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/127748
experience in the development of twostroke racing engines." Yoshimura Suzuki is expected to sign French Canadian Pascal Picotte to replace Stevens. The team has already signed Georgian Aaron Yates to a full AMA Superbike contract for 1996. The three-rider team will also include Fred Merkel, who will begin the second year of a two-year contract; Road racers planning to ~ontest the 1996 AMA 250cc Grand Prix Series can use Moto Liberty for technical support - if they are one pf the first six riders to commit to purchasing a 1996 Honda RS250 from the Texas-based company. Moto Liberty's support program will offer the services of tuner Doug Carmichael or other qualified HRC representatives at each AMA round, as well as offering telephone assistance between events. For more information, call 214/242-6440. International Championship Even~s (ICE) will begin its 20th season in Southern California when the San Diego Sports Arena hosts the 1995-1996 World Cup Ice Speedway Series on October 21. Donnie Hansen will be conducting two motocross schools at Starwest in Moreno Valley, California, in conjunction with the Ministars National on October 7-8. PeeWee school will be held on October 3 with 60s and 80s in session on October 5. For more information, call 916/755-2799. World Champion Carl Fogar.ty has made Britain number two in the list of all-time World Superbike victories with his two wins at Assen on September 10. Great Britain now 'has 37 victories to Italy's 35 wins. The United States still leads the way with 52 World Superbike wins. Former AMA BoTT Champion Pete Johnson recently had his appeal with AHRMA upheld concerning his Formula Two Twins victory at Dayt\>na International Speedway in March. Johnson was disqualified for not having a suitable silencing device. Recent cutbacks at the Motorcycle Industry Council included the elimination of its off-highway vehicle planning and related use programs. Jim Williams, the former director of those programs at MIC, is currently seeking new and different employment opporturuties within the motorcycle industry. Williams can be reached at 714/650-5229. The 14th Annual Invitational True Grits 50cc Fun Run will be held on Sunday, October 29 in Suches, Georgia. For more information, call Bob Lenk at 404/963-5477. The True Grits is a reliability run for 50cc street-going motorcycles. The AMA-sanctioned event has . seen motorcycling legends such as John Penton and Bob Hannah compete. The inaugural Speed Triple Challenge Race will be held on Saturday, October 14 at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, during WERA's Grand National Finals. Triumph America has announced that Mobil 1 will be the major sponsor of the event and the race will pay $5000, $3000 and $2000 to the topthree finishers. Scott Zampach, Tripp Nobles and Shawn Higbee have already entered. Zampach won the Speed Triple Challenge race at Paul Ricard during the running of the Bol d'Or on September 16. Road racer Andy.Milton has been transferred from the John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, Califorrua, to Long Beach Memorial Hospital in Long Beach, California. The Califorruan, who suffered head injuries when he crashed during practice for the AMA 600cc Supersport final at Sears Point Raceway at the end of August, is no longer in a coma, but still faces a difficult recovery. Milton's address is a.s follows: Long Beach Memorial Hospital, 2801 Atlantic Ave., Acute Care Rehab, Long Beach, CA 90801. Several World Superbike teams took part in a group test on Monday, September 25 in Mugello, Italy, with the aim of finding new talent for the 1996 World Superbike Championship. The Flammini Group, the promoters of the series, invited the best riders from this year's European 600cc Supers pod Championship to the test, including class champion Michael Paquay. The fastest lap of the day was turned in by Mauro Lucchiari at a 1:57.277 while Paquay did a 1:58.844. Former 125cc World Champion Alessandro Gramigni also took part in the test, clocking a 1:59.777 in his first outing on a superbike. Brit Jamie Robinson also had a test on the Duca.ti Corse 916, but no times were released on the British 250cc Champion. Motocross legend Bob Hannah qualified fourth and finished fifth in the Unlimited class of the Reno National Championship Air Races pn September 17. Hannah averaged 405.925 mph in the . seven-lap race. Long-time Dunlop tire engineer Frank Stacy, 41, has resigned his position with' the tire company and has joined Specialized Bicycles where he will join the research and development team in designing new mountain-bike tires. Spain wins Trial des Nations or the sixth consecutive year, the team fielded by the Sparush Federation dominated the competition at the annual Trial des Nations meet, this year held September 24 in Markt Piesting, Austria. Led by team captain Jordi Tarres, the four-man squad that also included Marc Colomer, Joan Pons and Amos Bilbao, easily bested the English team of Dougie Lampkin, Steve Colley, Graham Jarvis and Steve Saunders, 198-341. While the first- and second-placed teams were no real surprise, third went to a team that was making its first appearance in five years. The three-man Japanese squad scored an extremely popular third place, displacing the traditionally third-placed italians. Led by Japanese veteran Takurru Narita, teenage sensations Kenichi Kuroyama and Tomoyuki Ogawa dropped a total of 388 points .For the first time in the event's 12-year history, a B class was featured for the countries that do not field world-elass competitors. The American team of Geoff Aaron, Jess Kempkes, Raymond Peters and Matt Moore nabbed fourth overall behind the Dutch, Swiss and Irish teams. A total of 22 countries participated in this year's event. F Ita·ly repeats in ISDE T he Italian Trophy Team, made up of Paolo FeUegara, Giorgio Grasso, Gianmarco Rossi, Giuseppe Gallina, Tulio Pellegrinelli and Nicoli Arnaldo, overcame prerace political turmoil and the ever-present French Trophy team to record back-toback International Six Day Enduro victories, in Jelenia Gora, Poland, on September 1823. The win was Italy's 10th since the first ISDE was held in 1913. Despite seeing four of the six riders originally selected to represent Italy on their Trophy team - including 250cc World Enduro Champion Giovaru Sala - pull out of the event at the last minute, following a dispute involving their individual sponsors and the Italian federation, the Italians still managed to .field a "replacement" team strong enough to survive the constant pressure of the French squad, as well as the other 20 countries that participated at th.e 70th ISDE in southern Poland. A brisk trail pace throughout the week and steady rain on day four were two of the main elements that many of the 360-plus riders who started the event claimed made this year's ISDE the toughest Six Days in recent years, at least since the Swedish Six Days in 1990. When all was said and done, the Italian Trophy team, winners of last year's ISDE in Tulsa, Oklahoma, recorded the fewest amount of evaluation points (low score being best), topping the French team by over 200 points, 559.85 - 768.98. Finishing far back m thud was next year's ISDE host country, Finland (1413.81), followed by Great Britain (1720.57) and Germany (2174.51). The U.s. Trophy team fiIDshed a disappointing 10th after what was a very prorrusing start. After the first day of competition, the U.S. team - Randy Hawkins (Suzuki RM125), Chris Smith (TM 125), Rodney Srruth (Suzuki RMX2S), Steve Hatch (Suzuki RMX250), Jason Dahners (KTM 250E/XC) and ISDE rookie Greg Zitterkopf (KTM L<;4 620 E/ XC) - was fifth and had a realistic shot at third before running into problems on day four when the rains came. Less than five miles from the finish, Hatch's bike quit running with a broken piston, but a new rule was in effect which allowed each team throwaway scores each day, so the u.s. team was still in the hunt, despite Hatch's departure. However, Zitterkopf, who had been feeling sick most of the week; struggled m the greasy mud and dropped over 30 route points, ending any hopes the U.S. team had of finishing in the top three. Instead, the team dropped to 12th then climbed to 10th before it was all over. .Australia scored its first Juruor World team victory ever after a seesaw battle with Spain, Italy and Sweden. The Aussies took over the lead for good on day five with Sweden ending up taking second and Spain third. Italy dropped to eighth during the late stages. . The U.s. Juruor World team of Pat Garrahan (Kawasaki K(125), Brian Garrahan (Kawasaki KX250), Scott McLaughlin (Honda CR25) and Jim Gray (KTM LC4.350 E/XC) finished ninth. McLaughlin dropped out on the second day with mecharucal problems. The overall individual winner was 175-500cc class victor Stephane Peterhansel, the Frenchman ~eading from start to finish on a Yamaha WR250. PeterhanseI's seemingly effortless wm was the fourth ISDE overall victory of his career. Rodney Smith was "Top American," finishing fourth in the competitive 175-50Occ class. Frenchman Cyril Esquirol, on a Honda CRl25, scored the 125cc class win, while Swede Anders Eriksson, aboard a Husaberg, edged out Husqvarna-mounted Nicoli for the 350cc Four-Stroke elass win. Four-Stroke World Enduro Champion Karl Tiainen breezed to victory in the 500cc Four-Stroke division on his Lucky Strike Husqvarna 610 WXc. . Of the 37 American riders who started the event, 20 fiIDshed and only four earned Gold medals: Rodney Smith, Chris Smith, Randy Hawkins and Jason Dahners. Jeff Fredette (Kawasaki KDX200), Jon Nielsen (Husqvarna 610 WXC) and David Rh~des (Kawasaki KX(5) made up the top-fiIDshing U.s. Club team (Team Crutch) by taking home fourth-place honors. For Fredette, this year's ISDE in Poland marked his 16th ISDE start - and finish. . . Kit Palmer CRC will honor CMC memberships on practice days - Wednesdays and Fridays from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. - at LA County Raceway in Palmdale, Califorrua. For more information call CRe's Jack Barbacovi at 805/272-8889. Shirley Verbiscio, 59, the wife of Yamaha dealer Bill "Biscuits" Verbiscio, died at her home in San Rafael, California, on September 8 after a long bout with cancer. Shirley Verbiscio was familiar with many Northern Califorrua motorcyclists, . who knew her from the family's dealership, San Rafael·Yamaha. She is survived by her husband; Bill, and her son, Pat. -Unfortunately, the money raised at the race was stolen from a locked vehicle, with thieves breaking the passengerside window to gain entry. All who attended the event and paid either entry fees or for spectator tickets by check are being urged to cancel the checks and reissue them to' the Local News Network or Kern Kiwanis at 330 Chestnut Ave., Bakersfield, CA 93305. The track owner, Doug Bainton, has agreed to allow the event to be run again on September 30. AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Sharp's Cycle in Amarillo, Texas, on September 29 from 7 p.m to 8 p.m. Team Suzuki's Off-Road team is scheduled to appear. For more info'rmation, call 806/3733053. The Saturday one-hour motorcycle talk show, Centerstand, whiell is hosted by Margaret Fowler and Dick Miller and airs on 90.7 KPFK-FM in Southern California, can now be heard from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Gary Smith of RaceCrafters is sclieduled to appear on the show on September 30, with Preston Petty making an appearance on October 14. . NAMED: Former Grand National Champion Gene Romero, president of It) Gene Romero Productions, as executive 0\ producer for the upcoming SODA / ~ Chevrolet Off-Road Winter Series at .Glen Helen Raceway Park in San Bemandino, California. The Kiwanis Motocross was held at the Bakersfield Speedway in Bakersfield, California, on September 23, raising some $12,900 for the program which supports children and senior. citizens. MOVING: Engines Only, specialists in XR100 engines and accessories, has moved to 1658 E. Capitol Expressway, San Jose, CA 95121. The new phone number is 408/531-0353. fN