Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Cycle News 1995 07 05

Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles

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IN THE WIND Ty Davis and Mike Healey were the dominant riders at the 28th running of the Mammoth Mountain MX races, held in Mammoth Lakes, California, on June 22-25. Davis (Kaw) emerged victorious in the 125 and 500cc Pro divisions, while Healey was the winner in the 250cc Pro and Sound of Thunder Four-Stroke Pro classes. Davis topped Healey (Hon) and Rusty Holland (Suz) in the 125cc division, and was chased home by Healey (KTM) and Mike Brandes (Kaw) in the 500cc class. Healey (Hon) topped hometown favorite David Barrett (Yam) and Lance Smail (Yam) in the 250cc class,. and piloted a KTM to the win in the SoT class over two-time World Champion Donny Schmit (CCM) and Terry Fowler (Hus). As usual, Rex Staten (Kaw) won the Senior and Vet Pro classes, and Ricky Carmichael (Kaw) aced the Mini Pro class. Pat Foster was the dominant amateur, riding a variety of machines to win the SoT, 125 and 500cc Intermediate classes. With his home-country fans behind him, Stefan Everts (Kaw) swept both motos at the June 25 round of the World Championship 250cc Motocross Series, held in Kester, Belgium, and further extended his series point lead. Everts' fellow countryman, Marnicq Bervoets (Suz) was second overall, ahead of Brit Kurt Nicoll (Hon), Dutchman Pedro Tragter (Suz) and German Peter Beirer (Suz). American Tallon Vohland (Kaw) finished 11th in the first moto, and DNFed moto two after breaking his left foot. Still, Vohland trails Everts in the series point standings, 280-239. Six-time World Champion Jordi Tarres (G-G) was the winner at the June 24-25 round of the World Championship Trials Series, held in St. Michel de Maurienne, France. Marc Colomer (Mon) was second and Tommi Ahvala (Fan) was third. Joan Pons (G-G) and Doug Lampkin (Bet) rounded out the top five. Tarres' latest win moves him back into the series point lead, but still, only a single point separates him and Colomer. With two rounds to go, the two Spaniards boast 142 and 141 points, respectively, well clear of Ahvala's 110. Rodney Smith (Suz) scored his fourth consecutive National Reliability Enduro Series win, this time at the 25th Annual Trask Mountain Two-Day Qualifier in McMinnville, Oregon, on June 24-25. Smith recorded the fastest times in all five special test. Finishing second overall was David Rhodes (Kaw), while Brian Garrahan (Kaw), Jeff Odom (Hon) and Mark Kerling (Yam) rounded out the top five overall. The event was the final round of the series. An attempt by Virginia officials to throw motorcyclists off High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes on crowded freeways has instead resulted in the best proof yet that motorcyclists should have access to these lanes, according to the AMA. Since 1985, Virginia officials have resisted attempts by the federal government and various motorcyclist organizations, including the AMA and the Virginia Coalition of Motorcyclists, to open up the state's HOV lanes. In spite of repeated rulings from the federal government that motorcycles, like cars with multiple passengers and buses, could help reduce traffic congestion. Virginia officials have insisted that they do not fit the category of space-efficient vehicles allowed to use HOV lanes. In 1992, the federal government required states to allow motorcyclists onto any HOV lanes maintained through federal funds. The Virginia Department of Transportation then opened up its HOV lanes, many of which lead into and out of Washington, D.C., but only for a two-year pilot project. The state also insisted upon conducting a study designed to prove its contention that motorcycles would constitute a safety hazard on HOV lanes. The study is now complete, at a cost of . over $140,000 in taxpayer money, according to the AMA. But the results aren't what Virginia officials anticipated. During the two-year pilot project, only five motorcycle accidents were reported on the HOV lanes that were studied, while nine were reported on the regular traffic lanes of those freeways during the hours when HOV lanes were in operation. More significantly, the study discovered that on the basis of vehicle miles traveled, motorcyclists were seven times less likely to be involved in a crash while traveling on HOV lanes than in regular traffic lanes. Based on those numbers, Cycle News Rider of the Month: Mi uel DuHamel N oone had a better month than Smokin' joe's Racing's Miguel DuHamel (right). The French Canadian entered six road races in the month • of June, and he won all six of them, vaulting himself into contention for the AMA Superbike National Championship while establishing himself as champion-elect in the 600cc Supersport class. DuHamel's month started at the Mid-0hio Sports Car course on June 4 where he beat teammate Mike _ Hale in a straight fight in both the Superbike and 600cc classes. At Road America, on June 11, he did the same thing to Hale in the 600cc class; and he followed that win with his fourth straight victory after a race-long battle with Hale and Fast By Ferracci's Mike Smith in the Superbike National. On Father's 11") Day, DuHamel gave his famous father Yvon a spe0\ cial gift - two more wins at the New Hampshire 0\ International Speedway. ,...... DuHamel's win in the Superbike National was impressive. He started slowly, 11")' worked his way through the pack and then put the finishing touches on the sixth >... National win of his career. DuHamel's three 600cc Supersport wins in the month of June have further increased his lead as the all-time win leader in the class with 18 victo~ ries. DuHamel will attempt to win his seventh and eighth in a row when the series heads to Brainerd International Raceway in Brain.erd, Minnesota, on July 16. ~ m :2 2 Donald Jacks: 1970-1995 oshimura Suzuki,'s Donald Jacks, 25, was killed on Saturday, June 24, in a street bike accident near his home in St. Cloud, Florida, that killed one other man and left a second in critical condition. Jacks and his friend, Matthew Maddox, were aboard Jacks' Suzuki RF900 when the pair struck a bicyclist on a road in north Osceola County. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the bicyclist, James Kaufman, 21, turned in front of the motorcycle. Jacks and Kaufman were both killed and Maddox, 23, is listed in critical condition at the Orlando Regional Medical Center. Jacks was lying sixth in the AMA Superbike National Championship after his most recent seventh-place finish at New Hampshire International Speedway on June 18, and was fifth in the 750cc Supersport point standings. Jacks was a nine-time AMA/CCS title holder and was.crowned WERA's Formula USA Champion in 1992. He was in his third season as a member of the Yoshimura Suzuki team. Jacks is survived by his mother, Rosalie Jacks, and two sisters, Jackie Carey and Cathy Eggers. A funeral will be held on Wednesday, June 28 at 2:00 p.m. at Eastern Baptist Church, 1001 Eastern Ave., St. Cloud, Florida. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to help defray hospital expenses for Matthew Maddox. Donations for Maddox should be sent to the Matthew Maddox Fund, Public Bank, 2500 13th St. St. Cloud, FL 34769. Y researchers from the Virginia Transportation Research Council concluded: "There is no evidence at this time that allowing motorcycle traffic on HOV lanes has an adverse impact on safety or operations... In fact, there is some evidence to indicate that allowing motorcycles to travel on the HOV lanes may even decrease the number of incidents." After outcry from both teams and spectators following the 5:40 p.m. start and 6:30 p.m. finish of the AMA Superbike National at New Hampshire International Speedway, the AMA ·has announced a schedule revision for the upcoming AMA National at Brainerd International Raceway on July 15-16. The revised order of events for Sunday's program will be as iollows: HarleyDavidson SuperTwins, 600cc Supersport, Superbikes and then 250cc Grand Prix. At New Hampshire International Speedway, the 250cc Grand Prix was run prior to the Superbike National. "On two occasions, inclement weather and unforseea ble track dela ys ha ve pushed the Superbike National late into the day," said Tom Mueller, executive director of AMA Pro Racing. 'We have assessed input from fans, teams, OEM representatives and facility promoters, and after a review of that information, we have changed our National schedule of events. This will assure Superbike racing in a more secure afternoon time block, and that's something everybody involved wanted to see accomplished." Due to a general lack of interest on the part of competitors, the Marathon Challenge Series at San Jose Speedway in San Jose, California, has been canceled. The two-hour, two-man series will return in November. Due to problems with course logistics and planning, Four Strokes Only has canceled the D-37 Dual Sport ride that was scheduled to take place in Carlsbad, California, OJ) July 9. The regular Commotion by the Ocean motocross will not be affected by the cancel1ation. For more information call 818/765-5616. Speaking of the Commotion by the Ocean, a practice day will be held at Carlsbad Raceway on July 6 - open to entrants in the Commotion by the Ocean race only. For more information call 619/484-1441. According to the Cagiva Group, Ducati will continue to produce the Ducati 916 Senna and have renewed their agreement with Ayrton Senna Licensing for 1995. The agreement will allow the production of 300 units to be marketed during 1996 and 1997. The California Mini Motorcycle Club (CMMC) will host its annual three-day Mini Nationals on August 25-27 at Barona Oaks Raceway in Barona, California. The Women's MX Team World event will be run in conjunction with the Mini Nationals as well as 125 and 250cc Pro classes. For more information call 619/562-0312. A two-day IT will be held on the upper ranch of Hollister Hills (California) SVRA over the Fourth of July weekend. On Saturday, July 1, the Santa Clara Riders Unlimited will host an AHRMA Vintage event and on Sunday, July 2, P&J Promotions will hold an AMA/D36TT. Moto Liberty and Keith Code have expanded their 12Scc Grand Prix schools yet again in an effort to handle what they call "a huge flow of enthusiasm for 125 racing." The school scheduled for July 9 at the Streets of Willow Springs has been sold out and a second class has been added for July 10. Code will also host a school at Road Atlanta on October 16. For more iniormation call 800/530-3350. The U.S. Senate voted June 21 to repeal a federal measure designed to punish states that refuse to pass mandatory helmet laws covering all motorcyclists, according to the AMA. The vote, which moves the federal government's attempts to blackmail states over the helmet-law issue a step closer to elimination, came during the full Senate's consideration of the National Highway System Designation Act. The amended

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