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Dirt Track Round 2: Perris Auto Speedway WEST COAST FLA T TRACK SERIES By Fred Wlndum Photos by Allen Enterprises PERRIS, CA, JUNE 12 . efending West Coast Flat Track Series Champion Lonnie Pauley returned to his winning ways in the Open A class at round two of Gene Romero's West Coast Flat Track Series at Perris Auto Speedway, sharing the night's honors with Open Vintage-class winner Jeff Johnson. . Perris Auto Speedway's banked half mile oval was host to some of the fastest flat-track racers west of the Rockies in the series' second and final visit to the Inland Empire facility this season. Romero's race format allows a wide variety of motorcycles to compete together in two classes, featuring current pros without the severe limitations of the National circuit, plus vintage motorcycles - and riders - that might remind you of the glory days of places such as Ascot Park. Pauley, on his Bill Fagundes-tuned Wood-Rotax, led Husaberg rider Rob Damron and Steve Johnson in the first Open heat after getting around Jim Kelly's 1200cc Harley, which was being ridden by Jim Rosa. The agile singles had a distinct advantage on the Perris oval's banked turns, but the acceleration of the big twin was evident any time Rosa twisted the throttle. Heat two went to Jesse Sanchez, followed by Robert Seay, but not far ahead of the Shell Thuet-built Yamaha 7S0cc twin of Bob Cobb and Kenny Noyes on the second Husaberg. Steve Mayfield grabbed heat three on his Mayfield Brokerage Wood-Rotax, the first of a sweep of the Californiamade bikes, ahead of veteran racer Randy Bereman, Levi German and Brent Vollbrecht. . Rialto's Jeff Johnson was the only twin rider to win an Open heat. Johnson, aboard one of the Dodge Brothers' XR7S0s, passed the factory ATK of A.J. Herrera. Don Hart dropped Herrera to third, and Danny Ritchie took fourth on the Brown's Cycles Yamaha 600. Only the first-place riders transferred directly to the main. JRC British Spares stepped up to sponsor the Vintage class, posting cash awards for the winners of the evening's pre-'76-mounted and over-3S-year-old OJ 48 racers who prefer not to compete against the Open Pro bikes. Johnson continued to win heats, this time on the Harold Hanvey's Progressive Suspension/Olympia Water/Fontana Radiator Triumph, ahead of Norton-mounted Rosa, veteran Triumph racer John Hateley, and TTSOO-powered James Steet. Bob Cobb was out front in heat two on the Shell Racing SFOI Yamaha twin, trailed by Rick Reed and Pinon Hills' Jeff Johnson, both on Triumph twins, and Don Frauenberger, one of two twostrokes braving the banking. Sal Peluso, on the www.f1attrack.com-backed Triumph twin, took the top spot in the third and final heat over Norton rider Clyde Dennen, Art Fredenburgh (who led the race before apparently seeing black spots on the white flag) and Keith Bradford. Pauley got first pick for starting position in the Trophy Dash, but Johnson drove off the line to lead into turn one, with Lonnie Pauley looking around the outside for a way around the seasoned former National number holder. Johnso~ had the drive out of the corner to lead into the turn. Johnson's XR had a slight power advantage on Pauley, and Johnson took the cash and the first-place trophy, with Pauley second and Mayfield holding off Hart for third, while Sanchez and Bereman completed the race close behind. After the complement of semis that further channeled riders to the A or B mains, Jim Gardner led the Vintage B main ahead of Brian Coakley, Maurice Ortega and Gary Pettis. Coakley powered his Yamaha twin around the outside for the lead, as Pettis stuffed his Bultaco inside Ortega for the third spot. Late in the race, Pettis used the low line in turns one and two to take the lead on the back chute and score the win. Herrera lined his ATK up on the pole for the Open B main, next to Seay, Noyes, Vollbrecht and Pinon Hills' Jeff Johnson. After the green light, Noyes fired his L&R Husaberg into turn one ahead of Herrera, Seay and Vollbrecht. Eric Wood ran fifth on his big TwinSports 883. Seay worked past Herrera for second. Volbrecht was fourth and Johnson fifth, followed by Wood and Norm Francis. Danny Ritchie and Ward McKee dropped Francis back two spots, and Ritchie also made it past Wood. Defending West Coast Rat Track Series Champion lonnie Pauley (1) rebounded from his disappointing first-round performance to capture the Open A feature win during round two of the series at Perris Auto Speedway. Noyes was riding hard, the Husaberg twitching and bucking coming off the . comers, with Seay on his tail, watching for a mistake that would not come. Rialto's Jeff Johnson and Cobb diced for the lead as they went into the fiist turn to start the Vintage A main. They were shadowed by Steet and Reed. Reed, on the Progressive Suspension/ JRC/Riding Tiger Triumph, powered past Steet coming out of turn two and settled in to watch Cobb hound Johnson for the lead. Cobb pulled alongside to run wheel to wheel with Johnson, who gained a bit of an advantage going into turn one, losing the front wheel, although not long enough to allow Cobb to do more than eliminate the gap between them. Fredenburgh began to move up through the field, passing. Dennen and Pinon Hills' Jeff Johnson to pull in behind Steet. Rosa pulled in behind the second Jeff Johnson as well, as Dennen began to tire, dropping off the pace. Johnson, Cobb and Reed settled in while Fredenburgh motored past Steet on his Yamaha twin. Steet managed to hold .off Pinon Hills' Johnson with better corner speed on his SOOcc Yamaha. Rialto's Johnson pulled away for the win. Cobb was in second, trailed by Reed, Fredenburgh, Steet, Johnson, Rosa and, from the back of the pack, John Hateley. Pauley jumped into the lead on the first flash of the green light as Rosa tangled with another rider and tumbled down the front straight. The red flag came out, and Rosa and crew struggled to straighten out the Jim Kelly 1200cc Harley. With the bars and forks straightened and the front number plate ducttaped back in place, Rosa rejoined the field for a complete restart. On the restart, Mayfield ran it up the inside of Pauley to lead down the back stretch, but Pauley had a line through the middle of three and four tllat carried him around Mayfield and back into the lead. Steve Johnson charged from the pack to fall in behind Mayfield, while Damron and Hart closed the gap. Jeff Johnson, back on the Dodge Brothers XR, slipped inside Hart for the fifth spot. Damron dropped back away from Steve Johnson, as Jeff Johnson pulled up on the XR to try an inside pass through turn one. Steve Johnson kept the momentum up through the corner, shutting Jeff Johnson down in his attempt. Damron pulled back up and inside Jeff Johnson to take fourth back and set out after Steve Johnson. Singles ran in the top four spots, with the XR-mounted Jeff Johnson trying to • pass Damron on the outside of turn three, but Damron got a big drive coming onto the front straight, not only holding off Jeff Johnson but passing Steve Johnson to pull into third. Sanchez, on the move now that his Continental rear tire had heated up, took positions from both of the Johnsons, and then moved into third, behind Mayfield. But the action was halted when Cobb went down, unhurt, in turn one on the racing line, bringing out a red flag and a total restart. Pauley, Mayfield and Damron battled for the lead into turn one on the restart, with Steve Johnson hauling around the outside to pull the second spot. Mayfield, Sanchez and Damron followed. Hart and Jeff Johnson also joined the fight, with seven riders in the lead pack. Then Pauley bobbled coming out of four, slowing Steve Johnson and giving Mayfield a window of opportunity to retake second. The pair ran side by side through the next lap, with the advantage going to Mayfield. Damron, •. in fourth, was joined by Sanchez as his tire began to heat up. By the time the white flag waved, Pauley had a comfortable lead, while Mayfield had his hands full with both Damron and Sanchez. Pauley went on to take the win, with Mayfield just able to hold on to second, and Sanchez slipping by Damron for third. Steve Johnson was fifth, followed by Hart, Noyes, Jeff Johnson, Rosa and Seay to round out the top CII 10. Perris Auto Speedway Perris, California Results: June 12, 1999 (Round 2 of 4) Open A fAST QUAL: 1. Lonnie Pauley (W-R). TRPHY DSH, 1. Jeff Johnson, Rialto (H·D); 2. Lonnie Pauley (W-R); 3. Steve Mayfield (W-R); 4. Don Hart (W·R); 5. Jesse Sanchez (W-R); 6. Randy Hereman (W-R). S, 1. Kenny Noyes (Hbg); 2. Robert Seay (W-R); 3. A.J. Herrera (A00; 4. Danny Ritchie (Yam); 5. Brent Vollbrecht (W·R); 6. Ward McKee (KTM); 7. Jeff Johnson, Pinon Hills (Ya,m); 8. Eric Wood (H-D); 9. Norm Francis (A00; 10. David Sanchez (Hon). A: 1. Lonnie Pauley (W·R); 2. Steve Mayfield (W-R); 3. Jesse Sanchez (W-R); 4. Rob Damron (Hbg); 5. Steve Johnson (W-R); 6. Don Hart (W-R); 7. Kenny Noyes (Hbg); 8, Jeff Johnsoo (H-D); 9. Jim Rosa (Hon); 10. Robert Seay (W-R); 11. A.J. Herrera (ATK); 12. Randy Bereman (W-R); 13. Danny Ritchie (Yam); 14. Levi Gennan (W.R); 15. Bob Cobb (Yam). Open Vintag~ fAST QUAL: Jeff Johnson, Rialto (Tri). B: 1. Gary Pettis (BuD; 2. Brian Coakley (Yam); 3. Jim Gardner (Yam); 4. Reuben Malagunmero (H-D); 5. Gary Ritchie (Yam); 6. Maurice Ortega (Tri); 7. Marshall Jennings (Yam); 8. Brett Bemis (Yam); 9. Ken Bnrrow (Yam); 10, Chuck Claydon (Yam). A: 1. Jeff Johnson, Rialto ('frO; 2. Bob Cobb (Yam); 3. Rick Reed (Yam); 4. Art Friedenburgh (Yam); S. Jim Steet (Yam); 6. Jeff Johnson, Pinon Hills (Tri); 7. Jim Rosa (H-D); 8. John Hateley (Tri); 9. Gary Pettis (Bu1); 10. Don Frauenbcrger (Yam); 11. Clyde Dennen (Nor); 12. Sal Peluso (Tn); 13. Keith Bradford (Yam); 14. Brian Coakley (Yam); 15. Reuben Malaguamero (H~D). WEST COAST fLAT TRACK SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 2 of 4 rounds): OPEN A: 1. Lonni.e Pauley (29/1 win); 2. Rob Damron (28); 3. Steve Johnson (26); 4. Billy Martin (23/1); 5, Don Hart (22); 6. Jeff Johnson, Rialto (21); 7, Robert Seay (20); 8. (TIE) Ron Brown/Steve Mayfield (19); 10. (TIE) Mark Corsetti/Paul Iwanaga/Jesse s..,nchez/Kenny Noyes (16). OPEN VINTAGE: 1. Jeff Johnson, Rialto (48/2 wins); 2. Art Fredenburgh (34); 3. Jim Rosa (28); 4. Jeff Johnson, Pinon Hil1s (27); 5. James Steet (26); 6. Don Frnuenberger (22); 7. Bob Cobb (19); 8. Keith Braddford (17); 9. Rick Reed (16); 10. Tom Horton (15). Upcoming Rounds: Round 3· San Jose, California, June 26 Round 4 - Watsonville, California, July 17