VOICES.
Americ.t's weekly motorcycle newspaper
.Letters tQ the editor
Volume XXXII
Sharon Clayton, President
Michael Klinger, Publisher
day), and go to an occasional road race.
Keep up the good work.
J.D. Shults
Streamwood, n
Editori.tl
Paul Carruthers, Editor
Kit Palmer, Associate Editor
Donn Maeda, Associllu Editor
Scott Rousseau, Associate Editar
Mark Hoyer, ManJlging Editar
Laurel Allen, Editorilll Assistant
Keith Bush, Proofreoder
Advertising
Terry Pratt, National Accounts ManJlger
Mark Mitchell, Eastern ACCDunts ManJlger
Mark Thome, Western Sales Manager
Thomas Gonter, Western Sales ManJlger
Forrest Hayashi, Western Sales Manager
Greg Mitchell, Eastern Sales ManJlger
Rick Matheny, Eastern Sales Manager
Rhonda Crawford, Western Ad Coordinator
Carla Allen, Eastern Ad Coordinator
Laurie Snow, Assistant
Marketing & Promotion
Mark Thome, Manager
New Media Development
Mark Mitchell, Manager
Classified Ads
Sharon Van Hazelen
Graphics and Production
Ree Johnson, Production Supervisor
Mandy Loo, Production Manager
Dennis Greene, Lab. Tech.
Stacey Guest, Graphic Artist
Amy Faught, Graphic Artist
Administration
Judy Klinger, CoordinJltor
Peggy Rivera, Secretary to the Publisher
AccountinglDa/a Proct!SSing
Donna Bryan-Diamond, A{R Coordinator
Geneva Repass, Assistant
Herlane Lewis, Credit
Circulation
Rheba Smith. ManJlger
Alma Anguiano, Processing Coordinatar
Pam J<1ein, Billing Coordinatar
Carol Begovic, Dealer Coordinator
Service and Support
Bridgett Bobrofsky, Receptionist
Leonard Herring, Service and Support
National Headquarters
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4
Get well, Jeff
Words cannot express our appreciation
and deep gratitude for all of your kind
expressions of sympathy following Rodney's fatal accident while racing at
DuQuoin. All the beautiful flowers, the
lovely plants, the thoughtful cards and
notes, the caring phone calls, and all
other messages have meant so much.
We would like to personally thanks each
of you for your support during this difficult time, but since we cannot, please
accept this heart-felt thanks from a
grateful father and family.
Rodney loved the sport of dirt track
racing from a young age, not only the
thrill of the race itself, but all the wonderful people connected with the sport.
The fans, the promoters, the mechanics,
the racers, everyone in this sport was
special to Rodney. As he would have put
it, you're all the best people in the world,
and your many kindnesses during this
past month further prove the point.
Norm Farris and Family
Baltimore, Maryland
Slider fan
Thanks for the good dirt track coverage.
I really enjoy the Briefly... section and
the interviews. I recently attended the
Oklahoma Oty Half Mile, and as usual
the action was fast and furious.
I was disappointed, though, that
local favorite Kris Armentrout was not
allowed to compete in the Grand
National because the Snyder's Honda
was not AMA approved. It's a real
shame that only the ultra-expensive
Harley-Davidson XR750s and Honda
RS750s have been approved. Why not
allow any 750 that falls within the
design guidelines to compete? It would
be good for dirt track racing and encourage more competition. Thanks for a
great newspaper.
Steve Lacer
Chapman,KS
Why, thanks
r just started receiving
my subscription
to Cycle News and wanted to say congrats on putting out a great motorcycle
newspaper. r was especially heartened
to see that you give good coverage to
observed trials - World Rounds as well
as Nationals and local events. r participate in trials on a regular basis, ride and
occasionally hill climb, watch dirt track
(watched Chris Carr demolish the competition at the Peoria TT this last Sun-
We were very surprised and saddened
to hear that Jeff Stanton suffered serious
injuries in a motorcycle accident. Jeff has
been our hero and inspiration in MX
racing for the past decade. It was a sad
day when he retired from racing. But
thank God the motorcycling world
didn't lose him forever! Hang tough,
Jeff, anI! wishing you a speedy recovery.
The PowerBar Brothers
Richard and Greg Quinones
Novato, California
Godspeed, Gary
On August 5, 1995, we lost a very dear
and special friend in Gary Taber. Gary
passed away at the amateur race on Saturday - after crossing the finish line he
suffered a heart attack on the way back
to his pits. He was only 32.
Gary was one of the fastest riders in
any race, he would push until his condition would allow him to push no more.
He then would continue to ride around
the track just to finish the race, even
though it would have been easier to pull
off and quit. Gary loved to ride and any
type of riding was winning for Gary.
The people at the races on Saturday
deserve special thanks for all their help
and considerations in the tragic time.
The Huffmans, thank you for all the
help and caring on this day and through
the following week. The EMT workers
for doing their very best and not giving
up on Gary. The bystanders for giving
them help when needed and the privacy
this situation deserved. Thank you all
very much.
Sunday, August 6, was a very busy
day for everyone involved in the
125/250cc Pro National. It would have
been easy to sweep Saturday under the
carpet and go on, but a special tribute lap
was set up for Gary. Thank you Brian
Barnes for a tremendous job of informing
the fans who and what the tribute was
for. To the fans of Washougal, this is why
you're considered the best in the country.
Thank you for the respect and applause
you gave to Gary as number 84 circled
Washougal for the last time.
Gary, all your friends miss you
deeply. Godspeed.
Gary Larsen
Pasco, WA
Blue Flag
The AMA Roadrace Advisory Committee's decision against using the blue flag
1.dten: to the editor .h.ould be tent to Voieel, Cycle News..
p.o. Box.98. Long BeKh.. CA 90806-0498, fued to 310(&21·
668S or ~mai" rdit:ozecyClnlrwLcotL Publiahed lettfts do
not necesurily rftled the poe.ition of Cycle N~ Inc. Ldten ahouId not ~ 200 words and all letters are subj«t
to editing. Anonymou Idlers will not be c:onaideftd for
publication. All Idten .houJd contain the writer'. IUIlfte,
~ddftu and daytime phone nwnber ... Editor.
I'OSTMASTER: Send addJao duonaa to Cycl. N..... P.O.
Box 49lI.Lo,. "ad!, CA !IQlOl.ol98.
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Thanks from the
Farris family
at AMA Nationals was ostensibly made
out of concern for rider safety, but it
does not help under close scrutiny.
Given a sufficient turnout of experienced flaggers, the concern that blue
flagging would compromise the "normal duties" of marshals ceases to be a
problem. In fact, with a blue flagger
monitoring incoming traffic, the "buddy
system" allows the other flagger to concentrate totally on the crash zones without worry about a freak incident blind
siding him / her. Safety is increased for
all participants. On this note, I urge the
AMA, the racers themselves, and anyone else concerned to get more involved
in making the job easier for your local
comer workers. A pat on the back and a
simple thank you just isn't enough. If
you people want the highest standard of
safety available, get active.
The seemingly plausible excuse that
"any action a rider may take after being
shown the flag could be hazardous to
the riders behind them..... actually
reveals profound ignorance of what the
blue flag means.
.
The blue flag tells a rider that he is
about to be overtaken. It does not mean
he should immediately change his line
to make room for anyone. Rather, he
should hold his line and be predictable.
It's still the responsibility of the passer
to make the safe pass. How often have
you seen a back marker, surprised at
being blitzed, move over on the second
fast guy coming through?
By seeing blue, the slower guy will
know the freight train is coming. Forewarned is forearmed. They wouldn't
use the blue flag at GP level for bikes
and cars if it didn't work.
An added twist to this controversy
becomes apparent with the recent sta~e
ment in favor of blue flagging by Roger
Edmonston, perhaps provoking kneejerk activity from the enemy camp.
Could politics once again be rearing its
ugly head? One would hope not, considering that lives may be on the line.
Based on my person,!l experience, I
feel comfortable in stating that fully
staffed races run with blue flags are
safer than otherwise fully staffed races
run without them. The AMA can do
what it wants; it will anyway. On this
issue, the AMA is wrong. Maybe if Ron
Barrick actually gets to use his FIM
Oerk of the Course accreditation, somebody up there will get it.
John M. O'Connor
Alton,NH
WI!P! ~c:ITffllON
Printed in U.S.A.
~Cycl< N..... IDc. 1995. T..... =~ N....
~
u.s. Palmi 0Ifi«. All riP"
FEATURES
ROAD RACING
Gateway AMA National
DlRTTRACK
Denver National Half Mile
Sturgis National Half Mile
INTERVIEW
250cc World Champion
Max Biaggi
HILLCUMB
The Great American Hillclimb
6
14
.18
30
FEATURE
DP Safety SChool...
34
DEPARTMENTS
EVENTS
22
MOTOCROSS
Washougal Amateur Day
24
NMA Ponca Oty Grand Nationals 26
World MX GP
32
CALENDAR
LEADERBOARD
RESULTS
WANT ADS
RACERX
LOOKING BACK
36
42
.,47
48
48
63
63
QH THE FRONT COVER
Smokin Joe's Miguel DuHamel does it
again at the East St. Louis National RR.
See page 6. Photo by Henny Ray
Abrams.
