Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Sampey Becomes Seventh Different NHRA Winner 3D YEAR5 AGO•.• JulyB,1975 Marty Smith was on top of the motocross L. ... world. He swept both motos at the Midland, Michigan, 12Scc National Motocross. Taking second behind Smith was jimmy Ellis with a consistent 2-2 mota cally. Mike Kessler was third... We checked in with Don Jones as he was busy creating some of the trickest motocross bikes around. At the time, he was making a prototype 250cc Islo, as well as son Gary's Grand Prix bike... Evel Knievel attempted to jump 13 London buses in London's Wembley Stadium. After coming up short Knievel was thrown over the bars. He broke his back, pelvis, hand and a finger in the accident. ZD YEAR5 AGO.•. July 10, 19B5 Matt Hilgenberg 1li!;o"'±~~~"'~1 appeared on the cover airing out the new Harley-Davidson 883cc Sport- t~~~1 ster at Ascot Park like it was made to ~!::::;:l jump. Inside, we did a Ii full test on the bike... Factory riders turned out in full force at the 18th annual Mammoth Mountain Motocross. Yamaha rider Ricky johnson won the 2SOcc class, while Honda rider Ron Lechien took the 12Scc win, and his teammate Johnny O'Mara was victorious in the SOOcc class... Steve Morehead finally broke a threeyear winless streak with his decisrve win at the Uma Half Mile in Uma, Ohio... After a collapsed rear wheel cost him the win the previous year, Honda-mounted David Bailey went on to sweep both motos at the 500cc United States Grand Prix at Carlsbad Raceway in Carlsbad, California. 10 YEAR5 AGO... July 5,1995 I,Tr:1rnr:T1rrr.. Michael Doohan f;~iiill."i!IiIrode a near perfect race at the seventh round of the World Championship Road ~i~~:~~~ Racing Series in Assen, Holland. With the win, Doohan also took ~-~~~';";;:Jcommand of the points lead. Yamaha-mounted Jeff Emig narrowly won the fifth round of the 2SOcc National Motocross Series at a rough Sourthwick track in Massachusetts. Emig had luck on his side in the second moto and finished third after winning the first mota... Joel Smets won his fourth SOOcc Grand Prix of the season with his win at round seven of the SOllee World Motocross Championships in St. jean d' Angely, France... We interviewed Mike Brown. Back then, Brown rode for the Honda of Troy team and was just beginning to get noticed. Today, Brown is still racing, In fact, after four rounds, he is leading the points in the 12Scc National Motocross Championship. After struggling earlier this season, the U.S. Army Suzuki team with riders Angelle Sampey and Antron Brown turned in one of its most impressive performances with a rout of the Sears Craftsman Nationals in Madison, Illinois, on June 26. Sampey, the former three-time Pro Stock Motorcycle World Champion, claimed her first win of the season and became the seventh different winner in seven rounds when she stopped Brown in the final round. Sampey got off the starting line first and edged Brown at the finish, 7.23 to 7.24. "There have been times when I wondered if I was ever going to win again," Sampey said. "I know it's only been seven races, but I don't know if I've ever gone seven races without a win before. I really felt like I was overdue." With temperatures approaching 100 degrees, most insiders figured the large displacement V-twin bikes would dominate, and that seemed to be the case in qualifying as reigning NHRA champ Andrew Hines rode his Screamin' Eagle V-Rod to a 7.11 for the number-one spot. However, Brown was not far behind with a 7.12, and Sampey was also in the running with a 7.16, qualifying fifth. On race day, Sampey got the best of Matt Smith and Michael Phillips in the first two rounds and then made the quickest run of eliminations with a 7.15 in the semifinals to beat Hines, who was close behind with a 7.17. "That win was huge for me and our team," said Sampey, who moved from ninth to third in the points standings following the win. "The season is almost half over, and if we're going to I make a move in the points, we knew we had to start soon." Brown, the winner a week ago in Englishtown, New Jersey, made it back-to-back final rounds by beating Hector Arana, Chris Rivas and current points leader G.T. Tonglet during eliminations. Briefly... ConHnued from page J I "I don't like to lose, but if I have to get beat, I want Angelle to beat me," Brown said. "I'm sure she feels the same way. In the Army, they stress teamwork, and that's what we try to do with the race team. "I was actually ahead of Angelle at half track, but she came around me," Brown said. "Her bike was running so well this weekend. Mine was good, but hers was even better," Uke Sampey, Brown has also made a big move in the points standings. and he is currently ranked second, just 33 points behind Tonglet. For Sampey, the win was her 36th in NHRA competition, making her far and away the most successful female racer in NHRA history. Even so, Sampey is thrilled to see how competitive the Pro Stock Motorcycle class has become, with no repeat winners thus far in the season. "Obviously, I'd like to win every race, but if you look at it from the fans' point of view, this is the best thing for the class," Sampey said. "It has gotten to the point where anyone who qualifies is capable of winning the race. The way things are going, I'm sure the championship won't be decided anytime soon, either. It will probably go right down to the last race of the season, and I just hope that if it does, Antron and I are both fighting for it." Kevin McKenna Angelle Sampey raises her NHRA "Oscar" high. Sampey became the seventh different winner in seven rounds at the NHRA Craftsman Nationals in Madison, Illinois. tibia and fibula, as well as a dislocated ankle. Kearney went into surgery immediately after, where plates and screws were put in to aid healing. He will be spending a week in the hospital to make sure there are no complications with the break. There is no word yet on when Kearney will return to racing. Prior to the incident, Kearney was comfortably Sitting third in points in the GNCC series. Webb did confirm, however, that reigning GNCC Champion Rodney Smith has been riding and training in preparation for his return after the GNCC summer break. Smith broke his leg after the conclusion of the 2004 GNCC Series. This year's AHA Superbike Championship round at Virginia International Raceway will get a new name - the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals - and a new date, August 26-2B. The RPM Promotions event promises a lot more for the race as well, such as trackside jumbotron screens, an expanded vendor village, stunt shows, a fan party and more. Promoters are offering the Tiki Man Promotion that is being offered to fans who purchase their tickets earlIy. While supplies last, each fan who purchases an admission ticket prior to July 8 can choose from one of four free items: free parking (cars only), a free official event T-shirt, a free official event program or a free parade lap of the VIR circuit. "We're really excited about promoting the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals at VIR," RPM Promotions vice president Cameron Gray said. "We plan to make this the premier event on the AHA Superbike circuit, and we're making this offer to our fans to let them know that we mean business. We have the best motorcycle road racing in America at one of the world's most beautiful racing facilities. We have the most enthusiastic and knowledgeable fans in all of motor sport, and this offer is just the first step in shOWing our appreciation to them. We will have more announcements in the weeks to come regarding extra features that we will be providing to our fans, and they will be spectacular, so stay tuned!" To purchase advance tick- NAMED: Gillian Zucker - who currently serves as vice president of business operations and development at Daytona International Speedway and once served as assistant general manager for the High Desert Mavericks Baseball Club in Adelanto, California - has been named president of California Speedway. John Saunders, executive vice president and chief operating officer of International Speedway Corporation made the announcement last week. Zucker, 36, replaces William G. Miller, who announced his resignation from the Speedway in March. She will assume her duties on July 5. CORRECTION: In our coverage of the joiiet Half Mile, we reported that Jason Tyer's Bonneville Performance Triumph twin uses a C&J Racing Frame when in fact it uses a VMC Racing Frame manufactured in northeast Ohio. The phone number for VMC Racing Frames is 8OO{761-8667, ext. 302. ACQUIRED: Don and Usa Uttle, owners of Keene Motorsports, recently acquired Amherst Motorsports, from Matt and Jady Nbertini. The dealership features the Yamaha line of motorcycles, AlVs and snowmobiles. It also carries Ski-Doo snowmobiles and Bombardier AlVs. They will operate the dealership under the new name of Nashua Motorsports. For more information, call 603/673-7303. HIRED: Jason Partridge to the position of technical racing support by White Brothers Inc., effective immediately. "We are pumped to have Jason here," stated Mark Rodgers, global marketing manager for White Brothers. "He has an extensive racing background and rider support experience. With that, we know he will be an incredible asset to our team and help the future success in taking our racing support to the next level." Partridge most recently worked at FMF in rider support. AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At the Honda display tent and tearn truck at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. On Friday, july 8, Jake Zemke, Miguel Duhamel and Kurtis Roberts will be at the team truck from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.; on Saturday, July 9, the trio will be at the Honda display tent from 6 to 7:30 p.m.; on Sunday, July 10, they will be at the dispiay tent from II a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Honda's MotoGP riders, Nicky Hayden, Max Biaggi, Sete Gibernau, Alex Barros, Marco Melandri, Troy Bayliss and Makoto Tamada. will be at the Honda display tent from noon until I p.m. on Saturday, July 9. Fans must have a ticket to get an autograph, and tickets can be picked up at the display tent starting at 9 am. on Saturday. ets, visit www.virclub.com or www.rpmcolorado.com. Following the complaints of several people who had the rug pulled out from under them with their hotel rooms for the upcoming U.S. Grand Prix, the Monterey County District Attorney's Office, Consumer Protection Unit, has initiated an investigation into allegations of improper overbook- ing of rooms, reservation cancellation and price gouging relating to the 2005 MotoGP being held at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Persons with any information or complaints about this conduct are encouraged to contact the District Attorney's Consumer Protection Unit: Consumer Protection Unit, Monterey District Attorney, 1200 Aguajito Road, #301, Monterey, CA 93940; 831/647-7770 (phone), B31/647-7762 (fax). BMW of San Francisco will hold a postLaguna Seca open house on July 16 featuring road racing legend Randy Mamola. The open house will run from lOam. to 6 p.m. with Mamola scheduled to be on hand from I I am, to 3 p.m. The dealership is asking those who plan on attending the event to RSVP on the company website at www.bmwsf.com. Logging on to the website will also get you entered for a drawing to win an iPod. For more information, call 415/551-4226. CYCLE NEWS • JULY 6,2005 13 "

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