Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

dln o - ·V. n tu'r a .:.. AUbu~~ - Napa':' e...u M ea San Bernardi n . - lead on tum two after one of the most fantastic sta rts ever seen. Lucero was the wi nner, clinching secon d place. Robinson was second and Yarrow third, immediately causing another tie sit ua tion for third between Robin son and Yarrow. _I In a run-off, it was Robinson in the lead with Yarr ow second and wh en the four laps were completed, a jubilant Robinson had taken th ird in h is own championship I Ermolenko (Good); 3. Mike Faria (Jew); 4. Sieve Lucero (Jaws) ; 6. Phil Gagnon (Jawl; 6. Keith Chrisco (Wes). SECOND DIV: 1. Bentley Barren (Jaw); 2. Kenny 8encheck (Wes); 3. Andy Northrup-(Wes); 4. Sieve 8auer (Jaw); 6. Chris M artin (Jaw); 6. Bob on(Jew). THIRD DIV: t. Mark Rotondo (Jaw); 2. Bob Bech· told (Mae); 3. Scon Talkingto n (Godd); 4. Brian Speaks (Jaw); 5. Russell Baccarella (Jaw); 6. Mike Coniglio (Jaw). Results ' By Kenneth R. Kellogg 'NAPA CHAMPIONSH IP: 1. Mike Faria (16); 2. SIeve Lucero (14); 3. ·Dennis Robinson (12); 4 . ·D uane Yarrow (12 ); 6. Paul Orla ndi (9); 6. Dave Faria. Jr. (8); 7. Tom Ferri s (7'h); 8. Steve Crawford (7); 9. Andy Gilbertson (6'h); 10. Ron McG ill (6'h ); 11. Harlan Bast. Jr . (6); 12. Mike Delacy (6); 13. John Volk (4'h1; 14 . Marc Prince (4'h ); 16 . Bobby Holmes (4); 16 . Robert Curry (2'h); 17. Kevin French (2); 18. Sieve Elstins (1). • Tie broken by run·off '.:JR CHAMPIONSHIP: 1. Bart Bast. COSTA MESA, CA, AUG. 6 Christ ian benef it at IMS By Scott Daloisio SAN BER NAR DINO, CA, AUG. 4 It was Alan Christian benefit night at John LaDouceur's Inland Motorcycle Speedway as the " Big Fella" rode the STP Godden to victory in the Scratch and Handicap main events. In winning his fifth Scratch main of the season, Christian was first out of the gate from the pole position over Mike Bast (Justice Brothers/ Knobby Shop Jawa), John Sandona (WindlordiSuperseer Godden) and MIke Faria (Cody Products/Cycle Gear/Jones Goggles Jawa). In the second comer Christian hooked up and did a wheel ie, giving the lead to Bast. Bast thought Christian's wheelie looked good so he tried it, allowing Christian back into the number one spot. Faria then went to the inside and passed Bast on hi s way to pulling even with Christian in tum three. T he sh uffle continued on lap two as Sandona got by Faria in the first comer only to have Faria come back by on the back chute. Ch ristian began putting things in order and opened up a lead on lap three with Bast movi ng back into third as he passed Sandona on the same circuit. Faria and Bast chopped down Christian 's lead at the start of the final lap and made it three abreast for the lead coming ou t of two. All thre e riders went at it wide open but it was Christian getting the drive up high on the back chu te and leading the rest of the way to the checkered. Faria ended up a close secon d followed by Bast and San dona. In the Handicap main it was Guy Erm olenko (Gaston Be Dill on God den) ou t firs t from the 20 over Phi l Ga gn on (Bionic Auto Body/Scotty's Muffl er Jawa ) and Steve L u cero (Armas/Superseer Jawa). Christian started on the 40 and took third from L ucero at the end of the opening go 'round. Lucero was able to pull even in tum two and both he and Christian passed Gagnon as they raced for second. Christian finally got th e 18year-old for keeps on the third lap a nd set his sights on Ermolenko. T he ST P rider p ulled alongside Ermolenko at the start of lap four and moved by on the back chute on the same lap. Christian led th e final lap and a half to score his first IMS H andicap win of the season over Ermolenko and Far ia. Result s SCRATCH: 1. Alan Christi an (Godd); 2. Mike Faria (Jaw); 3. Mik e Bast (J_~ 4 . John Sandona (Godd). HANDICAP: 1. Alan Christian (Godd); 2. Guy McConnel, Bast best at Costa Mesa A familiar sigh t to the winner's circle, Mi ke Bast won the Scratch main tonight at Costa Mesa Speedway. Several riders had already left for Auburn, the sight of round one of the National Championship Qualifiers; the qualifiers will determine the top 16 riders who will compete in the Nationals on Oct. 9. With only about two months left . in the season, many Division Three riders are trying their hardest to make a move into second division; this unfortunately results in more crashes and red flagged races. Tonight was no exception. The main had to be restarted and by the time of the restart, two riders were already out, leaving only four riders to compete. On this try, Mark Dwyer went out on the fourth lap as did Rusty Jennings, who had led the race for two laps. The race was called complete and at the finish, it was Ken Bencheck again. Second was Cliff Cody, third jen-: nings and fourth Dwyer. The Second Division main saw three of the six riders absent from the finish: Wayne Leutz, Joe Kreisberg and Pat Hawley. Leading the race all the way was Steve McFarland. Second place from start.to finish was Chris Martin. Third, after starting the race in fifth was Ron Blanton. Although he 's not superstitious, McConnell delighted the fans by strolling proudly onto the track, sitting down and rolling around in the dirt before racing tonight. This ritual to remove the gremlins from his spotless new leathers must have worked because McConnell won the Handicap main, leading from the beginning to the end. Finishing second after an incredible ride was Alan Christian. On lap one, turn three Christian was in fourth place; by the end of the race he was in second. Having an excellent night and having actually passed Christian in an earlier race was J im Lawson. Much improved this year, Lawson finished third in the Handicap main; fourth was Morley and fifth Bransford. The Scratch main was the last event of the ni ght. Fro m the pole, were lucky Shawn McConnell; Tom Burba, in his first Scratch main at Costa Mesa in '82; the incomparable Mike Bast and youn gster Steve Lucero. Bast took the ga te and thus the race. Burba came ou t second and stayed there for about two laps before he was passed by McConnell, who finished the race in second. Burba finished third and Lucero was given fourth after being out since the third lap. Last week there was a misunderstanding on the red flagged fin ish in the main. Dennis Abbo tt, who ha d led from the start, did win the event. Results SCRATCH MAIN: 1. M ike Bast; 2. Shawn M c Connell; 3. Tom Burbe; 4. Steve Lucero. HANDICAP MAIN : 1. Shawn McConnell ; 2. Ala n Christ ian; 3. Ji m Lawson . SECOND DIV: 1. Steve McFarlend; 2. Chris Mar · tin; 3. Ron Blanton. THIRD DIV: 1. Ken Bencheck; 2. Cliff Cody; 3. Rusty Jennings; 4. 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