Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Ty Davis (Yam) was the overall winner at the Loretta Lynn's Two-Day ISDE Qualifier in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, June 19-20. He also earned the class win in the 250cc Two-Stroke division. Second overall went to 125cc-cIass winner Fred Andrews (Kaw). Andrews was followed by Mike Lafferty (KTM, 250cc Two-Stroke), Barry Hawk Jr. (Yam, 400cc Four-Stroke) and Destry Abbott (KTM,. 250cc Two-Stroke). Each day also counted as separate rounds of the AMA Acerbis National Championship Enduro Series. On Saturday, Davis scored the win over Abbott, Andrews, Hawk and Lafferty, while on Sunday, Andrews scored the win over Davis, Lafferty, Hawk and Luca Trussardi (TM). John Hamilton Jr. (Tri) won the 540cc class of the AMA Pro HillcIimb National Championship round in Hornell, New York, on June 20, topping Ted Wilkins (Rtx) and Paul Pinsonnault (Hon). The 800cc class was won by Lou Gerencer (H-D) over David Watson (Hon) and James Large (H-D). Rounds eight and nine of the AMA NATC Observed Trials series were held in Farrandville, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, June 19, and in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, June 20. Results for both days were identical, with Tommy Ahvala (G-G) taking the wins over Ryan Bell (Mon) and Geoff Aaron (Bet). After nine of 11 rounds, Aaron and Ahvala are tied for the points lead. Troy Bayliss (Duc) won both legs of the British Superbike Championship at Silverstone on June 20. The Australian beat John Reynolds (Duc) and Neil Hod,gson (Duc) in the first leg and then topped Chris Walker (Kaw) and Reynolds in race two. After 12 of 24 races, Bayliss leads Walker in the championship, 218-187. Kawasaki issued a press release on June 18, making it official that it will be taking its AMA Superbike road race team in-house for the 2000 season. "Our relationship with Muzzy Racing has produced highly positive results for Kawasaki over the years," said Kawasaki's vice president of motorcycle marketing and product management, Bob Moffit. "The combination of Kawasaki technology and Muzzy's racing and luning expertise has produced more AMA Superbike Championships than for any other brand in the history of the Superbike Series. It is with both sadness and excitement that we announce this important change of direction." According to the release; Kawasaki will continue various other business relationships with th.e Muzzy organization, including the sale of engines. Georgian road racer Mike Smith will race the U.s. round of the World Superbike Championship at Laguna Seca on July 11 on a Wet Motor Sports/White Endurance-backed Honda RC45, replacing Frenchman Jean Jeandat on the team. Smith may also get the opportunity to complete the 1999 World Superbike Series with the team. g § .., 2 Chaparral SuzuJd's defending AMA 750cc Supersport Champion Rich Alexander Jr. was taken to the infield medical center immediately following the 750cc Supersport final on June 19 at New Hampshire International Speedway. Alexander, who did not compete in Sunday's 600cc Supersport final, has contracted Lyme's Disease, a virus that is transmitted by ticks. "I've had it for three weeks," Alexander said. "Before Road Ameiica I went mountain-biking in the woods by my house and there's a very high deer population there. I guess that's how I got it - from a deer tick. It's an area that has high counts of Lyme's Disease. There are so many different scenarios with the disease, so I'm going to a specialist today Gune 21). I've had various symptoms. I couldn't breathe well, my joints hurt and I'm tired. There are so many different things going on, I just don't know enough about it. After the 750 race, I collapsed and they took me to the medical center. My body went into total shock. The whole weekend I'd only done seven laps at a time, and after doing 24 laps in the race, my body just shutdown." A U.S. plan to impose still import duties beginning this month on certain European products - which could double the price of some European motorcycles has been delayed for a month, according to the AMA. U.S. officials sought World Trade Organization (WTO) permission to impose a lao-percent import duty on $202 million worth of products to be chosen from a list of 75 European goods. The list includes two categories of motorcycles: 51 to 250cc, and 251 to 500cc. The planned tariffs are in retaliation to the IS-member European Union's longstanding import ban on American beef treated with growth hormones. The Europeans have failed to lift the ban despite a WTO order to do so. The United States wants to impose $202 million in inport duties to equal the amount of money it claims its beef industry loses each year because of the ban. The new tariffs were to go into effect as early as June 13, but they were delayed when the European Union asked the WTO for arbitration, disputing.the United States' $202 million figure. Under WTO rules, the arbitration must be held, but it also must conclude by July 12. The Over The Hill Gang held its annual event at Mammoth Mountain Motocross in Mammoth, California, June 19-20. Scott Myers (Yam) had no problem taking the Vet Pro-class honors, with Terry Fowler (Hon) and Craig Davis (Yam) finishing second and third, respectively. In Over 38 Pro action, Jeff Surwall (Kaw) blew away the competition, posting perfect moto finishes. Alan Delarge and Mark Sirota (Yam) rounded out the top three. In conjunction with the event, Yamaha Motor Corp. raffled off a 2000 YZ250, with all proceeds going to Feed The Children. Southern Californian Michael Fanelli was the lucky winner of the new-model motorcycle, while Feed The Children received $6800 from raffleticket sales. According to.a press release from Lee's Performance Center, Lee Shierts rode a Suzuki Hayabusa to a new world speed record at Maxton Airport in Launnburg, North Carolina, on June 5. Shierts recorded a 200-mph run on the .9-mile runway, with the East Coast Timing Association (ECTA) doing the timing. At it again dept.: AHRMA has rejected the entries for the following Team Obsolete riders for the upcoming Vintage Days race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio: Dave Roper, Erik Green, Johnny Kain, Cal Rayborn III and Lon McCroskey. According to team owner Rob Iannucci, "the matter is now in the hands of AMA vice president Bill Amick and track owner Michelle Trueman." Vuillemin wins 250cc French GP Y amaha's David Vuillemin came away with the overaIJ win at the French Grand Prix at the St. Jean d'Angely Circuit near Bordeaux, France, June 20. Vuillemin came out swinging in the first moto, scoring the win over Honda's Ryan Hughes by eight seconds. Finishing third was Vuillemin's teammate Mickael Maschio, followed by Honda-mounted Frederic Bolley and Kawasaki's Pit Beirer. Beirer's teammate Marnicq Bervoets, who was second to Beirer in the FIM World Champions1)ip 250cc MX Ser'ies standings going into the French GP, failed to score any points on the day after injuring his hand in a first-moto, first-turn pileup. Bervoets suffered two deep lacerations that required stitching by the track doctor. He was (orced to retire from race one and was unable to take part in the second moto. Vuillemin led much of the second moto before Beirer passed him and rode off to victory, five seconds clear of the first-moto winner. But Vuillemin's 1-2 was still good enough to give him overaIJ honors. Third in the moto went to Bolley, followed by Thierry Bethys and Joshua Coppins. Hughes finished 10th. Beirer opened up his points lead in the 250cc GP Series with 262, followed by Bervoets with 226, Bolley with 216, Vuillemin with 214 and Hughes with 207. The eighth round of the FIM World Championship 125cc MX Series in San Marino, June 20, was canceled due to rain. Following a June 28 press conference at Kawasaki Motors Corp. USA to kick off the "Arou nd the Americas" chari ty ride, a trio of recent college graduates will leave Irvine, California, on a fourmonth motorcycle adventure through Central and South America benefiting the America Red Cross' International Services. The trio hopes to raise $100,000 for the American Red Cross. They will ride Kawasaki KLR650s. Freestyle motocrossers Mike Metzger, Brian Deegan and Adam Pierce will put on a jumping demonstration during Summercross, a supercross scheduled for the Los Angeles Coliseum on July 10. Summercross promoters are also offering a "Summercross Experience" for those companies wishing to show off their motorcycle products. For inform'ltion on exhibit space, call Scott WalJenberg at 661/295-1910. The American Trials Association (ATA) . recently awarded the two grand prizes from the 29th annual El Trial de Espana. Duane Stone of Redondo Beach, California, won a Gas Gas JTX270, and Pam Bush of Tustin, California, won a Montesa 315R. Jeremy McGrath now has an updated home page on the World Wide Web. The site, which can be found at www.nacnac.com.• features a bio on McGrath, photography, sponsor links, on-line purchasing of McGrath products, an opportunity to correspond with McGrath via e-mail, and periodic chat sessions with the multi-time Supercross Champion. Former Grand National dirt tracker . Shorty Seaboume, 61, died on Monday, June 21, after suffering a stroke at his home in Paradise, California. Seabourne . won the 1967 California State Dirt Track Championship and was also a lap record holder at Ascot, San Jose and Tulare, and was always considered to be a threat for the win on his BSA Gold Star. He is survived by his wife, Benita, and two daughters, Talura and Tammy. Following the invasion of spectators during the Italian Grand Prix, held at Mugello on June 6, and at the Catalunyan Grand Prix in Spain on June 20, the FIM has stated that the homologation licenses of both circuits will not be renewed at the end of the year unless both circuits submit to the FIM plans for efficient safety measures to ensure that such incidents aren't repeated. Because of a scheduling conflict, Larry Huffman will not be announcing the Summercross on July 10. "The date is the same weekend as Costa Mesa Speedway's Fair Derby, which draws one of the largest crowds of the year, and I completely overlooked that date when I agreed to take the supercross job," Huffman said. "Brad and Laurie (Oxley, the speedway promoters) have treated me ve.ry well and I don't want to let them down. I know that Steve McLaughJin's Summercross will be a great event and I wish I could be there." The West Coast Flat Track Series round scheduled for the San Jose Fairgrounds Speedway on Saturday, June 26, may well be the last motorcycle race to be held at the famed facility that hosted so many famous AMA Grand National miles. Management at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds has asked the City of San Jose a'nd County officials to approve an undertaking that would wipe out the motorsports facility and create an amphitheater with adjacent parking. That would wipe out the existing 1/3-rnile .sprint car track and take out the barn where the Barn Burner Series has been run, according to Cycle News correspondent Bill Spencer. The famed San Jose Mile, last run in 1996, has been filled in with dirt, and all the fences have'been removed. In honor of the fact that this could be the last event there, invitations have been sent to the likes of Joe Leonard, Sam Arena, Larry Headrick, Kenny Eggers, AI Rudy and many more former. racers. Castrol Honda's Colin Edwards II has slammed race officials and World Su perbike organizers following his costly spill in the opening race at the German round of th'e World Superbike Championship on June 13, according to Cycle News contributor Darryl Flack. The Texan had control of the race and was heading for at least a podium finish when he fell on oil that was left unattended at the first turn. A livid Edwards, knowing that he was down a possible 25 points and ,out of contention for the 1999 title, threw gravel in the direction of the corner marshals, gesticulated rudely and yelled profanities at them long after the incident. Speaking on the Australian Ten Network, Edwards had scathing comments for the race organization. "You know, when you got a bunch of dipshits running a World Championship event like this, it's just.... you saw it on TV, you saw what happened. They should've stopped it

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