Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

America.s weekly motorcycle newspaper Volume XXXVI Sharon Clayton, President Michael Klinger, Publisher Editorial Paul Carruthers, Editor Kit Palmer, Associate Editor Scott Rousseau, Associate Editor Mark Hoyer, Managing Editor Keith Bush, Assistant Editor/Copy Editor Matt Freeman, Assistant Editor Alan Cathcart, European Editor David R. Holther, Copy Editor Advertising Western States (714) 751-7433 Terry Pratt, National Accounts Manager Mark Thome, Western Sales Manager Forrest Hayashi, Western Sales Manager ·Rhonda Crawford, Ad Coordinator Bridgett Bobrofsky, Assistant Advertising Eastern States (770) 934-7850 Greg Mitchell, Eastern Accounts Manager Jim Clark, Eastern Sales Manager Carla Allen, Ad Coordinator Marketing &: Promotion Mark Thome, Director Forrest Hayashi, Manager Kory Klinger, Dealer Representative New Media Development Rick Matheny, Webmaster Classified Ads Melissa Alvarado Graphics and Production Mandy Loo, Art Director Amanda Wollny, Lead Graphic Artist Paul Fisher, Graphic Artist Administration Judy Klinger, Coordinator Pam Kle.in, Administrative Assistant AccountinglData Processing Donna Bryan-Diamond, A/R Coordinator Geneva Repass, Assistant Theresa Milburn, Credit Circulation Alma Anguiano, Circulation Manager Carol Maggio, Processing Coordinator Joy Lau, Dealer Coordinator Service and Support Shannon Clark, Receptionist Jim Olson, Service and Support National Headquarters 3505-M Cad:illac Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626 P.O. Box 5084, Costa Mesa, CA 92628-5084 (714) 751-7433 FAX (714) 751-6685 Eastern'Office 4188 First Ave., Tucker, GA 30084 P.O. Box 805, Tucker, GA 30085-0805 (770) 934-7850 FAX (770) 934-3112 e-mail edjtor@cyclenews.com subscribe®eyclenews.com advertising@cyclenews.com Internet http://www.cyclenews.com Cycle News (USPS 141·340) is published weekly except the last two weeks of the calendar year for $50.00 per year by Cycle News, Inc., 3505-M Ccldillac Avenue, Costa Mesa. CA 92626. Periodicals Postage Paid at Costa Mes.l, CA and at additional mailing office. Canada PosllnternalionalPublicaHans Mail #546615. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Cycle News, PJ). Box 5084, Costa Mesa, CA 92628--5084. To determine the expiration date of your subscription, Check the fout numbers on the first line of your address label. The first two digits indicate the last issue number you'll recejvc and the' last two characters indicate the year of the last issue. Subscription rates: Rntes for the United Stntes and its possessions for one year (SO issues), $5(1.00; t\vo years (l00 issues), $95.00; six months (25 issues), $26.00; trial sub (15 issues), $19.00. Canada and Foreign, one year (SO issues>. $90.00; two years (l00 issues), $175.00; six mOI\ths (25 issues), $45.00; trial sub 05 issues), $38.00. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Squirrel I would like to express my.gratitude for the article you did on TT legend Eddie Mulder (Issue #9, March 10). I was touched by how you depicted his cm:eer, from the desert days in Lancaster, California, to the infamous Ascot TT. He was instrumental to me and to what I believed · TT racing in the '60s and 70s should be. He was also that to most of my friends who raced IT in District 38. Not a day went by that Eddie's name' didn't surface in conversations relating to sliding our Hodakas and Bultacos around tracks similar to the ones he dominated. I'll never forget the weekend Eddie came' to town. He was accompanied by most of his pals from the Los Angeles area to our small track east of EI Cajon - a place called Dehesa. Our closest competition to him and his pals were Calvin Rayborn, Travis Penton and Myron Carter all of Whom rod~ Triumph 650s. After the initial start (two rows), Eddie came down the short straightaway, perhaps a quarter-mile long, in back of Skip Van Leeuwen, and was going so fast where others would have started thinking about slowing down for the comer. Eddie, however, stayed on it. The result: He overshot the comer by a mile, went through a small wire fence and into the pit area. All the local riders, including myself, stood there in disbelief. Then, 10 and behold, Eddie emerged from a cloud of dust - unhurt. That's what I remember about Eddie. By the way, Van Leeuwen won the Open Expert class that day. Timmy Leque timmiel@inmate.com God and racing 1 am writing in response to the letter written by Mr. Rod Perez ("Voices," Issue #9, M~ch 10), regarding God and racing. I do agree that as a professional racer, the result of winning races is the goal of any team, much the same as personal production in the workplace. I'm sure the · decisions to remove someone irom a team or any job because of poor results from their efforts is necessary and a sad fact of life, no matter how you make your living. I feel Mr. Perez is trying to limit God's ability when he said in his opening remark, "God or a person's religious beliefs have no effect or place in the sport of motorcycle racing." I believe it is sad that God has been removed from many things we enjoy, but in times of crisis He is the first person that we call upon. I admire any person who has the courage to publicly thank God, or creator, for blessings - whether they are on the winner's podium or in the workplace. If a person is a good role model and a Christian, he or she is the true winner. Mike Taylor Elizabethton, TN The Roberts Here are some thoughts for Fran)< Derryberry to consider while he complains about the comments of Kenny Roberts and Kenny Roberts Jr. regarding superbike racing. Since the sWitch to four-stroke from two-stroke racing as the engine of choice in AMA pro racing, America has really had no one who has seriously challenged for the 500cc World Championship. Our most successful GP riders, with the exception of Eddie Lawson, had extensive two-stroke experience at the AMA level, under the old regime of the '70s and earl)' '80s. Secondly, ad hominem remarks such as "Get a life" with regards to Roberts Jr. are simply indicative of someone who is extremely immature: say, of about an eighth-grade .schoolyard mentality and certainly not from a person possessing any maturity, and such remarks tag Derryberry as likely too young to even understand what he is talking about. Roberts Jr. is a Grand Prix rider, and that is something that Derryberry will never be. As to Roberts Sr.'s retirement: Why? He has done more for .the state of GP road racing in the form of three World Championships and the development of Eddie Lawson and Wayne Rainey (resulting in seven.500cc World Championships), .and apparently it is still rewarding for him. As for the comments about the Modenas as being "silly motorcycles," 1'd love to see you ride one, Derryberry - if you could pay for the damages. How many motorcycles have you ,developed, Frank? Where are they and when do they race? Innovators such as Kenny Roberts are much needed even if they don't live up to your benchmark of success. By the way, Frank, have you ever developed more than a cold? Phil Topps phill@warwick.net Sticking with AHRMA I want to express my wholehearted agreement with AHRMA on excluding Team Obsolete and its employees and racers from AHRMA events. I don't INSIDE: ISSUE #11 MARCH 24, 1999 DEPARTMENTS FEATURES SUPERCROSS ROWld 10 - AMA Supercross Series · from Houston FEATURE Roger Edmondson vs. AMA EVENTS 14 OFF ROAD Round 2- Grgnd National Cross Country Series from Georgia 20 RI!SULTS 40 NEW PRODUCTS 6 29 .45 CALENDAR 46 WANT ADS , : .54 . GUEST EDITORIAL :.71 LOOKING BACK 71 Cycle News welcomes unsolicited editorial material including en en en ~ stories, cartoons, photos, elc. Such materiaL if published, becomes the exclusive property of Cycle News. Reprinting in whole or part only by permission of the publisher. Advertising rates and circulation i.nformation will be sent upon request. See S.R.D.S. .....- n'A WBr, AUDITED CIRCULATION Printed in U.S,A. 4 Co~yrightc Cycle News, Inc. 1999. Trademark Cycle News reJlllltered U.S. PatentOffice. All rights reserved Round 2 - A1'1A National Enduro Series from Arizona 26 ARENACROSS Rounds 29-30 - AMA Arenacross Series .22 from Oregon ON THE FRONT COVER Australian Shane Watts won his second straight Grand National Cross Country event, this one being held in Georgia. Photo by Geoff Meyer. kno~ of any business, including mine, which would do business with a customer who infringed on their trademarks. Besides that, Team Obsolete and their "manager," Rob Iannucci, have no place in AHRMA. Mr. Iannucci apparently doesn't even know how to race motorcycles, since I have never seen him on the . track. AHRMA is not for "professional" race teams with managers, but for people who want to have fun, not watch the posturing of various members. Thanks, Jeff Smith and the AHRMA trustees, for trying to keep AHRMA an organization for fun. Dr. Virgil Elings Santa Barbara, CA The Russell file We finally get a chance to actually do something with the "American Motorcy~ cle" and now this. Scott Russell has been steadily improving and his test tiines have been near the top at· recent outings. Everyone is buzzing with anticipation as "Mr. Daytona" prepares for the Daytona 200. Of course, ESPN didn't have details of the incident, so we can only hope someope else was dumber than Russell. He better have been defending the honor of all the virgins in the world, or I'm gonna quit wearing my Harley jacket. Most people younger than I (40-something) may not know that Scott Russell's win last year made Yamaha the winningest motorcycle at Daytona with, you guessed it, Harley ranking number twp. I grew up on a Harley in the Midwest dirt tracks and am a diehard Harley fan check the Buell S1 in my garage. I was cheering for 'Chris Carr in his valiant a ttem pt to pilot the VR1000 to respectability and was sad to see him leave road racing; yet thrilled to see him back winning on a Harley in the dirt. I was hopeful when Pascal Picotte jumped aboard, and I was absolutely beside myself when Russell decided he was the man to put Harley back on the podium. Clearly, Mr. Russell never saw the movie "Bull Durham':' in which Kevin Costner (a.k.a. Crash Davis) tells his upand-coming superstar pitcher to never throw a punch at a drunk guy in a bar fight with his pitching hand. This can easily be interpreted for moronic motorcycle racers as, "If you have to go to a bar, shut the hell up and don't throw a punch with your chin." The whole episode gives a new use for duct tape: Slap some on yoUl: big mouth, Mr. Russell, and win something

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