Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

TEARDOWN .. By Plilll Carruthers: his Rider of. the Year thing gets harder every year. While we thought it was difficult to choose Ty Davis out of last season's long list of racing heroes, the 1995 roster didn't make things much easier. AJthough the names of the worthy were fewer this year than last, the balloting for Rider of the Year was equally as tight. Actually, balloting isn't an accurate description of how our selection process works - let's go with arguing. This year's argument really centered around two riders: Miguel DuHamel and Jeremy McGrath. Both had outstanding seasons, both dominated their respective forms of motorcycle racing. Surprisingiy, there wasn't much heated argument for either Scott" Parker or Michael Doohan - two others who completely commanded their classes. For some reason, the editors seemed more entranced with DuHamel and McGrath. And any resistance on behalf of Parker I Doohan didn't come with much conviction, despite their heady accomplishments. Parker dld nothing but win his sixth AMA Grand National Championship. The veteran dirt tracker won 10 of 24 Grand Natiotlal dirt tracks in 1996, including his 70th career victory in the season finale at the Del Mar mile. AJong . the way, Parker's tuner Bill Werner, who has also worked wuh the likes of Jay Springsteen and Gary Scott, won his 100th career Grand National Dirt Track. But none of this was enough to give Parker serious consideration. Just what does it take to make these editors happy? . And Doohan? Well, that's another sad case. The Australian went out and won his second straight 500cc World Championship, but it seemed to go unnoticed. Tough crowd. Hey, at least he was mentioned. Poor Carl Fogarty won a second World Superbike Championship, and nobody even mentioned his name during opening arguments for Rider of the Year. But this was never more than a twohorse race. This was road racer vs. motocrosser. Miguel DuHamel vs. Jeremy McGrath. Mano a mano. DuHamel's season is well document- ed elsewhere in this issue, but it's still worthy of mention. The 27-year-old won both the AMA Superb ike and 600cc Supersport National Championships, and he did so with the style and grace of a true champion. He won and he won often, beating the very best AMA road racing had to offer. And when he decided to race in the U.s. round of the World Superbike Series, he showed that he was among the elite superbike riders in the world. Despite a slow start to his season, DuHamel came on strong when he needed to and reeled off win after win en route to his two titles, breaking numerous records along the way. Cycle News would have been proud to have him as our Rider of the Year. But not so fast... Last year we praised Jeremy McGrath as one of many who could have taken Rider of the Year honors. We also criticized him for being somewhat one-dimensional. He was tagged as a one-trick pony, the racer who could win with a roof over his head in stadiums around the world, but the racer who struggled when the going got tough outdoors. Last year he was overshadowed . by Mike LaRocco when the outdoor National MX Series got started, and that hurt his chances of taking Rider of the Year. Not so for 1995. McGrath did everything the pundits said he couldn't in '95. Not only did he once again dominate the Supercross Series, winning 10 of 15 races, but he also turned into the complete motocross racer. He won the 250cc National Motocross Championship, winning seven out of 12 races, and taking aU other motocross racers off our list of candidates for Rider of the Year. And he didn't stop winning. Even after we'd voted him in aTld captured him on film as our Rider of the Year, McGrath kept going, taking another World Supercross Championship in stadiums from France to Japan. McGrath was the best. Plain and simple. And for that he earns our Rider of the Year honor for 1995. I was recently asked to name off a few of the bigger stories in our sport from the 1995 season. Heading the list of top road racing stories is the retirement of 1993 World Champion Kevin Schwantz, arguably the most popular rider of his era. Schwantz always gave it his all as he thrilled road racing fans around the world, and his retirement has already had an impact as Grand Prix road racing tries to find another with the personality and the following of the likable Texan. The Schwantz story had a spin-off when Lucky Strike Suzuki replaced him with former World Superbike Champion Scott Russell, despite the fact that Russell was still under contract with Rob Muzzy and Kawasaki. We may never know what went on behind closed doors, but Russell managed to depart World Superbike racing midseason after somehow finding a way out of his twoyear contract. Muzzy and his sponsors were incensed, and rightfully so, as their number-one rider was suddenly gone right in the middle of a racing cam. paign. It was somewhat of a coup for Grand Prix racing as they stole a genuine star away from the rival World Su perbike Series while also gi ving American race fans someone to cheer for in the 500cc class. We also had the return of Damon Bradshaw to Yamaha's motocross ra.cing team; Mike Kiedrowski retiring from the sport; the many changes in a wild and wily motocross silly season; Jeff Emig winning his first-ever supercross in Las Vegas, in a race that will be remembered more for what happened off the track than what happened on it; last year's Rider of the Year Ty Davis winning the National Enduro Championship, a first for both California and Kawasaki; former World Champion John Kocinski being left without a ride despite being a Grand Prix winner only the season before; the World Speedway Championship being decided in a Grand Prix series rather than a one-day event as in years past... the list of hot news items were constant. For those of us who work at Cycle News, the 1995 racing season was also one of ups and downs. While the racing for the most part was spectacular and the off-track h~ppenings eventful, we can't remember a season that also brought us SO much tragedy. The sport lost more than its share of personalities in '95, namely in the untimely deaths of three young racers. First we were shocked by the tragedy which claimed the life of off-road racing legend Danny Hamel. The young Californian was killed in the opening stages of the Baja 500 when, at close to 100 ..mph, he struck a passenger car that was crossing the road. Hamel's death was followed all too closely by top-10 dirt tracker Rodney Farris' accident in the DuQuoin Mile. Then Yoshimura Suzuki's Donald Jacks was killed in a streetbike accident near his home in Florida, ending his road racing career all-too prematurely. And there were others. Noted motorsports cameraman Mark Gleckl was killed when an off-road racing truck veered off the track and struck him while he was filming the event for a television broadcast, and Japan's Yasutomo Nagai was killed in the Dutch round of the World Superbike Series when he crashed in someone else's oil. All sad stories, but on the other side of triumph there is nearly always tragedy. I'd like to close by handing out some semiofficial Cycle News awards to some of the staffers who work so diligently to bring you this newspaper each and every week. Crasher of the Year: This award goes to our newest editor Mark Hoyer, who managed to crash one of only four Triumph Trophy 4s in the U.S. - while helping test the bike for an upcoming issue. This award was given to Hoyer instead of Donn Maeda, only because of the significance of the crash and not the amount. Benedict Arnold Award: To former associate editor Chris Jonnum for defecting to our sister publication, Personal Watercraft fllustrated. Jonnum has since had his ear pierced and his arm tattooed. Rookie ofthe Year Award: To Scott Rousseau for attending 17 of 24 Grand National Dirt Tracks in his rookie season of covering the sport. Rousseau is so tired of traveling he refuses to accept free tickets from his frequent-flyer programs. Monkey Butt Award: For the 10th straight year, Kit Palmer rode an average of 110 miles a day in his commute from home to office. Instead of moving closer, Palmer continues to stretch the boundaries of insanity by moving further from the palatial offices of Cycle News. In light of all that happened in 1995, who knows what lies ahead for '96. eN I. LOOKING BACKlli:1 25 YEARS AGO... JANUARY 13, 1971 ~~~~'.!~~~~ new solo motorcycle record for the run . asn't the ~w ItfODELS FOR J future won'971 derful? Fea--tured on the cover was an artist's rendering of the "1985 Predictor," a hypothetical propane. powered machine featuring f1atproof tires, an anti-skid gyro ""-'::.;,-"----_.J and optional auto-pilot which could operate steering, brakes and throttle for you. Our fearless prognosticators also forecast that the speed limit would be 100 mph... San. Francisco's Jim Odom braved the worst storm to hit the West in 14 years to come to the Long Beach (California) Arena and steal Yamaha's Silver Cup from the locals with a short track main-event victory over Joe Henry. Scott Smith won in the Sportsmen Final, beating out Da.n White ... W board ruled on the 1980 Superbike r,:p]'; tory in the Main on Championship contested in October at ~~ )'" three days, with between Tijuana and La Paz, Mexico. Daytona Beach, Florida. Wes Cooley f99"'f~_',w American Camel I Douglas' time of 27 hours, 15 minutes won the race and the title, but was.&.& Supercross CJ:ampiwas 11 hours, 39 accused by Eddie Lawson, who had....... -....: ~ on Jeff Stanton minutes under the r;r~rJ~I"T'~~J..been ahead in points, of riding an ilJe-'" . . . : spoiling the sweep previous record set gaily modified bike. Cooley was dis-.· • on the fourth, to finby Kim Kimball. qualified, giving Lawson the title, but .... low ish second overalL Repetitious names protested that Lawson was illegally" . ~. Belgian Stefan Everts are apparently an entered (not riding the machine on ""~""b took top 125cc honasset in this kind which he qualified) and his protest :7, ..... :~~: . ors ... The seventh of attempt. should be disallowed: Cooley ulti- .R:::';',';'-';;""":;"'" annual Los Angelesm.ately prevailed... Bob Balentine l:r-"...,'::" to-Barstow-to-Las took the Open Expert win at the Toys ~. Vegas AMA District 37 15 YEARS AGO... Dual Sport ride drew for Tots Grand Prix in the California JANUARY 7, 1981 desert. The two-day event at the Sunrise 381 riders from all over the United he Phantom Valley Cycle Park was hosted by the States, and at least one illegal alien from Duck of the Desert Rats Motorcycle Club with help South Africa. Gary Smith risked the Desert (also from the Marine Corps Reserves. wrath of the INS by overstaying his visa known as Louis McKey) to make the 530-rnile event... Scotsman was selected as Rider of the Year by Steve Hislop won the Macau Grand 5YEARS AGO... readers of Cycle News/West for the third Prix, 0.99 seconds faster than German straight year. The electrician from JANUARY 9,1991 Peter Rubatto. Hislop reported that he Fontana, California, did not win for rencbman Jean-Michel Bayle domhad almost run out oJ fuel on the final being fast on a bike, but for fighting to inated the four-day Paris Supercircuit. The event consisted o( two 15keep the California desert open for offcoss, taking the King of Bercy lap races through the streets of Porturoad enthusiasts... An AMA appeals crown (250cc Overall). Bayle scored vicgal's East Asian colony. ~~;;;;=::;~="",=d,...,Veteran Baja racer Doug Douglas set a :."",..=. er'S G'..:.L, lii .. T F

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