Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

The second round of hea ts started the same wav the first round en ded, in a :>-3 tie, as sChwartz got the gate an d we nt all the way, followed by the Northern duo of Pat Linn and Felicio. In the second heat of the second round, Lucero was tossed o u t fo r to uc hing the tapes before the start. Randy Di Fr an ces co rep laced Lucero , bu t co ul d o nly wa tch as Hedden and Dave Faria staged a nice bit of team rid ing to sweep the to p two spots a nd give the North its first breathing room in the points race. Mike Faria once ag ai n go t th e Sou th a wi n in the next ride, only to see the points remain even again as th e North's Kossuth and Sisemore took the next tw o spo ts. Bast had a fine ride in the closing heat of the second round, as he and Bob Hicks took th e lead p ositions over Lucero - who wa s subbing for Oxley - and McConnell. After tw o rounds, the North had opened up its lead, 29-19. In the third-round opener, Schwartz and Faria - who wa s a tactical replacemen t for Ackroyd - swept to a 5-0 win ove r Kossuth and a struggling Sisemo re. Bas t won his thi rd straight race in th e next hea t, but the South kept pace as Lucero and Northrup finished in the second and third spots. The South continued to whittle away at the North's points lead in the next ride, when Faria took hi s third win and Eddie Castro finally got the heavy track figu red out and took th e second -place points. Bobby Hedden then brought the crowd to its feet in the closing ride of round three as he teamed with Dave Faria to score a 5-0 heat - this time over Oxley and McConnell, the latter suffering from mechanical troubles that removed him from contention early in the race. After three rounds, the South managed to reduce the North's lead from 10 points to six, 39-33. In the first go of the final round, the South sent out Lucero to ride for Ackroyd in the hope of gaining a maximum, but the North foiled their ploy as Hedden and Dave Faria once again set the pace, leaving Lucero in third and Schwartz in the tum-two dust. Lucero came ba ck in his re gularly scheduled ride, combining with Northrup to post the 5-0 win, which the South desperateIy needed at this point in th e event. Rookie Billy [anniro, subbing for Linn, had a good rid e go ing in second plac e, but his youthful exuberance go t the best of him and he ended hi s night in th e turn-four boards just before the checkered flag . But ove rall, The North' s lead was back to six po ints. The next heat sa w th e e n tire field down on the second lap. After a compl ete restart, Mike Fari a co nt inue d his perfect eve ning , takin g th e front spo t a he ad of Bast , who d ro p ped his fi rs t point of the evening . With Cas tro mainta inin g third p la ce i n th e h ea t, the North' s lead wa s cut to just four points. But in the final heat of the fourth round, Sisemore finally d rew the insid e starting posi tion, which he put to perfect use as he got the gate and never lost the lead. Kossuth made a great mo ve to take o ver second place from McConnell in the seco nd turn to complete another 5-0 sweep for the North. At the completion of the four rounds of regular heats, the North held on to an eight-point margin, 52-44. Th e B Final brought Sisemore and Kossuth back out for the North, while the South 'co u n te r ed with Schwartz and Northrup. Once again, Sisemore drew the pole and got out to a perfect s tart to leave the field beh ind . Kos suth also matched his last ride, finishing second. Schwartz was third and Northrup fourth. Little did most people realize that the North had just clinched the ove rall win. The crowd still went crazy as Aubur n resid ent Bast got the best start from gate four and pulled ahead of Mike Faria as the two fas test riders blas ted down th e back straight on the first lap. Fari a tried to reel Bast in on th e next th ree la ps, but Bast was on his ho me track a nd wo uld no t be denied . Lucero, who ca me off the pole, was off the ma rk a nd had to se ttle fo r th ird , ju st ahead of Hedden. Th e fina l margin of victory fo r th e No r th was 17 p oi nts , 76 -5 9, but more importantl y, it m eant th at last yea r's win by the North wa s no fluk e. The event was nonetheless very·closel y contested, and with many fans already anticipating next year's battle, 1998 may be the year that the North fina lly and truly evens the t:x score. - . .- - Gold Country Fairgrounds Aub urn, calif orn ia Resuns: July 25. 1997 aVIL WAR: 1. No rth (76); 2. Sou th (59). A MAIN: 1. Bart Bait Qaw); 2. Mike' Faria (G M); 3. Steve Lucero Oi1w); 4. Bobby Hedden Ua w), 8 MAIN: t. Jim my Sisemore Qaw); 2. Loui... Kossu th O.lw ); 3. Bobby SchWo1rt:% (GM); 4. An dy Nort hrup Ud W ). Second annual M Motocross N fl at LACR ini a Young takes two By Greg Robertson PALMDALE, CA, jUtY13 a lifo rn ia Racing Club, in co njunction with Thousand Oaks Yamaha and Burger Kin g, hosted the second annual Mini Motocross Nationals at Los Angeles County Raceway, and Michael Youn g wa s a doubl e-title winner, picking up wins in th e Big Wh eel Expert class with a 2-1 and the 80cc (1416) division with a I-I. Pee Wees, bOce and BOcc racers were let loose on the perfectly prepped highspeed j. B. Memorial track for a day of ex celle n t racing . An awa rds presentation by th e s po nsors sa w a co u p le of lu cky riders w in m onetary awards toward college schola rs hips, w ith one lu ck y participant takin g home a new Yam aha PW50. The openi ng Big Wh eel Expert race turned into an immediate battle for the lead between Young and fello w Honda rider Christopher Gosselaa r. For the first five la ps, th e tw o fro nt-runners w er e nearly side by side in an in tense fight, wi th Gosselaa r fina lly d iv in g underneath Young in a sweeping left-bander to gain control. Young stay ed glued to Gosselaar's back fend er until the checker s wa ved . Christopher Tocco gated third and would run uncontested to finish in that position . Levi Reid and R.j. Thompson argued o ver fo u r th until Reid dropped out wi th problems. Chris Nahan finished fifth. Young ed ged out Gosselaar and Tocco for the second-moto holeshot. Gosselaar's charge, for the moment, came to an end in the third turn of the race. 'They just watered the track, and I came through the corner and there were a few kickers and my front end started hitting them, and I got a little head C shake and hit a berm and crashed," Gos selaar said. Young was flyi ng as he started to pull away from Tocco and Reid . Tocco went down, ex tend ing You ng's lead a little farth er. By lap three, Young had a 15-second advantage over Gosselaar, who had came from last place to pass Reid for second. Gosselaar was on a tear, sha ving over a seco nd a lap off Young' s pace. Go sselaar had Young in his sights when he go t out of sha pe in a series of whoops and was slammed to the g round, e ffec tivel y ending his charge for the day. The checkers fell for Youn g a couple of laps later. " I don't know what happened to Gosselaar," sa id H onda R&D /FMF/ Smith-backed Young. "I looked back off a jump and saw Chris (Tocco). Cosselaar was catching up with me, but I guess he went down again. I tried to set a pace at the beginning so I wouldn't be too tired at the end. It was a good ride. I'm pretty happy. I've just got to go to Tennessee and do good now." Tocco worked his way back around Reid to earn seco nd overall with :>-2 finish es. Young returned to dom inate both rounds of 80cc (14-16) racing. jonathan Shimp used a couple of good starts to go 2-2 on his YZSO. Reid used consistent 44 rid es to top the 3-5 score of Kurt Caselli for third o ve r a ll, with Thompson goi ng 6-3 for fifth overall . KTM-m ou nted Tanner Langham was the other double-title winner on the da y. The AXO / AC Racing-ba cked rid er put four per fect motos togeth er to sweep the Pee Wee Superstock (7-9) and Modified (7-9) classes. Tylor Hemme was the runner-up in bot h classes aboa rd his Cobra, goin g 2-2 over Cl a yton Murillo a nd Colton james in the Mod ified class and 5-2 in the Supe rstock races to defeat th e 4-3 of David Medina and 6-4 of Nicholas t~ Evans. Results P/W YAM BEG: 1. Brand on Do ll (Ya m); 2. Sean Sp ringt.T (Yam); 3. Michacl Alsobrook (Yam); 4. Tannt'T Nicks (Yam). PIW BEG : 1. Cla yton Mu rillo (Cob); 2. Preston Lundin (J<.. M); 3. Log an RU S li~lI (KTM); ... Shawn i Rhinl'hdrt CL.-m) . S/5 T K (4 -6): 1. Trent Pugmi re (Lem j: 2. Shawn BUIItcT(JCThH. SlS TK 11-9); 1. Tanner Lang ha m IKTM); 2. Tylor Hemme (Co b ); 3. David Mrd in.a (Act ); 4. Nichol.a~ Evan... (KTM); 5. Shana Rhinehart (Lnn) . MOD 10-6 ); 1. Jacob Buelne (Lem j: 2. Cameron Colber (Yam). MOD (7· 91: I. Ta n ne r Langha m (KTM ); 2. Tylor He mm e (Cob); 3. C lo1ylon Murillo (Cob); 4. Colton James (1.em). 60 BEG:.1. 'onatha n Ara na (K.1w); 2. Bryan Ho1ldutt (Kaw): 3. Bradley Hatchitt (Kaw); 4. Ryan Lasko (Kaw); 5. Colton JaDll.'fl (K.1w). 6O(U~ 1. Edward Hm1ng (Kaw);2. Stt:vm Han (Ka w) . 60 (9-11): 1. Sean Co llier (Kaw); 2. Andrew Petri e (KAw); 3 . Rdn d.all H .dl (K.iw). 80 BEG : 1. Kylt" Foltz (Kaw); 2. Miltt' Schunema n (Hon); 3. '"mie Kll'in (J(., w); 4. Andl1."W Pt.'Im,. (Kawl ; 5. Ga rre tt ~k- (Suz). (Above ) Michael Young won the Big Whee l Expe rt ctass and the 80cc (14-16) divis ion at the second annual Mini Motocross Nationa ls, hel d at the Los An geles Cou nty Racew ay in Palmdale, Califo rn ia. 80 (7-11): 1. C hri" Na han (SU:.I:); 2. Sean Co llie r (Kaw);.3 . Daryl Ed lu nd (Ya m); 4. Edward Herring (Sud; 5. Antho ny II.tl"b.! vi (Y"m). co 80 (12-13): 1. Scott Howe (Yam); 2. Kevi n H unt er (Yam); 3. J,l."OTl tluM:t.lnd (}(.aw). 80 (]4-16l: 1. Micharl Young (Bon); 2. Jonathan Shun p (Yam); 3. Levi Reid (Yam); 4. Kurt Cawlli (K.1w); 5. R I. Thompso n (Kawl. B/W AM: I. Bob by Steff a n ( Kaw) ; 2. S teven Montgomery (Han). 81W EX: 1. Michael You ng (Han); 2. Chris top her Tocco (Ho n); 3. Chnstop her CosscL1• (Hon) ; 4. levi ar Rrid (Yam): S. R.,. Tho mpson (Kaw). Rodriguez rocks the OTHG SX By Chri s Ssnch lrlco M ORENO VAllEY,CA./UlY 12 With great sta rts , consist ent riding and a littl e luck. Dave Rodriguez took the overall victory in th e Intermediate class with a 2-1 a t the Starw est Over the Hill GangSupercross. Rod riguez socketed his CR to ta ke the lead at th e start of moto one, hea vil y pursued by Phil Means, Doug Fun derburg and Chris Sanchirico. Rodriguez held the lea d as Sanchir ico worked his wa y pas t .Fund e rburg and Mea ns to tak e second . Rodriguez and Sanchirico then went to bat tle fo r the lead. Sanchirico wa s ab le to gas hi s YZ a nd rail the outsi de of a berm to ta ke the lead for good and cru ise to the checkers. Rodriguez went unchallen ged to finis h second . Mea nwhile, a heated battle for the third through fifth pos itions erupted betw ee n Funderburg, Dav e Peifer and John Pindard. Peifer mov ed into the th ird- p lano spot but then crashed..giving it back to Fun derbu rg. Late in the more.. Pindar d sec u red third place by pa ssin g Funder burg a nd main tai n ing the position to the checkers. Mot e-two actio n sa w Rod rig uez aga in g rab the holeshct. Sanchirico, who was in four th off the sta rt. quickly work ed his wey u p to second by passing Peifer a nd Means. and then bega n to pra.'\ut'e Rod riguez. The two riders were going for the ove ra ll victory a nd neith er one was letting off the throttle. By lap two , Sanc hiriro had mo ved by Rodr igu e z fo r the lead a n d w a s pulli ng away with wha t appea re d to be the overall win un til disaster struck when his rear hub d isin tegrated . Sanchiriro managed to avoid a DNF by push in g his bike across the finish for 10th place . Rodriguez seized the opportunity a nd put his CR in to the lead . cruisin g to the mo to and o ve-rall win. The rare for seco nd and thi rd between Mea ns. Peifer a nd Bruce Cris we ll In tensified, with Peife r securing second a t the finis h. followed by Criswell and. Mea ns. Resutts · BE 1. Dave ~ 2. Ray C: krlft: ... BtlI Buuman; 5. Ic'H "'~. NOV : I . Tom 'o'bdcwk'h; 2. v~; 3. G.1th GaJ... s.- RodTi~ 1. ~Codwr. ... ONn Cormo; 5. Jdf H.unbtio. L"IT: 1. Dave Rodri~ 2. rtUl ~; 3. 8ru« Cri:owd1; 4. OlIve htfw; 5.,Iotut Plnc1.>rd. EX: 1. !to'" Rt"!'Sl'T; 2. 101",," Coppedge: 3_ Rogn HoI,......; .. o.nTe-n."nld • rRO: I. W~ M~~; 2. CTAig liof frnri.' Ittt; 3. JiII'I Umn; 4. Ma~ JohNon: s. TOJIY ~nJ;tM"l.. ~. "FG: 1. Doug Sf~ph~M; 2. Tr.cy Scr't"don; 3_ Deoln T....JII. NOV : 1. Dave StepheN,; 2. li m rlcree; J. Bill MillM; .... St.-.C1lmu",,;5. Toi i Rice. m 1Il. 1ST: 1. Rub Town lry ; 2. Ric'k l'unrD; 3. Miny W~ Jnoln;4. KenT.pm; 5. o.w H..rthman. 3lI+ EX: 1. CA ne. )e tuv.ron; 2. Gn:g Cra:n,; 3. Gary 5chadlcr. ... Gn.og Wil1l.romll; 5. NId eo.t ..1Iu.

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