Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

IN THE WIND dy Tresser (W-R) won the Pro Expert lass of the first-ever Burger King/ pplebee's Spring Classic Short Track at Lodi Cycle Bowl, in front of 1200 pectators - one 'Of the largest gatherings o ever watch an event at the famed dirt ack. Tresser topped Johnny Murphree tx) and Mark Corsetti (Rtx) in taking h win. The Pro Novice class in the 's Carr-promoted event was won by ob Casey (Rtx) while Corsetti grabbed the win in the Dash for Cash race. oel Smets (Hbg) won the World Championship 500cc MX in Payerne, Switzerland, ApriL27. Smets increased his series points lead after winning both motos. Gert Jan Van Doorn (Hon) scored his second runner-up placing of the series via 7-2 moto finishes, while defending champ Shayne King (KTM) took third. Smets now heads the leaderboard with 9'4 points followed by King's 74 points. Kurt Nicol (KTM) is third in the series with 66, Andres Bartolini (Yam) is fourth with 62, and Van Doorn is fifth with 61. American Trampas Parker (Ver) failed to finish either moto, and countryman Keith Bowen (KTM) scored his first GP points with a pair of 13thplace finishes. Shaun Kalos (Hbg) was the overall winner at the combined AMA/Maxima Western 4-Stroke National MX Series/ White Brothers World 4-Stroke Championships at Glen Helen Raceway, in San Bernardino, California, April 27. Kalos went 2-1 on the day, while Lance Smail (KTM) went 1-3 for second overall. Third place went to Ty Davis (Kaw) with a 3-2, while fourth place went to Mike Healy (Hon) with 4-4. Robert Naughton (KTM) rounded out the top five. Mike Young Jr. was seriously injured at the AMA Western Regional FourStroke MX Nationals at Glen Helen Raceway, in San Bernardino, California, April 28. During practice, Young crashed and was transported to Loma Linda University Hospital in Loma Linda, California, where he was diagnosed with three broken vertebrae (7th, 8th and 9th) and is scheduled to undergo surgery on Tuesday, -April 29. To help with medical costs, a fund has been started in Young's name: Mike Young Jr. New Life Fund. Donations and/ or cards and letters can be sent to 1042 N. Mountain Ave, Suite B, #316, Upland, CA, 91786. Another rider who was injured at Ule 4Stroke National race at Glen Helen was Scott Meyers. Meyers also crashed during practice and suffered broken ribs, a broken shoulder and a bruised lung. As rumors continue to swirl that he is in the process of being fired, Australian road racer Anthony Gobert will again be replaced on the Lucky Strike Suzuki team by fellow Australian Peter Goddard in the next round of the World Championship Road Race Series in Spain, on May 4. "We've decided to rest Anthony for another race," team manager Garry Taylor said. "At the moment, the team expects he will be back on the bike for the following GP at Mugello (May 18). We are lucky to have a rider of Peter's (Goddard) experience and skills as a reserve, especially as we are developing a brand-new machine. He helped us with our preseason testing program and his continuing input in Japan was also of value. His experience is a help to Daryl Beattie also, as he works at regaining full confidence." Gobert is recovering from a badly broken collarbone. As was reported in the. last issue of Cycle News (Issue #17, April 30), 1996 AMA Hare Scrambles Champion Greg Zitterkopf will no longer be riding for Vosburg Racing due to contract disputes. The partnership came to a halt in March when both parties' interpretation of the contract began to vary. "Naturally, every story has two sides," Vosburg Racing team owner Gary Vosburg said during a phone conversation with contributor Matt Freeman. "We are not suing him (Zitterkopf). We are not suing anybody. It says in the contract that if there were any contract disputes it would not be litigated. There is no lawsuit. n (the contract) will be interpreted by an arbitration board in the next month or so." Vosburg is the owner of a Las Vegas-based trucking company that hauls sand and gravel and has been associated with the desert racing community for several years. "We are just an'amateur promoter trying to promote the sport that we love," Vosburg added. "1 feel bad it came down to this. I would rather spend the money on the sport than on this." Despite losing a member of its team, KTM-mounted Vosburg Racing has no plans of backing out of its efforts for the rest of the season. "We're real happy with KTM," Vosburg said. "We had a real good run up at the Tonopa1l300 aboard the 360." The team, led by desert ace and four-stroke motocrosser Destry Abbott, will continue its assault on the National Hare & Hound and Best in the Desert Series, as well as other selected events. Six National Championship tiUes will be awarded at the AMA National Reliability Enduro Series Championship, scheduled for June 21-22 at the Trask Mountain enduro course in Yamhill, Oregon. The two-day event will determine the best enduro riders in the country in five classes of competition - 125cc Two-Stroke; Open Two-Stroke; 400cc Four-Stroke; Open Four-Stroke; and Senior. The rider with the best time will also take home the coveted overall tiUe. The AMA has armounced that its Amateur & Youth National Hillclimb Championship will move to the steep hills of Mankota, Minnesota, on July 2527. The event will see riders compete in three classes for youth riders and nine classes for amateurs. For entry or ticket information, call the Kato Cycle Club at 507/625-2630. The AMA Amateur & Youth Dirt Track Nationals, meanwhile, have been scheduled for July 8-12 at two locations in central Indiana. The racing is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, July 8 on the short track at the Bartholomew County Fairgrounds in Columbus, Indiana, before moving to Indianapolis. The racing at the Indianapolis State Fairgrounds opens with the IT Nationals on July 9. After an off day on July 10, racing resumes with the half-mile National on July 11.with the event concluding on Saturday, July.12 with races scheduled for the famed Indy Mile. For entry or class information, call Fast Track Racing Inc. at 219/486-7172. Past AMA Amateur National Dirt Track Champions include current stars such as Chris Carr, Larry Pegram, Kermy Coolbeth Jr. and Doug Chandler. Entries are still available for the upcoming Virginia City Grand Prix on May 10-11 in Nevada. The timed race will be Drag king_? _ ...--r------------~_, z tured above in its appearance at z W :I: the Japanese Grand prix at Suzu> al ka on April 20, is a big-bore, drag-styled standard for the streets. It's aim is fairly clear: il: from the flat bars, to fat, disc rear wheel (shod with a 190-section tire!) acceleration appears to be the name of the game. The specs back it up, too. The 594-pound (wet) X4 is powered by a liquidcooled, twin-cam, four-valve-percylinder in-line four that displaces a healthy 1284cc. The 78 x 67.2mm cylinders are fed by a quartet of 36mm carbs and the compression ratio is 9.9:1. Wheelbase for the five-speed bike is a rangy, wheelie-quelling 65 inches. The real kicker is the X4's price. It's going for 890,000 yen in Japan, which at the current exchange rate pencils out to just over $7000. An American Honda spokesman said that there were as yet no plans to bring the bike to the States. T 5 approximately three and a half hours with loops roughly 16 miles in length, running through and around Virginia City. For more information, call 702/853-6911. KTM Motorcycles has been awarded the AMA's Most Valued People award for the company's work in promoting the AMA's wide range of racing programs. The MVP Award, given by the AMA Board of Trustees" singles out deserving companies and individuals for their contributions to the sport of motorcycling. KTM Was chosen for its ongoing effort to include a package of information about AMA membership and AMA racing with each minicycle the Austrian manufacturer sells in the United States. "KTM joins Hatch Gloves, Harley-Davidson Motor Corp., Intersport Fashions West and other motorcycle industry members in delivering AMA membership information with their products," said Mike MOOerski, the AMA's vice president of marketing. "I applaud their effort to spread the word to our next generation of enthusiasts, and I invite other corporations to do likewise." According to an AMA Pro Competition Bulletin, tire warmers are allowed to be plugged in over the hot-pit wall by all road race classes except Harley-Davidson SuperTwins, effective April 24. All tire-warmer use must be against the pit wall in the pit-road service areas, according to the AMA bulletin, and tire warmers are not allowed on the pre-grid or grid in any class. In addition, any generators must remain in the cold pit with only extension cords allowed over the wall. For more information, contact Rob King at the.AMA at 614/891-2425. AMA Superbike racers Doug Chandler, Miguel Duhamel and Steve Crevier are the top three winners in the first round of cash payouts from the AMA/MBNA Superbike Series Bonus Awards program. Chandler is set to receive $5000 for earning the most points in the first three rounds of the sePes with Dullamel getting $4000 and Crevier $3000. A full $100,000 will be split among the top riders over the course of the season, based on their finishes in the beginning, middle and end of the series. The first payout of $30,000 was shared among the top 20 in the series after the opening three rounds. Another $30,000 will be paid out after the Brainerd round and the final segment will be awarded after the Las Vegas finale. The new Ducati ST2 sport tourer (see First Ride, Issue #17, April 30) will be brought to the United States as a 1998 model beginning in September or October of this year. Unlike in Europe, the American model will come with hard saddlebags as standard equipment. According to a Ducati spokesman, price is expected to be approximately $12,000. According to F&S Racing, motocrosser Mike Treadwell quit the team on April 27 and the team is looking to replace him. Any riders interested in finishing the season with F&S can send a resume to F&S Team Racing, c/o Jeff Stolzenburg, at 7200 N. Dixie Dr., Dayton, OH 45414. Danny "Magoo" Chandler will host the International Riders Helping People Luau Party on May 3 from 1 to 8 p.m. at Motorsports of Purcia County in Northern California. Proceeds from the party will benefit UC Davis' trauma center. Several top-level current and former motocrossers are scheduled to appear, including Steve Lamson, Jim Holley and Goat Breker. Moto Liberty will again lease 1996model Honda RS125s at NASB races this year. Everything is provided, including a mechanic. For more information, call 972 / 242-6440. Geckos Too, a sports bar in Fullerton, California, will host the first weekly "Club Moto Addiction Motorcycle Night" on Wednesday, May 14. Proceeds from motorcycle accessory gift certificates which will be raffled off and donations at the door will go to the Clayton Foundation, a non-profit charity that benefits injured motorcycle racers. For more information, call 714/4468900. Harley-Davidson will once again support the AMA's 883 National Championship Series by adding $2000 to the purse at each of the 15 National 883 events, according'to the AMA. "HarleyD.avidson's support, in the form of ~O,OOO purse subsidy to our promoters, ,is instrumental in promoting the AMA's t"- 0\ 0\ ......

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