Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

IN THE WIND crash off the Peristyle jump at the LA Supercross, January 18. He suffered a minor wrist injury and a sore neck. Apparently his helmet took the brunt of the fall. "The paint was scalped off the top of his helmet," track announcer Davey Coombs said. According to a press release from AIM racing, road racer Jason Frazier will team with Dave Sadowski on Team MVR LaBelle Honda CBR900s in the 1997 NASB/Formula USA Series. Frazier earned the number-one pia te in WMRRA and OMRRA competition in 1996 and also is the lap record holder at the Bremerton Airport Circuit in Washington. Steve Dahlstrom will also join the team as Frazier's technician. aMA Pro Racing has announced that it has signed a multi-year deal with the Kayo Corporation and EK Chain, a pact which names EK the official chain of AMA Pro Racing. EK has committed to over $75,000 in EK Industry Bonus Awards which will benefit EK Chain users in AMA Supercross, National Motocross, and Superbike competition. "I reviewed several promotional programs, and that analysis indicated that AMA Pro Racing offered the greatest value and return for investment," said Casey Wada, business director for the Kayo Corporation. "We want to support AMA competitors who use EK Chain, and we're also going to heavily promote the fact that EK has an official status with AMA Pro Racing. We believe the credibility provided by the AMA will greatly enhance our sales." The Pacific Coast Dream Machines Show will take place on Sunday, April 27 at the Half Moon Bay Airport in Half Moon Bay, California, and will benefit the Coastside Adult Day Health Center. Promoters of the event expect more than 1000 motorcycles to be on display. For more information, call 415/726-3491. Paul George, 67, father of steel-shoe maker Kelly George and dirt track leather maker Matt George, died in his Des Moines, Iowa, home on January 18. George was instrumental in the creation of the Davenport, Iowa, vintage dirt track championships and swap meet. A historian of the early dirt track era, he had also collected several vintage dirt track motorcycles, including the only four-cam Indian Scout currently known to exist and the fabled' Shell Thuett/Elliot Schultz Royal Enfield that dominated at Ascot Park in the early '60s. George is survived by his wife Shirley, sons Kelly, Ed, Matt, Tom and Jim, a daughter Julie, and 12 grandchildren. Team Obsolete will again be bringing a former racing greats to Daytona International Speedway in March. Heading the list will be 15-time World Champion Giacomo Agostini, who will ride one or more of Obsolete's vintage racers on March 3-4. Agostini will also be on hand for Team Obsolete's "Informal Dinner Roberts project behind schedule he new Kenny Roberts GP 500cc triple is running behind schedule, but will definitely be on the start line for the opening round of the 500cc World Championship in Malaysia on March 13, according to Roberts. Track testing of the new bike was scheduled to begin in the last week of January or early February, Roberts said from his new team headquarters in England, where flatout work is under way preparing for the first tests. Those tests will be held at a secret location, with any plans for an official launch firmly under wraps for the moment. "We're running a little late because of a few pieces," Roberts said. "There's a redesign and there's been a heat-treatment problem. It's nothing serious - just a couple of loose ends we need to tie up over the next couple of weeks." Roberts denies that circumstances - most especially an accelerated split with Yamaha - had forced him into putting the bike out a year earlier than he wanted. "As long as this has been a live project the target was for the 1997 season," he said. "We could have done with a year to develop it, but I figure we're gonna get a hard time from the press no matter what, so we might as well do it on the race. track. We hope to be out on track with a pre-production prototype by the end of January or first of February, and we expect that both Jean-Michel (Bayle) iilld (Kenny Roberts) Junior will be riding it. "We've had the engine on the dyno, and we're satisfied with the horsepower. At the present time, we're working on reliability testing." Although Roberts wouldn't give any figures, he agreed that 160 horsepower would be enough and that "we have enough. With the weight advantage, I think we could surprise a few people." He would not comment on the chassis: '1 can only tell you that we're doing very well with that," Roberts said. "But everyone is going to have to wait and see. We're going to be even more secretive than the Japanese factories. We're trying to beat them so we'll have to be." Roberts would normally be at his Hickman, California, home this time of the year, but he professed himself more than happy to be at work in England. '1 have a lot more to do now than with the old system (running factory Yarnahas)," he said. "We used to get the bikes, paint them and push them in the back of the truck. Now I'm dealing with suppliers, getting stuff straight, dealing with all the management stuff. It's the closest I've ever been to having a real job. And I'm really enjoying it." Roberts, however, is not hands-on with the project, leaving all the dirty work to specialist engineers. The last time Roberts built a motor~ycle was in 1984, when he personally constructed an aluminum, rising-rate-suspension frame to replace the steel monoshock Yamaha TZ250 he was running for Wayne Rainey. The bike won in its debut at Laguna Seca, but was then damaged in a post-race crash. The next time Rainey rode it, at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, they discovered that it was only good around left-hand comers - on a predominately right-handed circuit. Michael Scott T 2 Peterhansel wins fifth Dakar Rail rench rally legend Stephane Peterhansel (Yam) wrapped up the 1997 Dakar-AgadesDakar Rally after the final stage was run on January 19 in Dakar, Africa. The victory was PeterhanseYs fifth, matching the record set by fellow Frenchman Cyril Neveu. Peterhansel's win was the easiest in his five-race monopoly. "Everything ran well," Peterhansel said. '1 crashed a lot but nothing serious. I made a fast start, not for any reason, just the bike was so fast. It's been a great effort by Yamaha." Peterhansel's advantage over second-placed Oscar Gallardo (Cagiva) was an amazing two hours, 35 .minutes and 16 seconds. Finishing third was Peterhansel's factory Yamaha teammate David Castera, who took the checkered flag 2:56:25 behind the winner. American Jimmy Lewis (KTM) finished a respectable fourth, 3:28:15 behind Peterhansel, but perhaps the highlight of his whole ride was winning a stage late in the competition. "1 took it rather easy," Lewis said of his stage win. 'These types of sections are much harder back home, but to win a stage is great, it was a lot of fun." Jordi Arcons (KTM) was running second late in the rally when he crashed after hitting a dog, and the Spaniard was knocked unconscious. He was airlifted to a mobile hospital where he was placed under observation. "1 remember something running out in front of me," Arcons said. 'Then I remember nothing." Up to that point, Arcons, who finished second last year, was the only rider within two hours of the Peterhansel. ':'Vith Arcons' departure from the event, Lewis stood a chance of finishing third overall but a series of falls allowed Castera to catch and pass the Californian for third. The final day was a short ll-mile run to Dakar along the ocean front, and while Peterhansel trailed in 15th on the last leg, it was more than enough to ensure victory. "To win five times is nearly unbelievable, thanks to Yamaha for supplying me with a winning machine," Peterhansel said. '1t was a tough Dakar, very hot and a lot of problems for riders. ow I must continue my year with a win in the Gilles Lalay Oassic and the Le Touquet race. With those victories I can be a happy man." F with the Stars" on Thursday, March 6 at the Deland Holiday Inn in Deland, Florida. The banquet will be emceed by Kevin Cameron. Tickets for the dinner are $35 and are available through Team Obsolete Promotions at 139 Henry Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201. For more information, call 718/596-0504. The AHRMA-West Regional MX season will begin two weeks earlier than usual with the first stop on the schedule moving up to February 8 at Sandhill Ranch, near Brentwood, California. The second round will be held on February 23 at Tulare Cycle Park in Tulare, California. For more information call, 408/663-4014. The rain-canceled AHRMA Nor-Cal MX Series opener at Prairie City SVRA in Folsom, California, has been rescheduled for February 16. For more information, call Allen Wenzel at 510/9386. AMA District 29/ District 13 motocrosser Mike Eastwood, 26, was killed on January 4 while practicing. Eastwood was a mainstay in local Pro motocross events in the Carolinas and also competed in some AMA Nationals, wearing number 571. Cards and letters can be sent to the Eastwood family, 319 Greenwood, Eden, NC, 27288. FORMED: One Industries, by former JT Racing Marketing Promotions Director Danny CHANGED: The name of former Daytona 200 winner Don Emde~5 business, from lnfosport to Don Emde Productions, effective immediately. Don Emde Productions is a custom publishing house located in Laguna iguel, California. For more information, call 714/249-2270. RESCHEDULED: Round three of the WERA National Challenge Series at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit in Hallett, Oklahoma to May 23-25; the WERA Vintage and WERA Sportsman Series, originally scheduled for May 24-25, will be held on May 3-4. For more information, call 770/924-8404. FORMED: Intruders, a new club organized exclu· sivciy for owners of Suzuki Intruder SOOS and 1400s. The club is based in Washington state. For more information, write to Intruders, U124 258th Avenue Court East, Buckley, WA 98321. PROMOTED: Joshua Cha, to editor of American 'tron magazine. Cho was previously the editor for TAM Communications' Thunder Alley and Motor- cycle Tour and Travel magazines. NAMED: Brent M. Durfee, as rcgionaJ s;ales manager for Dunlop Tire Corporation's Motorcycle Tire Division's West Coast region. AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Motorsports of Placer County in Roseville, California, on January 24 from 4 to 7 p.m. World Champion Joel Smets is scheduled to appear. For more information, call 916/722-2300. MOVED: The Donnie Hansen Motocross Academy, to 12265 Old Bam Road, Elbert, CO 80106,719/4952624 (phone). 719/495-3831 (fax). HIRED: John Grise as motocross sports marketing representative for Arnette optics. For more information, call 714/492-2816. Dobey and artist Marc Blanchard. The company is producing graphics kits and seat covers for motocross and offroad motorcycles, and it is currently accepting resumes for sponsorship. For more information, contact One Industries, 1331 India St., San Diego, CA 92101, 619/239-1160. AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Hinshaw's Motorcycle Store in Auburn, Washington, on January 31 at 7 p.m. Team Honda of Troy's Larry Ward, Michael Craig, Mike Kiedrowski, Casey Lytle, Stephane Roneada and Erik Kehoe are scheduled to appear. For more information, call 206/939-7164. OPENED: GP Motorsports in Indianola, Iowa. The Honda/Yamaha dealership is owned and operated by Chad Pederson and lamey Gifford. For more information, caJJ 515/961-6288. AUTOGRAPH SIGN1NG: At Metro Motor Sports in Glendale, Arizona, on January 24 from 6 to 7 p.m. Members of Team Suzuki Motocross aTe scheduled to appear. For more information, caJJ 602/843-5000. AUTOGRAPH SIGNI G: At Renton Kawasaki in AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Lynnwood Yamaha in Lynnwood, Washington, on January 31 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Team Yamaha's Ezra Lusk. John Dowel, Doug Henry and Kevin WindItam are expected to appear. For more information, call 206/774-{)5()5. c:N Renton, Washington, on January 31 from 7 to 8 p.m. Team Kawasaki's JefI Emig. Damon Huffman and Ryan Hughes are scheduled to appear. For more information, caJJ 206/226-4320.

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