Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

pared the factory Husky with special nylon panels around the' airbox to reduce sand induction. 'We even prepared the filters for this race two weeks ago so that they were saturated but no longer damp on the outside," admitted the English mechanic. Sme.ts' bike looked susceptible. The Husaberg has only a small air filter and air flow is directed by the radiator cowling under the tank. It had sucked in sand at the Irish GP on similar terrain, and again five days earlier in a nonchampionship race in Belgium. Was this Parker's chance? The American was out to do eve.rything in his power to get back into contention, taking the holeshot once again and moving to a good lead over Boone.n on the first lap. The first-moto winner didn't look like he would be catching him as the gap between them actually increased even before Boonen crashed without losing second on lap six. But the end was near for Boonen: "I took a rock on my forearm muscle in the second race at Namur and I just couldn't hold on anymore. I need an operation after ReutJinge.n." By the time Boone.n we.nt out, Husky teammate Martens had carved his way through from a first-lap ninth to hold second. Martens was 17 seconds down on Parker, but the track was getting rougher by the lap after support races, just the conditions in which the vete.ran normally excels. But Martens misjudged the toll of a rougher track and the hea t, expended too much effort in those early laps, and by the finish he was a distant fourth. Smets had ridden a subdued race. He knew the danger and was not only saving energy, but also avoiding hitting the berms hard and not getting too close to others who were riding wildly.. At 31 minutes he was second, 15 seconds behind Parker, and the gap closed little until the last two laps. The Husaberg was still running crisply, but the KTM was struggling. Parker had been hitting every berm and the air filter was almost completely clogged up. With a lap to go the gap was five seconds, and entering the final turns Smets was on Parker's rear wheel. This wasn't just for the moto win, it was also for the overall on the day and a championship lead of 25 or 19. Wringing every last horse out of the KTM, Parker won With inches to spare.~ DutchGP Rhenen, Hollend Results: August 20, 1995 MOTO 1: 1. Johan 8oone.n (Hus); 2. Joel Smets (Hbg); 3. Trampas Parker (KTM); 4. Carlo Hulsen (Hon); 5. Jacky Martens (Hus); 6. Rudi van Leeuwen (Hon); 7. Mikkel Caprani (JI) doKar$. lrom HRG W'tie is'.to continue to ·ruri. Ilia HOnda 250 team next Yea~,. '. AI,.andT9 PUzar' waS. 'qUjl iC1 iesi. a' iaqtory. but there' are plllnlY. of oth~rs keen'to land the. lour-~r()kll Husky ~efore the end. of Augu~ deal including Maddii. Luongo and'RWJ of: a'nd could race orie lot Italy in th" MX desEng\a~d.:At·Kawasaki:m~ De G.rOOt is. Poised Natio.ns. I'hisqlle:rna officials admitted trll~t' to:·take..d'rect responSibility for 'the 1~ team' ·ttley· had' been apPrQllched by Con:a.do Mad-' . w't!l.T~rtel!1 as hiS n.umber-o~·, w~lle also dii and arran!iements"wouid be' made 'for'the retaining: the reig.n~r in the·25j).· Sylvain 125cc World .Champion· to ride one 91 Jacky. Geboe.rsand Ke;es Ill!" derVen .are expected Martens' bi~es. The aasociatiori also adds a'· \0' ",

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