Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

AHRMAlSpeed &Sport Vintage Trials Series, Round 5 (Left) Saracen-mounted Kevin Blaty topped the Classic Novice class at round five of the AHRMA Speed & Sport Vintage Trial held at Willow Springs Raceway. (Below) Chris Chomko (372) grabbed the holeshot, but it was Mike Dougherty Jr. (not shown) who came back to win the Collegeboy class with a 1-1 at Hurricane Mills. Chomko took the holeshot in both motos and went 2-2 for second overall. (Bottom) Jeremy Cook (60) snagged both holeshots en route to winning the Schoolboy class with a 1·1 at the third round of the 0-7 Manufacturer's Contingency M.X Series, held at the Hurricane Hills Sports Center in Clifford, Pennsylvania. Smith smooth at Willow Springs By Matt Hilgenber.g ROSAMOND, CA, MAY 3 ugene Smith took top honors in the Modern Classic C class at round five of the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association Speed & Sport National Trials Series held at Willow Springs International Raceway. During this Garage Company's Corsa Moto Classica weekend, spectators were also treated to an AHRMA ational dirt track and two days of AHRMA ational road racing, along with a bike show and swap meet. The trial also served as a memorial to Barbara Martin, a tough competitor and genuinely dear participant in AHRMA trials lost several weeks ago to cancer. Eight sections were laid out on the rock-strewn mountain directly behind the road race track by trialmasters Matt Hilgenberg and Matt Parsons. Section one gave the most headaches to the "1" and "2" line competitors, as a loose, steep climb claimed its share of fivepoint rides. Section eight was an infamous "Cameron Box," which is a simple-looking series of three lBO-degree turns that takes a good number of points during the day. Smith's 13-point score was well clear of Rick Wheeler's 23, and better than anyone riding the "3" line, regardless of class. The second-best "3" line ride went to Don Kelley, riding a Triumph Cub, whose 16 gave him the Premier Lightweight Novice win over Charles Sales and Roger Brophy. Modern Classic B was th€ largest class, and featured a tightly bunched group of riders when all the scorecards were turned in. Bultaco-mounted Rob Bush earned the win with' a 10, while second went to Bucky Martin (13 points), followed by Mike Rieser (14) and Scott Chapman (15). A close contest could also be found in Classic C, where eventual winner Kevin Blaty, on a Saracen, and Bill Conner were tied going into the final few sections before Blaty took control.The father-and-son duo of Larry and Steve Varnell competed in Mod€m Classic A, with the' "old man" coming out on top this time. Son Steve took some time getting used to the Bultaco since he spends all his trials time on a modern single-shock machine. l.~ E Willow Springs Raceway Rosamond, California Results: May 3, 1998 (Round 5) PREM HIW A: 1. Matt Hilgenberg CArl) 5 points. PREM HJW B, 1. Cary Davis (R·E) 14. PREM H/W C, 1. Dan Wilson (BS!\.) 19; 2. Jim Holbrook (Mat) 64. PREM UW A:. 1. Brid Caveney (Tn) 11. PREM UW C: 1. Don Kelley (Tri) 16; 2. Charles Sales (Co,) 32; 3. ROlieT Brophy (Cre) 42. eLSe c: 1. KeVIn Blaty (Sar) 20; 2. Bm Conner (Suz) 24. MORN CLSC A, 1. Larry V"!,,elI (Bul) 20; 2. Steve Varnell (BuI) 28. MORN ClSC B, 1. Rob Bush (Bul) 10; 2. Bucky Martin (Yam) 13; 3. Mike Rieser (Yam) 14; 4. Scott Chapman (Kaw) 15; 5. Nonn Bigelow (Bu]) 30. the small step-up double iri the back section of the course, it was still Cook out front, but Ginolfi got by Sigmund for second, with Santuro and Shumski holding on to fourth and fifth. Ginolfi had closed the gap on Cook to two bike lengths by the la t lap and seemed to be waiting for Cook to make a mistake so he could get by for the win. It didn't happen, and Cook took the win ahead of Ginolfi, Sigmund, Santuro and Shumski. Cook took the overall win, Ginolfi took second (2-2) and Sigmund snagged third (4-3). Chomko easily snagged the holeshot in moto ·one of the Collegeboy class. Pavl Waslin, Eric Schuster, John McKean and Willie Bozak rounded out the top five through the first tum. By the end of the first lap, it was Chomko, Waslin and Schuster in first through third, with Dougherty making his way into fourth' and McKean dropping to fifth. On lap two, Chomko held on to the lead while Waslin went down, moving everybody up a spot as he dropped to fifth. Dougherty got by Schuster at the end of lap two and quickly challenged Chomko for the lead. Dougherty attempted several unsuccessful passes for the lead but finally got one to stick on the last la p near the starting area. Moto one finished with Dougherty taking tlie win over Chomko, Schuster, Waslin and Bozak. It was instant replay for Chomko as he absconded with the holeshot in the second moto, with Anthony Poccia, Rich Heverly, Schuster and Waslin in tow. By the halfway mark of lap one, Dougherty had managed to move up to fourth. The top five were now Chomko, Poccia, Schuster, Dougherty and Waslin. Near the end of lap one, MDRN CLSC C, 1. Eugene Smith (Hon) 13; 2. Rick Wheeler (Suz) 23; 3. Jon George (Hon) 36; 4. W.e. Quick (Bul) 61. BEG: 1. Craig Leonhardt (Mon) 29; 2. Don Duquette 32; 3. Steve Wheeler (Yam) 52. SNCl·SHK A, 1. Randy Lew;s (C·C) 12. AMA 0-6 Manufacturer's MX Contingency Series, Round 3 Education time By Jim Sanderson CLIFFORD, PA, MAY 3 eremy Cook and Mike Dougherty Jr. each gave lessons in motocross technique as they raced to wins in the Schoolboy and College.boy classes, respectively, at the third round of the AMA District 6 Manufacturer's Motocross Contingency Series, held at the Hurricane Hills Sports Center. Racing began under cloudy skies, with the racecourse wet and muddy due to heavy rains the previous day. By mid afternoon, track c9nditions had greatly improved due to the excellent work of promoter Tom Hurd and his grooming crew. Round three of the series turned out to be a great day of racing, with factory contingency from Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha being awarded to top riders racing in 25 classes. Rider turnout for this round topped J 400. Cook blasted through the pack to snag his first holeshot of the day in th.e 125cc Schoolboy class, followed by Mike Sigmund, Scott Fleece, Mike Leavitt and David Ginolfi. With not even a whole lap completed, Cook had opened up a huge lead by the time he made his way through the nasty Hurricane Hills whoop section. Sigmund held second and Ginolfi had moved up to third, with John Santuro and Frank Shumski rounding out the top five. On lap two, Cook's lead was reduced to 11 seconds when Ginolfi managed to move up a position. Mike Leavitt was now in third, with Santuro and Sigmund close behind. On lap three, Cook had no trouble doing the 95-foot step-up jump, followed by Ginolfi, Leavitt, Santuro and Sigmund. Near the end of the· lap, Sigmund challenged Santuro and made the pass with an inside line on the small double jump before the finish line. When the checkered waved, Cook took the win, followed by Ginolfi, Leavitt, Sigmund and Santuro. Cook managed to snag the holeshot again in moto two, followed by Sigmund, Ginolfi, Santuro and Shumski. At Chomko got out of shape in the difficult whoop section, allowing Poecia to take the lead. It was short-lived, however, as Chomko recovered quickly and passed Poccia back at the ta bletop jump to regain the lead. Just behind the battle for the lead, Dougherty was going bar to bar with Schuster for third. Dougherty got by Schuster on the spectator triple and quickly began challenging Poccia for second. On the downhill straight after the huge step-up, Dougherty and Schuster blew by Poecia to take second and third, dropping Poecia to fourth, with Waslin holding on to fifth. Poccia, getting on the gas in an. attempt to get third place back, overshot a turn, which allowed Waslin to take fourth. Dougherty then got by Chomko and quickly opened up a fivesecond lead. Rounding out the top five were Schuster, Wastin and Poccia. By the last lap, Dougherty's lead was now 10 seconds over Chomko, while Waslin got by Schuster for third and then got by Chomko to take second. At the checkered flag, it was Dougherty

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