team Cup rather than just the usual four. Germany and England rounded out the field with 16 points each. W receive his lessons on ' Hawaii's north shore. join Brazilian Alex Barros on the twoman team. Good news for dirt track fans: Defending Grand National Champion Ricky Graham reports that he is currently training and plans to contest the final two rounds of the AMA Grand National Championship Series; the October 8 Pomona Half Mile and the October 16 Del Mar Mile . "I was a bit upset after the fiasco at the Sedalia Half Mile," said Graham. "After that I said, 'I don't need this: I had a lot of business to take care of at home, and that's what I've been doing. I'm looking forward to the last two races - they're near home and I'm anxious to get in there and mix up the points race. It should be interesting:' As far as the 1995 season goes, Graham reports that he's looking forward to, "starting over again. Hopefuly, Johhny Goad and I can get some sort of deal worked out, and I can set out after my fourth title:' Kevin Schwantz will be on hand at the Argentinian Grand Prix, but only as a spectator. Schwantz underwent surgery on his injured left hand and ,right knee on Wednesday, September 21, and will fly to Buenos Aires to watch the secondto-last round of the World Championship. "There's no point in sitting at home," Schwantz said. "The doctor told me the operation went well - there are no problems and I'd rather' be at the races. Even though I can't race myself, I may be able to be of some help to Alex (Barros) as he works to improve his final finishing position in the championship, and I will be doing everything I can to help my replacement rider as well." British road racer Sean Emmett will replace injured Kevin Schwantz on the Lucky Strike Suzuki RGV500 in the Argentine Grand Prix on September 25. Emmett, 24, has been riding a Team Shell Harris Yamaha 500 in the 1994 World Championship Road Race Series, but not gets the opportunity to replace Schwantz, who suffered a broken wrist and a dislocated hip in his practice crash at the United States Grand Prix at Laguna Seca. "This is the sort of thing an yone dreams of," Emmett said . "It' s a privileg e to h a ve the ride I d o with Team Shell Harris, but that is onestep away from directly riding for the factory, on a bike of the s ta nd a r d of the Lucky Strike Suzuki." Emmett, who curren tly lies 15th in the 500cc World Championship point standings, will In an effort to help with the rising medical expenses of Jason Fletcher, the dirt tracker who was seriously injured at the Oklahoma City Half Mile, photographer Dan Mahoney has for sale a set of five 4 by 6-inch color prints of Fletcher in action aboard his 750 and 883 machines. Also included is a Jason Fletcher photo magnet. All proceeds will go to the Fletcher family . To order, . send a donation of at least $11 to Dan Mahoney, P.O . Box 139, Urbana, MO . 65757. Road racer Chris D'Aluisio, who has contested the 1994 AMA 250cc Grand Prix on a John Lassak-tuned Motoworld . Ap rilia , was a no-sho w at the final round of the series at Road Atlanta on September 17-18. D'Al uisio had said at th e Un ited States Grand Prix that the team was having money troubles. There was a possibility tha t D' Aluisio would compete on a Southwest Motorsports

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