Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Cycle News 1996 08 14

Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles

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liN 'THE WIND Terry Thompson (BSA) took his firstever National Championship Hillclimb victory in the 540cc class during round five of the series at the Muskegon Motorcycle club's All-Star Invitational on August 4 in Norton Shores, Michigan. Paul Pinsonnault . (Hon) finished second and Ted Wilkins (Rtx) was third. In the 800cc class, points leader Lou Gerencer (HD) continued his domination of the class with another win. Glen Petty Jr. (H-D) was second and Tim Frazier (Yam) finished third. Charlie Bogard (Suz), Danny Carlson. (Hon) and Justin Buckelew (Yam) were some' of the big winners at the NMA Ponca City Grand National Championships in Oklahoma, on July 3O-August 3. Bogard was a triple-class winner, topping the 250cc Stock and Modified, and 125cc Stock Pro classes, while Carlson ran away with the 125cc Stock and 250cc Modified Intermediate classes. Buckelew was the top minicycle rider as he also won three classes: 80cc (14-16) Stock and Modified classes, and the Supermini class. The event posted nearly 1200 entries. Todd Levesque (Yam) scored the overall win at the NETRA Down East Hare Scrambles in Searsport, Maine, on August 4. It was his second win in a row. The runner-up was Tom Norton (Yarn) while P.J. Peculis (Yam), Rick Claxton (CRE) and Dave Gunn (KTM) rounded out the top five. Daryl Conner, who had qualified for the U.S. Junior World Trophy team for the International Six Days Enduro in Finland, on August 12-17, won't be making the trip abroad after all. While practicing for the event near his home in Pennsylvania, Conner crashed and was seriously injured. "We had a loop up in the mountains; it was dusty and he hit a root," said Conner's brother, Duane. Daryl suffered internal injuries, including a lacerated liver and kidney. He also suffered broken ribs and a concussion in the faIl. He was airlifted to a hospital in Pittsburgh, where he is currently recuperating. Conners position'on the team will be filled by alternate rider William Hamilton, who was a member of the Cycle News Riders club team. Andy Knapp, the younger brother of U.S. Junior World team rider Don Everts perfect in French 250cc MX GP S eries points leader Marnicq Bervoets of Belgium saw his once seemingly invulnerable points lead slashed to just 22 points alter scoring only 10 points in the French round of the 250cc World MX Series in Iffendic, on August 4. The Beiffe Suzuki teamster was a nervous sixth in the opener and was excluded from the second moto after crossing the line in eighth. Title rivals Stefan Everts (right), the defending World Champion, and American Tallon Vohland, of the JHK Kawasaki team, both protested Bervoets after he had crashed into the crowd and allegedly received outside assistance to regain the track. Everts, of the RWJ Honda team, was a double-mota winner in France, thus reducing his points deficit to 45 with two GPs remaining, and the defending champion could be just one ·point shy of the leader if his protest against exclusion from the British GP for a fuel infringement is upheld. Vohland remains second on points, 22 behind Bervoets after posting 4-4 mota finishes in France. If the American eventually loses the title by a narrow margin then Team Kawasaki has only themselves to blame as Vohland was headed home by teammates for the second successive weekend. Frenchman Frederic Bolley, also of the JHK Kawasaki team, had been third behind Yamaha's Yves Demaria, of France, in the opener and clinched second on the day with a runner-up placing in mota two, while 125cc World Champion Sebastien Tortelli, rid-. ~ ing as a wild card, was third. 0\ Kawasaki rider Tortelli, who clinched the 125cc title a few weeks ago, had charged ..... quickly from seventh to third in the opener before crashing out. ~.. New Zealander Shayne King moved relentlessly closer to taking the 500cc World ..... Motocross title for KTM when he recorded his sixth win of the series at the infamous C1l Gtadel track of Namur in Belgium, on August 4. The Kiwi now leads the defending champion, Husaberg's Joel Smets, of Belgium, by 26 points with three GPs remaining. Smets crashed in both motos to finish fourth on ::l the day via 4-5 mota results, while King recorded a 2-1 and was joined on the podium by Husqvama riders Jacky Martens (1-4) and Peter Johansson (3-2). Alex Hodgkinson So « 2 The.Verdict is in merican speedway racers Chris Manchester, Mike Faria, Charlie Venegas and Bobby Hedden, along with nine other international World Championship contenders, have been fined 4000 Swiss Francs ($3300) and banned from all FIM World Championship events in 1996 as well as all FIM International events for the next nine months as a result of their actions at the Overseas Final in Coventry, England, on June 6. The discipline was handed down because of rider boycotts over the use of solid-block tires, which resulted in the FIM cancelling the meeting. The riders can appeal the punishment, but they must pay their fines by mid-August or face a permanent ban from racing. Through to next year's GP series instead of the "unlucky 13" are Sweden's Jimmy Nilsen and Denmark's Brian Andersen, who finished first and second at the Intercontinental Final in HoIsted, Denmark, on· July 28. Gerd Riss, Stefan Danna, Mikael Karlsson, Ryan Sullivan and Brian Karger will take part in the GP Challenge at Prague in the Czech Republic on October 6. Continental finalists Tomasz Gollob and Slawomir Drabik, both from Poland, transfer to the 1997 GP as well with Zoltan Adorjan, Robert Barth, Rinat Mardanshin and Simon Wigg heading to the GP Challenge. . In related news, American rider Ronnie Correy faces a two-race ban and heavy fines for failing a breath test prior to a four-team tournament in England on August 4. A Knapp, was named to replace Ray Simpson on the Appalachian Dirt Riders club team in Finland. Simpson had to withdraw from the event for personal reasons. Speaking of Don Knapp, if stressing out about the ISDE wasn't enough, he got married on Saturday, August 3, just two days before leaving for Finland, in Fresno, California. Knapp married Danielle Winkler, and they will combine the ISDE with their honeymoon. Three riders from the U.s. will compete on Italian-made TM motorcycles. Rick Crossland will ride a 300 Enduro, Eric Koeller a 250, and Jeff Kirshner a 125. Crossland and Kirshner will ride '97 production bikes that TM is unveiling at the Finnish Six Days. AMA Pro Racing executive director Tom Mueller has resigned from the AMA, according to a press release issued by the AMA. "Due to a'personal need to spend more time with my parents, I will leave full-time employment with the AMA to form my own sales agency," Mueller said. "My new business will allow me the flexibility to spend time with my 'family, and also to expand into four-wheel properties. The AMA was very supportive of my decision, and we are making arrangements where they will retain my services to continue pursuing sponsors." AMA Pro Racing Chairman Cary Agajanian confirmed that Mueller will continue to serve the AMA as an outside contractor in the areas of marketing and sponsorship sales. Mueller can still be reached at the AMA at 614/891-2429, ext. 260, regarding all AMA Pro Racing sales and . marketing issues. Remember the tires that were impounded by the AMA after the AMA National Championship Road Race round at Laguna Seca in April? The tires - three Dunlop D364s and one Bridgestone Batt1ax - which were taken from the motorcycles of Miguel DuHamel, Jason Pridmore, Brian Parriott and Andrew Stroud-are within "acceptable ranges," according to a report prepared by Smithers Scientific Services In.c. All tires were inspected and compared for carcass cord/belt construction, calculated carcass strength, physical properties and adhesion of tread. The conclusions are as follows: In regard to carcass .and belt/ cord data, "All ply and material analyzed fell witmn their acceptable ranges. The difference one may see regarding pick values, angles and cords per inch would be a direct result of the calendaring and tire-building process." In regard to physical properties and adhesion val ues, "All physical properties, hardness and adhesion values fell well within their acceptable ranges .. Comparing the sets of tires in these tests indicate results very close to one another." At the invitation of Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole and House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Georgia), thousands of motorcyclists are planning an organized ride on August 11 in San Diego, California, that will end at the site of the Republican National Convention, according to the AMA. The event is intended to highlight the importance of participation by motorcyclists in the political process. The event, entitled "Ride on the Convention" and endorsed by RepUblican Party leaders, will be led by Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colorado). It will start at San Diego's Fiesta Island at 9 a.m. and proceed to the convention site, where Dole, Gingrich and General Colin Powell have been invited to speak to the assembled riders. Sunset Off-Road is offering to transport your motorcycle to the Washougal National motocross (and back) and provide limited technical support. The box van that will transport the motorcycles is equipped with a generator, an air compressor, electric and hand tools, and more. Motorcycles and parts will have to be delivered to Temecula, California, by 7 p.m. on August 13. There will be room for up to 14 motorcycles, but at least 12 motorcycles must be confirmed before the van leaves for Washington. The cost is $125. For more information, call (or fax) Sunset Off-Road at 909 / 6766366. According to a press release from McGrath Motorsports, AMA Super Arenacross Champion Jimmy Gaddis has signed a management agreement with McGrath for the 1996-1997 series. For more information, call Jim McGrath at 847/695-6700 or 847/428-6686. The one millionth vehicle - a Gold Wing Aspencade - rolled off the line on July 26 at Honda's Marysville Motorcycle Plant. Honda has been manufactur-

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