Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Here's Mud in Your Eye Coolbeth Jr. on the last lap, so he returned tQ the semi, where he suffered another poor start on the narrowgrooved race track. Only the winner would transfer to the final, and Hacker was desperately doing all he could to get to the front, but he was mired behind Don Estep, Brett Landes, and George Roeder n. His bid did not appear to be promising, but he would seemingly catch a break as the race was suddenly halted to allow the medical chopper on hand to take off. Hacker appeared to be in the same boat in the restart as he diced with Landes. Roeder, meanwhile, pulled around Estep for the lead. Then, going into turn one on the eighth lap, Estep lost control of his Harley-Davidson and slid completely sideways on the groove. Landes made it around the Ohioan, but Hacker didn't, striking Estep's front wheel and sending both riders and bikes tumbling viciously down the track. Miraculously, Hacker suffered no major injuries, and he was carted back to his pit. ''I'm hurting," Hacker said. [ smashed my hand again, and [ think , that my foot is broken." Even worse for the team, Hacker's bike was severely damaged in the crash, and it's the only one that he has. "That's my baby," an upset Hacker said. "Look at it. Even if we get it fixed, [ don't know if it will be the same." Dejected, the team appears to be through for the night, but in the absence of current 883 National Series points leader Jay Springsteen, who bailed out of Denver in opposition to the track conditions, a golden opportunity knocked. Hacker gingerly pulled his leathers back on and headed out to contest his 883 heat, taking the win and earning a tr,ansfer to the 17-man, 12-lap main in hopes of gaining points on Springer. Once again, he suffered through a bad start, but even with all else that happened that night, determination, the same,determination that may someday make him a champion, came shining through. Hacker got a rhythm going and he blew by fgur riders to take the lead with just a f~w laps to gpo He kept the pace up, and ,¥;l1en the checkered flag fell, Mike HackElI' had somehow scored his first National win. Unfortunately for the young Virginian, there was no victory celebration, no post-race interview and no champagne. It was like the win never happened. And that may have fueled the determination even more. For as I said thank you and goodbye to Hacker and Oliver at the hotel that night, they were already planning to drive all the way to J&M Racing in Maryland and have Owen repair the damaged frame. Many parts were stH! needed, but some Hacker's rival teams were already pitching in to help with whatever they could. As I left Denver the next day, Hell Week was over for me, but I have a feeling that it is just beginning for Hacker and Oliver if they want to make it to the Indianapolis Mile on August 19. I'm betting that they will make it, because Hacker and Oliver have come too far too fast to let a minor setback such as a totaled motorcycle get in'the way of , their dream of winning a Grand National race together. As his current position in the poin t standings would indica te, Hacker has grown up as a rider, and Oliver is just now being recognized as a legitimate tuner. Today, they are solidly among the top 10 dirt track teams in the country. Along the way, they've 'had their fair share of good t-imes, and now they are facing a few bad. But one thing is for certain, whether or not they make it to Indy, they'll be back. l'X The road is calling. Two hurricanes hit Loretta Lynn's this year, the first one camefrom mother nature and left axle deep mud and slime. The second one came from Pro Cicuit and bLew-away the competition. Proof, Pro Circuit knows haw to set-up the fastest bikes whatever the condition - and if your not running Pro Circuit, Well, here's mud in your eye. August - 14th Annual Loretta Lynn's Amateur National Championships 1st Ricky Carmichael Pipe, Silencer, Motor, 4th 85 14-15 Mod. August Lausberg Pipe, Silencer, Motor, 1st 4th 1st Ricky Carmichael August Lausberg Ernesto Fonseca 2nd Ernesto Fonseca 2nd 4th 1st 2nd 1st 4th 1st 3rd 4th 1st Matt Walker Jeremy Brown Shaun Perolio Josh Sweat Shaun Perolio Josh Sweat. Charley Bogard Eric SchneU Charley Dunaway .Brock SeUards Suspension Suspension 8514-15 Stock 859-13 Mod. Suspension SuperMini Suspension 85 12-13 Stock 125 A Stock 250 A Stock 125 B Stock 125 B Mod. Suspension - * * Pipe, Silencer, Motor, Pipe, Silencer, Motor, * * * * * * * * * Pipe, Silencer, Motor, 4th CaseyLytIe Pipe, Silencer, Motor, 5th Eric SchneU Pipe, Silencer, Motor, 2nd NickWey Pipe, Silencer, Motor; Suspension Suspension 125 12-15 Mod. Suspension Pro Circuit would Like to give honorable mention to the following riders that didn't finish in the top five, for one reason or another. These Pro Circuit riders still had to go thfu a qualifying process in order to get to this race which estabLishes them as some of the elite riders in this country: Travis Elliot / Ivan Tedesco / Geo Tedesco / Hally Whitecotton / Doug Parsons / Kenneth Jones / Andy Bowyer / Jason Sybert / Isaiah Johnson / Kevin Gravett / Harold Goodman / Ryan Haines / Jimmy Wilson / Jason Dodds / Scotty Pinson /Robert Fasnell. • The stock bikes Ihese riders won on were aJijusted to weather and lrtJJ:k condilians before etJJ:h race by Pro Circuillechni.cians.

• Cover