Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

_ _I. the first tum, it was a rookie Pro leading the way. "The kid Bob Hannah trains," yelled one spectator as Danny Smith from Idaho screamed his NCY-backed Yamaha wide open down the first straightaway. Smith's lead was short-lived - perhaps the pressure pf leading the likes of Robbie Reynard, Casey Johnson, Moore, Craig Decker and Shaun Perolio was more than he could manage as he bobbled and dropped from the top 10. "Turmoil" was the only word to describe the first three laps of the race while the riders sorted themselves out. Team Chaparral's Mike Brandes hit the deck early and was dropped back to 12th, while Moore took the lead. "My bike is pretty much worn out. I have been practicing on it for 11 weeks," Moore sajd. "I couldn't push it too hard because 1was afraid it may seize." Moore really didn't have to push much as he opened up a 10-second cushion just past the halfway point while Johnson, Reynard and Decker settled into the top spots. For the next 15 minutes, the positions stayed well defined with the only real battle taking place for seventh among Brandes, Upton and Jiri Dostal. Brandes settled that argument by coming up with the moves and pulling away, while Upton and Dostal battled down to the wire for eighth with Upton getting the nod at the finish. Moore crossed the finish line with a 13-second lead over top California pros Johnson, Reynard (Oklahoma), Decker and Perolio. One might wonder with Moore riding at warp speed in the USA, why he would travel to Europe to each year. "I am riding better then ever and I want to race here in America," Moore said. "This will be my last year racing in Europe. I am trying to put something together with FMF to race in the USA next year." Spealdng of Europe, German World Motocross star Pit Beirer leveled the competition in the 250cc Pro division with a hands-down, runaway victory. Brandes was an early challenger, but a rear flat tire deflated his hopes of a win, while Johnson also had problems of his own and dropped to third. In the end, Bejrer blew them away, perhaps fueled by his love for the track that emulated many of the courses back home. Decker rode conservatively in second for most of the race while Johnson, Upton and hard-charging Pro Circwtrider Billy Joe Mercier rounded out the top five. Billy Payne piloted his Team Thousand Oaks Kawasaki to the day's overall 12Scc Intermediate class win. Payne battled Jimmy Varis in the first moto as both future pros left the competition in the dust and waged a private duel for the lead. That battle went down to the wire with Varis trying every move in the book, but Payne kept a cool head and won the race. Tim Beatty finished a distant third after worldng up from a mediocre start while Jason Abbott, Ryan Orr and Mark Tilley rounded out the top six. The second moto saw last year's AMA minicyde champion Bryan McGavran pull the holeshot and never look back. McGavaran simply smoked the field on his Pro CircuH Yamaha en route to the second-moto victory. Unfortunately for McGavaran, his 16th-place first-moto finish left him a disappointing eighth overall behind the day's champion Billy Payne. Team Thousand Oaks/Pro Circwt/ Yamaha's Jonathan Shimp was king of HELl WILLOW SPRINGS 'NrERNArIONAL RACEWAY GET YOUR ADVANCE TICKETS AT THESE PARTICIPATING DEAI.ERS: BUELL Of GLENDAU HARLEY'S HOUSE Of HARLEYS 818.246.5618 619.433.2060 BuELL OF VICTORVIlLE Los 619.951.1119 310.408.6088 CAlIFORNIA BUELL 310.539.3366 SKIP FORDYCE BuEU NUTS PAlM SPRINGS BuELL 5uzuIo 818.994.2882 MARINA CYCLE SIMI VAlLEY YAMAHA VENTURA BUELL 310.306.8595 805.522.3434 805.642.2100 aiFORMULAUSA~ '" nCKns·,NFO 909.785.0100 619.329.1448 ANGELES BUELL b.. IYrMl:J ~~uo\ Co. HAlWY-DAVlDSON 714.835.9141 ORANGE • • 10 GUP~ T!!fu n MIT 7 lI,,~1 ~ 'JI' ti:t::. 'SERIES MICHELIN~ "*r,b! ~;:~? . la_bI KIDS 12 AND UNDER FREE. : ~~;g:~I~~~~. • WEEKEND TICKET INQUDES PAOlXXJ( PASS &CAMPING. • GATE TICKETS ARE $5 HIGHER. • All SAlES FINAL NOREFi.l'/DS. I I ' RAm RUN. RAIN OR SHINE. ~ ,'~'!hl. _ . Of VAN UM _ ~·Z·:z&·~·~:~?

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