Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

(L8ft) illinois' Davey Camlln looked strong all day and was rewarded with a runner-up finish. (Below) Ch.... Carr (4) slid Into the lead on the start of the lest lap and all but eliminated himself from contention as Parkar (1) and Camlln (27) dnlfted by on the beck straight. led eight of the 25 laps in the main event - more than any other rider in the lead draft. But in the end, it was not his own lack of talent or equipment.that prevented him from earning the win, it was his strategy. Both Camlin and Parker went by Carr down the back stretch on the final circuit as Camlin set himself up to slingshot by Parker at the line. But Camlin's chances for victory evaporated when Parker ran it into three and four deeper than. anyone had all day, and Camlin was caught off guard, too far adrift to pull off a draft pass. Even so, the likable Wiebler's H-D rider was still happy with his second-place run. "Scotty has won 11 Nationals here now and five Grand National titles because he knows how to get through three and four on ~he last lap:' Carnlin said. "Being on the podium here and getting second to Scotty, what more could you ask for?" Always the perfectionist, Carr - the winner of the spring event here - didn't appear to be as pleased with his own third-place finish. After running 12th on the opening lap, the factory dirt track and road racing pilot made his way to the front in search of the Springfield sweep and appeared to have things going his way until a last-lap miscue relegated him to the final podium position. "I thought 1 had a good chance to win it, but 1 made a mistake on the last lap:' Carr said. '1t was a good race as always. The bike was good. So, what has he (Parker) won, seven of these things this year now? If you want to win the title, you've got to win your fair share of races. He's doing that." Atherton brought his multi-colored Kolenda Tool & Die-backed XR750 home fourth after suffering potentially dangerous mechanical problems at Springfield. Atherton also ran up front for most of the race before breaking a throttle cable and subsequently hanging his carburetors wide open. "I was making all of my time on the bottom," Atherton said. "Then 1 couldn't get the thing to shut off. 1 just moved to the top and tried riding the brake. A couple of times it got pretty hairball, but that's part of what makes racing fun." Donahue Harley-Davidson's Davey Durelle followed Atherton across the line to cap a fifth-place run. Durelle, the Minnesotan and part-time racer who matched his career-best finish after landing the runner-up spot behind Atherton at the Indy Mile two races ago, was another rider who parlayed consistency into a respectable finish. The diminutive mile specialist ran in the lead draft for practically the entire distance and still managed to pull off a topfive finish after smashing his left hand on the guardrail with about two laps to go. "I smashed it going in (into a corner):' Durelle said while wrapping the. injured fist in ice. "I just kind of miscued. It (the railing) even burned my glove. But that was by far the most fun Springfield I've ever been in. It was a great track today. That's all that matters." HEATS Camlin, Atherton, Parker and visiting road racer Mike Hale (see box) all jockeyed for position in the first 10"lap qualifying heat with Parker running in the lead for the first two laps before slip- ping off the groove and dropping off the lead pace as the field came down for the third lap. . "We put a new front tire on, and it pushed:' Parker said later. Camlin and Athenon then'left Hale and began to draft each other back and forth in an effort to set up for the finish line. Hale would lose the draft, however, and thus fall out of contention for a transfer spot. Although Atherton led Camlin back to the line on laps four through nine, Camlin was able to squeak by at the line to win it by a nose. "We're running super good:' Carnlin said. "Tire wear will be a big concern (in the main event). I'm just gonna sit back and wait .for about 'eight laps to go. Hopefully we'll be in the hunt." Suburban Motors H·D/ AI Beyer/ Motion Pr-o's Bret Beyer holeshot the second heat and then engaged in another tight battle with Modesto H-D's Matt Wait, Loral Lake Racing's Ronnie Jones, USC Racing's Kevin Varnes and Coolbeth while Garvis Honda's Rich King worked his way into contention after a terrible start. But by the time the field received the halfway signal from slarter Steve Faraci, King - currently second in the Grand National points race - was up front and fighting to take the point position away. from Coolbeth. Beyer remained in the fight all the way to the finish as well, and as King crossed the line to take the win, Beyer slipped by Coolbeth to grab the final transfer. "It's those lightning quick reflexes that 1 got that put me in that perfect eighth place just off the start," King joked. "We're having our share of tire problems. Four or five laps is all we can get from a new edge. 1 didn't plan on racing them that much, but 1 was stuck in the back, and 1 had to get to the front." F&S Harley-Davidson/Dragoo Racing's Steve Morehead battled without Carr for the win in heat three after the two distanced themselves from the field. Carr tried to slip away from Morehead in the early going before the veteran reeled him in on lap five, drifted back for two more laps and then caught back up on lap eight. Morehead then tucked in behind Carr and waited for the finish to make his move for the win. He would come up short by mere inches at the line. "I caught him, but I just couldn't get through three and four as good:' Morehead said. "I put a good last lap together and 1 was on his rear wheel, but I had to wait on him too much. The track is hard on tires, but it's real consistent as far as everyone being in the 34s (34-second range)." Just as he did at Indy, Durelle dazzled the spectators at Springfield with an impressive show of force in the final heat race, leading a pair of Hondas belonging to Terry Poovey and Will Davis as well as Subutban Motors H-D rider Jim Sumner. Durelle and Poovey llj 0\ 0\ ...... ('Ij~ ...... t 1 .... P.. ~ 21

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