Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Peter Melton (Kaw) recently finished third at the Sydney Entertairlfnent Centre in Sydney, Australia, to claim the Australian Supercross Masters title, his third motocross championship of the 1996 season, according to Cycle News contributor Darryl Flack. Melton struggled throughout the 20-lap final while teenager Craig Anderson (KTM) rode to victory. Former AMA Supercrosser Eddie Warren finished second. Melton edged Anderson by a single point in the series standings, becoming the first rider since Craig Dack to c.omplete the Down Under trifecta of championships. Speaking of Eddie Warren, the Michigan native is now married to an Australian and has settled on the New South Wales south coast. In addition to racing, Warren also is involved in a Kawasaki dealership with former Team Kawasaki Australia road racer Trevor Jordan. The Pony Express Preservation Ride is looking for a person who can volunteer his or her time from September 27 until October 13, 1997, acting as a one-way chase truck driver for the Pony Express Preservation Ride, which begins October 1 in San Francisco and ends October 12 in Missouri. For more information, call Paul Golde at 714/354-5550. Cycle News readers are reminded to mark their calendar for Saturday, October 5, if they wish to join the California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division to help celebrate the 25th anniversary of the program. Activities at the Hungry Valley SVRA in Gorman, California, will include autograph sessions with several champions, more than 100 manufacturer and aftermarket exhibitors, 4x4 safety training demonstrations, a trials demonstration, ATV training and a training program for PALs, the new statewide program to introduce inner-city children to OHV recreation. Jeremy McGrath, Steve Lamson and Scott Summers are scheduled to be on hand for the festivities at the AlikAlik Campgrounds. For more information, call Jack Raudy at 916/441-7606. The Viewfinders MC has announced that it has canceled the Viewfinders Grand Prix which was scheduled for Cas,taic Lake on October s:6. The Viewfinders ·were unable to find'a new location for the event, but hope to host the Viewfinders GP at a new location in 1997. The Gary Bailey Motocross School scheduled for Rainbow II MX Park in Hemet, California, November 14-16 has been moved to Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California. In an apparent effort to squelch rumors of a split between the two, Kawasaki issued a press release on August 22 regarding its relationship with Rob Muzzy. The release stated the following: "Kawasaki Motors Corp., USA., continues to enjoy a long-term relationship with championship-winning team owner Rob Muzzy. The Muzzy /Kawasaki Racing Team will continue to compete in AMA National road racing events aboard Kawasaki motorcycles through the 1999 racing season." The official title of the upcoming 12th, round of the World Championship Road Race Series in Imola, Italy, is the Gran Premio IP - Citta' di Imola. The Grand Prix series returns to the Enzo and Dino Ferrari Circuit after an eightyear absence; in 1988, Eddie Lawson defeated Wayne Gardner in the 500cc Grand Prix of Natio·ns in Imola. The Grand Premio IP will mark the 500th 500cc Grand Prix in the 47-year history of the series. Brit H. Daniell won the first-ever 500cc GP, held at the Isle of Man in 1949. It was the only victory of Daniell's career. Keith Barnes, 33, died on Tuesday, August 20, two days after crashing at Willow Springs Raceway in Rosamond, California, during a Willow Springs Motorcycle Club Open Superbike road race. Barnes ran off the track and crashed in turn nine, a high-speed righthand corner that leads on to Willow's front straight. WSMC will hold a Keith Barnes Memorial Open Superbike race on September 15 with all profits from the race being donated in Barnes' name to the Wegman Fund, an organization which assists injured motorcycle road racers in the United States memorial service for Barnes will be given by his friends and co-workers on August 29 at the "Mad River Post" in Santa Monica, California. For more information, call Melissa Elliott at 310/392-1577. After eight years of business, Motorsports of America has closed. The company, which was a subsidiary of United States Entertainment of Scottsdale, Arizona, promoted over 60 events in the United States and Canada, including arenacross and dirt track races. Ed Beckley, who has led Motorsports of America since its inception, has resigned and has opened his own company, Checkered Flag Productions. For more information, call 817 /683-4742. Fast Gas Gas I f you're into off-road riding but the run-of-the-mill Husky or TM 250 Enduro is just too pedestrian for you, maybe the new 1997 Gas Gas TT250 Enducross will do the trick. The TT250 features a number of high-quality components, . including 45mm Marzzochi Magnum forks, a (ully adjustable Ohlins shock working in a progressive link, Brembo brake calipers and Excel rims. The frame is a chrome-moly steel "deltabox" -type and the swingarm is aluminum. At the heart of the machine is a Gas Gas-made 249cc, reed-valve-inducted twostroke with a bore and stroke of 72 x 66.4mm and an exhaust power-valve. Gas Gas claims a 49-hp output from the liquid-cooled powerplant. The bikes are scheduled to arrive in small quantities in the United States during August. . Although Marc Colomer was crowned as the new World Trials Champion in Belgium on August 18, multi-time World Champion Jordi Tarres stole some of Colomer's thunder when he announced at the race that he would return in 1997 with his own private team - using a Montesa. Cycle News contributor John Dickinson reports that the buzz in the paddock was that Tarres would go to Montesa with Colomer going to Gas Gas in a direct switch. But it may be more complicated than that: "I will only ride next year in a team totally dedicated to me winning the title using the best bike," Tarres said. Asked whether this would be a private team, Tarres said: "Maybe that is th.e way to go." When asked whether the bike would be a Montesa, he stated: "Maybe." Faced with the possible loss of the rider who has given him three succ~ssive World Championships, Gas Gas team boss Narcis Casas said: "Obviously, we want to hold on to Jordi (Tarres), but if h.e goes, we would naturally want to sign a top rider." Having chased Doug Lampkin hard last season, Colomer, -Lampkin or maybe Kenichi Kuroyami'\ would be hot favorites for a Gas Gas switch, according to John Dickinson. But Lampkin, when asked a direct question by a Spanish TV crew as to how he felt about Tarres moving to a new team, stated: "I am not really concerned with what anyone else does. As far as I'm concerned, I am very happy with Beta and look forward to winning the World Championship with them next year." Fourth-ranked Kuroyama, meanwhile, remains one of the hottest trials properties around. The Japanese ace says he'll likely be back with Beta next year with backing again from Japanese importer Rays. With fellow Japanese trialer Takumi Narita retiring, more money should be available for supporting Japan's bestever hope for a World Trials title. Although the event was po tponed due to rain midway through eliminations, Elmer Trett stiU managed to rock the drag-racing world at the AMA/Prostar Pingel Thunder Nationals on August 18 at Indianapolis Raceway Park in Indianapolis when he clocked a 6.069-second, 235.1O-mph run on his Top Fueler. Trett, competing on his 1000-horsepower, supercharged, nitro-burning "Mountain Magic," lowered Tony Lang's twoyear-old record of 6.194 seconds by more than a tenth and is now considered to be within striking distance of the sport's first sub-six-second run, according to Cycle News contributor Matt Polito. Trett's 235.10 mph clocking bettered his previous record of 231.24, which he set in June of 1994. CORRECTION: We incorrectly referred to the Du Quoin Mile as round 15 of the AMA Grand National Championship Series when in fact it was round 14. Look for coverage of round 15, the Rodney Farris Memorial Hub City Classic, at Hagerstown Speedway in Hagerstown, Maryland, in this issue. l'X r----------------------------------------------------------------, ffiID ~ SUBSCRIPTION ORDER FORM Name _ Addre s City _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ State _ _ Zip Order Date _ Please start my subscription to Cycle News: ·0 Every week for one year (50 issues) for $38.00 (can be billed 3 monthly payments) o Every week for two years (100 issues) for $70.00 o Six months second class (25 issues) for $19.00 One year (50 issues), 2nd class Canada or Mexico and aU otherforeign countries L ~~~(U.s.:..~~):!irS~I~s_an~ ~a:r~e:a:ai~~e:p:n.:e~~t~ o This is a 0 New Subscription o Renewal o Please bill me o Bill 3 payments of $12.67 o Enclosed is my check or money order Charge my 0 Visa 0 Mastercard Signature MC/Visa# _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Expiration Date ~~ I Sendto:~~, nco P.O. 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