Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

ROAD.RACE· . AHRMA Historic Cup Series &SOSIBOTIBEARS Series Rounds 11-,12: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Richardson on a Honda 500, usty Lowry on his GMA All-American Racing Harley Davidson KR750, Auer's BMW 500 and Jerry Wood on a 500cc Triumph twin. As the race wore on, it became a contest between Lowry and Richardson, (Left) Todd Henning (454) leeds Mark McColman (n) during their battle for the Sportsman 500 leed in classic road racing action from the Mid-Qhio Sports Car Course. (Below) Legends David Aldana (10) and Reg Pridmore (163) lead Walt Fulton (66) and Eddle Mulder (12) during their battle In the second of two BMW Legends races. By Matt Benson LEXINGTON, OH, JULY 20-21 odd Henning takes the shotgun approach to motorcycle racing: Enter a lot of classes and hope for some success. But like an expert skeet shooter, Henning hits more than he misses. Over two days of racing before a large AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days crowd, the Cape Cod racer scored four wins, a pair of second-place finishes and one third in AHRMA's vintage and Battle of Twins classes. Stephen Mathews rode Barber Vintage Motorsports Matchless G50s to easy wins in SOOcc Premier and Classic Sixties in each day's ational, and he also pi10ted one of the potent early-'60s thumpers to victory in the modern Sound of Singles Formula 2. Pete Johnson and his Moto Guzzi brought home three firsts and three seconds in BOT and British-European-American Racing Series action. David Aldana used 2-1 finishes to claim overall victory in the closely contested BMW Battle of the Legends. Second overall went to Don Emde, who won the first leg and placed fiftb in the second race, while Eddie Mulder was third with 4-3 finishes. Over 1000 entries turned out for two days of racing under sunny skies and moderate-for-0hio-in-summertime temperatures. The challenging circuit, combined with some tricky surface transitions, took the blame for numerous get-offs. Most notably, David Roper injured an ankle when he crashed Team Obsolete's ex-Dick Mann Daytona 200 BSA Rocket 3 on the first lap of Sunday's Formula 750 race. Before his trip to the hospital, Roper had won Saturday's 350cc GP race and placed third in F-750. In Saturday's classic action, Henning rode a '72 Honda 350 to a close Sportsman 350 win over James McGregor on a similar machine of 1969 vintage. McGregor then used his 350 to win another tight scrap with Honda 500-powered Henning in Sportsman 500. This time, though, Ralph Auer wedged his '60 BMW R50 in between McGregor and Henning. F-750 featured a race-long battle between sometime BMW Legend Kurt Liebmann on a Honda CR750, Richard Moore on a Windingo Triumph Trident T and Roper on the BSA triple, finishing in that order. Liebmann, again on the '70 Honda 750-4, was involved in an excellent battle with Dave Rosno on the "Yellow Peril" Honda CB400F. After getting a bad start, Liebmann chased down the smaller rnaclUne, finally getting into a position to challenge Rosno on the final lap. The lead switched numerous times during the last circuit of the track, with the veteran Liebmann holding the point position on his AMOL Honda when the checkered flag waved. In BMW-sponsored 50S/BOT / BEARS racing, Les White rode his VeeTwo Australia/T-M Motorsport Ducati 900SS to easy wins in BEARS and BOT F-l. Behind White in the BEARS event, Sven Bley and his Rotax-powered NWS thumper hounded Pete Johnson's big Moto Guzzi 1200, but Johnson held on for second. Johnson cruised to the BOT F-2 win on the Raceco Guzzi and rode to another second behind White in BOT F1, chased by Bill St. John on a Ducati 916. Henning logged his second-place finish for the day by chasing Blaine Bahm . in BOT Two-Stroke. A second complete AHRMA National program was run .on Sunday, and Henning avenged his previous day's Sportsman 500 third-place finish. McGregor led early on before being displaced by Canadian Mark McColman on yet another Honda 350. Then on the fourth of six laps, Henning made his move to the lead, followed by Auer's BMW. The Sportsman 350 race again belonged to Henning as well. While Mathews and the Barber Matchless were running away with the SOOcc Premier race, trailed at a distance by Henning, there was a fine four-way battle over third. The players were Jay with the pair swapping third position before the Harley rider won the drag race to the finish line. Auer finished fifth, with Wood losing ground to finish sixth. After Rob Tuluie ran out of gas leading early in Saturday's Formula Vintage race, he was a determined man on Sunday. The Big 0 Triumph T140 rider won the Sportsman 750 race after a scrap with Larry Kirby, then got involved in a back-and-forth race with Moore's Triumph triple in F-Vintage. On the final lap, Tuluie ducked under Moore in turn 8, survived a wicked wiggle and held on for the win. It apparently wasn't Moore's day. In another of his patented chase-'ern-down performances, Liebmann took the F-75O win from the Georgian. The modern-bike classes started with Henning taking a close BOT Two-Stroke win from Bahm. BOT F-l was an ultraclose battle between Johnson, White and St. John, until White went down while lapping another rider. St. John then took over the lead from Johnson, managing to hold on until a red flag ended the race early. James Kusar on a Norbeh Co. Ducati 916 was the man to beat in BOT Open. David Kieffer and Kusar traded the lead throughout the race and were often racing side by side, but when it counted most it was Kusar out front. The BMW Legends performed their usual magic aboard a fleet of 10 blue BMW Rll00RS. sport tourers. Part race and part show, they run side by side, changing the lead time and again each lap. On the last lap, they put their heads down and make an earnest run for the finish line. In Saturday's race it was 1972 Daytona 200 winner Don Emde who won the dash to the checker, shadowed by Aldana, Eddie Mulder and 1972 Grand ational Champion Mark Brelsford. Reg Pridmore led a good portion of Sunday's Legends leg, but Aldana chased him down and took the win. Third was Walt Fulton, followed by Mulder and Emde. Scored motocross style, the overall win went to Aldana, with Emde second, Mulder third and Fulton fourth. a Mid-ohio Sports Car Course lexington, Ohio Results: July 20, 1996 (Rounds 11-12) 200 GP: 1. Larry Kirby (Yam); 2. Butch Sprain (Hon); 3. Chuck Davis (Hon): 4. Michael Contesky (Due); 5. David Naegele (Hon). 250 GP: 1. Jay Richardson (Due): 2. Kemp Archibald (Due): 3. Charles Sexton (BuO; 4. Jonathan White (Dud; 5. Alex Mclean. 350 GP: 1. David Roper (AJS); 2. Chuck Huneycutt (}-Ion): 3. Erik Creen (AjS); 4 . Kemp Archibald (Due); 5. jay Richardson (Due). 500 PREM: 1. Stephen Mathews (Mat); 2. Todd Henning (Hon); 3. Rusty Lowry (H·D); 4. Ralph Aucr (BMW); 5. I..1ITy Poons (See). PRE·40: 1. Svc.n Bley (BMW); 2. HDoc" Batslcer Und): 3. Tim Droege (}-I-D); 4. Ralph Auer (BMW); 5. Ench Bley (BMW). CLASS C: 1. Carleton Palmer II (Vin); 2. Ralph Auer (BMW); 3. "Ooc" Batsleer Ond); 4. Stuart Hall (BSA); 5. Ed Fisher (Tn). eLse 60s: 1. Stephen Mathews (Mat); 2. Rusty Lowry (}-I-D); 3. Andrew Tamik (BSA); 4. Bob B,.)mer (BSA); 5. Lon Mccroskey (AjS). . F-2S0: 1. Richard Merhar (Yam); 2. Jonathan Hord (Yam); 3. Mid Frew (Yam); 4. Peter Sheppard (}-Ion); 5. Rich Barger (Yam). F-500: 1. Dave Rosno (Hon); 2. Richard Merhar (Yam); 3. Chip Larkby (yam): 4. Charles Hess (}-Ion); 5. Creg Howard (Yam). f-7SO: 1. Kurt Liebmann (Hon); 2. Richard Moore (Tri); 3. David Roper (BSA); 4. Steve Von Borstel (M.(;); 5. Will Harding (Cuz). SPTSMN 350: 1. Todd Henning (Han); 2. James McCregor (Han); 3. TlDlothy Stancill (Han); 4. Rixon Breckon (}-Ion); 5. John Ligh_ (}-Ion). SPTSMN SOlk 1. James McGregor (}-Ion); 2. Rolph Auer (BMW); 3. Todd Henning (H n ); 4. Tim joyce (Tri); 5. Rixon Breckon (}-Ion). SPTSMN 750: 1. Rob Tuluie (Tn); 2. Larry Kirby (Yam); 3. Todd Henning; 4. john Ell;" (Yam); 5. Jim Struke or). f.VINT: 1. Kurt Liebmann (Hon); 2. Dave R05.no (Hon); 3. Todd Welch (Tn); 4. Charles Hess (}-Ion); 5. jim Sharkey (}-Ion). F·l SNGL: 1. Sven Bley (NWS); 2. David Kieffer (Due); 3. jay Richardson (KTM); 4. Craig Wnght: 5. AI Charles (Due). F-2 SNCL: 1. Stephen MClthewil (Mat); 2. Scott Seferian (Han); 3. Norman LClstovica; 4. Sterling Strauser (Yam); 5. John Whittenburg (Hon). F-3 SNGL: 1. Erich Bley (NWS); 2. Stuart Carter (Duc); 3. Michael Gontesky (Yam); 4. Tim Gundlach (Yam); 5. Michael Schneider (Hon). 2-STRK SNGI., 1. Sven Bley (}-Ion); 2. jim Stmke (Hon); 3. Steve Heilman (Hon); 4. Dennis Woods; 5. George Oicgar (Yam). OPEN TW: 1. James Kusar (Duc); 2. David Kieffer (Duc); 3. Bill St. john (Due); 4. james Lickwar (Duc); 5. David FlOe (Cuz). F-l TW: 1. Les White (Duc); 2. Pete joh.nson (Guz); 3. Bill St. John (Duc); 4. james Lickwar (Duc); 5. Jonathan Hard (Due). F-2 TW: 1. Pete Johnson (Guz); 2. Tom Benedict (Hon); 3. Will Harding (Cuz); 4. Mietmel Friberg (Buel; 5. Chuck Clay (Due). F·3 TW: 1. Chad Healy (Hon); 2. Mark Reynold (Hon); 3. jeff Mck. mey (J(aw); 4, Tom Benedict (}-Ion); 5. Mike Tiberio (C"z). 2-STRK TW, 1. Blaine Bahm (Yam); 2. Todd Henning (Yam); 3. Richard Merhar (Yam); 4. Michael Perry (yam); 5. William House (Suz). BEARS, 1. l.es White (Due); 2. Pete johnson (Cuz): 3. Sven Bley (NWS); 4. Bill SI. john (Due); 5. jay Richardson (KTM). Sundoly 200 GP: 1. Bulch Sprain (Han); 2. Larry Kirby (Yam); 3. Michael Gonteslty (Ouc); 4. Edwara Sensettig (Due); 5. David Naegele (}-Ion). 250 GP, 1. jay Richardson (Due); 2. Kemp Archibald (Duc); 3. Martin Yannerilla (Aer); 4. Ernest Traka (Due); 5. Butch Sprain (Hon). 350 CP: 1. Chuck Huneycutt (Han); 2. Erik Creen (AjS); 3. Jay Richardson (Due); 4. Kemp Archibald (Due); S. Donnie War! (Due). 500 PREM: 1. Stephen Mathews (MaO; 2. Todd Henning (Hon); 3. Rusty Lowry (H-D); 4. Jay Rkhardson (Hon); 5. Rolph Auer (BMW). PRE-40: 1. Ralph Auer (BMW); 2. Blake Wilson (lnd); 3. Tim Droege (H-D): 4. Erich Bley (BMW); 5. Lonnie Harmon (Tri). CLASS e;, 1. Ralph Auer (BMW); 2. Blake Wilson and); 3, Carleton Palmer II (Yin); 4. Stuart Hall (BSA); 5. "Doc" Bats!eer Und). eLSC 60s: 1. Stephen Mathews (Mat); 2. Rusty Lowry (H-D); 3. john Cooper (BSA ); 4. Lon Mccroskey (AjS); 5. Mark Samuelson (BSA). F-250: I. Richard Merhar (Yam); 2. Chip Larkby (Yam); 3. Jonathan Hard (Yam); 4. Mick Frew (Yam); 5. Mike Moloney (Hon). f-500: 1. Dave Rosno (Han); 2. Richard Merhar (Yam); 3. Jim Sharkey (Hon); 4. Greg Howard (Yam); S. Bruce Kloete (Knw). F-7SO: 1. Kurt Liebmann (Han); 2. Richard Moore (Tri); 3. Steve Von Borstel (Cuz); 4. Will Harding (Cuz); 5. AI Charles (Tri). SPTSMN 350: 1. Todd Henning (Han); 2. Mark Mccolman (Han); 3. James McG~or (Han); 4. John Lightfoot (Hon); 5. Timothy Stancill (Hon). SPTSMN 500: 1. Todd Henning (Han); 2. RalphAuer (BMW); 3. James Mcgregor CHon); 4. Tim Joyce (Tn); s. Timothy Stancill (}-Ion). SPTSMN 750: 1. Rob TuJuie (Tri); 2. Larry Kirby (Yam); 3. john Ellis (Yam); 4. Todd Henning (Hon); 5. Tim joyce (Tri).

• Cover