Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

of L&R Racing's Dale Linea.eaver and Bud Ridd.l. took a quantum leap forward after .Lineaweaver signed up hot young Expert Johnny Murphree to ride one of L&R"s three team 'machines at the Sacramento Mile. The AMA had a new' starting-light sy.sMurphree practiced the machine and Came in tem in use at the Saaramento Mile. The ~ew with favorable.comments regarding· it. "It's got computerized light system, which was 'devela 'Iot of'potential: Murphree said. "It's got'a oped by Steve Gardner's Oberlander Electric and bears some resemblance to a drag racing- . lot of power, and I'm sure that once I get used to' it, it'll be a winning ·combination. Right noW style Christmas tree, has four lights Inste'ad of this is just a !luddy-buddy deal. bU.t I'd like. to one green .one. The top ·Iight is a red light and ride it' at other race tracks. r'm just getting is followed by two amber lights 'and one green comfortable on it." Murphree adapted 'to the light. The riders stage on the red light, and nouveau machine qUickly and exhibited a lot of when everyone is in place the'starter pushes the bulton' and the 'first amber lighi comes on speed as he finished third.in the second heat and then went on to finish fifth in the main. for five ·seconds. On~e the second l;ght comes on, a computer randomly programs one of 24 'We like Johnny a lot," Lineaweaver said. possible zero to three-second intervals before "He'~ a happy kid who's 'a Jot of fun to be the green. Any riders br!,aking the infrared around. He's. appreciative.. and he's real.good beam croSsing the track "ViII ca~se the red light about giving· feedback. He's been teasing us to come on, .and those riders ?re sent to the. for-a year, calling the bikes 'Deusenbergs: But penalty line. The riew system seemed to work he' showed int!,rest right off the bat. so when ,t well-at Sacramento, helping to spe.ed up the came time {o put a sl;lasoned Expert on the show as it eliminated some of the human elebike, ·he was the first one I called. These' are m~nt associated with ·the· previous siQgle-light stock 600 motors. We don't el(en haye a ~am .system. :1 wanted. to try someihing like this" for them yet. -r:hey are just like they come from only to make the'starts'mor~ fair. ,,' AMA Bruce the factory other than the carb and the pipe." Bober said. "II-'.s ·p·retty. Irick because of the' laser ey'es and the fa.c.t that it's all cpmputerJay Springsteen. once again rode twei ,ized_ Nobody. knows whEm the green light is classes as he· was back aboard an 883 for the going to go on. ~ . , Saciamenio Mile. Springer had not ridden' one in several events. "Bill (Bartels) wa'nts me to:" AMA 883cc' and 600cc Supersport road racer'. $pringer said. :So I'll ride it here and at' Del Matt Wait showed up to contest San Jose Mar: but we're iffy for San Jose." Springsteen aboard his Mitchell's Modesto HBrley-Davidalso said that his 883 was" more heavily modison XR750 andXL883 dirt trackers. "It's been fied"' this time around. "I've cut two inches off boring silting· around for the past month," Wait the handlebars so I can zip righ't through trafsaid... Pius. seeing 'as how we're no~ going to fic," Springsteen joked. He was fourth in the do any dirt tracks next year, I decided to do 883 main behind teammates Eric BostrOm, this and possibly Del Marfor fun. This is where Johnny Murphree and,Shaun Russell. my roots are." Wait's 750 lost an oil pump in practice, knocking him out of the Grand Chance Darling was sporting an lnnovative National class, but he did make the B83 main lighted number plate on his Corbin Racing event. finishing 12th. Honda RS750s at Sacramento. "They're called . 'Nlte Plates,'" Darilng said. "O'Brien Racing Ron Wood 6f Wood-Rotax fame brought his Products is ma1 said. "The thing'S fast. We just 'PI'!Yin' ""ith da boys; Modesto, .Califomia, rider have to sort out the handling, and ,. think I can . Michelle DiSalvo showed up at Sacramentq and altempteq to qualify her Lee Barneswin it." Schnabel gave· a similar account of his owned Rotax for the 600cc Expert feature. experience with'the water-pumper. ·1 just have \0 get'used to It," Schnabel said. "It's really Though the·.23.-year-old DiSalvo didn't make the show.. she gave a good account of herself, 'fast, ·and it feels great." Both riders made the finishing fifth ·in her qualifying heat and ninth in main event easily.. and' Beatti.e looked to be a sure winner as he was leading the fe.ature by. the second regular heat. 'which transferred the to'p four to the main. "I was in eighth. but i several bike lengths before haVing problems slipped off the groove and some guy got me," with his machine and falling to 13th. Schnabel DiSalvo said. "But I finished. This was only my was ninth, but Wood-Rotax machine'Y still second time here, but I love the ·mJle. I wish occupied the top two .spots on. the podium as Lonnie Pauley and Kenny Coolbeth lin- . someone would pick me up on a 750. I'd love to ride a 'fa,ster bike. I'd'love to. ride the whole ished 1-2. circuit. It's just so hard to do that without the money and the backing. " The Husaberg factory-backed dirt track pcoject BriefIy_ ...----,--,--- Pauley ran fourth_ Beattie had 10 lengths on the rest of the field before Pauley broke free of Coolbeth and Stanley on lap four of the 12-lap main_ Coolbeth remained third, Beattie was makjng tracks, but Pauley whittled away at the leader's advantage and prepared to find a way around him, Th~n Beattie's charge was derailed as rus machine went sour in turns three and four. Pauley had Beattie set up, but the sudden slowing of Beattie's bjke forced Pauley off the groove after he tagged the Canadian's rear wheel. The melee allowed Coolbeth to slip into the lead, and Pauley was once again forced to close a seemingly insurmountable gap with just three laps left. But whereas Pauley was matcrong Beattie's pace, Pauley had way too much for Coolbeth, and he rode the wheels off rus machine in the final three circuits to catch and draft past Coolbeth on the front straightaway just before the checkered flag waved. "That was unbelievable," Pauley said. "I knew I could run with Beattie, but I didn't think I had enough power to pass him. When he broke down, he wdn't put ros hand up, and I ran right into the back of him. I thought it would be impossible to run Coolbeth down, but when he ran it into three, he went in a little too wide. I backed it off a little earlier, and that gave me the advantage going down the straightaway. He started flattening out, and Tknew Thad a little more power than rum. There's nothing like winning Sacramento.'" a Cal-Expo State Fairgrounds Sacramento, California Results: September 28, 1996 (Round 20 of 21) HEAT 1 lID laps; 9 riders, top 3 transfer); 1. Scott Parker (H·O); 2. Steve Morehead (H·O); 3. Chance Darling (Han); 4. Jim Sumner (H-D); 5. Willie M.cCoy (H-D); 6. Mike Sullivan (H-D); 7. Lonny Kopp (H-D); 8. Rob Damron (Due); 9. Ian Sege

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