Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

(Top) Darrell Davis (10) leads the 85cc 7-11 Modified class off the line. (Above) Rusty Rogers (8) heads up the 250cc pack. AMA National ChamlP.lonshllP. AmateurlYouth HaH Mile Fontana, Rogers reap double wins at Kenton' :Sy Raymond M. McCoy KENTON, OH,JULY 17-18 Nickie Fontana and Rusty Rogers scored double wins 'a t Paul ' Schlegel and Dave Mcflarthy's AMA ,Amateur National 'H alf ,Mile Championship, the third and ' final event in the Wiseco /KlotzAmateur Grand National Dirt Track Championship Series. Fontana , placed his Yamaha at the top of' .26 the 100cc Schoolboy and 100cc Amateur class and then took third in 125cc Schoolboy and fourth in the 125cc Amateur class. Rogers took wins in the 125cc Schoolboy and 250cc Amateur classes on his Butch Wilson prepared Suzukis. Schlegel and McCarthy recruited the help of the Triangle M.C. to secure and man the track. . Saturday, the Youth and Amateur divisions were scheduled for qualifying heat races, which ran intothe late afternoon when a heavy downpour halted the fourth heat of the 250cc class.-Nasty condi tions prevailed and at 7:00 p.m. the remaining heats were postponed until · Sunday morning. Sunday broke into a warm and breezy day, that left the limestone track dry . and in good shape. The heat qualifiers were finished up, and eight final races completed, when rain again halted the program. Referee Russ Colliar called on everyone to drive their vehicles around the 'track in hopes of drying out the surface. It worked, but because of the amount of time lost, the final races were cut from eight laps to six in order to fin. ish the event.before dusk. .. On Saturday the 51cc class opened the Youth division qualifying .with Tony Arnold winning. The 100cc Schoolboy was next with Fontana winning. The 65cc win went to Jess Roeder. The 85cc Stock (7-11)"class was won by John Fleener, with Chance Darling winning 'the 85cc Stock (12-15) class . Jess Roeder won the. 85cc Modified (7-11) class. Ray West, Jr. and Michael Turner won the 85cc Modified (12-15) heats. The 100cc Amateur class was next arid ' Fontana was on top to win. In the 125cc Schoolboy class Brian Atherton won the first heat, while-Randy Turbett won the second heat. 'Gary Kitts won the 200ccclass. In the 125cc. Amateur class, Brian Atherton won the first heat with Nickie Fontana winning the second heat. In the 250cc Amateur class, Rusty Turbett,·Brian Atherton, Donald Estep and Mark Boschert won the heats. Darwin Schimmel pfenning won the first heat of the 500cc Amateur class. . The lOOcc Schoolboy final on Sunday was a one man show for Fontana as he raced in first to the checkered unchallenged. "There wasn't any competition," said Fontana. "It was easy, I just ran wide open." The 65cc class 'had Larry Pegram in the groove with Jess Roeder riding oPJ . tlt~" Cl!S~~O?, ~~.er ,soon. ~~k first, but later began to fall off the pace as Adam Darnell moved into first to win. " J ess melted a piston," said his father, George: John Fleener grabbed ,the lead in the 85cc Stock (7-11)' class and ran ' uncontested. "T he track is fast enough and I'm hookin' up OK , I like it," said Fleener. Audie Huff, Jr. moved into second to displace Darell Davis. Davis said, ·" I' m not used to limestone, I had to figure out the groove." Chance Darling ,came from the outside pole position .to nab early leader Todd Martin in the 85cc Stock (12-15 class). Darling went on to win, and said, "I just wanted to get in the lead." Mike Hayden moved irito second from fourth by making some brilliant moves up 'on 'the cushion and then down on the groove. , Darell Davis grabbed the lead in ' the 85cc Modified (7-11) class with Don Martin second. Jess Roeder moved off the pole position .and was soon racing with Martin as the two displaced Davis. Martin and Roeder swapped places several times with Martin getting the edge at thefinish, with Roeder following in a close second. The 85cc Modified (12-15) class produced one of the hottest races of theday. Eric Stump came from second off the line into the lead and took a narrow victory later, but not before Mark Wyskiel, Michael Turnerand Ray West, Jr. put a firm graspon places two, three and four. The four man freight train, followed closely by the pack, moved in tight formation. Stump held out for first and said, "I knew I was going to win, the pressure from the other riders didn't bother me." Fontana came from the outside pole position and mo ved into the lead to win the IOOcc class. "I had the fastest bike out there, thanks to'G.N. Gonzalas Honda, " said Fontana. "I was just up off the groove where it was a lot smoother." The Open class final saw David Miller take the lead . Miller said,' "I was taking it easy until Watson 'got in under me ." Miller gassed it up, regained first , and opened a bit of a lead, when he began to foul the plug. " I decided to back off a little," he said after his win. , The 125cc Schoolboy class was restarted three times, and each "time Fontana grabbed the lead. Brian Atherton made some moves from mid-pack to displace Randy Turbett for second, then Fontana for first. Rogers decided he wanted some of the action and grabbed the lead and zipped on to the checkered with Atherton, Fontana , and Turbett behind. Turbett later said, " I had a bad choice of gears. I did OK off the line, though." . James Setzekorn grabbed the lead in the 200cc class, but a restart found him second behind Rickey Wells. Setzekorn and Wells began to ' swap the lead. "I was 'getting Wells in the corners," said Setzekorn, "but he would pull ' me in the straights." Soon ,Wells experienced bike trouble which was later determined to be a plug wire, and Setzekorn took his Tommy Bonners Bultaco to the win. In the 125cc Amateur class Rand'}' Turbett brought his Jobo Sweazy tuned Viper Racing and Trim Leathers Suzuki off the line first and motored away to win. Turbett said afterwards, ' '' I found the groove worked well for me, and the bike was running real well." . "I knew no one was going to catch me," said Gary Toles, "I get into racing and I'm having a lot of fun here." Toles grabbed the immediate lead in the 360cc class on board his Bishop , Cycle Center Yamaha and never looked back. Rogers moved into first in the 250cc class and ' then proceeded to open a lead that lasted to the checkered. Rogers said the trick was " to be fast and keep it up on two wheels. " Turbett and Atherton displaced Donald Estep for second and third. Estep said, "It's the first time on the new Mike Hilley Honda, I just wasn't getting the drive out 'of the corners and there are a few bugs in it." In the 500cc class practice lap, three bikes tangled, leaving Darwin Schimmelpfenning with a trip to the hospital, Californian Roger Thompson with a broken Yamaha, and George Roeder scrambling to the pits ;. to adjust his Honda. Donald Estep : found that with his "tire change on the front and rear," he could press his Matt Rozowicz sponsored Honda into first and ward off any challengers to the,finish. George Roeder came out in third, but bumped Brian Tapp for second, which is how they finished. .' The top ten finishers received trophies with ball caps and visors from Winston. The top finishers in the Amateur Grand National point standings received plaques, a clock from Winston, a wrist watch with a Champion logo inside, and a certificate from Bell Helmets for a windbreaker. Bob Gorman was on hand with his equipment and services, while John Klotz, Sr. had a van full of oil, gas, hats, T-shirts and lots of stickers. .Results 51cc : 1. Kerri Hayden (Yam); 2. Tony Arnold (Yam); 3. Scott Huff; 4. Joel Barrow (Yam); 5, Chris Turner (Suz). 65cc : 1. Adam Darnell (Yam); 2. Troy Johnson (Yam); 3, Larry Pegram (Yam); 4. Mike Warner (Yam); 5. Travis Molesworth (Yam). 85cc ST (7-11): 1. John Fleener (Yam); 2. Aud ie Huff (Yam); 3. Darell Davis(Kaw); 4. Brent Armbruster (Yam); 5. Troy Johnson (Yam). 85cc MOD (7-11): 1. Don Martin (Yam); 2, Jess · Roeder (Yam); 3. Darell Davis (Kaw); 4. Travis Shelor (Yam); 5. John Fleener (Yam). 85cc ST (12-15): 1. Chance Darling (Yam); 2. Mike Hayden (Yaml; 3. Todd Martin (Kaw): 4. John Anderson (Yam); 5, Don Paul (Suz), . 85cc MOD (12-15): 1. Eric Stump (Yam); 2. Mark Wyskiel (Yam); 3. Ray West (Yam); 4: Mike Turner (Suz); 5. Troy Sauers (Han). l00cc SB (12-15): 1. Nickie Fontana (Yam); 2. I Mike Turner (Suz); 3. Jeff Laird (Yam); 4. Eric Stump (Yam); 5. James Falkner (Yam), , ' 125cc SB: 1. Rusty Rogers (Suz); 2. Brian Atherton (Yam); 3, Nickie Fontana (Han); 4. Randy Turbett. (Suz); 5. Robby Oliver (Han). l00cc: 1. Nick ie Fontant (Yam); 2. Mike Turner (Suz); 3 . Jeff Laird (Yam); 4. Robby Oliver (Suz); 5. Norman Jacobs (Suz). 125cc: 1. Randy Turbett (Suz); 2. Brian Atherton (Yam I; 3. Rusty Rogers (Suz); 4. Nickie Fontana' (Han); 5. 5. Ray West (Yam). 200cc: 1. James S81zekorn(Bul); 2. James Falkner (Bul); 3. Glenn Bloomquist (C·A); 4. Jim Hinthonr (C-A); 5. Doug Mayer (Yam). 25Occ: 1. Rusty Rogers (Suz); 2. Randy Turbett (Han); 3. Brian Atherton (Han); 4. Donald Estep (Han); 5. Duane Duvall (Han). 36Occ: 1. Gary Toles (Yam~ 2. John McGuire (Bul); 3. Mike Mallernee (Bul); 4. Edward Hauptman (Yam); 5. Eric Webb (Han), 50Occ: 1. Don Estep (Han); 2. George Roeder (Han); 3. Brian Tapp (Han); 4. Mike Shaflo (Han); 5. Stephen Hyson (Han). OPEN: 1. David Miller (H-D); 2. Dan Watson (Yam); 3. Ralph Duncan (Tri); 4. Peter Sullinas (Trl); 5. Norm Jacobs (Tri). AMA AMATEUR DT FINAL POINT STANDINGS 51cc : 1. Tony Arnold (34); 2. Kerri Hayden (29); 3. Scott Huff (25); 4, Joel Barrow (23); 5. Joel Nabin ger (15). 65cc : 1. Troy Johnson (32); 2. Jess Roeder (23); 3. Larry Pegram (22); 4. Mike Warner (19); 5. Adam Darnell (16). 85cc ST: 1. John Flenner (34); 2. Darrell Davis (30); 3. Audie Huff (24); 4. Troy Johnson (20); 5. Huey Robinson (13). 85cc MOD (7-11): 1. Don Martin (36); 2. Jess Roeder (25); 3. Audie Huff (23); 4. Darrell Davis (20); , 5. John Fleener (20). 85cc ST (12·15): 1: Chance Darling (25); 2. Mike Hayden (21); 3. Todd Martin (19); 4. Donald Paul (12); 5. Randy Hunt (12). 85cc MOD (12 ·151: 1. Eric Stump~29); 2. Ray West (20); 3. Mark Wyskiel (13); 4. Michael Turner (13); 5. Troy Sauers (13). l00cc SB: 1. Eric Stump (27); 2. Todd Haas (18); 3. Michael Turner (17); 4. Robby Oliver (17); 5. ? Nickie Fontana (12). 125cc SB: 1. Rusty Rogers (32); 2. Randy Turbett (22); 3. Brian Atherton (20); 4. Robbie Oliver (12); 5. .• George Digon (12). ' . l00cc: t. Nickie Fontana (24); 2. Michael Turner (22); 3. Robby Oliver (17); 4. Jeff Laird (15); 5. Eric Stump (15). 125cc: 1. Rusty Rogers (30); 2. Brian Atherton (28); 3. Randy Turbett (21); 4. Nickie Fontana (14); 5. Ray West (14). 200cc: 1. James Setzekorn (28); 2. Glenn Bloom- . quist (18); 3. Ricky Wells (18); 4. Jim Hinthorn (12); 5. Robby Oliver (12). 25Occ: 1. Rusty Rogers (24); 2. Brian Atherton (18); 3 . Don Estep (18); 4. RanqyTurbett (17) ; 5. Kip Bookman (12). 38Occ:: 1. Gery Toles (32); 2. Mike Mallern. . (25); 3. Eric Lacruze (12); 4. Scot! Saunders (12); 5. John McGuire (10). 500cc: 1. George Roeder (28); 2. Don Estep (24); 3. Mike Steuffer (15); 4. Denny Burkett (12); 5. Richard Levittelll). OPEN: 1. Relph Duncan (30); 2. Stephen Hyson (21); 3. Bob o-ns(18); 4. Greg McClellan (15); 5. Stephen Flach (13~

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