EVENTS
.:Edned by Scott Rousseau ·
Ago returns to
Daytona
By Alex Mclean
Photo by Maurice Bula
DAYTONABEACH, FL, MAR 4-5
ifteen -tim e World Champion Giacomo Ago stini w a s back a t Da ytona Interna tiona l Speedway for
the firs t time in some 20-years to perform a parad e lap on the howling 500cc
MV Agusta he last ra ced to vict ory at
the 1976 German Gra n d Pri x. The
re u nion o f bi ke an d rider w a s m ade
doubly significant by the fact that thi s
pai r, Ago and th e MV , t oo k th e la st
500cc Grand Pri x w in ever for a fourstroke.
Th e impressive program w as integrated into the two da ys of vintage racin g tak ing place durin g Daytona 's
Cam el Motorcycle Week festiviti es, and
m astermind ed b y Team Obsol ete ' s
Robert Iannucci in conjunction with Jim
France of Dayt ona International Speedway and Vanson leathers.
It wa s a show not soon to be forgot ten . The most exotic vintage Grand Prix
machinery, a 250cc six-cylinde r Honda
as well as th e MV Agusta tr ipl es an d
fou rs, w er e reunited with th eir multitim e World Champion riders of the '60s
an d '70 s. Jim Redman also took a lap
around th e fabl ed circui t, riding the
famo us 250cc six-cylinder Honda, which
sc reame d up t o 18,00 0 rpm on Daytona's banking.
Nobby Clark, ex-me cha nic for both
riders during their respective career
peaks, wa s responsible for the restoration o f th e se w ai lin g multic ylinder
exotics, and w as on h and to see them
int o acti on one mo re tim e. Don Vesco, .
f~ee d from hi s BMW Legends ob lig ations, wa s eyeing every bike in sig h t,
finall y ju m pi n g on an MV trip le and
other G50s and No rton Manxes . After
th e p ar ad e, a luncheon w as served in
th e Va nso n Leathe r s tent and au to graphs were flying from th e likes of
Agostini, Redman, Clark, Vesco, Dave
Roper, John Cronsh aw and St ewa rt
Rogers. Dick Mann's BSA Rocket 3, victorious a t Daytona in 1971, was a lso
back and kicking, being one of the only
exotics there to be raced later that d ay,
by Cronshaw. .
Two d ays later, at the Holid ay Inn in
Deland, the Team Obsolete Banquet wa s
held, featuring Don Emde as the em cee,
and Kevin Cameron as a guest speaker.
After a video presentation featuring vinta g e footage , an Italian dinner w as
served in honor of racing legend Agosti-
F
....
....
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0..
ler
(Hon) .
OTIiG NOV (38+ ): 1. Rid Robe rt (Ho n ); 2. Paul Iked a (Ha n);
3. Steve Zimmerm an (KTM); 4. Robert Rud er (Yam) ; 5. Di~er
Carey .
OTHG INT: I. Ro~er Hayes (Ho n ); 2. Phil Mea ns (Hon ); 3.
Rusty Graham (Yam); 4. Scott Davis (Sw:); S. Robert Allan (Hon ).
OTIiG EX: 1. Mark Sirota (Hon) ; 2. David Fajardo (Yam); 3.
Matt Wood ward; 4.. Scott Berge r (Yam) ; 5. Richa rd Chouina rd
(Hon ).
OrnG PRO: 1. Mark Ho rton (Ya m); 2. Mike Webb (Suz ); 3.
Jim Hen n (KTM) ; 4. Ste ve Raw son (H u s ); 5. Doug Schwei zer
(Hen).
OT ~OV : 1. Bill l om ba rd (Hon) ; 2. Scott Pelkey (Ho n ); 3.
Steve POPloy (Jalt' (Yam); 5. Jim Hollon (Suz).
r
or EX: 1. Frank Mat he w s (Hon) ; 2. Mike Fer ro (Hon) ; 3.
Robert Fipslt'l' (Kaw ); 4. Scott McDonall (Hon ); 5. Jim McConndl
{Kaw),
OT SR EX: 1. Grorgt' Spt"aring (Hon ); 2. Hal Grady (Hon ); 3.
Bob-Millner (Hon); 4. Jack Allen (Kaw ); 5. Keith Phillips (Kaw) .
or MS B: 1. Ken Renaux (Hon); 2. Leonard Liston (Yam); 3.
Dennis McAda m (!Caw); 4. Ceeg Grt>en (Hu n ); 5. Mike Che sb ro
(Ho n ).
or MS A: 1. Mike webb (Suz ); 2. John Ha nde lin (Yam).
OT SR MS: 1. Bill Call" (Ho n); 2. Gary wuhson (Hon) ; 3. Jack
Kell Sr. (Hun ).
125 SUP : 1. Jere my Fe rr o (Hon); 2. Dean Dav is (H on ); 3.
BeckyC regg (Hon ).
250 SUP: 1. Shawn Mcin tosh.(Yam ); 2. J(>ff Mathews (Ho n ).
(Above left) Giacomo Agostini, reunited
with the last MV Agusta he raced to Grand
Prix victory, takes a few parade laps
around Daytona Internat ional Speedway
during Camel Motorcycle Week vintage
activities.
(Above) Tim McEntee (78G) eked out the
overall win In Over the Hill Gang Noviceclass racing at the two-day Old TImers
Motocross Association's Winter Nationals
at Los Angeles County Raceway.
125 A: 1. Nicky McBride (Hun); 2. Brad Smith {Kaw]; 3. Sca n
U ght(Yam ).
RO A: 1. Jake Hnlden (Hen): 2. Ku rt Hawk (Suz ); 3. Brad Smith
(Hon); 4. Jerry Hansen (Hon ); 5. Scan Light (Suz).
hOI RO DTX: 1. Michael Ro
chester (Kaw); 2.Ni ck Sellars (Kaw) ;
3. Ku rt Ha w k (Suz); 4. Je rry Ha nsen (Ho n); 5. Amy Pnu:zinski
(Kaw) .
"
60 A: 1. Micha el Boches ter (Kaw) ; 2. Nick Sellars (Jrtexam ).
Rochester rolls at Elma
Indoor Short Track
Larson rules Ramona MX
By Clay Light
By Homer Eubanks
EL\IA. WA. MAR. 9
Kawasaki -mounted Michael Rochester has been
. on a roll of late du ring the early stages of the
AMA Dis trict 27 d ir t tr ack se aso n, an d hi s
imp ressive performan ces continued at the Elma
Pavilion as he wo n th e 60cc A and 80cc DTX
classes.
Roches ter rallied to the head of the pack in
the 60cc A main, where he convincingly toppe d
up-and-com ing Nick Sellars for the win. In the
combined 60/8 0cc DTX class, Rochester took the
lead out of tu m one and never looked back. His
closest competition was again Sellers, also 6Occmou nted, wh ile Kurt 'Haw k, last yea r's class :
champi on. rallied to finish third.
Ea rlier , Ha wk had impressi vely wo n th e
80cc A qualifier, beating National 80cc Champ
Jake H old en, bu t Holden stor med back in the
main even t, na bbing Hawk for the win . Third
we n t Brad Sm ith's w ay , forg ing ahead of a
fourth-pl ace battle between Sean Light and Jerry
Hansen. which wen t to Hansen.
Ho nd a-mounted Da ve Mahl er won a
shootout for the top position in the stellar Over
40 A main eve n t, hi s firs t w in of the season.
Despite tough com petition from Pro-Am rid er
Lee Jen sen, and Experts Todd Tracy and Gay
Beach, Mahl er scored his big ge st w in, ed ging
Jensen.
National nu mb er hold ers Ch ris Fit zhugh
and Rex Fishe r were winners during Expert preliminaries, bu t it was Pro-Am rider Willie Halbert taking an ea rly lea d and ho ldi ng o ff
Fitzhu gh unti l late in the race. Fitzhu gh held on
for a narrow win while Halbert, Eli Price, Jason
Enderson, Todd Haggrnan and Fisher filled the
top six.
Results
orE~ PRO: 1. Ch ris FitzhuJ;h (Yam ); 2. Willie Ha lbert (Rtx);
3.
Eli Price (Rtx): 4. Jason Enderson (Rtx); 5. Todd Haggm a n
(Rtx).
O PEN A: 1. Chri s Kucklil (Hon); 2. Tim Mitche ll (Yam ); 3.
Dave Mahler Jr. (Hon ); 4. Eric Been (Ho n); 5. Frank Mock (Yam ).
250 A: 1. Eri c Beers (Hon ); 2. CeorgePn nd tvtlte (C· A); J .
Byron Dolson (Bul ); 4. Jake Holden (Hon); 5. Wa lter Coffel (KIM ).
A (40+): 1. Dave Mahler Sr. (Hon ); 2. l ee Jen!Wt1 (Rtx); 3. Tim
Mitche ll (Yam) ; 4. Gary Beach (Tri); 5. Todd Tracy (Bul).
250 (30+): 1. Robert Rosie (Suz); 2. Todd Hill (Bul); 3. Doug
Ande rson (Ho n).
OPEN (30+): 1. Kirk Stronp; (Rtx); 2. Willie Halbert (Rtx); 3.
Chris Kucklik (Hon).
RA\10NA. CA, MAR. 10
A total of 169 riders competing in 32 classes took
part in the Ca lifornia Mini Moto rcycle Club 's
season-opener at Sarona Oaks Raceway, during
which Lars-Eric Larson claimed the 250cc Proclass win.
Th is year m arks th e 23rd con se cuti ve
motocross season for th e non -pr ofit organization. As a special treat the rid ers were greeted
w ith a tot all y rede signed race cou rse . Oth er
chang es includ ed Pro-class racing with 200-percent payback, four sepa rate age classes for the
Old Pharts (both A and B divi sions), as well as
Women' s classes being offered .
Larson ru le d both Pr o mo to s w it h Tim
Staufe nbil giving him a run for the money in the
second race.
In Supermi n i actio n, Bill y Lan in ov ich ,
Jesu s Casilla s and Jake Elkin s set the tra ck on
fir e . Laninov ic h h o leshot with Elk in s an d
Casillas sha dowing . On the third lap Casi llas
was able to ge t by both and pull away from
th e ba ttle for se cond . Elkins p ressured Larrino vlch,' but at th e end it was Laninovich taking second . In the followi ng mota, Lan inovich
aga in hol eshot wi th Elkin s an d Casi llas trailing., but duri ng the first lap Elkins case d one
of the do ubles , causi ng Casillas to collide with
him . Elkins got go ing righ t away , bu t Casillas
stoppe d to check his bent b rake lever . Casillas
came ba ck on th e track a lap down and took
up the ra ce wi th Elkins. Lan ino vich pulled
away w h ile Elk in s and Cas illas fought over
th e positi on . Th e offi cia ls thought Casi lla s
fough t a litt le to hard and d isqualified him .
Lan inovich went on for th e overall with Elkins
second . Ross Garcia ha d a 4-3 d ay to ea rn third
overall.
.
The 80cc Beginn er class comprised 21 riders.
Josh Navarro blistered off the line in mot o one
and nev er looked back. Johnny Holmquist got a
midpack start and had to work his way through
the heavy field before taking the second spot on
lap four. Scott Graham wa s second off the line
and was able to hold third .
N a va rro ho lesh ot th e se co nd mota and
Holmquist again had to sort his way through
tr affic. This tim e Holmquist ma naged to catch
Navarro and steal the overall on the last lap.
