Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

AHRMA National Willow Springs International Raceway Walt James Stadium STORY AND PHOTOS BY JAMEY BLUNT WIllOW SPRINGS, CA, MAY 5 6 fast, tum left, go fast, and turn left! That's all anyone of the 74 entrants at this particular AHRMA National had to do to emerge victorious on the banked dirt oval at Willow Springs. Mother Nature provided plenty of sunshine, although the wind did kick up in the afternoon, calling for more frequent appearances from the water truck. Promoter Dennis Suter buried his head into his computer like a mad scientist and produced flawless heat, main and stat sheets. All the while, Chris and Jeff Apple handled the starting and staging, respectively. Of course, Larry Wilburn had hardly slept in 48 hours and was always on hand to maintain the track. At high noon, the first of 19 heat races began. After those heats and a lunch break, some 17 main events were posted. At 2:30 p.m. the first main event lined up, for one of the hardest classes to adapt to: the Dino class, for machines of the foot-clutch/handshift variety, mostly Indians and Harleys. At the start, Gordon Menzie 0 Jimmy Wood won the Support Open main event on his Harter XR7S0 at the AHRMA National In Willow Springs, Callfomla. jumped to the lead, only to have it taken away by heat-race winner David Devarny. Just past the start/finish line, Tom Horton, on the Dodge Brothers Indian, put a wheel under Menzie to take away second place. "Dangerous" Dubb Ferrell was disappointed once again, as the Bob Nicholas Indian expired once again. "I've called it quits!" declared Ferrell, who has barely completed 20 laps in the last two years on this machine. On lap two, Devarny turned his fastest lap of 27 seconds flat. The order at the finish - pretty much strung out - was Devarny, Horton and Menzie. In the Sportsman 250cc contest, the stage was set in the heat race. In a "class" move, Horton laid his Suzuki Trackmaster Twin down going into turn three on the last lap to avoid taking out heat-race winner Bruce Reynolds. So, when they lined up for the main event, all parties knew this one was going to the finish. From pole position, Reynolds took the lead, over Horton and Long Beach, California's Rich Trait. Picking up where they left off, the two pulled away from the pack. On lap three, Reynolds lowered his lap time to 26 seconds flat and began to break clear of Horton. Meanwhile, Trait, on the Ossa, was fading, allowing Scott Shoup from Potterville to capture third. Support 450cc heat-race winner "Jumper" Jim Rosa lowered his best lap time to 23.81 seconds, but that proved to be not quite fast enough. As Rosa led the first four laps over Ian Foulds, on the Jim Grant Rotax, he appeared to have this one in the bag - but on lap four, Southland Racing's Alex Wood caught fire. Someone threw his switch and Wood shot past Foulds and was all over Rosa for the lead. Then, going into turn three with 1 1/2 laps to go, Alex Wood make it stick, and turning a 23.5-second lap time to boot. Wood, on one of the nicest C&J Honda 450s on any planet, won over Cycle Gear rider Rosa and Foulds. The biggest class of the day, the Sportsman 750cc, had 13 riders make the main event. From the first wave of the flag, Steve Miller of Torrance, California, put his Trackmaster 750cc Yamaha out front, from the outside of the front row. Hot on his heels was Greg Wilburn, on a 750cc Triumph. Miller - riding the highest line of anyone all day, some two feet from the hay bales - turned a 23.8-second lap time. Then, on lap three, going in to turn three, it happened: Miller, on his high line, left the barn door wide open, and Wilburn couldn't help but roll through it into first. By lap five, Wilburn was three bike lengths away from Miller, and Jeff Lessley was charging for third place. By the last lap, the drying track had raised lap times and lowered the likelihood of any passing. Wilburn picked up the win, with Miller second, and Lessley came across for third. Twenty-three seconds flat would be the overall fastest time of the day. This time was set by a 16-year-old who placed fifth in his heat race, racing a Jim Grant Harley XR750 for the first time in his life. Jimmy Wood from Redlands, California, followed c U a I e Rosa and Richard Pollock into turn one. It didn't matter; across the stripe on lap one, "Woody" shot past Pollock and set sail after Rosa. Going down the back chute for the third time, Wood blasted past Rosa for the lead. Lap four saw the fast time for the day set as Jimmy Wood sailed to an easy victory. Rosa stayed well in front of Pollock, who in turn had separated himself substantially from the field. eN Willow Springs Inlemetionalllllcewey Welt Jem,s Stadium Willow Springs, Celifomle Results: Mey 5, 2002 '70s SOL: 1. Rob Nolin (Yllm); 2. Dave Johnson (Yam); 3. Ben Meyer (Yllm); 4. Robert H8nsen (Yam); 5. James Ottele (Yam). eLSC 250: J. Ron Lessley (Bul); 2. Jim McMurren (H·D); 3. Steve Lacey (Soc-Tn); 4. Terry Salsman (05s). CLSC 500/750: I. Chris Apple (Tri): 2. Jeff Lessley (SuI); 3. Clark Edgington (Hon); 4. Chris Wakula (Tn); 5. Gordon Menzie (R-E). CLSC OPEN: I. Dave Cheney (Tn). DINO: 1. DllVid Devam)' (Ind); 2. Tom Horton (Ind); 3. Gordon Menzie (R-E); 4_ Ron Lacey (H-D). NOV 250: I. Todd J. Eagan (Bul); 2. Kurt Speir (Vern); 3. Don Bannnkian (Hon); 4. Cliff Nllgatani (Bul). NOV 600: I. Bruce Brown (Hon). David Devamr. en route to winning the Dino "Foot-ClutchlHand-5h1ft" main on a 1942 Indian. NOV 750: 1. Brett TllIylor (Tri); 2. Cliff NllIglitani. VET: 1. Greg Wilburn (Tn); 2. Rick Reed (Tn); 3. Jeff Lessley (Yam); 4. Robert H~msen (Tri); 5. James Ottele (Yom). SR; 1. Marty Lewis (Tn); 2. Sal Peluso (Tn); 3. Mickey Alzola (Tn); 4. Dave Cheney (Hon); 5. Tim Wolf (Yam). S/SR: I. MIckey Alzola (Tri); 2. Ralph POrlelt (Yam); 3. MershllJl Jennings (Hon); 4. Sam Grey (Yam); 5. Tom Howard (Tn). SPTSMN 250: I. Bruce Reynolds (Bul); 2. Tom Horton (SUI); 3. Scott Shoup (Hon); 4. Richard Trait (Oss); 5. Eddie Boldlzan (Yam). SPTSMN 600: 1. John Lundgren (Hon); 2. Sal Pelusa (Hus); 3. Bruce Reynolds (Bul): 4. Eddie Baldizan (Yam). SPTSMN 750: 1. Greg Wilburn (Tri); 2. Steve Miller (Yam); 3. Jeff Lessley; 4. John Lundgren (Tri); 5. Robert Honsen (Tn). SUP 50: I. Logan Johnson (Pol); 2. Andre Ochs (Yam). SUP 85: I. Andy Wood (Yam). SUP XRtOO: 1. Kevin Knudsen (Hon): 2. Jim Wood; 3. Andy Wood (Hon). SUP 250: 1. Brod Rudy (Yam); 2. Alex Wood (Hon). SUP 450: I. Alex Wood (Hon); 2. Jim Rosa (Hon); 3. hm Foulds (Yam); 4. Woody Carlson (Hon); 5. Ray Hensley (Yam). SUP 600: 1. Rlchord Pollock (Hon); 2. Alex Wood (Hon); 3. Ian Foulds (Rtx): 4. Dove Ughtbody (Yam). SUP DTX: 1. Brent Bieber (Y8m); 2. Brad Rudy (Yom). SUP OPEN: I. Jim Wood (H-D); 2. Jim Rosa (Hon); 3. Richord Pollock (Hon); 4. Joe Subert (H-D). n e _ s • JUNE 5, 2002 57

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