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/127832
man Racing's Fritz Kling, not particularly fond of the 2.5-mile track, has 106 points after his 6-8 finishes for second. Zlock Racing's Andy Deatherage, 8-10 on the day, is third with 95. Batey is fourth with 95 and Adams and Chandler, neither regulars in the series, are tied for fifth with 70 points apiece. (Left) Surprise F-USA competitor Jason Pridmore (43) took a pair of runner-up finishes. Reigning series champion Batey (1) was fifth both times out. (Below) Pridmore (~) chases Adams (45) In early going. Adams pulled away from the AMA 750cc Supersport contender in both races. RACE ONE The greatest drama of the first race came on the first lap. Lee Shierts, riding a 1200cc Suzuki, led the way into turn one after starting on the fourth row. Not long afterward, he was gone, exiting the track in turn three while leading Graves and Adams. ""He went off in turn three," Adams said. "He just overran, went in way too hot into turn three and straightened it up and I believe he ended up fa.lling in three. At that time, it was, going into turn three, Lee, Chuck (Graves) and then me. Lee wen t off, then it was just Chuck and I and I passed Chuck in four right there." That pass established Adams' position until the red flag as he immediately pulled a gap on second-placed Graves. Graves in turn had begun to pull out a margin on Pridmore, who had a bit of trouble with his start. '1' d never started the bike before so on the 'first start we were like fifth I think, but I knew I had enough motor to go by just about anybody," Pridmore said. By the fourth lap Pridmore had a solid hold on third and looked set to finish there while leading a dynamic battle for fourth involving Grigg, Batey and Sadowski. Sadowski tried a few times to sneak by Grigg, particularly in turns one and the eight-nine combo, but wasn't making it stick. On the sixth lap, just as Adams was encountering the first lapped riders and putting about a second a lap on the field, the red flag was shown after Mike Fiztpatrick went off hard in turn eight, taking Team Polen Suzuki's Mark McDaniel with him. Neither rider was seriously hurt. The race would be restarted in the running order from the previous lap, a.llowing Grigg, running fourth, to start of the front row alongside Pridmore, Graves and Adams. It wasn't much good, though, and just as in the first race he was swamped on the restart. "This thing just gets such bad starts," Muzzy 750-mounted Grigg said. "I think on the first start we came off the second row and I was like 11 tho I worked up to fourth and then they redflagged it. I went back and got to start on the front row (on the restart), dropped to seventh and worked back up to third. I feel like it was a legitimate deal because I'm going by them." He was not as swamped as Graves, who would be left on the line by the entire pack after sta.lling his bike at the drop of the flag. According to Graves, the spec fuel rule is at least partia.lly to blame. ,"On the restart, I stalled it on the line," Graves said, "I've been having some trouble. This is a brand-new bike and I just didn't get it... Mike (Belcher, Graves' mechanic) and I worked very hard on it trying tked' at ' area during the secood session. The caQse? Hisoil filter cal1)e foose and dumped oil ori the' large-displacement.l'ogineS frpm all the major back tire and ·track. F.ra'ser raced to ninth' in' manufacturers but ha's yet. to make ,any final. . .. decision on what he thinks he'lI use. He is cur- . .both races.' . rently running .an· RF900 engine in a new-style. Bruce Ll'be·lIe. owner "f. Tea.m Labelle. . G~R7.59 frame. . . . I' I I ma.e