Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127985
IF YOU MISS THIS TRIP... we'd be here every year. If the sponsor's keen again, I'm sure we'll be back, and hopeful]y we won't be struggling next time." For Esser, it was his best AMA finish ever. "I'm real excited about it," he said. "I really didn't expect to be up here, but I was real happy about it. These guys had a little acceleration on me out of the comers and there wasn't a whole lot I could do about it. I stayed there and it just all worked out. I didn't realize I was third until right toward the end." Sorensen knew where he was and how little he could do about it. He knew he'd dug himself a hole with his heat-race crash. Sorensen didn't know that he'd gapped Lavado. "I thought he was still there," Sorensen said. Entering the corner, he was still straight up and down and on the brakes of his Honda RS250, not -even leaned over yet, when the "thing just went out from underneatll me." lllat sent him to tlle second wave for e start of the race, with a lot of riders to get through if he was to make a run at the front. Soren en used the draft of those riders to move toward the front, then hit a gap in tile field and was forced to ride by himself for much of tile second half of the race. "For all tlle hassle we had this weekend, it turned out it wasn't so bad," Sorensen said. There was a tllTee- then two-rider fight for fifth which went to the flag. Cycle . City's Derek King and Gilbert Racing's Colin Gilbert stuck to each other for tile second half of the race, after they dropped Team Motorrad Rennsport USA's Perry Melneciuc from tileir group. Melneciuc would later retire. Gilbert was in front on lap 10, then King took over, initially using traffic to shake off his rival, with Gilbert soon corning back at him and taking the spot on the 15til and 16th laps. King passed Gilbert to take fifth on the final lap, with Broward Motorsport's Quenni King taking seventh. Jeff Vas stayed in front of Englishman Gavin Lee to take eightil, the pair having pUt from a four-rider pack contesting the spot. Tenth place went to yet another Briton, Neil Richardson on a S'N'M Racing Honda RS25O. CItI ___you're just plain stupid! OBERTS ~- =-~R~ANCH Ilh Randy Mamola GRAND PRI OF B HIMALAYAS EXPEIITION TO TIE TOP OF TIE WORLD! Some opportunities pass our way only once in this lifetime. Ride with us over some of the highest and most desolate land on the planet. Our motorcycle journey will take us on a breathtaking route as we ride higher than 18,000 feet to Khardung La, the highest motorable road on the earth. Incredible passes, Buddhist monasteries, and not a lot of pavement. August 1-13. Call for our brochure. Daytona International Speedway Daytona Beach, Florida Results: March 7, 1999 (Round 1 of 12) MAZDA 250 GRAND PRIX: 1. Luis lavado (Yam); 2. John M<.'Cuiness (Hon); 3. Greg Esser (Hon); 4. Charles Sorensen (Hon); 5. Derek King (Han); 6. Colin Gilbert (Yam); 7. Quenn; King (Yam); B. Jeffrey Vo' (Hon); 9. Gavin Lee (Yam); 10. Neil Richardson (]ion);·n. Jeffrey Leggitt (Hon); 12. Rolando Quintero (Hon); 13. Eric Stephens (Hon); 14. John France (Hon); 15. Nobusoshi Kanie (Hon); 16, Edward Sorbo (Yam); 17. Jeff Wood. (Yam); 18. Leon Cortes (Hon); 19. James Worthington (Apr); 20. Keith floyd (Yam); 21. Mark Sweeney (Yam); 22. Christopher Holsk (Yam); 23. Francesco Pellegrini (Yam); 24. Gary Berbaum (Yam); 25. William Dale Whelan (Yam): 26. Andrew Edwards (Yam); 27. Ko'1 Gill (Yam); 28. Sarnan Pe,rern (Hon); 29. Mike Silvester (Yam); 30. George Taylor (Yam); 31. Scott Menezes (Hon); 32. Duncan Farash (Yam); 33. Michael Deblanco (Yam); 34. Matthew Bettencourt (Yam); 35. Ty David Piz (Yam); 36. AI SalaverrL1 (Apr); 37. Keller King (Yam); 38. Adam Neal (Yam); 39. Kevin McCrea (Yam); 40. Perry Me1neciuc (Hon); 41. Ron Fyson (Yam); 42. John Burgoyne (Hon); 43. Chris Ulrich (Yam); 44. John Mossey (Yam); 45. Colin Jensen (Apr). Time: 35 min., 48.480 sec. Distance: 18 laps, 64.08 miles Average speed: 107.373 mph Margin of victory: 6.312 Sl.'C. MAZDA 250 GRAND PRIX C'SHIP POINT STANDINCS (After 1 of 12 rounds): 1. Luis Lavado (37/1 win); 2. John McGuiness (32); 3. Greg Esser (29); 4. Charles Sorensen (27); 5. Derek King (26); 6. Colin Gilbert (25); 7. Qucnni King (24); B. Jeffrey Vo' (23); 9. Glvln Lee (22); 10. Neil Richardson (21); 11. Jeffrey Leggitt (20); 12. Rolando Quintero (19); 13. Eric Stephens (18); 14. John France (17); 15. Nobusoshi K.lnie (16); 16. Edward Sorbo (15); 17. Jeff Wood (14); '18. LL~1l Cortes (13); 19. James Worthington (12); 20. Keith Floyd (11). Upcoming Rounds: Round 2 - Phoenix, Arizona. March 21 Round 3 • Rosamond, California. April 18 . ~ en .s::: ~ '" :::IE 27