Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

AVIEW FROM THEERIC JOHNSON FENCE BY famous physicist once proclaimed: "For every action there is a reaction:' and in Los Angeles this ecent weekend, the aforementioned heorem was applied to the sport of upercross. As the numerous journalists, indusmembers, riders, team personnel and angers-on milled about the fortress'ke Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum pits Friday aIternon, their gos ip-fueled onversations focused on Jeremy cGrath and the stunning impact his ew race operation has recently made on the sport. As fate would have it, the 18-wheelrs of Team Suzuki, Team Honda and earn Honda of Troy - which also layed no small part in the recent drama were all situated next to each other in the Coliseum pits. These logistics alone provided a perfect backdrop and refernce point for additional insider specuation, rumor mongering and conjecture. ruth be told, on the race track, in the its and within the fluorescent-lit con. es of the big rigs, a full-on soap opera as being staged at the Coliseum. Under the expansive red and black wning of Team Honda's gleaming new truck, sat one motorcycle adorned with the number four - Steve Lamson's factory-prepared CR250. Surrounding it were number of Honda race personnel, . cluding Cliff White, Jeff Stanton, Mike oesseler and Wess McCoy. While the atmosphere shrouding the team seemed omber and hushed, all appeared deathy serious in regard to the task at hand: making an assault on the Machiavellian tagonists (Team Suzuki) whom they elt swiped their golden goose - Jeremy cGrath. Meanwhile, just a short walk away, earn Suzuki - and its new satellite outfit, Team McGrath - worked away in a quiet, reserved confidence for the ontrack test they were about to face. Sandwiched between the two was the Honda of Troy operation. They too were feeling the heat of McGrath's Declaration of Independence. A rumor - that was later confirmed - had raced through the pits that Team HoT overlord Phil Alderton had taken receipt of a letter that afternoon stating that the Dayton, Ohio-based team was immediately being cut off from Honda factory support. It seems that a few higher-ups at American Honda - no doubt stinging from the huge public-relations black eye they had just been delivered - had acted 30 YEARS AGO... JANUARY 26, 1967 ditor Charles Clayton wrote an article about riding safely entitled: "I ride the freeways - and stay alive." ... CN published a story by Doug Richmond about California's only motorcycle park, at the time, in Oakland caned the East Bay Recreational Park District's Motorcycle Run. Motorcyclists reveled in seeing Jeeps chased out by park rangers ...Dan Kelly won tJie 100cc class at the Long Beach Indoor Short Tmck, followed by Gene Romero E out of emotion and gone after Alderton's prolific support team. For the record, Alderton became a charter member of Team McGrath by supplying start-up capital through his Suzuki of Troy business. Suzuki of Troy signage now graced McGrath's RM250 and American Honda was not happy about it. As a result of the letter, there were feelings of deep concern, consternation and bewilderment in the HoT transporter. Then came the various marketing and publicity theories from within the indus~ ana journalistic tribes. "ThIS is a lose-lose proposition for Suzuki," one journalist claimed. "If McGrath wins, it's because of him and not the. bike; if he loses, it's due to the RM, not McGrath. They made a big mistake in signing him." "Heads will roll at Honda because of this," an aftermarket industry representative stated. "Someone at Honda made a big mistake and now the entire company is going to suffer for it. This is the end of an era for them." "Lamson and (Scott) Sheak are going to stay in the 125cc class in the NationalS and Honda is not going to have a presence in the 250cc c1ass in '97, "a media representative pointed out. "Hell, how are thev going to promote the new CR25O?" Saturday morning dawned cool and cloudy, but as fa!" as the great Honda/Suzuki struggle was concerned, things just became more intense - and complex. As the paddock and stadium field filled witn !"acing enthusiasts, the drama, intrigue and excitement about the approaching evening's race took on epic proportions. It was all anybody would talk about. Would McGrath win? Would Lamson, who was now the Big Red Machine's number-one man, pull a Jeff Stanton and pull Honda out of the PR fire? (In 1989, Stanton assumed the role of team leader after Rick Johnson was injured at the Gainesville ationa!. Stanton went on to win the '89 AMA 2500cc Supercross Championship.) Did Ro~er DeCoster and his Suzuki team - WhICh had still to win a supercross during the five-time World Champion's managerial tenure - have the capability and wherewithal to keep the number-one plate on McGrath's motorcycle? Could Team Honda of Troy riders Mike Craig, Larry Ward - just out of the hospital and ready to race - and bat- and Skip Van Leeuwen, all mounted on Hondas. Butch Corder won the 250cc class on a Triumph, while Jack O'Brien and Mert Lawwill finished second and third, respectively, on Harleys... Bobby Ferro won the Desert Challengers MC Hare Scrambles in Victol"ville, California, on a Triumph. Dick Vick took second place and Howard Beach finished third, also on Triumphs. Jack Morgan won the Trailbike class, followed by brother Frank Morgan and Roy Barnett. 20 YEARS AGO... JANUARY 26, 1m el Knievel called CN from his acht to report that he had signed Grand National Dirt Tracker Gary Scott to a five-year deal to race the series. Knievel said he would pay the young racer "more than any factories pay anybody." In an unprecedented move, Knievel had signed with ABC and CBS earlier in the week for big money to do numerous stunt specials...CN tested the new Suzuki RM 125B inspired by E tie-proven war horse Mike Kiedrowski be able to simmer down the hornet's nest that was American Honda with a win? At 7:30 that evening, the tale would be told. Interestingly, Saturday morning, another intriguing piece of news broke. Dave Grant, manager of 250cc World Champion Stefan Everts, and Team Honda s Cliff White pulled me aside and informed me that Everts was confirmed to ride the opening round of the 1997 AMA 250cc National Championship series in Gainesville, Florida. It seems that Honda had a factory-fabricated CR250 on its hands arid who better to ride it than one of, if not the fastest, natural-terrain mcers in the world? "Wonder how McGrath and Suzuki feel about that," a fellow journalist said. As the magic hour approached, somehow, some way, the evening's festivities were shaping up to be a good 01' Saturday night l$I1;dge match between Honda and Suzuki. Corporate pride, ill will, bad feeling, bru ised egos, publicity and a fast-spinning rumor mill can do that. The heat race between McGrath and former teammate - and friend - Lamson turned into an emotional and physical dogfight. Once the gate dropped and the field sorted itself out, McGrath found his way into the lead and the crowd went bonkers. Down on the field, McGrath's supporters - including DeCoster, Wyatt Seals and Jeff Surwall - jumped up and down with joy. The emperor - with his new clothes - was back out front and flying. But the fairy tale soon came to an end as Lamson came through the pack, hunted down Super Mac, and went around him into the lead. Again, the crowd went berserk. Lamson had drawn first blood. Truly the stuff of legend. . As the 12Scc final wound down to its closing stages, the 250cc motorcycles were rolled to the line for the main event. Around the starting gate, one could feel the tension, apprenension and excitemeI)t in the air as McGrath, Lamson, Jeff Emig, Damon Bradshaw, Greg Albertyn, Damon Huffman and the usual suspects patted down the dirt around their starting area and banged their individual gates up and down in tile event that there was a kink present. As the numerous photographers, journalists and TV people stumbled over each other to get McGrath in their sigh ts - and lenses - Lamson began to mentally prepare himself. For Honda and Suzuki - and Kawasaki and Yamaha for that matter - it was time to face the music. A few minutes later, the 30-second card went sideways, the gate dropped, the pack ignited and roared into the first turn. Amazingly, in one of the most ironic twists of fate the sport may ever see, Lamson and McGrath tangled and were left at the back of the pack as the field rounded the apex of the turn and disappeared. The "live-by-the-sworddie-by-the-sword" melee of the first turn had claimed the two soldiers. Lamson and McGrath hooked up in tandem and started their assault toward the front. A few turns later, the two slammed together, sending each other to the dirt Once again. No one could believe it. Meanwhile, out front, South African Albertyn had managed to get around early leader Emig and rode off into the distance. A rider no one had really given much of a chance to win that evening rode like the three-time World Champion he is. On the field - and I suppose up in the stands - everyone was rendered speechless. It was the most unlikely turn of events imaginable. As Albertyn crossed the finish line, he was immediately surrounded by an emotional and elated DeCoster (long Albertyn's most ardent supporter), his steadfast mechanic, Ian, and a throng of journalists. The win was justly deserved and everyone in the vicinity was quite happy for the rider who has shown an incredible amount of heart and tenacity in his American quest. A few moments later, McGrath, his goggles long gone and his eyes stung with sweat, idled by -the calamity without even looking over. The evening had not gone the way he had hoped. The same can be said for Lamson. What does all of this mean? It means that the soap opera is far, far from over. In fact, everyone is now chomping at the bit to see what next week's episode will hold. Can McGrath come back for revenge? Can Lamson demonstrate the same speed and detenriination that he did Saturday evening? Will the rest of the field be able to shake off their lackluster results? And will Dr. Albee be able to back up his inspirational perlormance? We'll just have to wait and see. £N Gaston Rahier's World ChampionshipCarlsbad Raceway in Southern Califorwinning RA125 ... Bob and Jeff Fox of nia. Suzuki's Eric Kehoe finished second Moto-X Fox talked about their booming and Jeff Leisk got third on a Yamaha. line of long travel shocks called the Fox Larry Brooks won the 125cc Pro class, Shox and Fox Ail"Shox...Mark Powers followed by Cagiva's Mike Healy and took his Yamaha and won the 250cc Bader Manneh on a Kawasaki. Brian Expert main event at the Porterville IT Myerscough took his Honda to first in in California. Les Johnson the 500cc Pro class with Tommy Watts ~~..,.,...:a:.':nd Mike Fisher taking second took second place and Jim Birkle took third, and third, respectively, on also on Yamahas...The Kawasaki . Jimmy Button won AMA District 37 the SOcc Expert class on a Honda Desert final points and Rex Staten won the Vet standings were postExpert class on a Yamaha... CN ed for the Lighttook a look at BMW's anti-lock weight Division 1 brake system ... Suzuki's Bob class and Larry RoeHannah won the 250cc Pro class at seIer came out on round three of the Florida Winter top, followed by Am MX Series. Yamaha's Keith Bruce Ogilvie and Bowen took second and JoJo Brent Walingsford. Keller got third on a Kawasaki. Suzuki's Ronnie Tichenor won the 12Scc Pro class ahead of Guy Coop10 YEARS AGO... er anq. Fred Andrews on Hondas. Billy Liles won the Open class on a JANUARY 28,1987 Kawasaki trailed by JoJo Keller on a onda's Jeff Stanton won the 250cc Kawasaki and David McLean riding a Pro class at round three of the Honda £N CMC Golden State Nationals at li7iTlr;:.. H 55

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