Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127719
Perris Raceway .alasevich's banle, Dubach's war EiyTony Alessi PERRIS, CA, FEB. 25 h e color of th e da y wa s d efinitely green aft er Jeff "Ch icke n" Matia sevic h a n d David Pingree gave th e com pe titi on th e one- two kno ckou t punch d uring th e GFI Win ter Serie s Sh owdown at Perris Raceway. Th e Showdown bro ught th e No rthe rn a n d Southern Ca liforn ia series champion s togeth er in a battle for the GFI Win ter Series State Cha mpio nship. Thou gh th ey wou ld n ot be cro wned State Champions, the two Kawasaki rid - ' ers d id win their indivi d ua l classes for the d ay, Matiasevich scori ng a two- moto sweep of th e 250cc Pro class, and Pingree bringin g h orne the gold in the 125cc Pro class. Th e Kawasaki of Japan-backed Jeff Matiasevich and Team O' Nea l' s Dou g Dub ach waged all out war during both 250cc Pr o motos. Dubach w as true to form , pulling the holesh ot during both mot os, bu t Matia sevich was armed with a new, " a ll bu s in ess" a tt itu d e. In th e end, Matia sevich smas he d his wa y past Dubach in both motes, leaving the former Te am Ya mah a r id er ru nner-up overall. "He (Ma tiasev ic h ) will n e v er ch ange," Dubach sa id , while cleaning the lire tracks off h is sideplates. "Bot h ti me s th at I wa s tu rning h e was s till going straight." . Desp ite his second- place finish in the Showdown, Du bach still had reas on to be p leased, as he clinche d the GFI Winter Se ries State Championship in th e 250cc Pro class. No rthe rn Californian Corey Keeney rode smart all d ay and was rew ard ed with a third-place finish, topping Mike Chamberl ain and Casey Johnson in the overall standings. The SplitFire /Pro Circuit Kawasakibacked Pingree p ost ed a wi re- to -wire win in the first 125cc Pro race. But wh ile Pingree st yled up front, all eyes were focu sed o n Dubach, who was ch ar g in g through the p ack from the rear a n d in t o the to p five. Dubach fo und a n o u ts ide line before a hug e double jump that a ll ow ed him t o un cork his Yamaha and sa il ove r 'C h a m b e r la in for third: Dub ach used th e-sam e jump a lap later, to fly by Keeney for second and began closing on Pin gree. But it was a classic case o f " too littl e too lat e," and Dubach h ad to settle for second place. Th e se co n d m ot o saw Ca s e y Johnson pull th e T holesh ot an d never look back. Joh ns on o pe ne d up a four-se con d lea d then main tained the ma rgin all th e way to th e checke re d flag, to p pi ng Pin gree whose second-p lace fini sh ea rned th e 12 5cc Pr o ov e ra ll wi n for th e d a y . Duba ch, Ch a m be rl a in a nd N el son rou nd ed out the top five in the moto . Orang e County Su zuki rid er Don a ld Up to n fini sh ed a di s appo in tin g seven th ove ra ll, but h a d reaso n to ce lebrate jus t th e sa me, as he clinched th e Series State Cha mpionship in the 125cc Pro class. . Nine-year-old Mar k Palmer was the big wi n ner in th e 60cc Novice class. Pal mer came into the Showdown w ith three series wins and two second-place finishes. Du rin g the Showdown, Palmer was u n st oppable, p os ti n g two mo to wi ns for the overall victory in fron t of (Above) Jeff " Chicken" Matiasevich took full advantage of his new Kawasaki of Japan ride by storming to a perfect sweep of the 250cc Pro class at the GFl Winter Series Showdown. (Left) Siam-bang: Matlasevlch (17) and Doug Dubach " traded paint" throughout both 250Cc Pro motes. Dubach was runner-up on the day but took home the series State Championship. (Below left) David Pingree (41) posted 1-2 scores to top the 125cc Pro class while Casey Johnson (104) won moto two for second overall. Don Upton (89) was seventh overall but locked up the State title anyway. (Below) Casey Lyle (19) dices with Cliff Cook (25) In the 125cc Intermediate class. Lytle bagged the overall win.