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 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 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Caption contest Hallowed ground? What a surprise I found when reading the latest Cycle News (Issue #24, June 23). At first I thought the big manufacturers were doing a huge "power play," On pages 7-8 in the Southwick motocross report, you show pictures of Mike LaRocco on a Yamaha and John Dowd on a Honda, I then realized I hadn't put my glasses on, So after retrieving my fine spectacles from our vicious but old dog, I looked again, Holy mackerel, I was right. Someone in what I have always considered a perfect motorcycle publication had made a mistake. Fortunately, after realizing a simple yet important correction was needed, I wrote this note and gave my "second eyes" back to my faithful best friend, As a loyal follower and reader of 30 years, I guess I will let this infraction pass. Keep up the good work, as I patiently await my next issue of your newspaper, Ron Cobb Yucca Valley, CA I was bemused to read Barry Gregg's letter last week I guess it's a sign of the times that someone would explain away unprofessional behavior by reason of nickname, He said: "The whole Knievel spiel is cooL" Does that include being convicted of assault with a baseball bat? Evel Knievel, who wasn't good enough to make a living racing, got by because he was willing to risk his life jumping, and more often crashing, motorcycles, While I do admire his courage, I can't help but feel that the real tragedy that occurred a t Las Vegas was tha t he wadded up a perfectly good Triumph TT SpeciaL Was he flamboyant and entertaining? You bet he was, But that doesn't preclude someone from their responsibility to be decent. It is a shame that Barry thinks of Knieve! as being cut from the same cloth as such men as Carruthers, Hailwood, Despain, Vance and Carmichael. Those guys have class, Dan Henry Encinitas, CA New Media Development Kory Klinger, Site Manager Ron, we (Matt Freeman, Matt Freeman, Matt FreemanJ did screw up", Editor Classified Ads Alicia Fra nklin Hallowed be thy Evel Graphics and Production Mandy Loo, Art Director Amanda Wollny, Lead Grap"ic Artist Paul Fisher, Graphic Artist Administration Judy Klinger, Coordinator Pam Klein, Adlninisfrative Assistant AccountingfOata Processing Donna Bryan-Diamond, A/R Coordinator Geneva Repass, Assistant Theresa Milburn, Credit Manager Circulation Alma Anguiano, Circulation Manager Carol Maggio, Processing Coordinator Joy lou, Dealer Coordinator Donna Sharp, BWing Coordinator Service and Support Shannon Clark, Receptionist Jim Olson, Service and Support National Headquarters 3505-M Cadillac Ave" Costa Mesa, CA 92626 P,O, Box 5084, Costa Mesa, CA 92628-5084 (714) 751-7433 FAX (714) 751-6685 Eastern Qffice 4188 First i\ ve" Tucker, GA 30084 P,O, Box 805, Tucker, GA 30085-0805 (770) 934-7850 FAX (770) 934-3112 e-mail editor@cyclenews,cbm subscribe@cyclenews.com advertising@cyclenews,com Internet http://www.cycJenews.com Cycle New> (USPS 141-340);'; published w..~ except the last two weeks of the caJendar year for 558.00 per year by Cycle News. Inc., 3505-M Cadillac Avenue, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. Periodicals Postage Paid at Costa Mesa, CA and at additionalllUliling office. Canada Post International Publications Mail 11546615. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Cycle News, P.O. Box 5084, Costa Mesa, CA 92628-5084. To determine the expiration date o( your subscription, check the four numbers on the first line oJ yow address label. The first two digits indicate the l;ut issue number you'll rK'eive and the last two characters indicate the year of the last issue. Subscription rales: Rates (or the United States and its p0ssessions for one year (SO issues), $58.00: two years 000 issues), 5111.00; six months (25 issues), $29.00; trial sub 05 issues), $21.00. Canada and Foreign, one year (SO issues), $105.00; two years (100 issues), $195.00; six months (25 issues), $55.00; trial sub (15 issues), $42.00. Cycle News welcomes unsolicited editorial material including stories, cartoons, photos, etc. Such material, if published, becomes the exclusive property of Cycle News. Reprinting in whole or part only by permission of the publisher. Advertising rates arfd circulation information will be sent upon request. See S.R.D.S. g . WI'BPA ! VI MUIfIlo\Il(lIW. AUDITED CIRCUlATION ~ Printed in U.S.A, 6 regIStered U.s. Patent Office. All righls rrserved'. Co~yrightc Cycle News, Inc. 1999. Trademark Cycle News First of all, I must be the first It> admit that I am not a daredevil, nor do I even partake in triples at motocross parks, However, I have been known to do some crazy and challenging things on motorcycles and therefore I believe I have the right to speak my piece, I have, like most kids around the time of my childhood, dreamed of being Evel Knievel and even tried some of his jumps (trash cans, and shopping carts as opposed to buses and cars), I do not believe that because Robbie is related that he automatically deserves the same credit and respect that Evel has deservedly received, Robbie is a great daredevil and I hope that he has a long, successful and prosperous career and continues to entertain the world, However, only when a man - any man - jumps the distances that Eve! has on a 1000-pound, 750cc machine that used drum brakes and virtually no suspension should that person receive the accolades that Evel has received, For the record, I was more impressed with Travis Pastrana's 207-foot jump using dirt take-off and landing ramps than I was with Robbie's Grand Canyon jump, where the landing ramp began at about the 200-foot mark. Alex Sokolov agsokolov@earthlink.net Road Atlanta: the final word After having attended the Superbike Nationals at Road Atlanta recently, I can only shake my head in disbelief at what I witnessed on Sunday, The level of competence displayed by the corner workers at turn 10 during the early-race incident involving Gabriel Henning and Joseph Fletcher was shocking, to say the least. The red flag should have been shown immediateJy (there wasn't even a , waving yellow initially, just a standing yellow with an ambulance on the racing line), The time has come to ensure that this type of situation never happens again, I think the solution is to have the AMA adopt a page from CART - in that we should have paid and trained professional comer workers and medical staff that travel to each round of the series, I realize this, costs money, so it probably won't happen, but if the AMA has any concern for the safety of the competitors then they will address this problem once ,and for all, I know that the corner workers and. medical personnel are hired by the promoters, but the AMA must show leadership and assume this role - now! Rick Hughes krhughes@tir.com Pichon's outburst In response to the recent expulsion of Mickael Pichon from Team Honda, I think, as well as some others, that he deserves it. Being a motocrosser and a new father, I plan to introduce my son to the sport of motocross in the future. If the fa ther has a problem on the track, don't you think he should take care of it himself? Pichon - what are you doing parking in front of an ambulance anyway? You should know better, It's obviously not your first race, The people who buy tickets to watch a race should not have to witness this sort of conduct. They want to see race action, not a couple of old mother hens bickering, I support Honda in its decision and want to thank the Pichon family for their role-mode! performance, Trevor Hoeckele hoeckele@erols.com Blackbird chuckles I just finished reading the. "First Ride" article on the Super Blackbird and had 'to laugh. Jack Valentine states: "Still, we're pleased we can beat the Hayabusa's claimed crankshaft figure with our proven rear-wheel power delivery," This is awfully well and good, but he's comparing apples and oranges, The Hayabusa is a mass-produced stock motorcycle delivered directly from Suzuki to the showroom floor, It plain stomps the stock CBRll00XX performancewise, For Honda to claim they have truly bea ten the Hayabusa, they need to produce a bike from the factory - not through a performance shop like V&M, I'm sure a hopped-up Hayabusa done by Yoshimura or Vance & Hines would smoke the 50th Anniversary Super Blackbird hands down. . And the above ramblings are from a self-proclaimed Honda freak, who currently owns two Hondas and has owned several in the past. I just had to comment on the article, as the comparison hardly seems fair - and I'm all for fairness in journalism, Of course, poking fun at others and getting silly is good now and then, too, Keep up the good work and speed safely, Tom Fetsko thomas_a_fetsko@national-city.com Say no to burnouts If I am correct, the incident at the United States Grand Prix at Laguna Seca that permanently injured Bubba Shobert was INSIDE: ISSUE #25 JUNE 30.1999 FEATURES ROAD RACING Round 9 - AMA/MBNA Superbike Series from Loudon, New Hampshire """"""""" ,8 Round 6 - World Road Racing Championship Series from Catalunya, Spain ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' , ' ,', , , , , , , .18 Isle Of Man IT , , , , , • , , , . , , , , , , , , , , ,42 DIRT TRACK Round 5 - AMA Grand ational, Dirt Track Series from Mineralwells, West Virginia " " " " " " " " " " ,28 Round.2 - West Coast Flat Track Series from Perris, California """""" ,48 EUROFILE "" .•. , .•. , .•. , .•. """ ,4 EVENTS ' , ' , , , ' , ' , . , , , ' , • , ' , , , , , , , ,49 LEADERBOARD ' , , , , .. ' , .. ' , • , , ' , , , ,65 INTERVIEW Repsol Honda's Alex Criville ' . , , , , , .32 FEATURE Surviving the Aprilia Cup Olallenge " ,36 MOTOCROSS Round 5 - AMA/Mazda Trucks 125/25Occ MX National Championship Series from Budds Creek, Maryland, , .22 DRAG RACING Round 6 - NHRA/Winston Drag Racing Series from<:olumbus, Ohio ,',"" ,40 Round 8 - World Championship 250cc MX Championship Series from Maggiora, Italy, , , , , , , , , , , , ' , , , , , , .38 OFF·ROAD Baja 500 from Ensenada, Mexico, , , , ,46 Round 6 - World Championship 500cc MX Championship from Teutschenthal, Germany, , , , , , . , , , , .39 DEPARTMENTS HILLCLIMB Round 3 - AMA National Championship Hillclimb Series from Steel City, Pennsylvania """','" ,47 CALENDAR " " " " . " ' . " ' . " , , , , ,66 WANT ADS, , , , ' , , , , • ' , , • ' , , • ' , , , , , ,74 IN THE PADDOCK, ' , .. , , •. , .•.. , • , , , .91 LOOKING BACK " " , , , , ' " , " ' , ' , " ,91 ON THE FRONT COVER Doug Chandler and his children celebrate Father's Day on the podium at New Hampshire International Speedway, Photo by Tom Riles, Inset: Kevin Windham won in the mud at Budds Creek Photo by Karl Ockert.

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