Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

, .. ,0 ...-;;: What's it cost? ished 16th and took away $725 while riding his 600cc Rotax, a $12,000 tool necessary for Grand National Championship competition even though it is used only three times during the season. " I know we only ride them three times," Camlin said . "But the bo ttom line is that those (600cc) races are three Nationals, and a guy has go t to race them if he wants to win the championship." From Peoria, August turned out to be a roller -coas te r ride for Camlin and Eaken. The team made $300 after failing to make the ma in a t th e Stu rgis Half Mile and ano ther $400 at th e Denver Ha lf Mile b ef o re re bou n ding w ith 'a th ird-pl a ce fi nish at the Ind y Mi le, b rin ging in $3400 fro m th e purse an d contingencies. A rebuild, and then a d isappointing Sem i fin ish at th e Goshen Hal f Mile for $150. Despite the fact that Eaken is wid ely recognized as a builder of one of the mo st reliable engi nes in the game, ther e . can be no accounting for bad luck, and it came in the form of a broken main bearing at the Springfield Mile. Cam lin was aw arded 14th and $725 bu t was robbed . of anot her potential top 10 finish. "The main bea rin g also cos t us th e crank," Eake n sai d. "That was anothe r $1500 or $2000." The failu re could n't h ave come at a wo rse time . Ultima tely, it m ay h a ve l!) 0\ 0\ rl ..... - If') l-; 0... < 26 have a straight motorcycle and not one that's been laid down." The d uo moved on to th e Pomona and struggled there. Camlin failed to make the main on the dry, slick Southern California ha lf mile, ha uling in $150 for his sixt h-place effort in the first Semi p lus th e man da tory $300 qualifying money. The ultra-competitive Camlin admits that those are the ki nd of d ays that jus t tear him up inside. "Th ere are times when I've let m y mind ru in the race for me," Cam lin said . "When we go to a place like Peo ria and I g e t six th , th en I' m h app y b ec au s e I didn't think that I'd make it. But if I'm not in the hunt at a plac e like Lima, then I lose sleep over it." If C amlin los t s lee p a ft er th e DuQuoin Mile, the n it was out of elation rather than fru stration. After hanging in the top five throu ghout th e 25 -lap N at ion al Camlin pulled off a la st-lap draft p ass on Chris Carr an d Ronnie Jones to claim the biggest w in of h is career. A s much as the vi cto ry w a s career-long dream for Camlin, it was a financial boon as well . "I made $5400 fro m the purse plus $3200 contingency from Harley-Davidso n," Camlin said. "Bell Helmets ga ve us $300, and Motion -Pro gav e us a separate deal. I believe that wa s $500." All totaled, C a m lin ' s take fr om DuQuoin came to $9400, but the money started going back out as quickl y .as it came in. Camlin's Harley now had thr ee races on it and was in need of an over h aul, so me th ing that Eake n says is mand atory after every three rides, at a cost of around $500. "Tha t's assuming that yopre jus t rebuilding the cra nk, putting in fresh playe d a big role in the team's decision to sit out the Castle Rock TI. "Abo ut that time of the year, you're running out of money, and Castle Rock is kind of a crapshoo t," Camlin said. "Tt' s home court advantage for those guys." The la y o ff allowed Cam lin and Eaken plenty of time to prepare for the Wes t Coas t swi ng to the fi nal three Nationals of the season, and it met with a so mewhat posi tive effect as Camlin flogged his XR to third at the fall running of the Sacramento mile and picked up another $3650 from the p urse and continge ncies . A 14th at Pomona added anothe r $585. But Carnlin's season came to a crashing end while runnin g fourth in h is heat at the season finale Del Mar Mile. Cam lin at temp ted to rid e the Semi but failed to make the cut. The net result was another .$400. The team h ad su rvived the long seaso n, and it was time to head for home. Did it pay? After all the life risking, endless hou rs of hard work both in the sho p and on the ro ad , and the relentless care and feeding of the racing and transport veh icles, you wo uld think that the bottom line wou ld reflect tre me n dous fin ancial rew ard. Bu t if yo u h ad been following along, you sho uld realize that the numbers are go ing to balance about as favor abl y as Bill Clin ton's p re-electio n b udget proposa ls . Althoug h it should be no ted that Camlin and Eaken (Above) All-star wrench: Skip Eaken teamed up with Camlin for the '94 season. Eaken has won Nationals with seven different GNC riders , most notably threetime ser ies champi on Bubba Shobert. (Right) Camlin's strongest - and most lucrative - finish es came on the big mile tracks. bearings, new pistons, rings and valve springs," Eaken said. Ju ne was so mewha t kind to Camlin and Eaken . Camlin nett ed co nsiste n t nin th- a n d eighth pla ces finishes, respectively, at the Parke rsbu rg and Dallas half miles, total in g $19 50 be fore sufferi ng th ro ugh another h eartbre ak in g $400 Semi finish at .the Lima Ha lf Mile . Th ree more races, another rebuild. The Jul y swing th rou gh the heartland's half miles was consistent if nothin g else. Ca mlin mad e all th e Nationa ls duri ng the mo nth, finishing 14th at Mechanicsb urg fo r $585, 15th at La ke Od essa for $575, 16th at Hagerstown for another $560, a strong fifth at Sedalia for $1725, and fina lly 13th at Oklahoma City for $600. That's $4045 less two more mo tor rebu ilds. The Peoria TT started the month of August. Camlin fin- Name: Dave Camlin Residence: Rock Island, Illinois Age: 25 Occupation: Professional Motorcycle Racer Name: Skip Eaken Residence: Windham, Ohio Age: 51 Occupation: Engine builde rltuner Income from racing (including GNC, Regional', AMA and Income fromracing Rider spilt Sponsorship Total gross ' People,' points fund. contingencies and appea"""",, ) Before spilt Less 50% Total gross , ., $44,888.99 $22,444:50 ., . ., . .,$22,4:44,.49 Less Expenses Hotels ., , , ' ..... .........•.$1 500 Entries $1 450 Plane tickets .. , , , $800 Food $737 Mileage $6000 Misc.Expense $4300. Auto tires $500 Road tolls $30 Phone $425 Sponsor supplies $33 Subtotal ., ., ., . •. . •., ., $1S,nS Total racing income after expenses . •. .$6669.49 , .•. . .$22,444.50 $13,000.00 $35,444.50 Less EXJl!l!!HS Engine parts $6000 Non-englne parts $4000 Paint $1000 TII'llS , , $4000 Transporter fuel $4000 Transporter main!• . . ; .. ....• ... . .. . . .. .. $1000 Hotels $1500 Misc.Expenses $2000 Food , ,. , $750 Subtotal ., . . , .• ., •., . . ., . . ., . ., ...•.$24,250 Total racing income after expenses ...$11,1 94.50

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