Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Cycle News 1996 11 27

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

Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127811

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 2 of 67

liN THE WINO I Chad Pederson (Yam) duplicated his previous week's efforts in the PJ1 National Arenacross Series by winning tmee of four main events when rounds five and six visited the Corestates Spec. trum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 15-17. Pederson claimed Friday's 125cc main event with Buddy Antunez (Hon) and Davey Yezek (Suz) finishing second and third, respectively. Antunez rebounded to take second ahead of Cliff Palmer (Suz) and Pederson in the 250cc main. Pederson was flawless Saturday, claiming the 125cc win ahead of Antunez and Palmer, and the 250cc victory ahead of Antunez again. Todd DeHoop (Yam) was third. Scott Plessinger scored the overall win at the AMA Mid-South Hare Scrambles Series round in Hohenwald, Tennessee, November 17. Jason Dahners (KTM) was the runner-up, while Doug Blackwell finished third. Mike Sampson (Kaw) and Mike Cornett rounded out the top five, respectively. AMA Grand National dirt tracker and 883cc road'racer Nate "Gator" Wait underwent surgery in an effort to repair some of the lingering injuries from his a:ash at the Brainerd, Minnesota, round of the AMA Harley-Davidson SuperTwins Series in July. Dr. Arthur Ting took a bone graph from Wait's right hip and made repairs to his left forearm, which was not healing properly. Ting also repaired Wait's left elbow. The .surgery was successful, and Wait hopes to be ready for the 1997 road race series opener in Phoenix in February. After a successful dirt track motorcycle exhibition event last season, VictorviJIe Speedway is interested in promoting the rebirth of both modern and vintage dirt track motorcycle racing in Southern California by staging races on a monthly basis during the new three-eighth-rnile, banked clay oval's 1997 season. In the meantime, all modern and vintage dirt trackers are invited to participate in the track's Sunday afternoon open practice sessions. The sessions run from noon to 5 p.m. The fee is $35 per rider and motorcycle with extra pit passes $10 each. For more information, call 619 / 245-6111. Road racer Todd Harrington has inked a deal that will see him aboard a Muzzy Kawasaki in the 1997 AMA 600cc Supersport Series, according to team owner Rob Muzzy. Harrington finished 11th in the 1996 600cc series point staI1dings on a 4&6 Cycle-backed Kawasaki, winning his first AMA race at Road America in June. Harrington joins AMA Superbike National Champion Doug Chandler and rookie Tommy Hayden.on the team. Chandler will concentrate his efforts on keeping his superbike title, Hayden will ride both superbike and 600cc Supersport, and Harrington will only race the 600. According to sources close to the team, Texan Mike Hale is set to sign a contract that will see him aboard factory Suzukis in the 1997 World Superbike Championship. Reportedly, team manager Lester Harris is currently in Texas signing Hale, who finished second in the 1995 AMA Superbike National Championship but struggled on Promoto.r Ducatis in the 1996 World Superbike title chase. Suzuki has already signed Brit Jamie Whitham to ride alongside Hale on the team's GSXR750s. And it now appears that Hale isn't the only Ducati rider ready to jump ship to Suzuki. It now looks certain that Larry Pegram will ride a Yoshimura Suzuki in the 1997 AMA Superbike National Championship as the third member of the team, joining incumbents Aaron Yates and Pascal Picotte. Pegram rode a Fast By Ferracci Ducati in 1996 and many, including Pegram, expected ~ to stay with the team in 1997. Stay tuned. Less than six weeks after'his accident at New Hampshire International Speedway during the NASB Formula USA event, road racer Scott Zampach took his first steps with the help of a physical· therapist November 12. Zampach has been treated for numerous injuries, including head trauma, a spinal injury and a severely broken hand. The Wisconsinite is recovering at the Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee, where doctors expect him to-be released in four to six weeks. Castrol Honda World Superbike rider Aaron Slight has made it through to the final stages of a top-level sporting competition in his home country of New Zealand. Slight won his heat of the "Blood, Sweat and Fears" competition last week, beating rugby union star Andrew MehTtens and Olympic gold medalist windsurfer Barbara Kendall. Slight has now qualified for next . month's semifinals in the competition. British road racing team Tony Scott Racing is looking for a second rider for its 600cc British Championship team. The team is fully supported by H0!lda U.K. with Scott being knawn as one of the best tuners in England, tuning all of Phillip McCallen's Isle of Man-winning bike and the bikes Carl Fogarty used to win his Formula One World Championships. The team is looking for a second rider to join a British rider in the 11round British Championship afld at least two European Championship rounds. They will also contest the Production series with Hondas. Racers interested in contacting Tony Scott can do so by calling team manager Brent Gladwin at 44/114-258-6218 or by faxing to 44/ ~77-383-0450. Smokin' Joe's Honda's Miguel DuHamel is on the brink of winning his third straight Motorcycle Road Racer of the Year in the fifth annual Mopar / Perfonnance Racing News'Readers' Choice Awards.. DuHamel's challengers for the award include his teammate Steve Crevier, Yoshimura Suzuki's Pascal Picotte, Don Munroe, Michael Taylor and Owen Weichel. The award will be presented at the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame's induction dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto, February 15. The 1997 AMA Western National FourStroke MX Series schedule 'has been announced with the eight-round series scheduled to kick off in Phoenix, Arizona, April 6. From there the series heads to Glen Helen in San Bernardino, California, April 27 before heading north to Sacramento, California, May 4 and then back to Glen Helen on May 11. The final four rounds will be held on June 1 in Tyler, Texas; July 5 in Grand Junction, Colorado; July 13 in Boise, Idaho; and in Washougal, Washington, August 10. The .Evolution of Motocross Serie.s has joined forces with the AMA Four-Stroke Series and will run support to the thumpers at the western rounds in 1997. Scheduling is still being final- McGrath honored at AMA ban uet time T he most successful supercross racer of all was given yet another honor as Jeremy McGrath (right) was named as the 1996 AMA/Speedvision Athlete of the Year at the annual AMA Awards Banquet, held November 16 in Las Vegas, Nevada. McGrath's award was accepted on the multi-time champion's behalf by his parents as Jeremy - and a majority of the motocross contingent - was unable to attend due to racing commitments in Japan. McGrath was chosen over AMA Superbike National Champion Doug Chandler, W9rld Speedway Champion Billy Hammill, Grand National Champion Scott Parker, and AMA 250cc Grand Prix Champion Rich Oliver. McGrath's 1996 season was highlighted by his 13 straight wins and a near-perfect season in the AMA Supercross Series. It was only in the 14th round of the series in St. Louis that McGrath was finally beaten and the 1-800-Collect/Honda rider returned to winning in the 15th and final race of the series in Denver, Colorado. In addition, McGrath finished second in the AMA 250cc National Motocross Championship and led the United States team to victory in the Motocross des Nations in Spain. In addition to the champions and their tuners who were honored at the banquet, the AMA also honored drag racing legend Elmer Trett, who was killed in September. Trett's award was accepted by his wife arid two daughters. ized ~nd may be released by early December. The Evolution series caters to any machine that was originally equipped with drum brakes, an aircooled engine and non-linkage suspension. Motorsports Radio began broadcasting a 30-minute program in the Houston, Texas, area November 17. The program, which is broadcast from radio station KSEV at 700 on the AM dial, will feature both National and local racing results, interviews and upcoming events within the motorcycle, ATV and personal watercraft scenes. For more information, call 281/859-1600. According to the importers of Bimota motorcycles, Moto Point, all Bimota models have received a price reduction for 1997. The SB6 will now carry a suggested retail price of $20,250, the YB11 will also sell for $20,250 and the Mantra will carry a suggested retail price of $17,030. These prices represent a 12percent decrease, according to Moto Point. Jeremy McGrath has been named as a finalist for Raceday's Racer of the Year Award. Raceday is a television program which airs on the Nashville Network. Other finalists include Winston Cup Champion Terry Labonte, IndyCar Champion Jimmy Vasser, NHRA Funny Car Champion John Force, SCCA TransAm Champion Tommy Kendall and World of Outlaw Champion Mark Kinser. McGrath is the first AMA Supercross racer to be nominated for the award. The winner will be announced on the December 29 program and race fans can send their votes on postcards mailed to: Raceday's Racer of the Year, 6025 Victory Lane, Harrisburg, NC 28075. . Newly crowned World Speedway Champion Billy Hamill and Smokin' Joe'·s Honda's Steve Crevier will be joining approximately 400 other riders in the Toys for Tots Benefit Los AngelesBarstow to Las Vegas National Dual Sport Ride on November 29-30. Entries for the event are still available. For more information, call 818/249-2141. White Brothers has announced that it will again host the White Brothers World v.et Championship MX and the White Brothers World Four-Stroke Championship in 1997. Both will be held again at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California, with the . four-stroke races coming to town on April 27 while the 12th annual Vet-races will take place on November 1-2. For more information on either event, call 714/ 692-3404. Speedway Motorsports Inc. has taken over operation of Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, California. Speedway Motorsports, of South Carolina, has agreed to purchase certain tangible and intangible assets of the company along with a long-term lease for the facility's real property. As part of the agreement, Speedway Motorsports may exercise a purchase option for the real property, which includes approximately 800 acres of land and permanent structures, after three years. Speedway Motorsports doesn't expect any changes in the daily operation of the facility or movement of any major events on its schedule, according to O. Burton Smith, chairman of Speedway Motorsports. "We are delighted to add Sears Point Raceway to our portfolio," Smith said. "This is a. very important market for motorsports' continued growth and we are excited our company will have the opportunity to conduct business here. Our company' is committed to helping NASCAR racing grow in California." Speedway Motorsports owns and operates Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Texas International Raceway and 600 Racing, a marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment. Although no selling price for Sears Point was released, Speedway Motorsports' most recent acquisition was the $26.6 million deal for Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee. David Chan, the promoter at the- Santa Maria Fairgrounds Speedway, is putting together his 1997 schedule and is interested in how many flat track racers would be interested in racing at his facility, possibly in a combined program with the speedway events. Interested ~ e ~ 0\ ,.... t--," N liJ 1 ~ z 1

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's - Cycle News 1996 11 27