Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

DIRT TRACK AMA 600cc National Championship Series By Dave Hoenig Photos by Flat Trak Fotos PEORIA, 11, AUG. 3 V'n Kevin Varnes led a strong field of 600cc riders wire-to-wire a score his first AMA 600cc National, adding it to his two Grand ational wins. Varnes used quick starts and an aggressive high line to go undefeated all night on the fast Peoria Speedway short track. The young Penn State Cycles/USC Racing-backed Varnes was not without a good scare before the night was over, however. Andy Tresser worked his way through traffic and mounted a ferocious assault on Varnes. "A few laps from the end, 1 almost bailed off in turn three," Varnes said. "I looked back then and saw he was coming." At this point Varnes decided to change his line and move to the bottom of the slick quarter-mile. "I was riding just above the groove," Varnes said. "After I almost fell, I thought maybe the line was going away, so I moved down. It let him catch me big time." On the other hand, the Aupperle & Sons/ Deiss Automotive / Mario-Loribacked Tresser had to overcome a mediocre start and work his way around several riders to garner his close second. '1 just didn't get off with the rest of them," Tresser said. "I think I could have given him a good race if we came off together." . Corbin Racing's Dave Camlin was another rider overcoming a slow start, but the popular mile specialist still turned in a good ride, finishing third. "I had gotten good starts all night, but I knew if I didn't get one in the main I couldn't go bonkers," Camlin said. "On that slick groove, it seemed the slower I rode the faster I was." R HEATS Varnes jumped off the line first in the first heat with Steve Morehead right behind him. As the pair entered turn three, Morehead tried to dive under Varnes, but low-sided, bringing out the red flag. Morehead would now be forced to start a lD-lap race (where you have to finish first or second to advance to the National) from the penalty line. The restart saw Georgie Price IV lead Varnes and Dan Butler into turn one. Round 2:. Peoria Speedway (Above right) Kevin Varnes (89) wheelles off the line at the start of the Peoria 600cc National Short Track at Peoria Speedway to grab the lead. Varnes went on to lead every lap and take the victory. (Right) Varnes was all but unstoppable In the final, overcoming a late-race bobble and subsequent pressure from Andy Tresser to gamer his first 600cc National win. Varnes got the drive high off turn two, took the lead down the back straight and was never challenged. Price and Butler dueled over second all the way with Price putting his PSRIJ&M Racingsponsored KTM in the National. Washington's Don Wilson got the holeshot in the second heat and led the first lap. Tresser quickly took over on lap two and pulled to a large lead. Ken Yoder also got by, and at the halfway point the final order appeared to be set. Two laps from the end, though, Yoder slipped back into the pack as Tresser pulled to a full-straightaway lead. When the pack came around to get the white flag, Yoder's problem was apparent - a flat rear me. In the shuffle to get around Yoder, H-D Central/Frontier H-D's Dale Jenneman took over second for the last transfer. Wilson and Bret Beyer finished right behind Jenneman. Tresser's time was just 0.019 of a second slower than Varnes' quick 10-lap time. The third heat went easily to Camlin, who ran away from a good race for second between Rich King, Brett Landes and Steve Mayfield. By lap six, Landes had worked his way into second, and King had his hands full with Mayfield and Lonnie Pauley. Pauley suddenly took third and closed on LandE'S. Landes kept his Audiovox/Quaker State Rotax in second as Pauley's drive fell just short. The fourth heat was uneventful as J.P. Simonsen had his Cowlitz Valley Sand & Gravel/Wallace Bros. Trucking Honda well in front of the newly umetired Tim Mertens and his R.J. Racing ATK. Former 600cc National Champion Mickey Fay ran away with heat five on his Paul Peiroli Racing/Pro Sports Gearbacked Rotax. Mike Hacker, Russ Yamamoto, Wade Camlin and Ken Coolbeth were locked in a battle over second. The four-rider battle dwindled down to two as Hacker and Coolbeth shot it out for the ticket into the ationa!. Coolbeth kept using an outside attack, but came home just short on his Spectra/Moroney's H-D-backed Rotax. Hacker put his factory KTM into the main. The last heat was all Adam's Racing's Charlie Orr, though DeMay Racing'slJono's-backed Paul Morgan was equally impressive with his secondplace finish over Mike Varnes and Vietor McAnally. SEMIS The semifinals are where short track racing really gets tough, as only the winner of the four relatively short eight-lap races progress on to the National. Dan Butler held on to a popular win in the first semi. Even though Butler hails from Michigan, he rides for the Peoria-based Gardner Racing/Walters Brothers H-D team. Beyer closed dramatically at the end but had to settle for second. The second semi was loaded with talent and jam-packed with action. Morehead got the holeshot and led King, Pauley and Tommy Hayden into tum· one. Morehead situated himself on the groove, but by the halfway point Pauley had pulled to his rear wheel. On lap five, Pauley got into turn one too low and slid down. He was quickly off the track, but Vern Browne crashed about the same time down the back straight. It was feared that there might be an injury situation and the red flag came out. Fortun.ately, Browne was all right and the race restarted on lap six. Morehead remained in the lead, but Dan Stanley got a great start and was all over King for second. The three-lap shootout turned nasty as King tried to go around Morehead on the outside only to have Morehead slip up the track slightly. When Morehead slipped up, King hit him right in the exhaust pipe. Morehead and King both skidded higher, allowing the oppor·tunistic Stanley the opening he needed to put the BBRP /Budweiser-sponsored Rotax into the National. Morehead stayed close, but the Daytona 600cc National winner, along with King, were headed for their vans.

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