Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

IN THE WIND Phillip McCallen averaged 119.9 mph in winning the Formula One IT on the Isle of Man on Monday, June 2. McCallen was able to build a lead over early leader Joey Dunlop (Hon), with Dunlop losing more than a minute in a botched pit stop. At the finish, McCallen easily topped Michael Rutter (Hon), with Bob Jackson (Kaw) third. Dunlop ended up sixth after earlier winning his record-breaking 22nd Isle of Man TT with a victory in the Lightweight 250cc class. Dunlop averaged 115.59 mph on his Honda RS250 as he raced with McCallen, who crashed uninjured at Quarry Bends on the third lap. Second place ended up going to Ian Lougher (Hon), with John McGuinness (Apr) finishing third. Ty Davis (Kaw) claimed the overall win at the Idaho Two-Day ISDE Qualifier in Idaho City, Idaho, on May 31-June 1. Second place went to Nick Pearson (KTM), followed by Donnie Book (Kaw), Destry Abbott (KTM) and Brian Brown (Kaw). Shawn Kalos (Hbg) won the fifth round of the AMA/Maxima Western FourStroke Motocross Nationals at the Albany Motorsports Park in Albany, Oregon, on June 1. Kalos split moto wins with Lance Smail (KTM), but won the overall based on his win in the second moto. Ty Davis (Kaw) finished third with· a 3-3 moto tally. Smail still holds a 22-point lead over Kalos in the championship point standings, 242-220. Brit Paul Edmondson (Suz) won the seventh round of the AMA Grand National Cross Country Series, held June 1 in Boyers, Pennsylvania. Edmondson topped Scott Plessinger (KTM) and Australian Shane Watts (KTM). Canadian road racer Rodney Fee (Hon) finished sixth in the second round of the European 125cc Open Championship at the Hungaroring in Hungary on May 26, despite racing with a ·flat front tire. The race was won by Paolo Tessari (Hon). Rick Soter III (BSA) and Willie Price (H-D) shared top honors at the AMA National Hillclirnb in Jefferson, Pennsylvania, on June 1. Soter topped the 540cc class over Paul Pinsonnault (Hon) and Michael Templeton. (Hon), while Price topped Gregg Williams (Hon) and James Large (H-D) in the BOOcc division. t'-. 0\ 0\ ,..... 2 Rick Fiscel (Tri) dominated the Open Pro Twin features at rounds three and four of the VDTRA Vintage Classics X ational Dirt Track Series in Cambridge, Minnesota, on May 31-June 1. At the Saturday short track on the Isanti County Fairgrounds, Fiscel topped Skip Wertz (Tri) and John Fike (BSA) in the Open Pro Twin class, and backed it up by winning the 600cc Pro main; Jim Strome (Yam) and Bill Snyder (Bu!) were second and third. During the Sunday TT at the Norsemen MC club grounds, Fiscel won again over Strome and Mark Gibson (Tri) in the Open Pro Twin main. Strome then turned the tables by beating Fiscel (Yam) and Johnny Isaacs (BSA) in the 600cc Pro main. Legislation that would repeal a mandatory helmet-use law covering motorcyclists in Texas has been passed by state legislators and sent to Governor George W. Bush for consideration, according to the AMA. However, the AMA has raised concerns about the potential effects of amendments tacked on to that repeal bill. As originally drafted, Senate Bill 99 would have made helmet use voluntary for adult motorcyclists aged 18 and older, although the legislation was later amended to require helmet use for all riders under the age of 21. Many states currently have helmet laws covering minors in one of those two age categories. Another amendment to the bill has the potential to set a dangerous precedent, according to the AMA. That amendment would allow motorcyclists to ride without helmets only if they either complete a rider-educa tion course or purchase a minimum of $10,000 in medical insurance. Compliance with the proposed law would be determined by special license-plate stickers that the state would issue to motorcyclists meeting these standards. Out-of-state motorcyclists passing through Texas would be ineligible to receive stickers. "We have a long history of supporting legislation that allows adult riders to evaluate the risks and decide personal safety issues for themselves," said Rober Rasor, vice president of AMA government relations. "But we are constantly fighting attempts by various groups to characterize motorcyclists as a 'social burden' because of the perceived risks involved in riding. Studies have shown repeatedly that motorcyclists are at least as likely to be insured as other highway users and that they don't rely more heavily on public funds to pay for medical treatment. But this legislation, as amended, would institutionalize the social-burden concept in Texas by requiring one group of highway users to be more responsible than others before taking to the road." The first of the Muzzy Raptor F-USA race bikes was recently delivered to road racer Steve Grigg, with Grigg promptly setting a new lap record of 1:12.75 in the Unlirnited Superbike race during CCS racing at Roebling Road in Faulkville, Georgia, on May 25. Grigg plans on racing the bike in F-USA action at Road Atlanta on June 22. According to a press release from Pace Motor Sports, 691,676 spectators attended the IS-round AMA Supercross Seriesin 1997. That averages out to 46,112 per round, with the largest crowd gathering at the Tempe, Arizona, round - 63,565. Pace also reports that event purses, points fund and contingency money topped the $1.4 million mark this year. "This year has been a great start for us a t PACE in positioning supercross where it belongs - among the elite motorsports series in the country," said Gary Becker, CEO of Pace Motor Sports. "PACE could not be more pleased with the crowds at the live event, ESP 2 coverage and ratings, and the fact we paid out more money to the riders than in any year in history. With the continued support from - and partnership with the motorcycle industry, we will make the sport everything it should be." The 1997 riders' points fund and bonus money was paid out at a banquet at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sunday, May 18. According to GFI, Perris Raceway in Perris, California, now 'has new and improved lights for the Friday night practice sessions and Saturday night racing. The Friday night practices are set to begin on June 6 and will run from 5 to 10 p.m. throughout the summer. For morc information, call 909/653-4042. The 1997 running of the Dirt Diggers Kernville Motocross, north of Bakersfield, California, will feature a Pro Pay- Barto/ani, Henry · and now Johansson S wede Peter Johansson joined Yamaha teammate Andrea Bartoloni and Yamaha USA's Doug Henry in giving the Yamaha YZM400F four-stroke motocrosser a victory in 1997. Johansson's win came via a two-moto sweep of the Czech Republic 500cc Grand Prix and moved him to within 18 points of World Championship points.leader Joel Smets - even though he is still only fifth in the championship. Husaberg's Smets could only muster 11 points from a first-moto fifth and saw his advantage over the KTMs of Shayne King and Kurt Nicoll shrink to just seven points. Gert Jan Van Doom, meanwhile, is fourth in the standings, just two points clear of Johansson. Nicoll was second overall on the day with 3-2 moto scores while Van Doom ended the day third with his 1-5 tally. . Keith Bowen was the only American starter in the event and registered his best finish to day with a 10th in moto one. The 125cc World Motocross Series was also in Eastern Europe on June 1, with the race taking place in Slovenia. Claudio Federici gave Husqvarna its first overall GP victory in the 125cc class when he turned in a 3-1 tally to take the overall. Frenchman FredericVialle won the first moto on his Yamaha as championship pace setters Chicco Chiodi and Sandro puzar were pushed down to ninth and 11th, respectively. They joined Federici in yet another all-Italian rostrum in the second moto. After seven of 12 rounds, Chiodi leads the way with 231 points to puzar's 197. Federici is third with 169 points. American Bob Moore finished sixth in the first moto, but Badar Manneh failed to score a point after qualifying second-fastest. Alex Hodgkinson roll Moto at noon on Sunday, June 15. A $2000 purse will be divided among the "top 15 Pro riders, with $750 going to the overall moto winner. For more information, call 805/366-9636. Skinner's Motorcycle Shop in Auburn, Alabama, is set to begin its 40th year in business. Established in 1957 by James M. Skinner as a BSA, Triumph, Benelli and Parilla dealer, Skinner's now specializes in British motorcycles and parts. The third annual Branson USA Motocross Nationals will be held on October 3-5 in Branson, Missouri. Thirty-two classes will be run, from Pee Wees through 250cc Pro, and no qualifiers are required. For more information, call 909/657-6834." Two California motorcyclists are gearing up for a 2012-mile Pony Express Preservation Ride, which will begin in" San Francisco "on June 23 and finish in St. Joseph, Missouri, on July 6. Joe ardone and Paul Golde will make the ride to raise funds to benefit the Pony Express Trail Association and to support programs of the Olive Crest Homes & Services for Abused Children in Santa Ana, California. Nardone has made the trip before - by light aircraft, by fourwheel drive vehicle, on horseback, and on foot. "Our primary goal is to mark the trail and its 154 related sites by the year 2010," Nardone said. "This will be the year that the Pony Express celebrates its sesquicentennial (l50th) anniversary." For more information on the ride, call Golde at 714/364-6117. According to a press release from David Wasson, the AMA 600 and 750cc Supersport road racer has signed a two-year contract with rock star Sammy Hagar, with Wasson riding under Hagar's Cabo Wabo Cantina/Cabo Wabo Tequila company names. Wasson will ride a Suzuki GSXR600 in both the 600 and 750cc Supersport classes. For more information on Cabo Wabo Racing, caIl 408/6704358. The Mammoth Motocross staff has negotiated a deal with its insurance carrier which will allow mini riders (5 years and older) to race in the annual June 26-29 event in Mammoth, California. For more information, call 760/9340642. Practice days will be held at Mammoth on June 19, 20, 23, 24 and 25, for $15 per rider. Sidecar road racers will compete at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, on June 6-8 in the EastlWest Sidecar Challenge. The final will be held on Sunday morning at 10:40, prior to the fourth round of the AMA/MBNA Superbike National Championship round at Road America. For more information on the sidecars, call 414/9628573. The Excelsior-Henderson Motorcycle Manufacturing Company has announced that it has filed a registration agreement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a public offering by the company of 4 million shares of common stock. In addition, Excelsior-Henderson has granted the underwriter an option to purchase up to an additional 600,000 shares of Common Stock to cover the over allotments, if any. The offering price on the stock is expected to be between $7 and $8 per share. Off-road riders will gather on June 28-29 in Park HilJ,s, Missouri, to raise money for the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation's Campaign for Healthier Babies in the Racers for Research Ride. PIe race, which is part of the Missouri Hare Scrambles ChampLonship, will start and end in the St. Joseph State Park in Park Hills. For more information, caIl 314/398-4468. Those of you who want to buy a raffle ticket for the 1997 Husaberg FCSOI to

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