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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/142448
At the halfway flags, Adamo had managed his magic and held a six second margin over Roper with Tunstalla further two seconds back.. Of note was the entry of Touch of Class BMW ridden by Paul Krikorian. The bike was a stock BMW GS80 with Avon tires. The bike had been ridden in the Baja 500 off-road race earlier in the year. Mills continued to lead the Expert Modified class with Hopp in tow while Doug Gross, back in about l Oth , was the Amateur Modified leader. The speed at the end of 10 laps was 90.574 mph. Adamo carried a 13 second lead on the battle for second as he headed to the checkered flag. Tunstall closed to Roper's rear wheel in the infield. Roper had power on the back straight then Tunstall caught up in the chicane, but lost the drag race to the flag by 20 bikelengths. Gross lost his class leading position with a stop at the pit wall just prior to taking the white flag. He pulled back on to the track , and pu t in a strong lap to overtake Alan Cathcart and score the class win. • Results GP: 1. Jim Adamo (Due); 2. Dave Roper (H-D); 3. Malcolm Tunstall (Due);4. Doug Lantz (Due); 5. Rick Sw iderski (H-D). EXP MOD: 1. Joey Mills (Due); 2. Winifred Hopp (Due); 3. Ron Sbordone (Due); 4. Dwayne Wilson (Nor); 5. Bill Atkinson (BMW) . AM MOD : 1. Ooug Gross (Due); 2. Alan Cathcart; 3. Frederi ck Augustin (Due); 4. Chris Bannister· Brown (Due); 5. Bo Dufresne (Due). STOCK: 1. Jeff Charlesworth (Due); 2. Wayne Reiss (BMW); 3. John Wheeler (Due); 4 . Paul Harrison (BMW); 5. Paul Krikorian (BMW). • AMA Fonnu/a Two Championship Road Radng Series: Round 7 "Flying Merkel~' soars at Pocono LONG POND, PA, AUG. 8 Fred Merkel lived up to his nickname, "Flying Merkel," as he.Iiterally flew from a last row start to a two bikelength mar- (Top) Texan Hugh Humble posted a second in the Formula Two final. (Above) BaTT winner Jimmy Adamo. Baffle of the-Twins Easy win to Adamo LONG POND, PA, AUG. 8 . Jimmy Adamo, aboard the Reno Leoni/Castrol Ducati ,continued his domination of the GP class, winning overall in the 12 Battle of the Twins race. Adamo had n easy time of itin the 42 mile sprint and was never really challenged after the opening laps. David Roper, aboard the Robison Harley-Davidson (Daytona Beach, Florida) Harley, placed second and had been Adamo's early challenger. He and third place Malcolme Tunstall staged a good fight for second. Tunstall was aboard the Syd's Cycles (St. Petersburg, Florida) Ducati. "It was really an easy race," said Adamo afterwards. "I just turned on the gas and took off. Reno deserves a lot of praise for keeping the bike so fast. This is the third race on the engine in three weeks." Roper thanked his sponsor for the race, noting that he was riding the bike for regular rider Hal Coleman, who had broken a collarbone the week before. " I made a mistake in gearing," said Tunstall. " With the wind as it was I couldn't get as much top speed as I needed ." Adamo held the pole position for the start of the Twins final with Rick Swiderski, Jerry Dean, Tunstall and Roper alongside. Swiderski and Roper were on the only two Harley-Davidsons on the grid. Tunstall grabbed the lead as Swiderski did a wheelstand on the start, saved the bike from going over backwards and scared Adamo into backing off slightly. Adamo quickly remedied that problem and was up to third behind Roper heading into the second lap. Roper put his Harley power . to use taking the lead into the chicane. Adamo then dropped Tunstall to third and set out after Roper, taking the lead as the two crossed the start/finish line to begin lap three. Joe Mills and Fred Hopp were in a battle for fourth and the win in the Expert Modified division as well . Adamo turned the gas on to quickly open a two second lead , although he was not able to shake Roper off as easily as he had planned. Bit by bit he moved away. gin of victory in the Arai Superlight Formula Two event. Merkel held off the last lap challenge of Hugh Humble for his win. Third went to Canadian Alan Labrosse. "We worked long and hard for this win," said Merkel. ' "I had engine problems, transmission problems and then had to start from the back comer of the grid. All the work was worth it. I pushed harder in the comers to make up ground. I almost lost the race, though, because I slowed down in the chicane on the final lap and when I looked around, there was Hugh. That was a surprisel" "I got into a couple of slides out there - one on the last lap - and once almost hit the haybales. The rear tire was heating up and getting slick, but I wasn't about to give up. I gained on the final lap, but Fred had a bit of motor on me," recounded Humble. "This is the first time I've ridden the track so it took some time to learn it," said Labrosse. "I wanted to stay close so I could make a last lap challenge. I also had tire problems and so I decided to slow a bit and hang around for the ceremonies in winner's circle." Sam McDonald, with a ninth place finish, continued to hold the top spot in the standings with 83 points. The real battle centers on second with Humble and Merkel tied at 69 points each. Humble blasted off the line with the lead in the 15 lap, 42 mile event. Humblewas closely followed by Dave