Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

r ., 1 Chuck Graves (p i ctu r e d) grabbed t hird in the event over 250-mounted Rich Oliver . AMA racing sea son by finishing fifth in points in two sepa ra te series: Form ula Xt reme and Su persto ck . Hav ing reason ab le ex pec ta ti o ns to figu re well in the rac e, he was even described as t he " da rk horse" b y m o re than on e o bse r ve r. But h ow go o d w a s he at le a rn ing a ne w t rack in th e h eat o f battle ? An oth er favo rite . Chu c k G ra ves , didn 't actuall y rac e m uch th is ye ar. He has been bus y runn in g th e Grav es Motorspo rt s team in Formu la Xt rem e. A lth ou gh h e ad m itted to b e " a b it rus t y ." h e slip ped into h is l eath er s once ag ain , just fo r th e Toyota 20 0 . Co uld he shak e off th e cobwebs and come back with a ba ng? And what about polesitter Hayes? T he cha rm ing - and fast - race r from G u lfpo rt . M issi ssippi , came to th e dese rt a fter b e in g cr o wn e d A M A Su p er st o ck cham pio n . He a lrea dy had so me experience with lo ng-dis tance r aces and k new the d esert tra ck well . W ou ld it be wis e to bet agai nst him? T h e r ules for the race spec ify " un li m it ed displacemen t, c o nfi g ura tion , m odi fi cation and fue l," so it was not a surpr is e t o see the lege nd a ry Rich Oliver ente r his Yamah a 250cc t w o -st ro k e racer. O li ver w on every si ngle ra c e th i s seaso n to earn his fi ft h AMA 25 0 G ra n d Prix cha m pi o nshi p . Would his lo wer we ig ht and h i ghe r co rner sp e ed b e eno ug h t o beat the big boys? A few m inutes before the start. th e te m pe rature was a fresh 75 deg rees , th an k s to a light cl oud cover. There was no br eeze - a pe rfect day for raci ng. Dur in g a b r i ef r i d er meeti ng, WSMC offi c i al s s tern ly reminded c ompet it ors wh at w as at stake a nd set a few sim pl e ru les. A ft er that , they got read y for th e sta rt . T he whole field, led by the A tta ck Suzuki team, went into turn one withou t a single in c id ent. A s a matter of fa ct . through th e wh ol e ra c e - t en minutes shy of tw o ho ur s - the eme r g ency p ers onn el a n d the co rn er workers were pos itivel y bored . th ank s to a lack of inc idents . Teammates Hayes and Haskovec im po se d a fast rhythm right away. sw a ppi ng th e l e a d in th e first few laps . n ot ho l ding anything back . Doug Po len and Chuck Graves. also startin g from the front ro w. were the o n ly o nes ab le t o keep up with th e Atta c k Su zu ki mach ines . Unfort u natel y . Po len re tired on the seco nd lap ; he co uld n' t be reach ed for co mm ent. Back on the track . Gr aves latch ed hi s Yam ah a R 1 to th e back of t he Atta ck fr eight train. The thr ee racers st arte d la pp ing th e t rac k at least one secon d faster t ha n everybody else. d istanc ing them sel ves from the rest of t he pack . Hask ov ec and Haye s passed each other a few times . and their times were usually within a tenth or tw o of each other. Th e b e st lap tim e posted by Graves (1 :21 :444) was c locked the second lap . After the race. he admitted getting a bit excited at the start . going faster than the optimu m pace ca lc ulated by t he team to avoid " chew ing up the tires ." His reasoning was th at he would end up with better traction and in pos ition t o fig ht for the lead . A ft er g la nci ng at h is pit boar d. Gr aves was d isc ip lin ed e n o u g h t o slow d o w n to th e i n tended p a c e . whi ch allowed h im t o go lo nger between pi t stops th an h is m ain co mpetitors. The A ttack team had planned their race very thoroughly: T heir p it sto ps ha d b een decided b ef oreh and . an d th e ir p a c e w a s ve ry co ns i s te nt. Eve ry thing seemed to be work in g like c loc kwork . H o w e v e r . Haskovec de c ide d to stop one la p ea rlier th an plan ned bec au se of so me probl em s with his m ach in e. T he crew w asn 't ready fo r h im . but th ey did a g rea t job . He was sent off with fresh tires and a full t ank o f fu el . afte r a sti ll respectable 21 -sec ond tim e. Hayes ca me in tw o laps later. and th e crew sent h im aw ay in o nly 14 Haye s (c e nter). Haskovec (l e ft) and Graves (rig ht) celebrate on the p odium. sec onds . Th is t ime di ffe ren c e wo uld prove crucial in th e end. as Haskovec fou nd h im self lagging sev en sec onds behind th e lead er. There w er e tw o ea rl y ca su alt ie s. Chris Ulrich stop ped three times due to setup pro b l em s tha t w ere neve r r eso lved. E v en t u a ll y . th e team bro ught h im in . and he finally reti red . T he o ther was " d a rk horse " A da m Fergu sson . w ho lasted 24 laps before pulling in. sha king his head . He stood frus t ra ted b y th e p i t wa ll . while mechan ics fretted over the mach ine. T he second round of pit sto ps was. agai n. a show of sk ill and p rec ision by the Attack Suzuk i crew. T h is time . Hask o vec came in as planned . and his pit stop la sted o n ly 14 seconds. just like Hayes' time. The closi ng lap s were uneventful : Hay es. with a co mfortable lead. kept his pace until the end. only slacking off in the last two l a p s . while H a s k o v e c slowly lost gro und . a t almost a second per lap . Graves . laggi ng h al f a mi nute behind Has kovec , wasn 't able to ben efit from his carefully pla nned stra tegy. He rode hom e w ith a pod iu m finish , thoug h. Remem ber Rich O liver. the guy on the Yamaha two -stroke? He ca m e in fourth, beh in d Chuck Grav es. Eve n t ho ugh he missed th e p odi um , it ' s ce rtainly a remarkab le re su lt in this company. Other no tab les were Jeff Tigert in fifth p lace, followe d by Ja ck Pfeifer. Not surp rising ly, Ric h Olive r also dominated the Ro ad rac in gW orld .c om 2 5/50 Grand Prix . He wa s joine d on th e po di u m by seco nd -p la ced Michael Montoya and loc al star Mark W atts, in third. eN 125 GP: 1. Debra Kuic k (Han); 2. Mark Wil son (Ya m ); 3 . Sco tt Ma cAdam (Ha n); 4 . John Lee ( Han ). 250 GP: 1. Mark Watts (Yam ) ; 2 . Da rren Fulce (Y a m ) ; 3. Jo h n U lri c h ( Yam ); 4 . J oji T o kum ot o (Ha n) ; 5. Alex Wh ite (Ha n). 550 S/ BK : I . J effer y T iger t (S uz); 2 . Dan ny Aya la ( Suz); 3 . Scott C1eff ( Suz) ; 4 . A la n Schwen (Suz); 5. Pete Elli s (D uc) . 65 0 S/BK : 1. J a s o n Perez (Yam ) ; 2 . C huc k Grav es (Yam) ; 3. J am es Ma nn (Ya m); 4 . Chris Sig lin (Suz); 5. Robbie Dowi e (S uz) . 7 5 0 S/BK: I. Jerem y Toy e (Suz) : 2 . Jeff Stern (Sua) : 3. Sky e Girard (S uz) : 4 . Reno Kar imian (Suz); 5 . Rube n Murioz (Suz) . O PEN S/BK : I. Je remy Toy e (Sua): 2 . Chu ck G raves ( Yam ) ; 3 . Stoney La nders (S uz ); 4 . Adam Fe rgusson (Suz ); 5 . Ja son Perez (Yam) . 500 1'\00 PROD : 1. J eff Pep lot (Yam ): 2. J .e. Gi bbs ( Yam); 3 . A lfred Jung (Yam ) ; 4 . Dea n Ch in (Yam ); 5 . Brian Heess (Yam) . 6 00 M.OD PROD : 1. Robbie Dowi e (Sua) : 2 . Sam C a rn i bucc i ( Ya m) ; 3 . C h r is Siglin (S uz) ; 4 . B la i r Sullenger (Yam) ; 5. William Clarke (Yam). 750 1'\00 PROD : I. Skye Glre rd (S ua): 2 . Reno K a ri mi an (Su z) : 3 . Ru be n Mun o l (S uz) ; 4 . Rau l Pad ill a (SUl); 5 . David U ttl eb roo k (S uz). OP EN M.OD PRO D : 1. Adam Fergu sson (S uz) ; 2 . Sto ney Lan de rs (SUl) ; 3 . Da le Ki eff er (SUl) ; 4 . Ty ler Pau lson (Suz); 5 . Dan Lebso n (Suz). 50 0 S/ STK: I. Je ff Pepi ot (Yam): 2 . A lfred Jung (Yam) : 3 . J .e. Gibb s (Yam) ; 4 . Dean Chin (Yam ); 5 . Brian Heess (Yam) . 600 S /ST K : I . C huc k Grave s (Yam ): 2 . C hr is Sig l i n ( Suz ) ; 3 . J a so n Pe rez (Y am) ; 4 . S a m Ca rn fbucc l (Yam) ; 5. Blai r Sullenger (Yam ) . 750 S/ ST K: I. Will Eik enb erry ( Kaw) ; 2. Ruben M urioz (S uz ) ; 3 . D avi d Li tt ieb roook (Sua) : 4 . Sk y e Girard (Sua): 5. Raul Padi lla (Suz). O PEN S/STK : 1. Stoney Land ers (Suz) : 2 . Dan Leb so n ( S uz) ; 3 . Tyle r Pau ls o n (S uz) ; 4 . Marcel Graeber (Suz); 5 . A lex Eisner (Suz) . BOTT L /W: I. Kevi n J um p (M uZ ) ; 2 . Jim Rau ( Ho n) ; 3 . Bria n Ca ssa ra (Kaw ); 4 . Mi cha el Go ug is (Kaw). BOTT M /W : I . J effery T igert { Sua) : 2 . D anny A yal a (S ua): 3 . Er ic Pinson ( H· D) ; 4 . Mi chael Siro lli ( D ue); 5. Robert Setbac ken (Due ) . BOTT H /W : I . Cla ud io Szy szkow sk i ( D ue ); 2 . Ric ha rd He adl e y ( D uc) : 3. Al ex E isner ( Su z); 4 . Alfredo Bar cia (Due ); 5 . Eric Pinson ( H-D ). 5 00 S OLS : 1. Larry C oc hran ( Hon ) ; 2 . M ic k Ofie ld (Duc ): 3. Scott Fabbro (Sua). 6 60 SGL S : I. .Jtm Reu ( Ho n) : 2 . Da n n y Farn swo rth ( Hon) . F·5GL5 : 1. Ben Welch (Yam) ; 2. U oyd Jo hnson (D ue) ; 3 . Ji m Rau ( Hon); 4 . J eff Rheaum e (Suz) . F·TW: 1. Cla ud io Szy szko wsk i ( Due); 2. Richard Headl ey (Duc ); 3 . Eric Pinson (H -D ) ; 4 . A lex Ei sner (Sua): 5. Scott Cleff (Sua). F· 40 LjW: 1. Wi ll Ei kenberry (K aw ) ; 2. Ke nny Kop eck y (Yam ); 3 . Tom A qu ino (Suz): 4 . A lex Wh ite (Han) ; 5 . J oji To kum ot o ( Hon ) . F·40 H/W: I. Jeff St ern ( Suz): 2 . Stephen Hewitt (S uz) ; 3 . T y ler Pa ul son ( Sua): 4 . Ro ck y C ac ere s ( Suz); 5 . Mi ke Ok ano (Suz) . F· 5 0 : 1. Ch r is Cro we ll ( Hon ); 2. Dav id Molitor (Suz) ; 3 . J ohn Th om as (Suz); 4 . Danny Birdsall ; 5 . Dou g Sm ith (D ue) . L/W VI NT : 1. Dann y Farnsworth (Ho n); 2 . La rry Cochran ( Hon). H/ W V IN T : I . M ;ck Qf;eld ( D uc ) : 2 . Ll o y d J o hn so n ( D u c ) ; 3 . Sc o tt F ab b ro (S uz) ; 4. J e ff Rheaume (Sua): 5 . Russ Lamanto (Hon) . APR ILIA CHALLENGE: 1. Ruben A rchille (A pr) : 2. M ichael Pastor e ( A p r ) ; 3 . Chr is Kelley (A p r ) ; 4 . Jamie Lenore (A pr ); 5 . Keith Gig lio (Bue ). 0 -500 l/W NO V : I. Kirk Snell ( Hon); 2 . Patrick Tr acey (A pr ) ; 3. Br adl ey Adam s ( Ho n ); 4 . Gordon w ood ( Hon): 5. Barry K;ng (Yam) . 50 \ ·650 I'\IW NOV : 1. Ale. I'\arkov;ch (Sua): 2. T on y M or an -Ma cer a ( Ya m ) ; 3 . K ha c hik K ejeji a n (S uz) ; 4 . Ke nn eth Pacheco (Yam): 5 . William Harde r (Hon ). 65 t · O PEN H/W NOV: 1. Greg Wilk in son (Yam ) : 2 . Mi chael Allen (Suz) ; 3 . Dav id Sim insk i (Sua): 4 . David Jaffe (Yam ) ; 5 . Richy Headley (Duc ) . Willow Springs International Raceway Rosamond. California Results: O ctober 19, 2003 T O YO T A 200 : I. Josh Hayes (Sua) : 2 . Vin cent Hesk ovec (Suz ) ; 3 . Chu ck G rave s (Yam) ; 4 . Ri ch O liver (Yam ) ; 5 . J eff T igert (S uz} : 6 . J ack Pfe ife r ntoya J r. ( Sua) : 7. Robbie Do wie (Suz) ; 8 . Mi chael J'I\o ( Ya m) ; 9 . St oney Lander s (S uz) ; 10 . Da le K ieffer (Suz). F- l : 1. Vincent Hesk ov ec (Sua): 2 . J osh Haye s ( S ua) : 3 . J e rem y To ye (S uz ) ; 4 . Chu ck Gr a ve s (Yam) ; 5 . Ja ck Pfeifer (SUl) . F -2 : I. J ames Mann (Yam ) ; 2 . Robb ie Dowi e (Sua): 3 . Ch ris Siglin (Suz) : 4 . Ti m Kn uts on (Yem) : 5 . Roger Bak er (Yam ) . eye I e n e vv s N OVEM BER 12 . 2003 41

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