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/143881
good start so I decided (0 abandon my conservative strategy and go for it. However, Jimmy got a better start and he was gone." Labrosse, on the Rocket/Castrol Yamaha, said he would have liked to have finished second. "I think I could have taken second, but when I began to challenge Fred I got into a few slides in some corners when the front tire didn't really stick. After a few of those, I backed off a bit to see what Fred would do in the final laps. He didn't make any mistakes I could take advantage of." The qualifying heat race put an end to the hopes of Don Greene, who had finished second behind Filice in the Daytona Formula Two event a week earlier. "I blew it," said Greene looking at his battered bike. "I ran up fast on Merkel and some others on the opening lap of the heat and, rather than crash into them, I laid it down." Filice took the heat win easily with Labrosse following. Filice didp't waste time in taking command of the final and leaving the battling to those behind him. Initially, it was Hugh Humble and Merkel with Chris Steward fourth. By the second lap, Labrosse had moved to fourth and was beginning to challenge the Humble/Merkel duo. Filice continued to put breathing room between himself and those behind. The halfway flags saw Filice out in front by a good margin followed by Merkel, Labrosse, Humble-a distance back-and Steward. The top five had been set. The final laps saw no changes in position, although Labrosse kept the pressure on Merkel and Humble waited to see if either rider would make a mistake he could capitalize on. Neither did. • Results FORMULA TWO: 1. Jimmy Filice (Yam); 2. Fred Merkel (Yaml; 3. Alan Labrosse (Yam); 4. Hugh Humble (Yam); 5. Chris Steward (Yam); 6. Dan Guglielmo (Yam); 7. Patrick O'Leary (Yam); B. Francisco Fuentes (Yam); 9. Rick Shaw (Yam); 10. Wil· Iiam Walker (H· D). Time: 15 min., 23 sees. UNOFFICIAL FORMULA TWO FINAL POINT STANDINGS: 1. Sam McDonald(l17); 2. Fred Mer· kal(l09); 3. Jim Filice (105); 4. Hugh Humble (94); 5, Don Green (B6); 6. (TIE) David Emde/Alan Labrosse (64); B. Craig Morris (53); 9. Rhys Howard (43); 10. Mark Homchick (29). Battle of the Twins (Clockwise from left) Eddie Lawson and crew deservedly toot their own horn after winning. Jimmy Filice (17) was untouchable on the 2505. Sam McDonald took the f-2 title. but debuted on a Honda Superbike in fourth place. Baldwin gave the title chase a good shot. with wins in the last two rounds. but Lawsons lead was too large. Tesauro wins on last lap charge WEST PALM BEACH, FL, OCT. 10 The battle for the overall win in the Battle of the Twins went right down to the final lap with Moto-Guzzi mounted John Tesauro coming up the winner. Tesauro passed Joey Mills in a left· hand turn halfway through the final lap and made the pass stick for his victory. Dwaine Williams finished a distance back in third. "I knew I had to make my own breaks because Joey was riding such a good race," said Tesauro. "I challenged him for a couple of turns on the final lap and then went past-in a tight left-hander. It was a darn good race. I especially want to thank the folks at St. Augustine Cycles for all their help." Jimmy Adamo, the Number One plate holder in the GP class, and Malcolme Tunstall, his adversary all season long, didn't race. Adamo, citing lack of funds to stay in Florida another week after Daytona, went home to New York. Tunstall was injured in an accident in the Superbike event. The championships in three of the four classes had already been decided by the West Palm Beach round. In the Amateur Modified class, however, the title was up for grabs with Doug Gross leading Chris Bannister-Brown by four points. Gross and Bannister-Brown started off slowly in the combined event, feeling their way through traffic for the first three laps of the 10 lap final. Then the battle started with class lead swapping played all over the track. Gross took the class lead for the last two laps and held off Bannister-Brown for the class win and the title. "I had to out-brake Chris in one of the turns to take the lead," Gross said later. "I tried to ride safe, since I had fallen in Saturday's practice and didn't want to go down again.·.. "The engine wasn't running as crisp GP: 1. John'Teasuro (M-G); 2. Devin Battley (BMW); 3. Tom Bryan (Nor); 4. Jim Young (Yam). EX MOD: 1. Joey Mills (Due); 2. Dwaine Williams (Nor); 3. Ron Sbordone (Due); 4. Walt Schaffer (Tri); 5. Bill Atkinson (BMW). AM MOD: 1. Don Gross (Due); 2. Chris Bannister· Brown (Due); 3. Mike Masterns (Nor); 4. Sharon Johnson (BMW); 5. Dennis Liebrecht (Due). STOCK: ~. Chris Steward (Yam); 2. Wayne Reiss (BMW); 3. Peter Brady (BMW); 4. Paul Harrison (BMW); 5. Charles Bostwick (Due). as it should have and began to slow in the final laps," said Ban!1ister-Brown. "I also had another problem. My chain oiler was oiling my rear tire also. Things got a little slippery out there." • Results BATILE OF THE TWINS 13