Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Events Brad Spencer (foreground) and Tom Horton (background) race side by side during round four of the AHRMA Classic Bike Na1ional Dirt Track Series at Willow Springs International Raceway. Horton grabbed two class wins, and Spencer' took two as well. AHRMAIClassic Bike Magazine National Dirt Track Series, Round 4 Horton, Spencer take two By Dennis Suter ROSAMOND, CA, APR. 2 he fourth round of the 1999 American Historical Racing Motorcycle Association national flat-track series was held at Willow Springs Raceway on a cold and windy night that saw more than 120 entrants participate on the decomposed-granite half mile oval. The Classic 500/750cc race for 1967and-earlier brakeless machines was the race of the night. Former National rider Rick Hocking of Bellingham, Washington, and Allen McBee fought a side-byside duel for most of the eight-lap race. McBee jumped to an early lead on a beautiful black Ariel single, but Hocking, riding high up against the hay bales on Butch Cochran's Triumph twin, took the lead for good on the sixth lap. McBee came back to win the Dino class for pre-1951 machines, over Michigan's Craig Brecken and AHRMA dirt track coordinator Gary Davis, all on Triumphs. Dave DuVamey and Tom Hensley rode Indians to the fourth and fifth spots. Wisconsin's Mike Gilkey, on a BSA, got the holeshot over a large field of XRs and TIs in the new '70s Singles class. The BSA unfortunately broke on the second lap, handing the race to Yamahamounted Brad Spencer. Ron Hinton passed Paul Herman for second on the fifth lap, and Mike Gonzalez finished fourth. Spencer, fresh off of two big Sportsman 600cc wins in National races during Speed Week in Florida, also won this class at Willow. Paul Herman led from the green flag, with Tom Horton in second, but Herman's Yamaha quit on the third lap and Spencer drove from the fourth position to take the lead. Dominic Demario also passed Horton, finishing second at the flag. T 46 Marshall Jennings and Larry Harness wapped the lead in AHRMA's other new ational class, Super Senior Over 60. Jennings went on to win, as Harness' ailing Triumph dropped him to fourth, behind the Hondas of Sam Coray and Wayne Rantz. Marty Lewis came from deep in the field to win the Over 50 Senior race over Tom Booth, on a 750cc Yamaha, and Triumph rider Warren Adams. Over 35 Vet winner Tom Horton led from wire to wire, but Bultaco-mounted Jeff Lessley gave Horton a good race. Brad Holt grabbed the Sportsman 250cc lead, but Jeff Lessley motored by on the second lap, never to be caught. ick Nazzisi passed Holt on the fourth go-around, and- Tom Horton also passed Holt on the la t lap for third. Horton did lead the 12-lap Sportsman 750cc race from start to finish, while Brian Coakley and Bob Cobb fought over second from the fourth lap to the finish. Coakley made the final pass on the last lap. The first three riders were all Yamahamounted. Steve Hensley, on a Trackmaster BSA, was fourth, and Marty Lewis, in his first Sportsman race, finished fifth. The Oassic 250cc class saw Maurice Ortega ride to the early lead, but Tom Horton pushed his Ossa to the front. Horton and Bultaco rider Jeff Lessley then proceeded to show the fans a classic duel. Lessley's pass on the sixth lap was the winning pass, but Horton was right there to the checkers. Gary Davis won the Classic Open race from the line. Dave Harness moved in to second on the third la p and Chris Apple, in his first big-bore race, finished third. All rode Triumphs. Ron Brown, who can usually be found on a vintage Indian or Harley at an AHRMA race, was Yamaha-mounted for the Support-class race. Brown was never headed, but Randy Bereman and Danny Ritchie contested the second spot for 12 laps. Bereman finished second, with Richie third. Wayne Warrington mixed it up with Bereman and Richie from lap seven to lap 10, but he dropped back to fourth at the finish. 1:1I Willow Springs International Raceway Rosamond, California Results: April 2, 1999 (Round 4 of 15) SPTSMN 2SO: l. Jeff Lessley (BuD; 2. Nick Na>.z;s; (Bu1); 3. Tom H.orton (Yam); 4. Brad Holt (Bul); 5. Brian Coakley (BuI). NOV 2SO: 1. Roger Wmiger (Yam); 2. Richard Held (Oss); 3. Lany Pnce (Bul); 4. Mike Hun. (Hon). SPTSMN 600: 1. Brad Spencer (Hon); 2. Dominic Demario (Hon); 3. Tom Horton (Hon); 4. Brad Holt (Bul); 5. Gary Lower (BSA). OV 600: 1. Ted MeUo (Tri); 2. Takeshl Koikeda (Hon); 3. Cary Swan (TrD; 4. Dave Cheney (Tri); 5. Bruce Yoysimer (BSA). SPTSMN i50: 1. Tom Horton (Yam); 2. Brian Coakley (Yam) 3. Bob Cobb (Yam); 4. Ste"e Hensley (85A); 5. Marty Lewis (Tn). NOV 750: I. Jim Grnnt (Tri); 2. David Harness (Tri); 3. Froo Berger (Tn); 4. Bob Woller (Tn). else 250: 1. Jeff Lessley (Bul); 2. Tom Horton (Oss); 3. Maurice Ortega (Bul); 4. Tom Booth (Bull; 5. Jerry Bland (H·D). CLSC SOOI75O, J. Riel< Hocking (Tri); 2. Allen McBee (AnI; 3. Cra;g Brecken (Tri); 4. Oark Edg;ngton (Tn); s. Bill Kiriakidis (Tn). eLSe OPEN: 1. Gary Davis (Tri); 2. Dave Harness (Tri); 3. Chris Apple (Tri); 4. Daryl Fosrer (85A). 5. Bob Waller (Tn). DI 0, 1. Allen McBee (Tri); 2. Crn;g Brecl

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