Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Cycle News 1995 09 27

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/127747

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 1 of 75

The Kawasaki-mounted team of Terry Rymer, Jean-Louis Battistini and Jehan d'Orgeix combined to win the 59th edition of the Bol d'Or endurance road race, held on September 17 in Le Castellet, France. The threesome topped the Yamaha team of Adrien Morillas, Crister Lindholm and Rene Deltang. The World Championship, however, was won by Stephane Mertens and JeanMichel Mattioli by a single point over Rymer. Former Grand National Cross Country Champion Fred Andrews (Yam) won that series' ninth round in Bunner Ridge, West Virginia, on September 17. Scott Plessinger (KTM) was second overall, followed by Tom Norton (Yam), Guy Cooper (Suz) and Doug Blackwell (Yam). Ted Wilkins (Rlx) and Glendal Petty Jr. (H-D) won their respective classes during the Pro Hillclimb Series round held in Goshen, Indiana, on September 17. Wilkins topped David Watson (Hon) and Rick Soter ill (BSA) to win the 540cc class while Petty beat Steve Dresser (HD) and Jimmy Dingee (H-D) in winning the 800cc event. Todd DeHoop (Hon) won the first round of the AMA Fall Oassic MX Series at the Red Bud Track 'n' Trail in Buchanan, Michigan, on September 17. DeHoop's perfect 1-1 tally topped Barry Carsten (Suz) and his 2-2 day, while Robbie Skaggs (Kaw) ended the day third overall with a 3-3 performance. Kawasaki factory rider Jeff Matiasevich wrapped up the All-Japan National MX Championship at the penultimate round of the 1995 series, held September 16-17 in Tajimi, Japan. Cycle News' Japanese correspondent Shogo Nakao reports that Matiasevich was untouchable in the opening moto, and trounced the competition in convincing fashion. Matiasevich was awarded the number-one plate after the first race, as he mathematically clinched the title with three motos remaining. Matiasevich battled with defending champ Ron Tichenor (Suz) in the second moto, but emerged with another moto win and the overall as well. Kenji Suzuki (Yam) was second overall, followed by Kohji Ohkawara (Yam). Tichenor crashed out of the first race and was seventh overall. Pablo Real (Due) and Tray Batey (Suz) split wins during the North American Super Bike round at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, on September 17. Real won the first leg, topping Tripp Nobles (Kaw) and Batey, while Batey won the second race over Real and Michael Fitzpatrick (Yarn). Keith Pinkstaff (Kaw) ended the day with a 56 tally to retain his lead in the championship over Real, 135-134. Todd Harrington, sixth and fifth at Road Atlanta, is third in the standings with 127 points. Kawasaki riders posted a clean sweep of the top three positions at the Kawasaki Team Green/Tonopah 300 in Tonopah, Nevada, on September 16. The team of Ty Davis and Larry Roeseler won the race on a 500 while the team of Destry Abbott and Donnie Book nailed down second overall and first in the 250cc class. Big bore-mounted Scott Morris and John Flores were third overall and second in the Open class. Harley-Davidson team manager Steve Scheibe broke 10 bones in his feet and suffered a damaged lumbar vertebra in his back after crashing a Ducati 916 at Blackhawk Farms in illinois on September 10. Scheibe broke seven bones in his right foot and three in his left, but says he's up and walking with crutches and won't have a problem in making the final round of the AMA Superbike National Championship in Arizona on September 22-24. According to Southwest Motorsports, road racer Christopher Rankin will enter his first AMA Superbike race in the final round of the series in Chandler, Arizona, on September 24. Rankin wi.ll ride either a Fast By Ferracci Ducati 916 or Dave Sadowski's Ducati 955. Road racer Bobby Keith will travel to Spain to compete in the final two rounds of the Open Ducados Series, scheduled for Jerez on October 15 and Jarama on October 22. Keith will ride a Yamaha TZ250 in the 250cc class, marking his European road racing debut. Keith, who is sponsored by Team World Sports Imports, is looking forward to testing his skills against riders he calls some of the finest in the world. Arthur "Babe" Tancrede, 88, the winner of the 1940 Daytona 200 on the sand of Daytona Beach, Florida, died on August 31 at his home in Woonsocket, Massachusetts. Tancrede had been a police officer for the Woonsocket Police Department for 25 years and was a life member of the AMA, the Fraternal Order of Police and the Woonsocket Elks Oub. Tancrede is survived by his wife, Stella, a daughter, Michele Naylor, four grandchildren and a great-grandson. ~ Hancock swipes U.S. National Speedway title g< G a reg Hancock came home from the World Championship Grands Prix in Europe to the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, California, just long enough to 0\ win the 1995 U.s. National Speedway Championship before 7300 fans and take ,...., it back across the Atlantic with him. Hancock scored 13 points to place him in a runoff 1:'-' with two-time National Champion Bobby Schwartz. In the runoff, Schwartz got an N excellent start to lead the race into turn one and down the back chute, but the two col~ lided while going for the same piece of real estate in tum three and went down, neces..a sitating a restart. On the second gate, Hancock made the start while it was apparent that Schwartz's machine had not corne out of the third-turn melee unscathed and refused to run, allowing the 25-year-old captain of the British League Cradely Heath 0.. Heathens to earn his first U.S. National title. A disappointed Schwartz was credited Cl) with second place. Steve Lucero, the 1988 National Champion, finished third with 12 rJ) points. Hancock's victory marks the third straight year that the U.S. National title will reside overseas. Europe-based American Sam Ermolenko claimed the crown in 1993 and '94 before vacating it. S 2 2 Kiedrowski to retire? umors have been running wild that Mike Kiedrowski (right) will hang up his leathers and retire at the end of the year, but the former 125, 250 and SOOcc ational Champion says that he has yet to make that final decision. "I've been thinking and thinking, but I haven't decided what I will do next year," said Kiedrowski on Monday, September 18. "Man, my stomach is starting to hurt." The Acton, California, resident reports that the Kawasaki factory has approached him about signing on as a team consultant, a position that Jeff Ward has held for the past several years, but has yet to offer him any sort of race support. "It would be a neat way to stay involved," said Kiedrowski. "Kawasaki has always been good to me, and I would like to stay associated with them in one way or another, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to hang it up yet. I still feel competitive, and know I can win - watching from the sidelines would be hard." Kiedrowski's other offer came early last week from Honda of Troy Team Manager Erik Kehoe. "We were having lunch the other day and Erik asked me, 'Well how would you like to race a Honda for us?'" Kiedrowski said. "He said he would see what he could do for me, and it looks like they'll set me up pretty good if I accept. It's a tough decision. If I am going to ha.ve to race against the factories, I want to make sure that my equipment is good enough to win on." Should Kiedrowski sign on with Honda of Troy, he would contest the 250cc National and Supercross Series aboard a Honda CR250. Kiedrowski captured his first 125cc National Championship aboard a factory Honda in 1989, and continued on with the Red Riders in 1990 before signing with Team Kawasaki in '91. R Smokin' Joe's Racing's Miguel DuHamel is expected to make a decision on where and for whom he will be racing next year by the end of the month, according to his manager Alan Labrosse. In addition to Honda, DuHamel has received "many" gffers from both AMA and international teams, according to Labrosse. DuHamel will attempt to race into the history books when he tries to set a new record for consecutive AMA Superb ike National victories at the next round of the series in Arizona on September 24. A win at Firebird International Raceway would give the' French Canadian se~en superbike wins in a row, giving him the outright record over Wayne Rainey, who won six straight in 1983. Labrosse is also now representing road racers Colin Edwards II and Pascal Picotte. Though we reported in our 1996 Motocross Buyer's Guide that Yamaha would offer a limited number of YZ80 Big Wheel kits to the public, the kits are, in fact, not available in the United States. Though such a kit is available in several foreign markets and has been tested by Yamaha's American Racing Department, the parts will not be imported into America by the manufacturer. A place mat featuring the upcoming Pomona Half Mile is now being used in five popular destination-ride restaurants in Southern California. The placemats offer a special $2 discount coupon and provide maps to the Rock Store, New- Doohan set to sign again with Honda W orld Champion Michael Doohan has resisted the multi-million dollar Marlboro carrot and has decided to stay with Honda'for the 1996 SOOcc World Championship Road Race Series. He had been courted by Kenny Roberts in an attempt to revive Yamaha's fortunes. '1 came close to changing tearns, but Honda have always given me what I wanted, and there was no reason to change except for the sake of a change of environment," Doohan said at the Brazilian Grand Prix, held near Rio de Janeiro on September 17. "It will be my eighth year with Honda. I never thought I'd hold a job down for that long. "I'm happy with the outcome, including the money. I'm not corning up with figures, but I'm happy. There's no doubt that if I'd played one team off against the other I would have got more, but that's not my style. I told the Marlboro guys yesterday (Thursday, September 14). I've obviously been speaking to them and other teams, but it got too political and too confusing. Honda went to their sponsors to find some more biscuits, and we've agreed verbally for '96. We'll have to see whether I even race in '97." The size of the offer from Roberts was rumored to be a record $6 million. Doohan's refusal puts the Marlboro-backed works Yamaha team in an awkward situation, with top rider Luca Cadalora certain to leave after an awful season, and teammate Norifumi Abe only on loan from Wayne Rainey, who hopes to run his own 500cc GP tearn next season. Roberts already has a contract with Marlboro, but did not rule out the possibility of moving to another manufacturer. He is known to have approached both Honda and Suzuki, the latter possibly to seek a bike for his son, Kenny Roberts Jr. One rider mentioned is Loris Capirossi. John Kocinski remains a possibility, but it is known Roberts is reluctant to bring him back into the team, which he left with bad feelings on both sides at the end of 1992. Michael Scott

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's - Cycle News 1995 09 27