Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

hensive information superhighway source of information of interest to San Diego enthusiasts, according to host Don Presten. The page can be found at HTIP://www.tf.o.com/sdrnc/. Supercross and Motocross National Champion Jeremy McGrath recently took part in the Skip Barber Racing School's three-day competition course at Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, California. McGrath drove the school's twoliter, 130 mph, single-seat, open-wheel Formula Dodge car on the Sears Point road course. The 20th Annual Women's Westcoast National Motocross Championships will be held at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernadino, California, on October 28. AMA membership is required and classes will be available from Pee-Wees to Pros. For more information, call 714/837-3374. The Trailblazer M/C will get together on October 22 at the Mason Regional Park in Irvine, California. To enhance the picnic, the Trailblazers are asking tha{ members bring their restored motorcycles, which will be judged with prizes awarded. For more information, call Barbara Phillips at 714/557-9221. Television time: The final round of the AMA 2S0cc National MX Championship, held in Delmont, Pennsylvania, will be shown on Sunday, October 22 at 10:30 a.m. (Pacific time) and 1:30 p.m. (Eastern time) on ESPN. The Argentinian Road Race Grand Prix will be shown on ESPN on October 28 at 9:30 p.m. (Pacific time) and on October 29 at 12:30 a.m. (Eastern time). The Brazilian GP will be re-aired on ESPN on November 5 on ESPN2 at 7:30 a.m. (Paci fic time) and 10:30 a.m. (Eastern time). A Texas Doubleheader Half Mile Dirt Track will be held at Lone Star Speedway in Longview, Texas, on October 14 and at Dallas' Devils Bowl Speedway on Octoqer 15. Pro, Amateur and Vintage classes will be run. For more information, call Bob Bagwell at 214/216-5520. American Honda is set to release its 1996 HRCA Racing Contingency Program. Once again, the program will include road racing, motocross and offroad events, rewarding original purchasers of new Honda motorcycles at key events across the country. Complete details will be available shortly from your local Honda dealer. ber 21 at the San Diego Sports Arena in San Qiego, California No less than five World Champions are expected to compete with three-time and current World Champion Charlie "The Edge" Venegas leading the field into the series opener. American Honda Motor-Co., Cycle News Inc..and Yoshimura R&D of America have signed on as corporate sponsors of the FIM World Championship Prize Giving Cerem..ony and AMA Pro Racing Awards Banquet scheduled for December 15-16 at Bally's Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information on the banquets, golf tournament or corporate sponsorship, call Connie Fleming or Angie Myers at 614/891-2425. Road racer Michael Martin, 36, announced on October 5 that he will retire from racing immediately after the WERA Grand National Finals at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, on October 11-15. Martin will be released from the second year of his current contract with Team Hammer Inc., which operates as Team Suzuki Endurance in longdistance races and as Team Valvoline Suzuki in sprint races. Martin has been with the team since the beginning of 1991, taking over as the endurance squad's lead rider for the 1994 season. Martin has co-ridden in 59 endurance races, winning 47 of them and taking five WERA National Endurance Series Championships. Martin currently holds the lead in the Formula USA Championship with only the Road Atlanta round remaining. "I just want to be a guy who stopped when he was on top," Martin said. "I didn't want to have to quit. I've had some offers to do some things with other teams, but I want to end my career with Valvoline Suzuki, a team that I accomplished a lot with and that I love. You couldn't ask for a better bunch of guys to work with, especially crew chief Keith Perry, who prepared the endurance bikes and also worked on my Formula USA race bikes. I feel like the whole team's been behind me the whole time I rode for them and I feel like they're behind me now when I'm making this difficult decision. It makes it a lot easier on me. As much as I love motorcycle racing, I feel like I just don't have as much fire in my belly, and it's time for me to go." The AMA has announced that HP4 will return as the title sponsor in the 600cc Supersport class in 1996, marking the fourth year that Honda's brand of highperformance engine lubricants has been involved in the class. The Desert Vipers M/C has embarked on an ambitious plan to bring back the legendary Barstow-to-Vegas off-road motorcycle race. Through an agreement with Cooper & Cooper professional planners, the Desert Vipers intend to develop a 20-year "use plan" with the BLM to regain access to key corridors in the Mojave Desert that are essential for competitive point-to-point events like the Barstow-ta-Vegas Hare &. Hound. The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) had decided to move forward in forming an SEMA Moto.rcycle Council. The first meeting will be held on Monday, October 23 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas,. Nevada. The purpose of the meeting will be to establish a mission statement and a slate of issues to be addressed by the council, according to SEMA. All manufacturers from the motorcycle industry are invited to attend, as are those SEMA companies who currently manufacture products for motorcycle application. For more information, call Liz Lombardo at 909/396-0289. According to sources in Australia, New Zealander Aaron Slight is close to signing a deal that would see him compete in the 1996 World Superbike Championship on a Yamaha. Apparently, Slight feels somewhat slighted by a low offer from Castrol Honda. "After two years with Honda, I feel we've made considerable progress to developing a competitive package and it would be a shame to leave just as we're on the verge of acheiving the success I think the team deserves," Slight said. "However, I am a' professional racer and I have to look at every offer and consider each one carefully. I can't say more than that." The American Masters Ice Speedway Championships ",ill take place on Octo- Multi-time Women's National MX Champion Mercedes Gonzalez turned in a silver medal performance at the 1995 Grundig World Downhill Mountian Bike Championships, held September 23 in Kirchzarten, Germany. Gonzalez, who made the switch to professional mountain bike racing in late '94, competed for the Spanish National Team because she is not a United States citizen. The Fourth Annual 100cc Four-Stroke IT National wi.l1 be held October 29 at the famous Lodi Cycle Bowl in Lodi, California. Six 100cc classes will be featured, as well as a Vintage Open Twin support class. A warmup night race will be held October 28. For more information about either event, call 408/5310353 or 209/522-7248. According to Yamaha Motocross Team Manager Keith McCarty, John Dowd will return as a member of the Yamaha factory team in 1996. "John did a real good job for us last year," said McCarty. "He's a real workhorse kind of guy, and he does everything to give us his best." Though McCarty would not confirm the rumor, it has been said that Dowd may contest one of the 12Scc Regional Supercross Series, as he is still eligible for the class. "There are a lot of options," said McCarty. "We haven't made any decisions yet." Kevin Windham will also definitely return in '96, as he will be in the second year of his twa-year contract with the factory. Windham will again contest the Eastern Regional 125cc Supercross and 12Scc National Series. As for Damon Bradshaw and Jeff Emig, McCarty hopes to sign both riders some time soon, but has no official commitments from either rider as of yet. And speaking of Jeff Emig, rumors have the 1992 125cc National Champion being wooed by Team Kawasaki. Emig has reportedly received a tempting-offer from the Kawasaki factory, but must wait for the Yamaha camp to either waive or exercise their first right of refusaL Should Emig stay with Yamaha, he will be forced to wear the team's Fox Racing clothing, and pass up on an over-$100,000 contract with Thor Racing. Because Kawasaki has no team clothing sponsor, Emig would be able to sign with Thor if he goes green in '96. San Bernardino, California's Glen Helen Raceway Park will host the Inaugural Southern California State AMA Amateur MX Championship on October 28-29. The AMA-sanctioned event is the first of its kind, and all first-place finishers will be awarded two VIP passes to the May 12, 1996, AMA 125/250cc MX National at the facility. For more information, call 909/880-3090. Recently crowned British National Trials Champion Steve Colley will remain with the factory Gas Gas team in 1996. Doug Lampkin has yet to decide who he will·ride for next season - Gas Gas or Beta, and 1991 World Champion Tommi Ahvala has yet to sign a contract for '96. If you enjoy the photos of the Flat River Grand Prix in this issue, you may want to send a note of appreciation to photographer Pat Hanes. Hanes shot the race a II weekend, but suffered a major heart attack Sunday night. According to brother Frank, one of Pat's main concerns in the hospital was that Cycle News receive its photos. To wish Hanes well in his recovery, send a card or letter to 509 St. Louis St., DeSoto, MO 63020. San Diego Antique Motorcycle Club Show Director Bob Bishop told Cycle News that he is anticipating some 15,000 spectators and over 700 entries at the 24th annual Del Mar Concours D'Elegance International Antique, Classic and Custom Motorcycle Show & Parts Exchange, which will be on the infield at tlle Del Mar Fairgrounds in Del Mar, California, on Saturday, October 14. "This show will have the cream of the cream," Bishop said. "It is the Pebble Beach of motorcycling." This year's theme is "A Salute to the American Motorcycle," and in addition to the show, spectators will have the opportunity to witness stich novelties as a trials exhibition by the San Diego Trials Riders Association, Bob Corell's "kitecycle" and jet motorcycle, and demonstrations by the Victor M Laughlin Drill Team and the Vans Bicycle Stunt Team among other attractions. There will also be a roundup of the legends, featuring several famous racers from the past, including one third of all the Daytona 200 winners in history. Judging begins promptly at 9:30 a.m. Admission will be $10. Ca,lifornia Governor Pete Wilson has signed legislation that will restore $2.7 million to the state's Off-Highway Vehicle Trust Fund, more commonly known as the Green Sticker fund, according to the AMA. Earlier this year, California officials had stripped the Green Sticker fund of $2,775,000 earmarked for recreational operations on federal lands in the state. The budget raid would have caused many OffHighway Vehicle (OHV) projects to be delayed or eliminated. Restoration of the funds will enable California OffHighway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division officials to proceed with cooperative agreements with the Bur.eau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service, the two federal agencies that manage the majority of California's OHV areas. OPEN HOUSE: At Farrow's HarleyDavidson in Columbus, Ohio, on October 14. Motorcycle designer Erik Buell is scheduled to appear. For more information, call 614/228-6353. CHANGED: The site of the SRA Grand Prix from Sunrise Cycle Park to Carlsbad Raceway in Carlsbad, California. The race will be held on October 22. For more information, calJ714/957-2985. APPOINTED: Ed Tobin, Mike McClendon and Scott Maas, to the Bureau of 'Land Management's Resource Advisory Councils for the three central and Northern California Resource Districts. Tobin will serve the Bakersfield RAC; McClendon has been appointed to the Ukiah RAC; and Maas heads for the Susanville RAe. CORRECTION: We misquoted a press ~ release issued to us by the AMA in our October 11 issue. Torn Mueller, Pro Racing's Executive Director, said: "We are constantly monitoring our racing properties..." And not, as we printed, "We are const,~ntly changing our racing properties... e l!') CORRECTION: The phone number we 0\ printed in last week's issue for Moto ~ Man Distributing was incorrect, it should have read 909/391-3278. The company is the new Western States distributor of Union 76 Racing Fuels. ACQUIRED: Hang Time Yamaha in Lebec, California, by two-time Endurance Champion Peter Carroll. The former Team Suzuki Endurance rider can be reached at 805/248-BlKE. f':"

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