Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

(Oppostle page) To no o~e's surprise, Chris Carr - the Prince of Peoria - posted his eighth-straight win at the Infamous n track. Here, he leads Joe Kopp In the made-for-television, 25-lap Grand National Invitational race. Car won that one, too, and took home $1766 from the $20,000 Invatlonal purse. Kopp finished second. (Right) Ben Bostrom (11) grabbed the early lead in the Grand atlonal main event ahead of Rich King (80), Carr (4) and the rest 01 the 17-rlder field. Bostrom would eventually drop back and finish sixth. Former Harley-Davidson factory rider Kevin Atherton came home a lone1y and ra ther uneventful third, dicing with King, Tresser and Bostrom brothers Ben and Eric before yanking the throttle and clearing the traffic on about lap 19. The podium finish marked a small measure of revenge for the TCR/Ben Ford Jr./Supertrapp/Motion Pro/Silkolene/ AFAM/MSR/Pro Plates/EBC/Arai-supported rider, who was "gypped" out of the TV race after his chain derailed on the third lap. "[ was really bummed about that TV deal," Atherton said. "And I don't know if it helped me not to run those last 25 laps or not. The two guys who did beat me ran the TV race. I wasn't going over the jump very well today. My suspension wasn't working over the jump, but it was working everywhere else, and that's where you win or lose - everywhere else. The jump is just for show." Atherton was pursued almost miraculously across the finish line by Circle Bell/Motion Pro/HMP /Sudco/ Arai/ Fox Mike Taylor/ Aupperle & Sons/Bob Wirth Racing-backed Andy Tresser. The fact that Tresser, a former two-time AMA Western Regional Champion, finished a creditable fourth is not in itself miraculous until you consider that the Redwood City, Californian did so after being released from intensive care on Thursday. He had checked himself in on Tuesday with an apparent viral infection. As if that weren't enough, Tresser had also taken part in the Grand National Invitational earlier, where he had taken another fourth. "I'm exhausted," the 30-year-old Tresser said. "Arm-pump city. That was too many laps around Peoria for today. It was the typical annual gunfight." Washington TT maestro and Grand National campaigner Joe Kopp brought his Lopko Racing/Denny Lopp/Dave Manko/Arai/Thor/Motion Pro/WFO/ Plunkett's Supply/Alpine-backed Wood-Rotax home fifth. Kopp, too, appeared to be one of the riders who could threaten Carr in the Grand National after he had led most of the TV race. But Kopp also began the main event with a less-than-stellar run to the first turn, and was forced to follow Parker and Atherton through the midpack Bostrom-King battle in the middle portion of the race before pulling clear and locking horns with Tresser from lap 19 to starter Steve Faraci's checkered flag. Carr's victory at Peoria marked his 33rd career Grand National win, moving him into a tie with retired three-time Grand National Champion Bubba Shobert for fourth on the all-time National win list. But his 1988 race record of 10 minutes, 58.387 seconds still stands, as the Prince completed his dominion today in 11 minutes, 39.940 seconds on the grooved and dry-slick but fast Peoria surface. "But that came when the track was smooth, not a ripple on it," Carr said. "I don't think that record will ever be broken." HEATS By the time the first 10-lap qualifying heat was rolled onto the track, the course had already been subjected to the abuse of over 84 laps of racing from 10 four-lap scratch heats as well as the entire Invitational TV program (see Grand National Invitational). In all, 59 riders attempted to qualify for 48 spots in the Grand National program. USC Racing's Terry Poovey was the first rider off the lifle in heat one, and the Texan appeared to be fast both in the turns and on the straightaways. But Poovey held back the reins on his Rotax over the jump, and that proved to be his undoing. Poovey and Kopp seesawed back and forth briefly before Kopp literally flew into the lead over the jump and came down to lead from lap three to the finish. "I got a real bad start and got real out of shape in turn one, but then I started catching them over the jump," Kopp said. "The track is starting to dry out a lot. I'm going to soften up my suspension a bit and try to stay on the groove. My first goal was to get on the front row." Poovey also eventually.gave way to a three-rider battle between Team Undo rider Brett Landes, Eaken Racing's Larry Pegram and Spectro-Moroney's H-D rider Georgie Price IV. Landes got the noel for second to take a direct transfer to the main event. "I think Terry was holding Georgie up a bit," Landes said. "Georgie tried to get by Terry and I got by both of them. I was just in the right place at the right time." Whatever "rust': Carr might have had was quickly polished off in the first two laps of the second heat. Carr took the lead from the get-go and built a twosecond lead on Modesto H-D-backed Matt Wait and Bartels' rider Ben Bostrom, the latter being one of the riders touted as a threat to Carr's Peoria throne. But certainly not in this heat race as Carr took the win by more than a straightaway. Bostrom broke free of Wait for second. '1 just got a good start, got out front and cruised," Carr said. "We've been playing around with different rim widths. We'll be all right." Bostrom admitted to having mOTe work to do. "We had some real bad brake problems," Bostrom, another dirt trackerturned-road racer, said. "I pulled these brakes right off my Honda CBR600F2. We're getting it dialed, and we will have it working for the main event. He (Carr) is really flying, but I think we stand a good chance of running with him. We got to finish on the podium." Tresser stepped up and claimed the win in heat three after visiting the ground in turn one on the opening lap and causinp; a red flag. Parker had been leading at the time and appeared to be in prime position for a direct tr.ansfer. Unfortunately for Parker, he wheelied off the line on the restart and was muddled in midpack, while Tresser pulled into the lead over a three-rider battle among Don Estep, Loral Lake Racing's Ronnie Jones and Bartels'-sponsored Eric Bostrom. Things would get worse for Parker on lap five as he got back into the fight only to tangle with Estep in turn one on lap five and hit the dirt in turn two. Parker appeared to be all right and the race continued until Estep also went down hard in turn one on lap six, causing the red flag to come out this time. Parker attempted to restart the race, but when AMA officials ruled him one lap down, he returned to the pits, opting to wait for the semi rather than complete the heat race. "I was going to finish last either· way," Parker said. On the restart, Tresser and Jones led the way to checkered flag. "I lost my concentration on that restart," Tresser said. "[ knew I was being pressured, but I just tried to ride a smooth race." . After his disappointing result at his hometown race, the Oklahoma City Half Mile held one week prior, Jones' runnerup finish provided a fresh start at a rather unlikely venue for him. "It may seem like it to everyone else, but for me this isn't unexpected," Jones said. "It's a tough place, and you just have to go for it. Hopefu1ly, these good results will turn into more good results. We need that." Atherton styled his TCR Wood-Rotax to win the final heat with a rather uneventful wire-to-wire romp while King dispensed with an insurgent Kenten Longcor to take the final direct ticket to the main. "That heat race went well," Atherton said. "I got out front early and just kind of relaxed and rode my own pace. That's what we're going to have to do in the main even t as well, beca use- it's a long race. Peoria is tiring." "I got hung up in traffic," King said. "Once I got behind ~evin we were pretty consistent. We could catch him in. some places and he was faster in others. But we've had a pretty long day already, and we're just trying to save ourselves for the main event. Top five is what we're looking for." SEMIS Pegram got back on track with a fairly convincing win in the first semi, which was restarted after Craig Estelle high-sided and unloaded hard in turn one. Estelle was uninjured and made the restart, and Pegram picked up where he ll) 0\ 0\ ...... .. ~ ...... ell 1 11

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