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/143894
(Top) Harry KUnzmann won overall in the Budweiser I AFM Pro Superbike race on the Racecrafters/Champion Moriwaki Kawasaki. (Above left) Carry Andrew raced his tt,ypercycle Kawasaki to fourth from last on the grid. (Above right) David Emde took the Formula Two race over Danny Coe. AFM Pro Budweiser Superbike after a close and exciting race. But Klinzmann almost didnJt make the race at all. In Saturday practice, Harry took off and Klinzmann, Reynosa, Emde head Budweiser road race went a litde too fast on cold tires and got into a horrendous tank slapper where he was thrown completely off the bike into the air. And amazingly enough, he landed right back on the seat and held on. Unfortunately, he hit his knee on the steering dampener and could barely walk that evening. But he babied it enough that he was able to race on Sunday without too much discomfort. . Grid position was decided by' timed qualifying, with the Yoshimura Katana ridden by Fred Merkel fastest wi th a 132:63. Earl Roloff was second fastest with a time of 133:64; Roberto Pietri was third with a 133:75. Th~ Superbike race was run in two 25-1ap heats and was scored motocross style, with Harry taking third in the first heat and first in the second to win overall. In heat one Mike Spencer, piloting the Vance and Hines/Cycle Tune 1170cc Katana, took the holeshot and led the first six laps followed by Pietri, Merkel and Klinzmann. Spencer nearly didn't make the race either as his clutch blew in practice, but the Cycle Tune crew got everything working properly in time for dle.race. ., By Lori Tyson WILLOW SPRINGS, CA, NOV. 28 Harry Klinzmann took his Racecrafters/ Champion Moriwaki Kawasaki to the Superbike win in front of 8,000 spectators at the M Pro/Budweis€f, race·at Willow Springs - ~ I I I I i I - . "Flying Fred" Merkel was moving up fast and grabbed the first heat lead in lap seven. By this time the leaders were already encountering lapped traffic, making things a bit difficuJt. Roberto and Klinzmann had their own race going at this point for the third place spot and traded leads until about lap 14, when Roberto's Honda (actually Steve Wise's old Superbike) began to slow due to carburetioil problems and Klinzmann moved up to dice with Spencer for second. Meanwhile, Earl Roloff was holding fifth with no problems at all. Roloff had never ridden a Superbike before Saturday'S practice, when Whitney Blakeslee offered his l105cc Moriwaki Kawasaki, and Roloff proceded to take second fastest qualifying time after only eight laps on the bike. By the last lap of heat one Merkel had stretched his lead considerably, with 130:4 his fastest lap time, taking the first leg victory. . He was followed by Mike Spencer, Klinzmann, Pietri, Roloff and, on the second Yoshimura bike, Dave Busby. In heat two things went crazy. Both Yoshimura bikes blew their clutches after a false start. and were out of the race. Mike Spencer's shift linkage broke after he took the holeshot and led the first ~wo laps, caus~gp.W1,tp. _