Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128217
LOOK/Nfl By ~ •• III~t:!:1' 30 YEARS AGO.•• JUNE 12, 1973 Geoff Perry (Suz) and Kel Carruthers (Yam) raced to the ftnish line in Atlanta, Georgia, on the cover of .Issue #22. Perry beat Carruthers by a nose in the AMA National. Car· ruthers did win the 250cc Expert class, however... We rode th.e new Honda CL450 and found that it was better than we expected. We described it as a street rider's IT bike... Marty Tripes (Han) and Pierre Karsmakers· (Yam) won the Road Atlanta MX National in the 250cc and Open classes, respectively. Gary . Jones (Han), Ricky Jordan (Yam) and DeWayne Jones (Han) rounded out the top . four In the 250cc event, while John DeSo· to (CZ), Jimmy Ellis (Yam) and Gary Semics (Hus) did the same in the Open class ... Buzz Whitlatch topped the Little Burr National Enduro. HENNY RAY ABRAMS Chicane e There was a time, not that long hoever said "There is no sub· said after finishing fourth in Georgia. stitute for cubic inches" never "Definitely, they have a little bit more ago, when Suzuki-supported teams met Tommy Hayden. Nine times out top speed, but I was struggling a little were scrutinized more closely than of 10, the fastest bike wins, especial- bit in some places where I shouldn't Martha Stewart and found to be much W ly at Daytona International Speed- have been. Last year we got 12th, so less squeaky clean. I can remember way, the fastest track in racing. So I guess it's not so bad. I knew this Bill Syfan marching Nicky Hayden to how did Kawasaki's Hayden embar- race would be tough." the Sears Point press room in 1998 to rass a field of Suzuki GSX-R750s by "Now you see what happens when explain why he was constantly being winning the Genuine Suzuki Acces- he's on a legal motorcycle," a senior disqualified. Hayden's bio in the 2003 sories Superstock final on his little Suzuki employee said to me in the AMA press guide states, "His road 636cc ZX-6R back in March? Road Atlanta press room on Sunday race season was marred by technical The question arises after allega- morning. He went on to say that the penalties against his team ... Rode tions of impropriety surfaced at Infi- motorcycle was 1Omms overbored, for HyperCycie Suzuki/Team Suzuki neon Raceway. It was after he'd won which anyone with a working know- Sport." ledge of internals knows is absurd, What's that line about people in and he calculated the machine to be glass houses? More than a few high- began circulating. Questioned about 700cc. In addition to a lack of techni· profile Suzuki-backed teams have the reports in Sonoma, team manag- cal savvy, for someone so senior he been docked for horsepower viola- er Mike Preston said he couldn't com- showed a remarkable ignorance of tions in Formula USA. ment, that the procedure was onKenny Roberts (Yam), Eddie Lawson (Yam) and Randy Mamola (Suz) made it a yankee 1-2-3 at the Austrian Road Race GP, and fm that they were all placed on the cover of Issue #22 ... The week previous, Freddie Spencer (Han) nipped Roberts at the line at the Spanish RR GP for the win. Takazumi Katayama (Hon) finished third in that race... Brae Glover (Yam) swept the 500cc class at Binghamton, New York's Broome-Tioga Raceway National motocross. Bob Hannah (Hon) also swept Broome, winning both 250cc motos. Mark Barnett (Suz) went 2·1 for the overall in the 125ec class... Kawasaki introduced its new KDX200A woods racer. We found that it was a serio ous woods machine, and the extra 25cc of displacement (over the previous year's KDX175) made a big difference. It retailed for $1649. Daytona and Fontana that rumors of the legality of the Kawasaki first the rules of the class that his com- I offered a wager to the Suzuki going. What he did say was that pany sponsors. Rule 13 (b) of the boss. Would he be willing to bet Hayden would be racing with a differ- AMA's Superstock/Supersport rules that Hayden wouldn't win any more ent engine at Infineon. It didn't seem says, among other things, that "there Superstock races this year? He to slow him down. Hayden beat Hoot- is no allowance for overbore." grudgingly admitted that there were a ers Suzuki's Vincent Haskovec handi· Iy, winning by 2.721 seconds. Hayden's machine was judged to few tracks where Hayden could win, be illegal, not for displacement, but beginning this weekend at Pikes Peak International Raceway. All along there had been suspicion for illegal modifications to the head. in some circles that the machine had What it was, exactly, wasn't immedi- to be a cheater. There could be no ately disclosed. other explanation for a 636 beating a field of 750s. Hayden won the first three races because he's the best rider in the After what seemed like a needless- field. He's also the smoothest and the ly lengthy delay, the AMA returned cleanest. He should win at Pikes Given his displacement deficit, the heads from Meiring's and Hay- Peak, a track that favors rider skill Hayden has to utilize other strengths. den's machines to Kawasaki at Road over horsepower. Road America, with Tops among them is corner speed. Atlanta. Side by side on a workbench, its long straights out of slow corners, Part of Hayden's success is that with you couldn't tell them apart. Each will be a struggle. Brainerd should be less power he's able to use a softer had valves installed in three of four interesting. If Hayden can stay close rear tire, and he's able to get on the combustion chambers, the fourth through turns one and two, his run gas sooner. The Road Atlanta circuit showing the valve seats and ports. through the rest of the track may be is one where he was expected to Running a finger along the inside enough, especially with the finish line struggle. Aside from the first sec- edge of the valve seats, you could so close to the final turn. tion, the rest of the track is pretty Damon Bradshaw (Yam) soared across the cover of Issue #22 on his way to victory in Mount Morris, Pennsyl· vania. Mike Kiedrowski (Kaw) won the first 250cc mota, but Brad· shaw won the allimportant mota two. Jeff Emig (Yam) swept the 125cc class ahead of Doug Henry (Han), Jeremy McGrath (Han), Ryan Hughes (Kaw) and Erik Kehoe (Hon). Henry and Kiedrowski led their class' points, however. .. Ricky Graham (Han) beat Mike Hale (H-D) and Rodney Farris (H-D) to win the Springfield Mile... Jacky Martens (Hus) won the Finnish 500cc MX GP on his factory thumper, going 1-2·1 for the overall. Pedro Tragter (Suz) went 1-1-2 to win the Dutch 125cc MX GP on the same day ... Steve Hatch (Suz) nipped teammate Randy Hawkins to win the Magnolia Classic National Enduro in Mississippi. sense a slight difference. One had Mazda Raceway, Mid-Ohio, VIR, straightforward, a few corners leading been more aggressively cleaned than Barber, are all proper road courses to long, wide open stretches, the the other. That would be Hayden's. where the playing field is level kinds of places where his acceleration Without measuring, it was hard to say enough for Hayden to be a factor. deficiency is magnified. In the seg- how much metal had been removed Ron Barrick, the AMA road racing ment from turn one through turn five, in the cleaning. It doesn't matter. The boss, traditionally presents the num- the most concentrated collection of AMA rules are strict on this point, ber·one plate to the class champion. corners, Hayden was the fastest rider. stating that the "cylinder head ports Since Yamaha's Tom Kipp won the In the timed segment from turn five and combustion chambers must 750cc Supersport title in 1995, it's to turn nine, a section that includes remain absolutely stock with no been all Suzuki. Kawasaki hasn't won the two longest straights, Hayden fell metal removal." End of discussion. since Scott Russell did the deed in to 14th. How much performance could be 1992. And when was the last time a "It was the backstraight a little gained by such a minor infraction is machine with a significant displace- bit, and I needed to have the bike open to debate, though the most like- ment disadvantage of similar configu- working a little bit better, too," Hayden ly answer is "zip-all." ration won the title? Stay tuned. In an upcoming issue tJf Cycle News CN GennanWSBK Pikes Peak AMA Superblke Italian MX GP Obio AMA Dirt Track Millfield GNCC cue. e n e _ S • JUNE 4, 2003 107