Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

AMA Eastern National Four·Stroke MX Series, Round 1 Young sounds off at Birch Creek By Jay and Sharon Hauser DANVILLE, VA, SEPT. 15 actory Husaberg rider Mike Young was flown in from his . home in Southern CalifOrnia to show the four-stroke riders on the East Coast just how to ride one of the massive machines during the opening round of the AMA Eastern National FourStroke MX Series at the Birch Creek Motorsports Park. Y.oung is known worldwide for his prowess on the big-bores, so who better than he to come over for the opening round of the six-round series. With the absence of Young's West Coast competitor, Lance Smail, Young would be the sole rider from the West Coast. But the entry list did prove to . have a few good riders to give Young a run for his money. • The series is run in conjunction with the AMA Fall Classic MX Series, and on this day Honda of Troy rider Mike Brown had been unstoppable aboard the two-stroke machines with a four-moto sweep of all the Pro radng. Jim's Motorcycle Sales provided Brown with a tricked-out, race-ready Honda XR600 and signed him up for the four-stroke action as well. When the gate dropped and the thunderous machines roared around the Birch Creek facility for the first time in track history, Young led aboard his Pirelli / Spectro/ FMF-prepared Husaberg with Brown hot in pursuit. Loretta 'Lynn's Vet Champion rider Keith Bowen had his factory-supported KTM running in third over Florida Husaberg rider Gene Naumec. Larry Gessner put h!s Cycle Shed/FMF-backed Husaberg nght onto Naumec's tail and the top five frelght-tramed around the long, winding Birch Creek facility. . "I love this track," Young said. "We don't have anything like this back home. The track really suits my style and the bike really hooks up in this soil." Young's liking for the course was evident as he started to pull away from most of the field, but Brown refused to let Young get out of his sights, and the two riders battled like they were on 250cc two-strokes. By the late stages of moto one, Young had pulled out what would be his biggest lead over Brown the entire moto, only four seconds. Bowen proved to be a solid fourstroke contender as he hovered in third just off the leaders' pace for the full 25minute mota. Naumec had fourth nailed down up until lap eight when he fell all the way to 13th. When Naumec fell out, it allowed Gessner to step up and take the fourth spot by mota's end Gust inching out Andrew Retberg's CCM and Michael Richards' Husaberg). . The crowds lined the fences in hopes of another Young/Brown battle as the Fiders staged for the final moto. When the gate fell, it was a pair of bright yellow Husabergs leading the way with Young out front and Naumec pulling up a strong second. Bowen again found himself in third out of the gate with all he could do to try and keep B.rown F Grant Lopez (34) topped the Formula One class at round 8 of the WERA National Sprint Series, held In Memphis, Tennessee. behind him. As the pack worked its way through the lower switchback sections, the crowd's hopes were dashed when Brown stalled his bike. "Bowen gave a little bit of a brake check in one of those tight corners," Brown said. "And when she cut off on me I couldn't get the bike restarted." Once Brown did manage' to get the XR refired the pack was long gone, and Brown could only manage a 15th-place finish in mota two. Back up front, Naumec was doing his best to fill in where Brown left off in mota one and was keeping a close eye on Young. Naumec did a fine job match109 Young move for move until the pair started getting caught up in lapped traffic on lap six. Once among the lapped nders, Young was able to use it to his advantage and pull a small bit of breathing room over Naumec. It was all he needed to secure a big enough lead to the checkers. Young held onto the moto win with 10 seconds to spare over Naumec, who never did get a chance to rest as Bowen kept up the pressure and kept Naumec honest to the finish. Bowen's secondmota score of third was good enough to net him the runner-up position to Young for the day. Because of Naumec's poor 13th-place finish in mota one, Gessner was able to slip in and round out the tap three overall. Birch Creek Motorsports Park Danville, Virginia Results: September 15,1996 (Round 1 of 6) MOTO,I: 1. Mike YOWlS (Hbg); 2. Mike Brown (Hon); 3. Ke'th Bowen (KTM); 4. Larry Gessner (Hbg); 5. Andrew.Retberg (CCM); 6. Michael Richards (Hbg); 7. Tonr Wisenhahn (Han); 8. Tony Vignaroli (Hus); 9, DaVId Sorter (KTM); 10. Mark Roop (Suz)' 11. Paul Oziwanowski (ADB); 12. Jeremy Shoning (Hbg); 13. Gene Naumec (Hbg); 14. Ron Green (KTM); 15. Mark Bonnell (Jibg). MOTO 2: 1. Mike Young (Hbg); 2. Gene Naumec (Jibg); 3. Keith Bowen (KTM); 4. Larry Gessner (Hbg); 5. Andrew Ret~ (CCM); 6. Michael Richards (Jibg); 7. Tony Wlsenhann (Hon); 8. Tony Vignaroli (Hus); 9. Mark Roop (Suz); 10. Jeremy Shoning (Hbg); 11. Mark Bo~nell (Hbg); 12. Ron Green (KTM); 13. Paul DZlwanowski (ADB); 14. David Sorter (KTM); 15. Mike Brown (Hon). OIA: I. Mike Young (Jibg); 2. Keith Bowen (KTM); 3. Larry Gessner (Jibg); 4. Andrew Retberb (CCM)' 5 Michael Richards (Hbg); 6. Gene aumec (Hbg); 7: T,?ny Wi~ahn (Hon); 8. Mike Brown (Hon); 9. Tony V,gn~roh (Hus); 10. Mark Roop (Suz); 11. Jeremy Sh?nJng (H?g); 12. David Sorter (KTM); 13. Paul DZlwanow!lki (ADB); 14. Mark 60nneU (Jibg); 15. Ron Greene (KTM). . Upcoming Rounds: Round 2 - Buchanan, Michigan, September 22 Round 3 - London, Kentucky, September 29 WERA National Sprint Series, Round 8 landers lands a big one By Aaron Mintz Photo by VIP Photography MEMPHIS, TN, SEPT. 8 toney Landers stole the hotly contested 250cc Middleweight GP win from Joey Gilleland with a last-lap pass at round eight of the WERA National Sprint Series, held at Memphis Motorsports Complex. . The Middleweight GP is designed to pIt 250cc two-stroke motorcycles against S 600cc Supersport bikes. Landers rode right.on Gilleland's tail from the start. Gilleland lost the rear and almost highsided the bike on lap seven, but his experience and quick reactions saved him from crashin,g and actually kept him out in front. Landers got by on the last lap and Gilleland held on to second. Third place went to Mark Junge, with Reuben Frankenfield fourth and Dean Hayes fifth. Tray Batey put his head down and went to work right from the start of the lO-lap 1100cc Superstock race. Jamie Hacking rode'in Batey's shadow all race long for a strong second-place showing. The real action was behind Batey and Hacking with Grant Lopez of the Valvoline Suzuki Endurance team and Joe Prussi~o ill getting up close and personal.wlth each other. Lopez was racing In thud but Prussiano showed him a front wheel at every opportunity, passing him going into turn seven and staying in third for the checkered fl ago Lopez took fourth, with Damon Harvey in fifth. The 600cc Superbike Novice class . belonged to Luke Yarbrough as he took off from the line in .first on his Honda F3. Gregg White, driving the numbertwo-plated Kawasaki 600cc bike, stuck to Yarbough like glue until driving into turn five too hot on the gas and hitting the curbmg and the grass. White didn't even let off the gas and still clung to Yarbough. Behind this pit-bull match was Chris Caylor on his Honda F-3. Fourth place went to Donald Crayne, and R. Mike Blevins took fifth. The 600cc Expert class earned the most yellow flags as they swapped pamt, ran off the track and bumped into each other. The race started with the riders in freight-train formation led by brothers Mark and Mike Reed. Landers put the move on the Reeds and had the lead after lap four. Mike Reed accepted Landers' challenge, passing him in lap five and holding first place all the way to the checkered flag. While Reed and Landers fought for .the lead, Gilleland was busy working his way out of fifth place. He was able to get around Mark Junge and Mark Reed to finish third. Junge and Frankenfield also were able to get around Mark Reed for fourth and fifth. In the 600cc Superbike Novice class, Greg White pulled out in front of Myron Bell. These two riders stuck to each other like glue, with the more experienced White prevailing over the fast-rising Bell in the end. Third place went to Brian Stokes on his Honda 60Occ. Fourth place went to Greg WaIlace on his Honda F-2, and Gerald Hughes finished fifth. . P~ussiano jumped out to an early lead m the 600cc Superbike Novice class, with Jamie Hacking and John Jacobi in his shadow. Hacking passed Jacobi by the second lap onl}' to have his efforts halted by·a red flag:caused when Lopez tried to get under Damon Harvey and lost the front end. Lopez dropped some fuel on the track and the bike caught fire. Lopez was able to make the restart. Hacking took the lead and never surrendered the position. "Jamie's bike is down on horsepower, only putting out 111 hp," said Jamie's father and crew manager Brian Hacking. "The bike is not running right, but Jamie is not letting the bike's short. comings take away from his motivation to win." Going into turn seven, Prussiano braked so hard that his rear wheel left the ground for about 10 feet, but he was able to hold on to second place after the restart. Harvey was running st)"ong and turned another midfield start into a third-place finish. Lopez rode like he was on fire, so to speak, and finished fourth, with Jacobi taking fifth. Chris Ulrich got off to a fourth-place start in the 12Scc GP class, but was able to work his way up to first by the end. Rolando Quintero took second place. The battle for third came down to the wire when Ben Solis took the spot by the narrowest of margins over Doug Scronce. Fifth place was taken by Chris' father, John Ulrich, who must be very proud of his son's success. ~~e Formula One race was extremely eXCIting as teammates Lopez and Hack~~ duke~ it 'o~t for first place. Lopez finished first, Wlth Hacking a very close second. Veteran Tripp Nobles came from the back of the pack to let the other riders know that he's a force to be reckoned with. Nobles started from the back of the pack and was even challenging for second place when he suffered a flat rear tire, which knocked him out of the race. Jacobi took over third and held on to the points lead. Lopez is only seven points behind Jacobi. As the season draws to a close, the racing is heating up as riders try to win their class in points. Memphis Motorsports Complex Memphis, Ten~ Results: September 8,1996 (Round 8 of 11) 1100 SISTI<: I. Tray Batey; 2. Jamie Hacking; 3. Joe PruSSlano rll; 4. Grant Lopez; 5. Damon Harvey. 600 PROD NOV,!. Luke Y-arbrough (Hon); 2. Gregg White (Kaw); 3. Chris Caylor (Hon); 4. Donald Crayne; 5. R. Mike Blevins. 600 S!STK EX: 1. Stony Landers; 2. Mi.ke Reed; 3. Joey Gilleland; 4. Mark Junge; 5. Rueben Frankenfield. 600 S/BK NOV: 1. Greg White; 2. Myron BeU; 3. Brian Stokes (Hon); 4. Greg Wallace (Hon); 5. GeraJd Hughes. 750 SISTI< EX: 1. Jamie Hacking; 2. Joe Prussiano ill; 3. Damon Harvey; 4. Grant Lopez; 5. John Jacobi. MIW GP: 1. Stony Landers; 2. Joey Gilleland; 3. Mark Junge; 4. Reuben Frankfield; 5. Dean Hayes. 125 GP: 1. Chris Ulrich; 2. Rolando Quintero; 3. Ben Solis; 4. Doug Scronce; 5. John U1rlch. F~1: 1. Crant Lopez; 2. Jamie Hacking; 3. John Jacobi. Upcoming Rounds: Round 9 - College Station, Texas. September 22 Round 10 - Braselton, Georgia. October 13 ~ ..0 o .... u o 33

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