Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127744
Round 17: 4H Fairgrounds of the season. There for a while it was like, What are we going to do?' When it rains it pours, Skip's working his ass off, He's not well and it's amazing he's even going to the races." Springsteen spent most of the race running alone, until he caught Camlin late in the race, Then Kopp caught both of them with two laps to go. "1 tried to go up top a couple laps, but then I just had to fall in line," said Springsteen, "I was all alone most of the race, but at the end I just about got Camlin. Everything went pretty good, I was pushing the front end and we could make a few changes now, but it's a little late. I was riding the twingle and it feels slow as hell riding it, but it's just as fast as the regular twin. It's like riding a 750cc Rolax. That's what it sounds like." Kopp worked his way up to challenge for seven th, but time ran out before he, could mount an attack. "1 didn't really get a bad start, but coming from the second row I had a lot of people in front of me," said the Washington speedster. "1 felt stronger as the race went on. I couldn't get by Price and Evans right off the bat. Once I did, I got away from them. I wish it would have been a 50-lapper today. I was feeling good, I saw Jay (Springsteen) catching Camlin, and I thought maybe if I caught (Left) Multitime supercross and outdoor MXchamplon Jeff Stenton wason hand at Goshen to cheer on friend Scott Parker. Stenton's Injured hend was the result of a recent motorcycle road accident. (Below) Fast, faster and faatest. Atherton, Morehead and Parker lat the champagne fly. inside going into turn one on the sec- , ond-to-last lap, Varnes slipped off the groove and let Beyer's Suburban Motor's teammate, Sumner, and Recil Hart get by, 'Beyer was the last rider into the National, GRAND NATIONAL After a short break for track preparation, the 17 qualifiers paraded to the line to pick their starting positions, Parker took the ou tside ,wi th the first pick, Everyone lined up to the inside, in order, until they got to Springsteen on row two, as he chose to start on the bottom, The front row was made up of Parker; Atherton, Morehead, King, Evans and Davis, Kopp, Camlin, Beattie, Roeder, Price and Springsteen were in row two, while Sims, Darling, Butler, Lynch and Beyer filled the field. At the flash of Steve Faraci's green light, Parker dropped the hammer and led Morehead, King, Davis and Atherton into turn one. Harley-Davidsonbacked Parker wasted no time in moving ahead, but Morehead was there - trying to make a run for the lead. Morehead just wouldn't find the way around, however. "1 tried one time to do something to catch him and screwed up," said Morehead_ "He got away from me, then I just rode around. It was just monkey see, monkey do. I just had to keep telling myself, 'Hey, settle down, dummy, Unless he runs off the groove, you're' not going to get enough drive to get up beside him to stuff him to pass him or anything." ' "1 thought he (Morehead) was on the outside, but I wasn't really sure," said five"time Grand National Champion Parker, "1 really wasn't worried too bad. I never saw him, I looked back a couple of times coming off the corner, and ..0 every time I looked he was at least a bike length or two behind." .n Atherton settled into third by1ap two and caught Morehead around lap nine, (1) but the challenge was short-lived. "1 ~ started making a few mistakes, and he ...,got away from me and I couldn't make (J) it up," said a disapppointed Atherton. "1 couldn't get my momentum going. When'you do something wrong, it !i:l S ,1 8 throws ,everything off. You screw up, then you have to calm yourself down and try to start all over again. I just didn't catch back up to Steve," King was involved early in a threeway battle over fourth with Davis and Camlin, but got away and by lap 17 had caught third-placed Atherton. "He (Atherton) was having a hard time getting off two and I was really getting off two good, but I just couldn't get enough drive," related King. "There's no groove straight down the straightaway - you would drift up, then drift down, When I would swing over to pass him, it would break traction and couldn't even get enough to run him into the comers. He didn't crack." , Davis rode a solid fifth most of the race, "We did better than we did last year - at least we got to race this time," said Davis, "It (the track) was better, not quite as rough. Main-event time it was the same old boring pole-pUller. There just wasn't no ':Vay around him (King), The only way I could have got him was to bump him out of the way," Camlin was well satisfied wi1h his sixth place. It was his second-best finish ever at a half mile National. "It feels gpod, especially the way things have been going," a happy Camlin said, "Getting hurt and the bad luck we've had with things breaking, it was nice to finis11 one.1'm-loOiting forward to the Test , weekis;.~~IIY imporfantto'me, 1:,love Spring.'field:" , , " " " . ' , ,', , " " '" , Sco~ Parleer pocketed '$4500 'for Iii'S 'day's efforts"Second' placl!' was,wortti $?850, for Steve MO\'ehead'. Kevin' Atherton made his short trip from home ,worthwhile by, winl)ing ,$2100 for 'third: Rich King, grabbed ,$1450 ,in the National to 'go with the $1000 .from Th$' , Crane Cam Challenge. ' : ,', , ' ,' . . . " Last' years .traCk coilditio~s, 'CoUPled i:ith tile " road ,raee in Sears point, Caljfoinie,:'undol.!bt,'edl,Y IIspt a, few riders ,at home',ll'l'is ,time, , aroun,d,; enlrie,s totaled just 35, Te.;ry ~~y, " 'aFld JIonnle Jane op!ed to :sil out ,tl\isweek, and, regUlar' G,NC, competitor JarTJ9S' Hart 'sU!- ' . f~rlid a'shou;'der i",jury, at the Greenville R·egional.' " '.' " ,,' "' ' ' :' . .scott'Parker i,s' not:SO slowly'lIJming the 1995 ,Far irom giVing rave reviews.. most riders still AMA Grand Natfonat polrit.,nice into a ,rout: . agreed'the, track c'ondltlon's were !Tiuclr 'Parker now hold~ a 45:pqint a~vah!age .over , improved this :year. 'That CCiupled, with ,a lar~e , Rich King/.who in ,turn is18 'a~ead,of Will' f,an turnout Win m0:rt likely, keep the HOOSier '[:lavis. ParHimer Chris Carr holds 'f9urth, just, ,Half,MlI!l,On 1I1e, schedule, " " 'oine polnts'b~hin,d Dav,is, Kellin Atberton ' ro~nds out the lOP' fjve, four .points 'be!lind, ,Sixt8$n-year-old Paul Lynch ;"'BJi, smiles Carr J!lnd 7,6 be!'lind parker:, " alter qualifying' for the fi'rst National of his, 'youi:fg ca'reer: "It's a great day: j"ve' been ,, USC .Racing's KevIn varries ,mIssed qualify- . waiting ,for this, a lOng ,time: I'ni haVing e: liard ing for the National for the fi'rs1.time this, year 'ii"1e 'shifting'this thing" bui ~e're getting (he was forcBd t6 sn oUl the P'earie: n wnh' fhere," ,said !hI! youngster, ' 'an ,ankle' injury) .. "f got 'a terrible stert in the' , ,semi,~ 'Said' Varnes, '"1 should have '-:vent to' ~&R, Racing:~ 'Will'Oa"-I$ seems'to, have' the high line sooher.l was waiting ,for thllse, , found ,a Silver'lining' jn'the, pr9blems he siJf~ guys to'make a mistake 6n the groove, but ,fered,at' Indian!!polis, "It rlln like a top ,today, they neli/er did. I' tria<} ,up' high".tJut ii,-was too T.he ignition went out cif it last week' and by. late.. 'I had tu(Os t1)ree and four down llretty fixing that ,we 'seem 1d have 'corrected a' cou- ' 'we!I, but.on\9 anO' two were trouble."', pie, of monor ,problems that havs plagued us all year, We're going t9' se~ up just' like ',last' Also missing th$ National was MorOney's 'H-:, time at Sprihgfied, 'J. just need it to last BOothe D-backed' Mike H"c,ker, a(t$r lie failed to, ,er 3,4 secoriqs more 't!:lis tim'e:" sald Davfs. come out for.'l'lis' semi. :'Th$ engine was'mak" , Da,vis' Hond,aiailea on ihe' last. ia~ While he jng all kinds 'of bad' noises arid we didn't want was 'Ieac;ling the Grand' Najipnal' at Spril)g-, to'take· any,chances';" said, Hacker.' "Next', 'field, alf . . . . ' .. ' .