Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

.ROAORACE .. ' . AD·Supet'bike National Championship Road Race Series . Round 8: Brainerd International Raceway Thoma Wilson (30) finished sixth on the factory HarIey-Davld8On. Steve Crevier (14) was beck after an extended a/:laenee due to Injury; he finished eighth. Grami oi ta es e pole 0, it wasn't rain- ing. With his victory in a rainstorm at Road America in June only adding to the rain legend of Alessandro Gramigni (right), it came as quite a surprise when the friendly Italian put his Fast By Ferracci Ducati on pole position at the ultrafast Brainerd International Raceway tinder sunny skies and on a bone-dry race track. But that's exactly what· he did, shattering the lap record in the process on the partially repaved 3mile race track as he stormed to a 1:38.305 lap in the final session on Saturday afternoon. The effort was a complete turnaround from his last-round performance at the New Hampshire International Speedway, where he finished ninth on a race track he openly voiced his disdain for. Not bad, considering he'd only been contacted at his home in Italy by team owner Eraldo Ferracci on Tuesday of race week. Prior to that phone call, Gramigni wasn't sure whether or not he'd even be racing at Brainerd. And in a superbike world where Ducati riders are usually forced to defend themselves and the top speed of their V-twins, Gramigni also Was quick to give credit to his truly Fast By Ferracci mount. '1 like every track, but I don't like Loudon," Gramigni said. "It's danger and I don't like danger. Maybe with more time racing.there (at Loudon) I don't think dange~. The bike is good on fast tracks, the tires - everything is good. No, I don't want rain. It's danger in rain. I think it's possible to go better. I made a calculation at my house and I've only been on this bike for 18 hours, and six hours is in the dry. Every session, I see something new and I want to change something." Gramigni admitted that he'd almost crashed late in the session, after being a little overzealous when adjusting the tension on his ~teering damper. His Ducati had been clocked at 182 mph (3-5 mph quicker than the best of the four-cylinders) at the end of the front straight, leading into the harr~g first corner, a tum that worried Gramigni somewhat. "Tum one is no trouble, but it may be dangerous in the race," the 27-year-Old Italian explained. "But maybe if there is crazy rider in front. Well, not crazy but - I don't know in English. Maybe some rillier who try too hard - it's possible to touch. When you go in, you can never change your idea." Gramigni's flyer barely topped his teammate Larry Pegram, who was second fastest at 1:38.354.. "Everything's going gooa," Pegram said. "We did those times with race tries and no matter how many times they (the Dunlop riders) say they did, they didn't. "I wish he (Gramigni) wasn't here - he's the guy I think will be the most trouble tomorrow," Pegram joked. "1 think we've got 'em covered. Doug (Chandler) has to be careful because of the championship and Miguel (DuHamel) has to go for broke. He can't not win and that may make it more difficult for us. I think Miguel and Doug will be there, but me and Alessandro can maybe get away if we run together. By yourself it would be difficult, but with one other person it's possible." The first of the non-Ducatis was the Muzzy Kawasaki ridden by championship leader Doug Chandler. The Californian docked a 1:38.369, but thought he could have gone quicker. "I should've gone in the comer a little .bit deeper," Chandler said with a smile. Which one, he was asked. "All of 'em," he joked. "No, we've got a good setup. We did nine laps and only one of them was a 39. I'm really comfortable and I don't think anybody can get away. I think we'll have something for the end of the race. Tum was happy. Going down the front straight hurt me more than it needed to. I got a bad start both times, the gearing was too tall for the start. At times we were as fast as second, third and fourth. I was trying to catch up." After struggling for most of the weekend, MJadin was both pleased and somewhat surprised with his fourthplace finish. "I thought the race pace would be quicker," the Australian said. '1 knew we could run mid to high 9s (1:39s), but I thought they'd do 8s. Doug (Chandler) was puffing smoke and we·fell b.ack a bit. Yeah, we're pretty happy. I'm having some problems with tire life, but that's more because of the characteristics of the Suzuki. It gets to 11,000 rpm and just goes waaaaa. For the first 12 or 13 laps I could stay with them out of the last corner. After that I was struggling. I !

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