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/142444
(Top) William "Boonie" Knott (52), Dennis Smith (35), Don Cashen (5), Whitney Blakeslee (3) and Tracy Greiger (53) blast off at the start. (Above) ) Knott and Smith run inside of eventual runner-up and first 400cc bike of Tracy DeMuro, who teamed with John Lassak. Knott and Smith DNF. I Vandenbroek/Hagie hang on for AFM Six-Hour win By Lori Tyson RIVERSIDE. CA. JULY 18 _ The team of Frans Vandenbroek/Roger Hagie on the "Discarded Parts Special" turned a seventh-place start into a trip to winner's circle as they took the victory in the eighth annual American Federation of Motorcyclists' Six. Riversid Ho~r CIassic at iversr e In~ernational Raceway, completing 163 laps - 517.5 miles on their Kawasaki 750. Hagie, with partner Martin Carney, had won the first Six-Hour in 1975. was third' overall in 1978 (first 750cc) with Gill Martin. and won the 750ccclass in 1979 with Vandenbroek and Rob Runyard. "Wejustrodeconservatively, using third gear in even the slowest corners. having a very wide powerband, and never revved it over nine grand." said ' Vandenbroek."We would like to thank .ND Sp~rk Plugs and Kerker for their help. They took the lead on lap 84 after the Cycle Tune team of Dennis Smith/ Jon Wooretiredwitha possiblebroken oil pump after leading the race. The first lap was led by the Performance Works Suzuki Katana of Tom Ballantyne/Kerry Bryant/Tracy Creiger, followed by Team Hammer's Rhys Howard/Boonie Knott. Lee Fleming/Whitney Blakeslee/Mike Krolick of Team Cycle Tune. John Wells /Larry Theobald of Team . Hypertycleand Vandenbroek/Hagie. . .Performance, Works Jed until lap 54 when the transmission locked up and took them out. at which point Team Hammer took over. Team Hammer left the race at lap 73 with very expensive sounding noises coming from the motor. Fleming/Blakeslee/Krolick on the Team Champion Motorcycles Kaw first ground through their cases, fixed that ; but were forced to leave on lap 39 when the ignition went south. The first lap of the race. Tracy Dernuro/Tohn Lassak had timing problems and lost a couple of laps, but by the halfway mark had moved up to ninth place (on the same RD400 that took eighth at the Laguna Seca . Formula Two National on the only air cooler entered). . One hour later. at the 110 lap mark. Demuro/Lassak had moved up to third. and when the Hypercycle team of Stulbaum/'Andrew/Thomas retired on lap 116, they were in second the rest of the day on the Castrol Oil! ND /Cal Fab Swingarms/Kal-Gardsponsored machine. Wells/Theobald went from a fifth plac star to third y, tbe:. ha](way, mark. but Theobald crashed in fast turn two a few laps later. Since the bike and Theobald were basically unhurt. Wells decided to go.out and finish the race. They ended up 11th overall. fifth Open . . The team of Cashen /Crawford showed that consistency counts in endurance racing as they went from a sixth place start to finish third over- , all (first Open) with no problems all day. They rode a Box Stock GSIIOOE 'f Suzuki. sponsored by Crawford Jig . ' Frames and Yamaha of Cucamonga. c.l Team Hypercycle showedpersistence when. after a bad crash in Saturday practice. they worked all night on repairs and at lap 100 were second overall after an eighth-place start. But they had to leave the race at lap 116 with a broken motor. Team San Diego Kawasaki West. consisting of Steve Sowden /Toe Bruscella, took fourth overall on a G Pz550 with a very strange looking gas tank. They took first 600cc money. The Ken Stack/Howard Monise " 4QQq cl,assY,amaha ~as( uP tto tf~f,lh.t