Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Round 3: NaUonal TraffRaceway AMAIPROSTAR NATIONAL DRAG RACING SERIES (Above) UK Pro Stock Champ Dave Beck (near lane) took Jay Regan's rental bike to the Pro Modified win over the Orient Express entry of Dave Vantine (far lane) during the AMAI Prostar Fast By Gast Nationals at National Trail Raceway. (Left) Tom Miceli brought Phil Gonesh's GS1150E to the win in , the Quickest Streetblke Shootout, giving him two wins in two weeks. By Matt Polito COLUMBUS, OH, APR. 24-25 f you want to run a Pro Modified bike but don't have the wherewithal to field one yourself, then you might consider renting one from Jay Regan of MRE. British Pro Stock champ Dave Beck did just that and brought Regan's Suzuki to the winner's circle in the AMA/Prostar Fast By Gast Nationals at National Trail Raceway. Beck, who has won the UK Pro Stock championship four out of the last five years, took part in Regan's rental program (a complete course in Pro Mod racing dubbed "Pro Mod Xtreme") at the season-opening Sunshine Nationals in Gainesville and ran a respectable 7.05, but he went out in the first round. He took the Columbus title with a combination of strong laps and a little luck. Rickey Gadson took the lop spot in Pro Mod qualifying, hitting a stunning 6.86 on his new ZX-ll turbo built by Terry Kizer, but a broken manifold took him out in rO,!-"d two against Beck, who qualified ninth and then got by Jay Riddle to make the final against David Vantine. Vantine, running the Orient Express Suzuki prepared by John Gainey of PeW Racing, became the third Pro Mod Kawasaki in the sixes, with a 6.99 qualifier, and ran a pair of 7.025 going into the final. He got the holeshot over Beck but could only manage a 7.10/181 as Beck took the Win, running his best time of the weekend - and his career - at 7.04/182. IT II· Ii ... ... ~ ~ " ., • §! N 1;' 2! 42 "It's a great feeling to come here and win this class," said Beck, a farm-equipment operator. "Jay and his crew did a tremendous job. l'm going to run his bike for at least two more events this year - more if I can afford it." For the past three seasons, Gary Clark has had a lock on the Orient Express Funnybike class. While he won the opening event of the season at Gainesville, he hasn't made the winner's circle since. His final-round loss to Bryan Bennett at CoLumbus marked the first time since 1996 that he has gone without a win for two straight races. Clark qualified his Koenig Kawasaki on the pole at 6.88/196, but Bennett had the hot bike on Sunday, setting the performance marks of the event at 6.724 seconds and 206 mph on his turbo EFl Kawasaki. Bennett ran his slowest time of eliminations in the final but his 6.83/190 enabled him to get by Clark, who got out of shape and slowed to a 7.22/152. Lectron Pro Stock champion Paul Gast took his first win of the season, getting by rookie sensation Fred coms in the money round. Collis, running the Star Performance Parts Suzuki, qualified in the top position for the second straight race, running a 7.23 in Columbus, qualifying and setting the e.t. mark of the event with a 7.22 in the first round. But Gast, the savvy veteran, had a better string of laps in eliminations, averaging a 7.25 in the first three rounds to gain lane choice over Collis in the final. Gast got the holeshot and pulled away for the win, 7.28 to 7.31. Collis had the top speed for the class in the final, running a stout 186 mph. Kawasaki factory rider Rickey Gadson took his second straight Superbike win, qualifying number one at 8.53 and turning a final-round 8.66/152 on his ZX-7R to get by the GSXR of Preston Vann, who struggled to a 11.28/123. The odd, nine-bike field put the top two qualifiers (Gadson and number-two plate holder David Mayo) against each other in the semifinals, and it was the best race of the class. Gadson got the holeshot and recorded an 8.80 as well as the fastest speed for the class, 155 mph, to turn back Mayo's quicker 7.78/152. Mayo didn't leave the race empty-handed, however, as he was able to back up an earlier 8.641 for the new Superbike elapsed-time record. Last season, Keith Dennis practically owned the Kerker 600cc SuperSport class - making every final and winning five - but he has gone without a win in the early part of 1999. He took his first win of the season at Columbus, handing Michael Phillips his second final-round loss in the last three events. Phillips led qualifying with a 10.25/129 on the Cheese Steak Davis ZX-6R, but Dennis turned up the wick on Joe Marasco's MSP /F&S ZX-6R in eliminations, setting a new e.t. record at 10.201 in the quarterfinals against Atlanta winner Chip Ellis. Dennis then got by the Kawasaki of Marty Ladwig to make the final against Phillips, who beat Team Suzuki Sport rider Traci Farr in the semis. The final was over quickly, as Phillips hit a red-light foul, throwing away a 10.29 as Dennis took the win with a 10.41. . Super Gas champion Bruce Sauer was the star of the sportsman ranks, scoring a rare double with wins in the APE Super Comp Series and the RC Components Super Gas series. It was the first time a rider won two classes at an AMA/Prostar National event since Bob Carlson did it in 1992. 'Sauer was the first to do it on two different bikes. Sauer, who lives 15 miles from National Trail Raceway, has been n'amed to the Kawasaki factory team this season and will take delivery of his new ZX-ll-powered Trac Dynamics Razor just prior to the next event on the schedule, the Schnitz Street Fighter Nationals in Chicago. Other Sportsman winners included Scott Wall in the Star Performance Parts Top Gas series and Kevin Blackmore in the Pingel Pro ET series. Ra y Metzger took the win in Street ET, riding the 1999 Hayabusa he rode to the track from his home in Alabama. The Fast By Gast Nationals was the first AMA/Prostar event of the season to feature the Schnitz Quickest Streetbike Shootout for the world's fastest street-legal motorcycles. Tom Miceli took the top honors, qualifying number one, running the quick lap of the event and taking the win on the GS1150E of Phil Gonesh. Miceli, fresh off a win at a pointsearning Rockingham Raceway event where he also qualified on the pole, led the 23-bike field at Columbus with a 8.321/172, followed closely by Keith Dennis on the MSP GSXR at 8.324/171. Former Sbootout winner and number-three qualifier Brock Davidson stepped up in eliminations, hitting an 8.27 on his Suzuki 120DS Bandit, but he was turned back by Miceli in the semis, 8.23 to 8.43: In the final, Miceli met Chris Williams, who earlier had run strong numbers of 8.25/176 on Danny Cable's Suzuki. Miceli got the holeshot in the final and took the win, 8.28 to 8.39. _ National Trail Raceway Columbus, Ohio Results: April 24-25, 1999 (Round 3 of 8) FIBJ<, 1. Bryan Bennett (](aw); 2. Gary Oark (Kaw). PRO MOD: 1. Dave Beck (502); 2. D

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