Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

whipping Scott Graham and nemesis Jake Roach, johnny flew around the track in flawless fashion and beat some of the bigger bikes in the process. When this kid doesn't pull his famous premature dismouOls, he is something else! Rod Hawkins edged out Rod Lowe in the Open Novice division with two firsts as ScOll Yenzer led the 250cc Novices in both molOs to beat out a fast finishing Tom Phillips. Results OPEN PRO: 1. Ron Gibson (Hon). 250 PRO: 1. Nev laBorde (Hon); 2. Bob Ashleigh (Suz); 3. Tim Toler (Yam). . 125 PRO: 1. Randy Yetto (Yam); 2. Dave Pettigrew (Suz). OPEN INT: 1. Neil Christman (Hon); 2. Charlie Strong (Suz); 3. Pete Vetrano (Hon). 2501NT: 1. Greg Winters (Suz); 2. Mike Edmonds (Yam); 3. Tony Pulliam (Yam). 125 INT: 1. Johnny Ray (Suz); 2. Scott Graham (Yam); 3. Jake Roach (Suz). . OPEN NOV: 1. Rod Hawkins (Hus); 2. Rod Lowe (Yam); 3. Errol Lamac (Yaml. . 250 NOV: 1. Scott Yenzer (Hon); 2. Tom Phillips (Suz); 3. Tom Smith (Hon). . 250 BEG: 1. Steve Wu (Suz); 2. Dan Griffith (Hon); 3. Chris Tuttobene (Yam). 125 BEG: 1. Tony Straugio (Suz); 2. Jeff Solee (Yam); 3. Johnny Webb (Suzl. 125 NOV: 1. Brian Jay (Suz). MINI NOV: 1. Eric Cardwell (Kaw). MINI BEG:.1. Kenneth Tate (Yam); 2. Seth laBorde (Kaw); 3. Joey Tuttobene (Yam). • This Triumph sidecar setup was one of the many at Griffith Park. Machine gun showing at Sidecar Rally By F. B. Norton ahead of Casey Montgomery (Yam), Wilson, Mike Hague (Yam) and Jay Birmingham (Suz). During the second lap MOOlgomery weOl down, dropping back to the rear of the field and giving Wilson cOOlrol of the second SpOl. At the same time Birmingham took care of Hague for third.' During the next four laps the three leaders were engaged in a handlebarlO-handlebar ballie for the lead. With only two laps remaining, Birmingham made his move by edging his way past both Wilson and Barker to take over the top spot. Birmingham also snuck by Barker at the same time for second. The win went to Birmingham followed by Wilson, Barker and Gerald Reid (Yam). In the second moto, it was Reid who stole the holeshot ahead of Barker, Hague and Wilson. Reid held the throllie wide-open, keeping Barker, who earlier haq passed Hague for second, at a safe dislance. However, disaster struck Reid with only two laps to go when he weOl down, dropping to the rear of the pack. Barker then inherited the lead and evenlual win. Wilson again took second followed by Hague, Birmingham and John Karr (Hon). In the 250cc Intermediate class, it was Randy Skimmer (Suz) who lallied a 1-1 combo to caplUre the overall tide while Yamaha-mounted Mark MOOlgomery took second with two seconds. Third overall with a 3-3 total was jay Stranger (Yam) who finished just ahead of the 5-4 score by Henry Marmolejo (Hon). Results 22- PEE WEE: 1. Mike Metzger (Yam); 2. Judd ScanIan (Yam). JR CYCLE: 1. Wes Klein (Kawl; 2. Mike Metzger (Yam). MINI BEG: 1. John 5carberry(Yam); 2. Dean Keeling (Yam); 3. Richard Geraghty (Yam). MINI NOV: 1. Mike Sandoval (Suz); 2. Mike Michetti, (Suz). MINIINT: 1. Mike Fitzgerald (Hon); 2. Roy Chambers (Yam); 3. Waher Armendariz (Suz). 125 BEG: 1. Jeff Barker (Yam); 2. Scott Wilson (Suz); 3. Jay Birmingham (Suz). 125 NOV: 1. Chad Barnes (Yam); 2. Lance Gorton (Kaw); 3. Tim Malcolm (Suz). 125 INT:·1. Jim Pearson (Suz); 2. Danny Cantley (Kaw); 3. Jimmy Palmer (Yam). 250 BEG: 1. DeWayne Boese (Hon); 2. Corey Gash (Yam); 3. Mike Norris. 250 NOV: 1. Steve Bemy (Yam); 2. Steve Johnstone (Suz); 3. Gamer Palenske (Mail. 2501NT: 1. Randy Skimmer (Suz); 2. Mark Mont· gomery (Yam); 3. Jay Stranger (Yam). 250 PRO: 1. Eddie Michetti (Suz); 2. Andy Kirker (Suzl; 3. Duane Mapes (Suz). OPEN NOV: 1. Ted Metzger (Mai); 2. Rory Fisher (Mai); 3, Mike Norris (Mai). OPEN PRO: 1. Keith Dysert (Hon); 2. Ray Cates (Yam); 3. Quinton Smith (Suz). VET JR: 1. Karl Scanlan (Yam); 2. Howard Dikeeling (Suz); 3. Harry Stevens (hon). VET INT: 1. Paul Escamilla (Hon); 2. James Richardson (Hon); 3. Larry Lowen (Suz). Gibson wins at Sunrise By. Bert Valenzuela ADELANTO, CA, OCT. 24 Ron Gibson tooled his Open Honda around the challenging course at Sunrise Valley Cycle Park to a 1-2 finish, taking the overall Pro honors on this beautiful day in Adelanto. In a final tu~e-up for the Ghost Riders Series, Ron l~d wire to wire in the first moto with Nev LaBorde taking second and Randy YellO a close third. In the second stanza Ron again jumped out to a quick lead with LaBorde once more runl)ing second and Tim Toler third. However, a slow starting YellO came from fifth to second by lap number six. Randy, doing a masterful job of riding, dogged Gibson's trail until the second to last lap. He then moved past Ron and jelled to the finish. LaBorde again took third. Thus it was Gibson, YellO and LaBorde, in that order, for the day. In. the Inlermediate wars, Greg Winlers took the 250cc honors with two firsts. He was followed across the line, in both mOlOS, by Mike Edmonds and Tony Pulliam, respectively. Neil Christman edged Charlie Strong for the Open win. Pete Vetrano was second in the first molO, just ahead of Strong. Strong took second in the second molO, as Vetrano pulled off on lap two. Charlie sellied for ..second behind Christman for the day. The 125cc race was a literal runaway for Victorville Suzuki's johnny Ray; he stayed on his bike again for the full two molOS. In the process of LOS ANGELES, CA, OCT. 23-24 Machine guns and picnic baskets mixed it up at the 11 th Annual Griffith Park Sidecar Rally held over the October 23-' 24 weekend. Hundreds of sidehacks from all over the couOlry converged on the Los Angeles park for two days of camping and sidecar exhibitions. Doug Bingham of Sidesuiders sponsored the eveOl with the help of the V.S. Sidecar Association. Only two groups are permilled by the Park Rangers to camp overnight in Grifftih Park, the Boys Scouts and the Sidecar rallyists - even if a machine gun did show up. The deactivated weapon was part of the realistic restoration of a World War II Africa Corps BMW sidecar rig, owned and ridden by john Roema of Pasadena. Also preseOl was Bud Ekins' beautiful 1915 Harley-Davidson 1000cc sidecar set-up and Steve Young's. ultr:;t-modern Turbo Shadow, complete with formula racing "wings." Famous makes of sidecars were well represented and included Swallow, Watsonian, Globe and Streib, as well as the latest in three-wheel innovations, the Terraplane and the Equilean. Some sidecars were equipped with beds and others looked more like boats, varnished wooden beauties parked next to low slung racing bikes. The sidehacks, either chugged and burbled around the park orjust served as cenlers of conversation like-the Van Dutch restored Moto Guzzi "Bitza" and Paul Istrin's'1942 BSA with an Israeli sidecar. The flavor was definitely inlernational. The enlire weekend was one mellow get together, no competitions, no judging...just plenty of talk, good food and swapping of sidecar stories. The array of machinery, both historic and modern, was a real eye opener for the non-sidehackers who came to enjoy the evenl. You didn't need a sidecar to share the fun. For more V.S. Sidecar Association information COnlact Doug Bingham at Sidestriders or call 213/780-5542. Sauro. smokes OCIRdrags By F. B. Norton 'IRVINE, CA, OCT. 23 Run What You Brung was the name of the game at the Orange County International Raceway as street racers bolted OR wheelie bars, tacked up their rear wheels, twisted their pavement scorchers up to max revs and then dumped the clutch when the slaging lights flashed go! . It was sort of casual, a Saturday at the dragstrip, unlimited runs, unlimited fun. Yau 'name it, it was there smoking down the quarter mile. Beside. Vance &: Hines' famed Suzuki drag bikes and a run ~y Ross Collins' 1100 Goldwingpowered "Balliestar," th~ eveOl was wide open to anyone else who wanted to test their bike and themselves at top speeds. There were some big buck radical machines, but most of the bikes that got in their licks were straight from the street; maybe some wheelie bars to keep the froOl end earthside, maybe some straight struts to tighten up the rear end. . The warm ups, practice runs and general dialing-in lasted all day with the final competitions held beneath the raceway lights, lasting to midnighl. Bracket I win weOl to Mark Sauro aboard the Vance &: Hines GSllOO, running his 1170cc street engine to the tune of 125 mph at 9.63 seconds, with an early shutdown atthal. Only one spill occurred when Cathy Christal took a tumble at 120 mph. Her . condition is reported as good. Vance &: Hines Engineering promises dragstrip action for all takers every Saturday afternoon at the Orange COUOly International Raceway. Some 115 bikes enlered Saturday's drags to go for the gusto and the cash prizes. So, if you've got the ultimate street racer or .drag bike, or just. waOl lo see what your new, or even not so new bike will do when given a safe straight road without the minor obstacles of traffic and police, you can come out and join the tire smoking crowd on any Saturday. For more on bike drag racing contact Vance & Hines at 213/921-7461. Results BRACKET I: 1. Mark Sauro. 9.63/125 mph (Suz); 2. Don Earl. 10.05/133.33 mph (Kaw). BRACKET II: 1. Phillip Rivera. 12.05/101.58 mph . (Suz); 2. cap'n Queeg. 11.77/112.35 mph (Hon). BRACKET III: 1. Mike Wesolociski. 13.03/8B.32 mph (Kaw); 2. Tom Coates.13.62/93.07 mph (Kaw). North High School fops Corona MX By Kit Palmer CORONA, CA, ocr. 22 Traditionally, the Todd Miller Memorial Motocross at Corona Raceway marks the kick-off of another season full of exciting and highly competitive high school MX and it was hardly a surprise tonight to find last year's champs, North High School, at the top of the class. The Todd Miller Memorial opener does not have any bearing, points wise, on the outcome during the regular series, but it does give each school's riders a chance to get together and plan their strategy. Arlington, who finished second to NQrth, will give the champs a run for the money. One of North's high poiOl scorers was Scott Mapes (Kaw). Mapes led

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