Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

the most dram at ic mom ents came on the fo u r th lap , wh en Roed er , Spri ngs tee n a nd Kin g fanned o ut three-wid e go ing into tu rn three wh ile ba tt li ng fo r th e seven th spo t. Roed er u ltim ately took the position. "Going into three down there it was jus t so b a d," Roed er sai d . " Nobody knew w here to ru n because it was so ro u gh. I s ta rted g o ing in hi gh fo r a wh ile, then that went away on me, so... It was fun . It was in teres ting . Coming from ,the penalty line, I guess that ai n' t too ba d." Parker was alread y off the race track by tha t tim e, as the nin e-time cha mpion figur ed that eno ug h was enoug h. "I just ran a cou ple of laps, and th e track was a piece of shit," Parke r sa id . "Peo p le k ept looking like th ey w e re go ing to fall off all ove r in fron t of me, so I just pulled off. lt ain't wo rth it. This wasn' t a race track, it was a hole-jum ping contes t. 1 apologize to all of the fan s wh o paid good money to com e her e an d wa tch u s race m otorcycles, but it ai n' t worth riski ng your life on a track that is th a t bad . 1 apologi ze to Bill (Werner) a nd Craig (Lager ) and Pet e (Pu las ki). They wo rked their butts off on th e bike, and for me to pull off... Bill said not to worry abo u t it. Th e track was a joke ." H acker w o un d up ge t ti ng in o ne p a ss , a s he got aro u nd King in turns three and four on lap six to pu ll away and finish a lonely 10th. . "We were just bot h s truggling with the bum ps, " Hacker said . "I guess tha t he just mad e a little mistak e d own there. We were both fas ter o n th e ot he r end of the track. After I got past him: 1 just tried to ha ng on . I think that' s w hat every body d id . By th e time I go t by Rich , I could n' t catch anybo d y." King, w ho finished an un char acter istic 11th place, la ter sa id tha t he figured that ru nn ing fast wasn' t worth th e ris k th at was invo lved . "T he tra ck w as ju st terrib le," Kin g sa id . "There was no s moo th pl ace to run. Three an d four w as so bad th a t I just about bu sted my butt three or four times. I ju st rode aro u nd and fini sh ed wher e I finished. I don ' t know w here I finished , and 1 don 't care. Maybe I could d on ate the mon ey toward track maintenan ce." Springer hu ng tou gh in ninth place, following Moreh ead to the line. "Me and Moreh ead and Roeder wer e just trying to move up a little bit a fte r Hayden got by us, but the tra ck was so bad, and they were throwing ro ck s .a t m e - I' m a ll b la ck and bl u e ag a in, " Sp ringer sa id . " Yo u jus t co u ld n' t see where yo u w er e going . I fell off three times, bu t I never went d o wn . Everybod y su rvived, so thank God for that. It just ai n' t no fu n like tha t." Mea nwhile , Schnabe l manag ed to find a li ne th at too k h im to the very in s id e of th e tr a ck in tu rn three a nd allowed him to be in prime posi tion to make a pass every time th e rid er in front of him made a mistake. He got Roeder th a t way on lap 12, Bigelow on lap 14 an d Moreh ead o n lap 17 to mo ve in to fi f th , far be h in d a th ird- p la ce ba ttl e b etw een Ko pp a n d Hayd en that appear ed to hav e cooled off, as Ha yd en co u ld no t find a way a ro u n d Ko pp. Bigelow found a way past Moreh ead as well, and he wo u nd up sixth - one spo t ou t of his average finishing position for much of the ye ar. . " It wasn' t how hard you could ride, it w as just p icking th e sm oo thes t line a nd m a ki ng th e big ges t a rc tha t yo u co u ld ," Bigelo w sa id . "The ra ce was won an d lost in three and four. Everybod y was goi ng the same speed in one and tw o. But all in all it's just like I sa y every week after we come to these crappy tracks: I am just glad to com e ou t of here alive and wit h some good point s. Joe finished ahead of me, so 1 think tha t my shot at fifth (for th e ye ar) is slim and none." Up front, Carr and Dav is en gaged in a high-speed ballet, w ith Carr ru nning just off of Davis' ri ght w ing, cracki ng th e th rottl e to try a n d find a drive through one and tw o wh ile Davis p racticall y shu t off and coa sted around th e bo tto m. The only tim e that chan ged was on lap 19 w hen th e tw o pil ed together with suc h for ce th at it left tile crowd gas ping . "In three and fo u r I ki nd of cu t in fron t of him and blocked his d rive, and he roll ed ou t of th e throttl e," Davis said . " A nd th en w hen he ca me d o wn he re (o ne a nd two ), I gu es s maybe he w as thinking, 'Darnmit, I sho uld've run it in ing at both road racing and dirt track; their fi rst objective is not the safety of the riders. '. . ' .' A smile for the ca mera (above)... and then It was time to hit the showers (right)! th ere.' I wasn' t really expecting it, an d th e n a ll o f a su d d e n, boom! I looked bac k, and he might have thou ght that I was mad it him, but all [ was looking for was to see if he we nt down." Carr shrugged it off afterwar d . "I was ju s t going d o w n be low th e groove to tr y and get tr a cti on ," Carr sa id . " Yo u' d th in k th a t t he trac tion wo u ld be on the groo ve, but not here. 1 jus t go t il. really good drive and he lit the thi ng up sideways, and I hit him. I go t into him pret ty goo d, and I was glad to get out of it beca us e that was a p retty b ig co nc r e te wa ll down th e ba ck s tra ig h ta w a y . It ' s ju s t o ne of th em things that happened. He looked back to see if 1 had high -sid ed o ff of him , and I'm damned glad I d id n't. Tha t's just the way it goes." Afte r the bump, Ca rr a p pea red to pretty m uc h g iv e u p fo r th e las t fiv e laps. He remain ed close eno ugh to capitalize on any m istake th at Davi s mi ght make, bu t Davis d idn't ma ke any, and that was that. "This wa sn 't really a dirt track race, but it w as a battle," Davis sai d afterward . "I was just hang in' o n, a nd we just bea t 'em . I d on 't kn o w if I cou ld h a ve d on e tha t if I was in the ba ck some w he re. A lot of guys d idn't , and I do n't bl am e them. But we need ed th is. Now we just need to ge t one more and lea ve g ive ' em a ll so me th ing to th ink eN ab out over the wi nter." Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas, Nevada Resu lts: October 2, 1999 (Round 18 of 19) HEA T 1 no laps; 9 riders, top three tran sfe r): 1. C h ri s Carr ( H· D ); 2. N ic ky H a y d en (H -D ); 3 . Ja y Spri ngsteen (H-O); 4. Rich King (H -D); 5. Sha un Russell (H -D); 6. Bill y Mart in (H-D); 7. Eric Rickma n (Han); 8. Lonny Kopp (H -D); q, Paul l ynch (H-D ). it was good for me. Hopefully I'll have my head on straight when we get to Del Mar." . , "Trn a 'dirt tracker, not a rnctcrcross er." Saddlemen Racing's, Kevin . The rumor'has beenthat B.yan Bigelo;" will be one of a possible twond- Varnes said after pulling,into the pits before the halfway point in the ' ers aboard a factory Harley-Davidson for the year2000. His response? "I main event. "I wanted to see what kind of start Igot: and I wasn't moving wish someone would call me and tell me that: Bigelow 'said. "As' far as I forward: Iwas just moving backward. Enough was enough.". know it's the same deal for nextyear.withrne running with USC RaCing as my primarysponsor. and Lancaster Harl y-Davidson. Randy (tuner Randy e After the race. 'factory Harley-Davidson team Bill Werner responded Brady) has told me that he will keep doing this as long as Iwant to, We have, to Scott Park ers -st at ement of apology for pulling into the pits just built areally good team here. and he is like a brother to me.We have a blast. three laps into the,race . "He has nothmq to apologize' for." Bill Werner and we workgood together. Factoryride or not, Idon't think that Ican' lose. I ,ride right now." ' saide : 1 don't expect him to go above and beyond the call of duty. This ' think that we have as good or better than a factory was a plowed mine field. He gets paid to race and not kill himself. I'm happy. Instead of going out there and flailing around. he did.the right . Dan 'S ta nley update: The Washington rider,is back home inWashi;'g, thing."' New Harley factoryquy ,C ra ig Lager also commented on the .ton, recuperating from the broken back that he suffered at Sacramento. t rack conditions - specifically the deep holes in' turn three '.- from the Although the damage to his back was apparently worse than anyone per spective o f a profe ssion al sprint-car driver. l.aqe r owns . and o perthought, lie is making progress. According to Stanley's tuner. Greg Crow. ates his ow n tea m. ru nning Wing ed and no n-wi nged events in th e Wi s· who was on hand to assist Cciziahr H-D rookie Brian Shirley at Las cc nsin, Michigan"and Indiana.areas. "If you were out there (in a' sprint Vegas. "The latest that I have'heard is that Dan still doesn't have feeling ' carl. you could bicycle'real easy . 'and you'd be blowin'g it in pretty fast. . in his left leg. but he can wiggle his toes. The rig ht leg is fin e, Doctors are so you-could put yourse lf over. I was watching everybody bounce .saying that' he 's hould get back 50 to 90 percent of his left leg. and they through there . with their tails jumping every whic h way. It looked like a ' are real encouragedb y the signs. You know Dan..He' has already told the . handful." doctors that he needs to be ready to go racing by March." Kenny Co;'lbeth made his return to racing at Las V~gas after 'having' . Brett Landes 'rode Las Vegas aboard a .TCR Harley,Davidson. apparbee'; laid up with abroken right leg since the Peoria n . "It feels good: ' eritly eriding his deal with longtime tuner Rick Canode one race before . Coolbeth said after getting back aboard his H-D of Missouri/Dave Burks it was scheduled 10 be terminated. Thetwohave parted amicably. and 'Motorsports machine. "It's better than just sittihg at home. I still can't remain friends. but Lande s saw an opportunity to work with tuner Tom .walk too good. It is all healed, but itis still real 'stiff." Coolbeth went on to Cummings. and he took it. "T.C. ,gave me a 'great opportunity." 's aid Lanfini sh 13th in the main- event. I'm,happy for my first race back: 'Coolbeth ' des. who is a big question mark for next season. ."1don't want toret lre, said. "The' track just broke up reall bed. iandthat made it really hard. but . but I really don't know what l am going to do next year: ' y . :, ' T ime: ~ min., 54.562 sec. H EAT 2 (to la ps ; 9 ri ders, lop th ree transfer); 1. Joe Kopp (H · D); 2. Will Davis (H· D); 3. Brya n Bigelo w (H . O); 4. Larry Pegr am (H -D) ; 5. Steve Beatt ie (H -D); b. Stew Libe rty (H-D); 7. jaime Agu ilar (H~ D); 8. Lonni e Pa uley (H en) , 9. Robert Miller (H-D). Ti me: 3 min., 55.296 sec. HEAT 3 (10 tap s; 10 riders, to p th ree trans fer): l . Ceo Roeder U (H-D); 2. Sco t t Pa rker (H -D); 3. Kenn y Coolbcth (H~D); 4. Brett Landes (f i ~D); 5 . Mike Varnes (H- D); b. Chris Evan s (H -D); 7. Paul Bergstrom (H- D); 8. Chris Boone (H-D); 9. Lawrence Marsh (H-D); 10. Brian Sh irley (H -D). Time: 3 min., 59.035 sec. H EAT 4 (10 lap s; 10 rid ers, top three tra nsf e r): I. Ste ve Morehead ( H ~DJ ; 2. Ter ry Poovey (Hen): 3. j.R. Schna be l (H -D); 4. Ke vin Va rnes (H- D); 5. Mike Ha cker (H -D); 6. Dall' Ie nneman (H-D) ; 7. W illie McCo y (H-D); 8. Cary Rogers (1-1-0 ); 9. A.J. H errera (H ~ D); "lD . Ke n Yoder (H-D). T ime : 3 rnin., 55.632 sec . SEM I 1 (8 lap s; 9 rid ers , to p two transf e r): I. Rich King (H-D) ; 2. Mike Ha cker (H -D); 3. Steve Beatt ie (H D); 4. Ga ry Rogers (H-D); 5. Lawre nce Ma rsh (H-D); 6. C hris Eva ns (H -D); 7. Eric Rickma n (Hen): 8. Lonnie Pau ley (H en): 9. Ken Yoder (H -D). Ti me: 3 min. , 11.783 sec . SEM I 2 (8 laps; 9 riders, top two transfer] : 1. L1rT)' Pegram (H -D); 2. Shaun Russell (H-D); 3. Ch ris Boone Hi -D); 4. ja ime Agu ilar (If -D): 5. Mike Varnes ( H ~D); 6. Da ll' Ie nnem a n (H- D); 7. Lon n y Kopp (H -D ); 8. A.j . Herrera (H -D); 9. Brian Shir ley (H-DJ. T ime: 3 m in., 12.697 sec . SEM I 3 (8 laps; 8 riders, lop two transfer) : 1. Willie MI.-<' oy (H -D); 2. Kevin Varnes (H-D); 3. Pau l Lynch (H D); 4. Pa ul Bergstr o m (H-D); 5. Billy Ma rtin (H -D); 6. Brett Lan des (H- D); 7. Steve Libe rty (H- D); 8. Robert Miller (H-D). Time: 3 min., 14.357 Sl'C . G RAN D NATIONAL (25 laps, 18 rid ers): 1. Will Dav is (H-D); 2. Chris Ca rr (H -D); 3. JOt..' Kopp (H-D) ; 4. Nicky Hayde n (Ii -D ); 5. J.R. Schn abel (l-i-D): 6. Brya n Bi ge low (H· D) ; 7. Ceo Roe de r II (H-D); 8. S teve Mo reh ead (H- D); 9. Ja y Sp ri ng steen (H- D); 10. Mike Ha cker (H -D); 11. Rich King (H -D); 12. Will ie McCo y (H -D ); 13. Ken ny Coo lbet h (H-D); 14. Larry Pegram (HD); 15. Sha un Russell (H-D); 16. Kevin Varnes (H-D); 17. Terry Poo vey (Hen): 18. Scott Par ker (H-D). T ime: 9 min ., 56.719 M.'C. AMA G RAND NATIONAL S ER I ES P O I N T S ST AND IN G S (A fte r 18 o f 19 ro u nd s):- 1. Ch ri s Ca rr (3 14 / 5 wins); 2. Rich Kin g (25 0 / 4) ; 3. Wi ll Da vis (207 / 3); 4. Sco tt Park", (195/1); 5. Joe Kop p (182 / 1); 6. Brya n Bigelow ( 67) ; 7. Jay Springsteen (161/1); 8. Gt'O Roe der 1I ( 57); 9. Nicky H a y d en 030 /1); 10. (TIE) Kevin Ve m ca /Steve Mor eh ead (1 1'7); 12. Mike Hacker (110); 13. Kevin Athe rto n (107 / 1); 14. Kenn y Coolbetb (81); 15, (TIE) I, R. Sch na bel /Ste ve Bea ttie (73); 17. Dan Butler (67); 18. Dan Sta nley (66); 19. Te rry Poo vey (64); 20. Willie McCo v (60). H-D SPORTSTER PERFO RM ANCE SERIES, ROUND 14 OF 15 H EAT 1 (6 laps ; 5 riders, top (o ur tra nsfer): 1. Robert Mill er (H · D); 2. Pau l Bergstrom (H-D); 3. Paul No r ma ndi n Oi -D ); 4. M ik e Boy le (H -D ); 5. Kev in Hilbert (J!-D), Time: 2 m in.• 31.739 sec. HEAT 2 (6 laps; 6 ri de rs, top four transfer]: l , jess Roed er (H -D); 2. Tom McGr ane (H -D); 3. A.j. H errera (H-D); 4. Mar k With am (H-D); 5. Joe y Duvall (H-D ); 6. Cary Rogers (H -D). Time: 2 min ., 34.580 !>(C . ' H EAT 3 (6 lap s; 6 riders; to p five transfer): 1. Willi e McCoy (H- D); 2. Billy Martin (H -D); 3. Victo r McAnall y (H-D); 4.Yuhiko Hira o (H-D); 5. Scott Scherb (H -D); 6. Jo hn Grant (H-D) , Time: 2 min ., 29.276 sec. HEAT 4 (6 la p s; 6 rid ers, top fo ur tra n s fer) : 1. Sha un Rus!>C'1J (H-D); 2. Michelle DiSalvo (J-I-D); 3. Ja son Tyer (H - D) ; 4. john Fa u lk ne r (H -D) ; 5 . Roger Lee Hayden (H-D); 6. Do n Hart (H-D). T ime : 2 min., 29.49 1 sec . H-D SPORT ST ER PERFO R M A NCE GRAND NATIONAL (12 laps; 17 rid en): 1. Sha u n Russell (HD); 2. Will ie McC o y (H · D); 3. J l' S S Roe d er (H· D); 4. Michelle DiSalvo ( H ~ D); 5. Billy Ma rt in (H-D); 6. John Faulkner (H -D); 7. jason Tyer (H-D) ; Ii Victor McAna lly (H~D) ; 9. A.J. Herrera (H-D); 10. Tom McGra ne (H -D> ; 11. Yu h iko H irao (H-D) ; 12. Sco tt Scherb (H · D); 13. Ma rk Witham (H -D); 14. Pa ul Norma ndi n (H-o); 15. Rob ert Mille r (H · D); 16. Mik e Boyle ( H~ D ) ; 17. Pa ul Bergstrom (H-D). T im e: 4 min., 58.017 sec . H·D SPO RT STE R PERFORMANCE S ERIES PO INT S ST AND INGS (Afte r 14 of 15 rounds): 1. Shaun Russell 0 95 /3 wi ns ); 2. Will ie McCo y 094/3); 3. Billy Ma rt in (147 /1); 4. Gary Rogers (13t /2); 5, Robert Miller (105); 6. james Hart (91); 7. Paul Bergs trom (88); 8. jess Roed er (78 / 2); 9 Na te Wait (72) ; 10. Yu h iko Hi ra o (67); 11. Michell e DiSalvo (67); 12. Bria n Kromrov (59); 13. Tim Eade (52); 14. Pau l Mo rgan (51) ; 15. ScOtt Stu m p (49); s 16. Joe Eades (36); 17. Jason Tye r (33); 18. A lan Ead ie (31); 19. Paul Nu rm.1nd in (29); 20. Victor McAnally (27). Upcoming Round: Del Mar, California. Ocl. 10 17

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