Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

In the crowd-pleasing Dinosaur race, Beno Rodi and his Royal Enfield took the Iy lead, but he couldn't hold off Leo thony Jr:s handshift Harley-Davidson. Third went to Tom Antor, riding Craig Breckon's fast Triumph. The evening ended with the Over 50 5enior class, where Gig Hamilton did the job on his Maico. Gary Brennan finished second, followed by James McLaUghlin.L~ (Hon); 7. Rusty Lowry (H-D); 8. John Cooper (BSA); 9. Dennis Poneleit (Hon): 10. Walter Wartbicbler (Mor). PRE-4lk 1. Erich Bley (BMW); 2. Blake Wilson (Ind); 3. Beno Rodi (Nor); 4. Al Knapp (H·D); 5. Harry Wheaton (lnd); 6. Peter Gagan (Sco). . US 1. Erich Bley (BMW); 2. Blake Wilson Oncl); 3. Mark Samuelson (Nor); 4. Fred Mork (Nor); 5. Thomas Kerr Sr. (Yin); 6. Beno Rodi (RE); 7. AI Knapp (H-D); 8. Harry Wheaton (lnd); 9. Arthur Delor ([nd); 10. Carleton Palmer [] (Vin). ClSC 60s: 1. David Roper (AJS); 2. Andrew Cowell (BSA); 3. fred Mork (Mat); 4. John Cygnor (H-D); S. a Kenny Pruitt (Bul); 6. john Cooper (BSA); 7. Thomas Kerr Jr. (Nor); 8. Erieh Bley (BMW); 9. Wolfgang Strope!< (Nor); 10. Gordon Menzie (RE). f·250: 1. Benjamin Morse (Yam); 2. Brad Palmer (Yam); 3. Junichiro Uno (Yam); 4. Carl And""",n (Yam); Daytona Municipal Stadium Daytona Beach, Florida Results: March 2, 1997 (Round 1 of 18) DINO, 1. Leo Anthony Jr. (H-D);'. Beno 'Rodi (RE); . Tom Antor (Tri); 4. William Worthington (Tri); 5. He~e1 Benkert; 6. Diek Zrubek (H-D). ClSC 2S&. 1. John Bova (Bul); 2. John Daniels (BuI); 3, Michael Connell (H-D); 4. Mike MetzJer (TrO; 5. a",les Goman (Oss); 6. Randy Kimec (H-D); 7. Joseph Gately (Tri); 8. Carl Forkey (H-D); 9. John Marschang (H0); 10. Tom Howes (Suz). ClSC 5001750, 1. George Richtmeyer Jr. (Tri); 2. Oui.stopher Giles (Tn); 3. Gary Hite (H~D); 4. Kenny Thomas (BSA); 5. Herschel Benkert (Hon); 6. Tom Antor (Tri); 7. Beno Rodi (RE); 8. Geoff Ryan. MOD, 250: 1. Justin Young (But); 2. George chtmeyer Jr. (Mon); 3. Lee Florin (H-D); 4. Leland Prewitt (Yam); 5. Peter Wajda (Yam); 6. John Thomas (Bul); 7. James Way (C-A); 8. Larry Burkholder (Bul); 9. Richie Baulch (BuD; 10. Manrin Long (Hon). MOD 600: 1. Norm' Bigelow (Vam); 2. Thomas CDstello (Hon); 3. Michael Barber (Bul); 4. Car Davis (Yam); 5. Peter Wajda (Yam); 6. Cary Brennan (Tri); 7. llaine Hugney (MaV; 8. Beno Rodi rosA); 9. Robert Petty (BSA); 10. Scott Kay (Bul). MOD 750, 1. George Richtmeyer Jr. (To); 2. Ronald Hall (TTi); 3. john Skinner (Tri); 4. Nicholas Taylor (yam); 5. John Plumb (Tri); 6. Bill Blackwood (Tri); 7. Eric Kvinlang (Tri); 8. John Hildebrand (Tri); 9. B.rian Eckhart (Tri); 10. Wa.rren Walters (Yam). SR: 1. Gig Hamilton (Mal); 2. Gary Brennan (Tri); 3. James Mclaughlin (Yam); 4, Georg~ _Hanner (H-O); 5. Tony Pino (Tri); 6. Charles Coman (BSA); 7. Bruce King (Ron); 8. Ronald McGinnis (Yam); 9. John Bowman (Jaw); 10. Gary Hite (H-D). Upcoming Rounds: Round 2 - Hanford, California, May 17 Round 3 - Big Rapids, Michigan, May 17 AHRMAIProgressive Suspension Historic Cup series: Round 1 Bley triples at the airport By Matt Benson DELAND, FL, FEB. 28 keep things more centrally located during Bike Week, AHRMA moved its pre-Daytona warmup event from Roebling Road Raceway to a do-it-yourself race track at DeLand, about 16 miles west of Daytona Beacl1. Erich Bley was one rider who found the airfield circuit to his liking, winnin.,g a trio of races on machines as varied as a supercharged 1939 BMW Kompressor in the PTe-1940 class, a 1939 BMW R51RS in Gass C and a 1994 NW5-Rotax 350 in Sound of Singles Formula 3. The move from the generally wellliked Georgia track to the DeLand airfield was greeted with skepticism when first announced last year. Riders had complained of a surface that was dirty and quick to break up after a demonstration race during Bike Week '96, but officials from AHRMA and the City of DeLand were serious about creating a raceable facility. The 1.8-mile course was redesigned, new pavement was laid down in some places, there was extensive sealing and runoff room was expanded in critical areas. Thoug/l there were a fair number of getoffs through the day - attributed mostly to excessive enthusiasm after a winter ,with no racing - riders gave the circuit a passing grade. With about 400 entries for the Progressive TI (Above) George Rlchtmeyer won both the Classic SOOCcl7SOcc classes as well as Modem Vintage 7S0cc. during AHRMA dirt track racing at Daytona Municipal Stadium. (Right) Triple-class winner Will Harding pilots his Moto Guzzi to the F-7S0 win in AHRMA road racing at the Deland airfield In Florida_ Harding also won two Battle of Twins classes. Suspension/British Only-sponsored event, it was a full day of racing un~r blazing skies and temperatures in the mid-to-upper 80s. .Two of Bley's wins were close ones. In Gass C, the Duck Key, Florida, rider had a back-and-forth race with Carleton Palmer II and his 1950 Vincent Grey Flash - until Palmer ran into problems and finished an eventual 10th. That put Indian-mounted Blake Wilson into the runner-up spot, right where he was to Bley's Pre-1940 win as well. In 50S F-3, Bley had to contend with Malcolme Tunstall on a Ducati 350 that was 21 years older than his own NWS thumper. Mter hounding Tunstall for several laps, Bley finally got by and held on for the win. Bley rode a total of five classes - on five different machines. In addition to the three wins, he also logged eighth in Oassic Sixties on a '54 BMW 500 and was seventh on a MZ Skorpion in AHRMA's new cash-contingency-paying Skorpion Cup. The other triple class winner was Will Harding of Gainesville, Florida. The Moto Guzzi pilot took the Formula 750cc win by a comfortable margin over Tom Mellor's Triumph Trident. In Battle of Twins Formula 2, Harding inherited the lead after the ignition failed on Kurt Mund's BMW RllOORS. Then in BOT F3, Harding topped Honda-mounted Jonathan Hord for the win. Larry Kirby was involved in two of the day's closest races, but was relegated to the runner-up spot in each. The first was the 200cc GP, where Kirby and his '68 Yamaha cn battled with Chuck Davis, but couldn't seem to shake the '71 Honda CB175 rider from the top spot. In Sportsman 750cc, however, Kirby did hold the lead at times, as did Donald· Weiss and John Ellis - all on Yamaha twins. Triumph-powered Geir Jacobsen and Jerry Wood also were in the mix a good part of the time. On the last lap it all ca me down to a drag race to the cl1eckered flag, and Weiss had a bit more drive. He took the win, followed by Kirby, Ellis and Jacobsen, while Wood ran into problems and was scored 16th. The race for Sportsman 350cc honors also went right to the line. Honda CB350 riders James McGregor and Mark McColman waged a back-and-forth battle all race long, with class champ Tim Stancill hanging right with them. The pair crossed the finish almost side by side, and the win went to McColman. In the Sportsman saocc event, it was another super battle between the two Honda 350 riders, but this time·McGregor got the win after McColman went out on lap five. Team Obsolete's David Roper sailed to an uncontested win in 350cc GP aboard a 1962 AJS 7R over Austrian Wolfgang Stropek' on another 7R. In Classic Sixties, Roper rode to another smooth win, this time on a 1954 7R "triple knocker:' Andrew Cowell raced to a ~olid second on his BSA Gold Star, followed by Fred Mork on an ex-Dick Mann Matchless G50. In the marquee 500cc Premier class, Stephen Mathews jumped to an immediate lead on the Barber Vintage Motorsports 1961 Matchless G50 and never looked back. British champion John Cronshaw chased on his '68 BSA Gold Star, while Stropek hung onto third aboard a '63 G50. Among AHRMA's modern bike classes, 50S F-2 champ Norm Lastovica (BB Rotax-Yamaha) came out on top in an excellent battle with Davis and Micl1ael Van Slyke. Aaron Turner (BB Rotax-Yamaha) narrowly won a close one over Dutchman Lex Van Dijk and Jeff Nash in 50S F-I. AHRMA's newest event, the Skorpion Cup, got off to an exciting start, with 10 almost-identical MuZ's on the line. Canadian Jay Richardson was hounded all race by Galen Miller, bu t never relinquished the lead. Robert Wrublevski was a close third. (N Deland Municipal Airport Deland, Florida Results: February 28, 1997 (Round 1 of 19) 200 GP, 1. Chuek Davis (Hon); 2. L.'rry Kirby (Yam); 3. Charles Sexton (Bu!); 4. Butch Sprain (Hon); 5. Dennis Poneleit (Han); 6. Mark Sa.muelson (BSA); 7. Eric Pritchard (Tr1); 8. Bob Barker (Par); 9. Fred Tranduc . (Bul); 10. Edward Sensenig (Due). 250 GP, 1. Kemp Archibald (Due); 2. Jay Richardson (Duel; 3. Joe Culbertson (Due); 4. Charles Sexton (Bu!); 5. 5. SaJds Vasilopoulos (Hon); 6. Bill tUsaw (Hon); 7. Jerry Herman·(Hon), F·SOO: 1. Walter Hoffman (Yam); 2. Brad Palmer (Yam); 3. Rick Newman (Yam); 4. Gregg Bonelli (Suz); 5. Alex Mclean (5uz); 6. Kris Jepsen (Yam); 7. Oral Molden (Yam); 8. William Lent:< (Yam); 9. Richie Baulch (J

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