EVENTS
Graves domination
at WSIR Road Races
By Eric Vincent
R AMOND,CAJUl';!H - I;
OS
Chuck C rav es con tinues to domina te the Toyota
Cold Cup Formula One Road Race ser ies a t
Willow Springs International Raceway as he
took his third stra ight victory in that class during the sixth round of Willow Springs Mo torcy-
(Left) Chuck Graves
won the Toyota Go ld
C up Fo nnu la One
Road Race and fo u r
other classes at
Willow Spring s
International
Raceway in
Rosamond,
California .
cle O ub actio n.
C raves had a poo r stan off the line and was
initially mid pack. while William Beck grabbed
th e holcsho t. followed by Cu rt is Adams . But.
ro unding tum nine to complete the first lap of
the 12-la p event. Graves threaded his way into
th ird , then d rafted and passed Adams down the
front straight A lap later , f~r riders were figh ting fo r th e lead go ing into tu rn one; Gra ves
went arou nd the inside of Beck and eme rged
d
wi th the lead . In the next tum, Beck was pushe
back in to third after being passed by Ada ms .
The following three laps sa w C ra ves a nd
Ada ms goi ng at it for th e lead , b u t Gra ves
began to slowly widen the gap. Nea r the ro mple tlon of la p seve n, Ada ms pulled o ut of the
race after dev eloping a major problem w ith his
rear tire. Adams' ex it left Graves with a secure
ho ld o n th e lea d , w it h Be c k in seco nd and
Michael Mo nto ya in thi rd . On lap 11, Mo ntoya
used a lapped rid er to power past Beck int o secon d , but Beck showed a horsepowe r ad vantage
on h is S uz u k i GS XRll 00 d o wn t he fr on t
str aigh t to ret a ke secon d from Yama ha TZ25Omou nted Mo nto ya . The two we n t ba ck and
forth in the fina l lap, with Be ck edging o ut
Monto ya for seco nd at the chec kers.
In the Coo rs Ligh t/Tom Sera Racing Fo rmula Two G P, Graves had no problems grabbing
the lea d off the lint", with Jerry Evans Jr. right
be hin d and Mo ntoya in th ird . Exiting tum nine,
M on to ya dra fted a n d pa ssed Evans on hi s
M ichael Mon to ya Sr .-tuned TZ250 as lap two
go t u nd e r wa y. Monto ya wasn't d one, as he
quickly closed th e ga p o n G raves and passed
him exi ting tu rn two. Mea nw hile, Troy Maturo
emerged fr o m the pack a nd pa ssed Evans to
take over third .
With the s ta rt of la p fo ur, G rav es drafted
a nd pas.sed Montoya to retake the lead . For the
nt"xt thr t"t" la p', Gra\."t"S hung o n to th t" It>a d,
despite Mon to ya ' s best effo rt s . On lap se ve n,
Monto y a fo u nd his c ha nce, passing Gra\'t~·s
be tween turns o ne a nd two . As the nex t two
laps clicked off, G raves kept right up on Mo n·
toya 's rear tire. Howl"Vcr, m idway through lap
nint>, th e le.ad e no e n cuunh~red ba ckma rkeno.
M on to y a had no pro b lem s g e tt ing p a st t he
s luw~ rid ers, bu t G ra ve> was held u p slightly
an d lost a few seco nds o n Montoya. That tu m
uf events played we ll for Maturo, as he sudden ly cJo St'd up o n G ra ves. As the la s t lap g ot
und er way, Ma tu ro shot past G ra ve s ex it ing
tu rn two . AI the line, it was Mont oya with the
win, followed by Matu ro in seco nd and Gravcs
third.
" It was a WOlr o u t there," exclaimed Mon toya on the victo ry stand. " 1 nxle rea lly consistcntly and just ea 5l.-d around Chuc k an d pullt..>d
away ."
Results
F-I : 1. Chud< C raW'O(Suz}; 2. Willi..m Becl< (SW': ;J Mld\.:ld
)
MUIl oy " fY"m) ; 4. Tro y M..luru (Y"ml ;5. 1k'l1W,,1ch (Sud.
t
F· 2: 1. Michdd Montoy. (Ydm) ; 2. Tro y M.. lum (Ydm) ; 3.
Chuck C raYal (Suzl; 4. k rl')' £YaM (Suz ); lad; f'fei f~'I' tHon) .
F-]~ I. Vicky ,~Iuon. 1k>11 (Han); 2. Toby J~ ( Hon); 3.
J..hn l-lupl i.ruo (U" n); 01. ,•
SI...II"n ( Hun); 5. L. V. u ghn M,ml '
s.
....,.n
""""'" ""' 1i~"'ltt (I-Ion); 2. Jdf Rhcau~ lSuz); 3. JclIfty Cartl. (Y.lIn); 4. CraIg Cool. lSuz ); 2. Frank Ar.~lU (Suz);
J . r.ul Mwnford {K.lw!; 01. BryttC.,.. ; 2. Curt. Ad.uM (Suz); 3.
WIDiM\ B«i (So,az) 4 . J-.. Cateharlf; lSuz); S. Dun \'incem (Y.un).
;
500 MOD rROO: I. J..n-my Toyt' tHon ); 2. Rog l·r 1Lok.n(Y.m); 3- J..... Milloy CY.m); 4 , M.rt.. ~ O'.m); S. Bukh
c:.u
Erwm(Y.m) .
lJlll MOD r kQD: I. HuaIJ WIf\k.koI, ('t.unJ; 2. Robbte'tam·
ruM.y (H oN; 1 M ..rlr. C",,!dy ("(.m); 4, BryUl KovU'id. ; 2. P.ull ~ umfon:l Slrf ~Y"m).
M) BEG: I. Kyk PlInn<.) (JUo,wl ; 2. /I.i.ItOfI Mak~ U<.aw); 3.
'
J.D . Mool'1P (te.w ); 01. Ma tthew speeeee (Kaw); 5 . Bud 1(""l1
y
(,,",w i
•
60 NOV; 1. Ry.anFerris .
125 BEG: 1. ~id McGr"t h (Y" ml ; 2. Bri.ln BallArd (lion); J .
5N.n Sbq;>rr(HonJ .
125 l\'OV: 1. 1t.Indy Norma" (fton); 2. Ed MMuJ.t. (.... w) ; J
~.tr Willwms fY.m); 4. Stno.. Thi~ il ipc.gnur> o-kln);S M.rtr. FiNr'l' (K.w)
VET :'IIQV ; 1. 101m Moen (K.Iw); 2. Jim Brrr>ruo:n tSuzl; 38o:Ib Moll:hdl (}jon) .
By Bret Eckert
Moore, Waite master Rainier ST
SACRAMENTO. CA JUN!13
Results
'clf
wu
Tony Fox ( Rbl) .
!lOA: I. JAIo:Ob E1lil; (HIXI ; 2. Andy F.J.y (lYw); 3. Timmy H.ty)
CDC ( M W)
k
1IO A. I. Qui" Wdil ll'(H"n ); 2. Milr h Vt'rtlUn [r . (",ml; J . Kyl..
Iunsn!Hon) .
lW DTX ~ I. N ick ~lIcrs (Su z); 2. J~1'rY tuonscn ( Ho n ); J.
Midlael Rochrsln' (Honl.
125 A· 1 Ons W.itro (Hun) ; 2. Brad Smi th (K.w); J SNn
li Kht (}lur».
Hold", (Horo); 3. KIUt
250 A : 1. En c IJcTn (lion); 2.
t u wk (Hon).
2SODTX ~ I. KIln H.lwlr. (Hon); 2. Nath.J. Wh.anon (Hon); 1
n
'.cub
......... Hc,w.... ( Ho. .).
.
JO. 0f'El'0'; I. Guy Moore Q-kJr>J 2. Tony FO>< .
Vl'lT 250 : 1. Sri ..n MeGo",,;al O'.J.m); 2. Sune H UlUJi ..
.
O' ..m );:\ 8ri.tonSrmll CYiI", 1
V1NT TW : 1. Mik fLunn CY an); 2. Wilhll' Wan:l fY.am); J .
.
Guy Bcach {Tn ).
50 Ii: 1. Ene B~ 2. TykT Sdl.aff
.
~ SR· I . Ty"'" Thomp->; 2. RDby Hlycock; 3. <:IIrU CalorW
srDWY A . J. Srth O"urn
By Clay Lig ht
Bri.m BalI.ltd em~r~t'd as the to p Vet &-ginner
this week at KB Racin g' s Friday N ight Su pe rcro>s.
In the first Vet BeWnn er moto, Blind PiK Rac·
in g' s Ed Slac k, Ca rmichae l Handa·sponsared
Ballard, a nd RM-muu nh.>d Ge ne Brand t took tht>
ea rly le..r brot hers, Ma r k .1 nd Bil l. On la p two ,
Gagnon wen t do w n, allOWing thc Foste r boys to
g....t around .1nd ro und out the to p five pos itilms.
Ga g no n ret a li.ltt"d o n la p thrt>e, di splaci ng Hill
Fo ste r a n d h is YZ l2S ba c k a s p o t. Cag no n
w as n ' t thro ugh with till' Fost er s a nd , o n la p
four, ove rto ok Racenl Pit Sto p-sponso red Mar k
Fos ter to regain fourth. On la p five, Mark Fos ter
ba ttled back and piloted his KX250 past Gagnon
a nd back into fourth . No ont> e lse was able to
ad vance positi on s, a nd at the chec ke rs the top
five pLKei Wt"I"t" filled by Slack , Balla rd , Brandt.
Mark Foster a nd Gagnon.
The sbrt of moto two loo ked to be d repeat
of tht> first , ali Slac k a nd 8dllard fiUed. the to p
posi tions, with Mark Foster, Brand t and Gagnon
ruu nd ing o u t the top five . On la p two, Marl
Foster fell off the pace, letting both Brandt and
Ga gnon pa st. While the b.1ttle fo r the lead con·
tinut"d, Brand t was ha ving probleII\S of ~ own.
try ing to m a intai n t hi r d O\'cr Fo s ter a n d ·
Gagnon, a nd eve ntually s-lipped back to fif th
behind t ht> two . With this being the df"ri di ng
mo ta , Ba lla rd w as riding t he w h ee ls off hi s
scooter an d was finall y able to gd aroun d SIad.
o n lap th n>e and take o ver tht> lead . Gagnon got
ca ug ht up in th e actio n and za pped Foste r for
th ird . On la p four, Brand t fo u nd an e ne rgy
reserve a nd o ve r took Mark Foste r for fou r th
place. For the res t of the mota, Slack was fruitless in his attempts to rega in the lead , a nd W d!:>
forced to fill the runncr-up position at the check ers . Gallino n was dble to keep his C R in th ird
position o ve r Brandt, w ith Mark Foste r fillin g
th e fifth spot.
RAINIER, WA.Jlil'.'E I~
Gary Moo re a nd Was hingt on 's Chri!'i
Wait e were double class winners a t the o pening
round of the l o-roun d Northwest [}eaten;.' Chalk-ngc 5l..-rics, he ld a t the Raini e r Cycle Bowl.
Moo re won the Ovl' r 30 ~n A main an d the
highl y com pL"titive Open A ma in aboa rd a vin·
tag e Ho nd a, \\-hile Waite used his Hon da CRSO
'
lind C Rl25 machines to wa lk a way with a two\O\;n decimation of the 80cc a nd 125ee A m.1ins.
Micke y Fay , Spe edy Ken a nd Dun Wilson
we rc each victo rious d Uring the Expe rt prelim i·
naril.S a nd were positjon..-d inside of the fro n t
'
ro w for the 12-rider , I S-la p ma in ev en t. w hic h
would pay o ver $500 to win. Fa y, just as he d id
here St"Ver al wet' ks ago, jumped out in front of ,
th e field a nd into lln im mediate, untou cha ble
lead . Na tion a l nu mber 49 Ch ris Fitzh ug h rod e
a n o utsta nd ing race, hold ing off the ad va nces of
Wilson a nd Kell throug hout the final to nab second. Wilson kept Kell a t bay for third, a nd Jeff
Annen wa s fifth .
Beau Brown and Joe Uon.z were the P~Am
heaf.r.lex wi nners, bu t it was all Bro\\"Ila nd his
potent Bruce Brown-tullt .>d Ro ta x in the main
t'Vt"Ilt Bmwn ht-"Jd strollg under incred.iblt" pres.su re from seasoned Pro-Am rider Mar k Patt erson to picl up the win. Th ird went the way of
Honda rider Bruce Scott. fonowed by Geo rge
Prindiville, Tt"rry Akin a nd th e po ur-s tarting
Lcnz.
Moore , th e winner of bo th of his Over 30
Oplan and Open A heat ra ces, tr ad ed two po lt"
positions fo r t wo firs t-p lac e trophies at th e
aw.ards ce re mo nies. Moore wa s out fro nt a ll
cvening. lon g, bea ting Pro-Am riders M,ark Pat ·
te rscm and Ton y Fox for the Open A main win.
then came belck to bea t Fox and fonn~ District
Cha mpion Frank Mock to cap off his two-win
tally in tho OWl"30 Open final
Wai te, the onlv other doubl e winne1', Tan ou t
fro nt for nea rl y all of his heat races a nd both
mai n t"vt"n ts. Only cu rre nt 125cc-d a ss poin ts
leadt>rs Sean U gh t an d Brad Smi th would lead
tht:" HOC'(" Na tional DTX Cha mpion . lbat, though.
'
was o nly for th rl.C la ps in the 125cc heat race.
Ort>go n'~
5I'DWY B: 1. Smokin'
Jur.
Palmer pounces
at Lawrenceburg ST
By John Spurrier
LAWRENCEBURG, IN
,JUNE20
Af ter thr ee weeks of rain and flood s, la w renceburg rcnewed its program uf Friday nig ht rac·
ing, an d yo u ng Za ch Pal mer won hili first Open
A fea tu re, beating ma ny of the track's ve teran s
in the process.
Th e firs t star t attemp t in the O pc n A cla ss
was r t>d.f1agged a fte r m ost o f the fi rst row
jum pl.>d the light . Tommy Henn sler, Nic k Hum·
m e l, Dd mo n S ta p leton, Jo e l Brow n , Joe
Matt hews Jr . a n d Ph il W olf a ll w e n t to th e
pena lty line. Th e seco nd sta rt lasted 1 than a
l'SS
lap , wh e n Bro'A slid down coming out o f tu m
'll
four, co llecting Wolf w it h him. Neithe r rider
was injw t'd , but both bikes were tan gled togeth.
cr, b ri nging o u t th e red fla g . The third st a rt
wo rked, and Palmer led the pack o ut of tu m two
and went wire to wire fat his win. Kevin Hiler
too k st,· amd, follo wl."CI by Wolf, He nnsl er , a nd
Humme l.
Stap leton got the holeshot and we nt on
u nconte stt"d fa r the win in the 250(( feature,
be a tin g Wu lf , Brown a n d C h a d A n t ho ny .
Bro wn ran in sec o nd p la ce until the last lap,
w hcn he lo w -sid ed in tu rn three, givi ng the
position to Wolf. Brown got up and ~t Antlu...
ny to thl! line for his third .place finish.
Wolf co n ti nued h is d omi nance of th e 125
and KOcccL1.HOcc race, but was unable to d o anything with the lead er . Both ri ders ha d a ha lf of a
la.p It"ad o\'~ third -place fmisher Joe Garrison.
Ch a d M e a ns a nd Kr ist a Slay back fi n ished
fourth a nd fiftl1, r~pt'ct iVt'l y .
Th e 50cc fea ture com bined o ne rid er o n nn
BOcc A u tomatic· dass b ike a nd fi ve rid ers o n
50cc bikes. Mikl! Fehring, o n the 80cr bikl!, won
