Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

I·INTHEWIND· . Of the 240 riders who started, only four ' managed to finish the Gilles Lalay Classic Enduro in Limoges, France, on February 26. Last year's winner Frenchman Cyril Esquirol (Hon) again took top honors, finishing the rain-soaked, 248mile course in seven hours and 32 minutes. Finishing second, just three minutes b ehind Esquirol was fellow countryman Laurent Charbonnel (Kaw), while three-time ISDE overall individual winner Stephane Peterhansel (Yam), also from France, finished third. Fourth went to Italian Andre Nicoli (Hus). For the second time in as many weeks, Ty Davis (Kaw) recorded the overall win at the second rou nd of the AMA National Championship Enduro Series in Wickenburg, Arizona, on February 26. When it was all over, Davis had a twopoint cushion over runner-up Steve Hatch (Suz), the defending champ. Third went to National Hare & Hound Champion Danny Hamel (Kaw), while Kelby Pepper (Kaw) and Randy Hawkins (Suz) rounded out the top five. Kyle Lewis (Yam) was the overall win ner at the Mickey Thompson Stadium Off-Road 250cc Ultracross at San Diego's Jack Murphy Stadium, on February 25. Mike Healey (Yam), Shau n Perolio (Kaw), Jas on McCormick(Hon) and Erick Hilton (Hon) rounded out the top five overall. In the Women's race, Amber Hughes (Suz) continued her hot streak with a win over Christy Shealy (Kaw) and Dee Wood (Kaw). Shelly Kann (Yam) and Tami Rice (Suz) completed the top five. Michael Brandes (Kaw) took overall wins in two Pro classes during round four of the CMC/Velvetouch Golden State Nationals (Northern Series) at the Prairie City OHV area in Sacramento, California, on February 26. Brandes topped Rodney Smith (Suz) and Dean Matson (Kaw) in the 125cc Pro class. Rick Ryan (Yam) and Rusty Holland (Suz) finished second and third, respectively, to Brandes in the 250cc Pro class. Jeff Matiasevich (Kaw) made a triumphant ret urn to racing with a 250cc Pro class victory at the GFl Winter MX Series North/South Showdown final in Perris, California, on February 26. Doug Dubach (Yam) was second ah ead of Cory Keeney. In the 125cc division, David Pingree (Kaw) was victorious . over Dubach and Casey Johnson (Kaw). Willy Musgrave (Hon) led Terry Fowler (Hon) and Trevor Meagher (Hon) in the SODcc class. Changes, changes, changes. Several positions ha ve changed hands at the Cycle N ew s offices in the past week. With Personal Watercraft Illustrated editor Dave Kelley resigning his post to pursue a free-lance career, Cycle News associate editor Chris Jonnum moves to the personal watercraft magazine as associate editor, joining Jeff Hain. Cycle News assistant editor Scott Rousseau has been bumped up to associate editor, and copy editor Mark Hoyer makes the jump to the newly created managing editor position. Associate editors Kit Palmer and Donn Maeda aren't going anywhere and neither is editor Paul Carruthers, who also serves as the senior editor of Personal Watercraft Illustrated. Cycle News is currently searching for a copy editor/proofreader and applicants should send resumes to the Cycle News offices attention Paul Carruthers. The producers of the U.S. Supercross Series, the Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group, SRO Motorsports, PACE/SuperSports and Daytona International Speedway, have announced the creation of the largest co n tingency sp on sorship program in the history of the sport. The program, which is su pported by 25 companies, po sts awards in excess of $3.4 million for the 1995 supercross season. Sponsor awards for each of the 15 scheduled U.S. Supercross Series events is $146,750 with an additional $218,375 in championship bon uses. Like other contingency programs, the awards go to riders who not only use the product but also display the corpo- Graham suffers serious head iniuries F l!') g:: ~ ormer AMA Grand National Champion Ricky Graham (right) was admitted to the hospital . after suffering serious head injuries in a motorcycle accident on Tuesday, February 21. According to Graham's sister Ruth Robinson, Graham and a friend, Mike Collig, had decided to take Graham's dogfor a run near his home in Salinas when the incident occurred. "On the way back, Ricky was coming down the . road and went to slide his bike," Robinson said. "He (Graham) thinks that he either hit a rock or slipped on some gravel, and he highs ided. He landed on the right side of his head." Collig was ahead of Graham and did not see the crash. He returned to find Graham lying unconscious by the side of the road. By the time Colllg had called ~n 1 and returned to the scene, Graham had regained consciousness and had ridden back to the house . Graham was then taken to Monterey Community Hosp ital by his father and admitted to the intensive care unit where he was diagnosed with a cracked skull, swelling of the brain and memory loss. Graham remained in intensive care until Saturday, February 25 when it was determined that the swelling had subsided and he had regained partial memory. Doctors are cautiously optimistic about a complete recovery, though no timetable has been given. "There is a chance tha t Ricky may never be 100 percent again," Robinson said. "He was planning to race again this year. He had such a terrible year last year . But at this point, the doctors don't ever want him to get on a motorcycle again." Fans wishing to send card s and letters can mail then in care of Graham's father, William Graham, 11 Harrow Ct., Seaside, CA 93955. In addition, a trust fund has been up to aid Graham in his recovery. Donations can be sent to the Ricky Graham Recovery Fund, Bank of America account number 0400602567, at the address above. Kretz, Phillips inducted he San Diego (California) Automotive Museum ind ucted racing great Ed Kretz Sr., the winner of the first Daytona 200 in 1937, into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame at a banquet held on February 11. A posthumous honor was also awarded to the late Jimmy Phillips, who won five Pacific Coast TT Championships in the 19405 and 1950s. Artist Hector Cad em artori has illustrated a poster to commemorate the event; the posters are available through Theresa Worsh at 619/753-0105 or 619/755-3424 for $10 (unsigned) and $50 (signed limited ed ition). T rate identification of that company. The program is supported by all of the manufacturers in the series - Honda , Kawasaki, KTM; Suzuki and Yamaha, along with 20 additional aftermarket companies. For more information call PM Communications at 916/442-7985. Two-time World Champion D ou g Polen will race a Smokin' Joe's Honda CBR600F3 in the AMA 600cc Supersport event at Daytona International Speedway on March 11. Polen, who won the 600cc Supersport Championship in 1987 and 1988, will compete alongside Smokin' Joe's Miguel DuHamel and Mike Hale. While DuHamel and Hale 's Hondas will be fitted with Dunlop tires, Polen's CBR600 will use Michelin rubber . Road racer Jason Pridmore will not only miss the Daytona 200 becau se of his broken leg, but will likely be forced to sit out rounds two and three of the AMA Superbike National Championship at the Pomona Fairplex and Laguna Seca Raceway. Pridmore, who has already taken delivery of a Fast By Ferracciprepped Ducati 955 and had also secured a Honda support ride for the 600cc Supersport class, broke the leg at a motocross event on January 8. "It's pretty bad ," Pridmore said. "1 did the tibia and the fibula up by the knee joint and the recovery period is long er than I e xpected . I couldn't believe it , there were no ambulances at the event. I never questioned it because I just figured there 'd be ambulances there; I didn't end up getting medical attention for a long time. Right now I'm going through extensive physical therapy and I've got an external fixator device on the leg. I'm just working real hard to get back on my feet." GFI Practice Day at Perris Raceway in Pe rris, California, will be moved to Wednesdays beginning March 1. Practice runs from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on a watered and prepped track with flaggers and an ambulance on si te. GFI is also looking for Pee Wee riders who would like to take part in the SOcc Stock Beginner intermission shows scheduled for the MTEG Off-Road Stadium events in San Jose and Phoenix. For more information call 909/943-3302. The Tony D. Motocross Sc h ool will have Guy Cooper as a special guest at its session at Gatorback Park in Gainesville, Florida, on March 3 and at Swan MX Park in Tyler, Texas, on March 13. For more information call 410/635-6916. Yoshimura Suzuki's Thomas Stev ens. unofficially broke the lap record at wnlow Springs Raceway in Rosamond, California, last week. The Floridian lapped at one-minute, 23 .6-seconds on his Ed Kretz Sr. and Barba ra Philips. Jimmy Phillips' widow. Suzuki GSXR750 superbike on the recently repaved race track to lower the record of .1:23.9 set by Chuck Graves on February 19. "The track's really good," Stevens said. "We'd do 22s there if they had a National. It's like a freeway ; there's so much black top out there I was getting dizzy." Stevens' teammate Fred Merkel lapped at 1:24.0. Yamaha will offer d emo ri des on its street-legal motorcycles during Camel Motorcycle Week in Daytona Beach, Florida. The rides will be held from Tuesday, March 7 through Friday, March 10 at Yamaha's tent display just outside the Speedway along International Speedway Blvd . On Saturday, March 11, Yamaha's entries in the Daytona 200 - Jamie James, T o m Kipp, Colin Edwards II and Yasutomo Nagai will sign au tographs at the display tent from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m, and aga in from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. On Sunday, March 12, Yamaha's supercross team of Jeff Emig, Kev in Windham and John Dowd will be signing from 9:30 a.rn, to 10:30 a.m .. Actress Crystal Bernard, the star of TV's Wings, will also sign autographs at the Yamaha tent at all of the aforementioned times . Yamaha will also sponsor a Poker Run with riders signing up at five different Yamaha check points . to register to win a complete Yamaha home stereo system worth over $2000. Jack Mayer, Sr., 61, of Midland, Michigan, died on February 21. Mayer was the founder of the Polka Dots M/C and one of the original members of AMA /D-14. He is survived by his wife Beverly; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Jack [r., and Cheryl Mayer and Dean Mayer; three grandchildren a sister-in-law and by man y nieces and nephews. Noleen Racing will be offering suspension service for both road racing and supercross events at Daytona during Camel Motorcycle Week. Noleen will have a full inventory of Ohlins suspension products, replacement parts as well as Noleen s u s pe ns ion parts at the Speedway from Monday, March 6 through Sunday, March 12. Road Atlanta in Braselton , Georgia, will host nine day and night motocross events in 1995 with the recent comple- . tion of their 1.5-mile motocross track which is located in the infield section on the inside of turn 12 and the front straight of the road course. Road Atlanta is also refurbishing the tower adjacent to . the start/finish line and 45 outdoor lights have been erected to provide a substa ntial increase in illumination throughout the parking lot, paddock and infield areas. Future changes under consideration include a go-kart track and additional restroom and concession buildings.

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