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/143901
Southern California-Arizona-Southern 'Nevada- Southern California-Arizona-Southern Nevada- Southern Calliornia-Arizona- Western hotline -- (Above) Fred Merkel (3) and Harry Klinzmann diced at AFM Riverside. (Above) Dan Ashcraft flies at the Toys for Tots GP. Results 125 PRO: 1. Gary Bowman (Suz); 2. A.J. Whiting (Yam); 3. Roger Hensley. 250 PRO: 1. Mike Shoemaker (Han); 2. Brian Chereshkoff (Han); 3. Nev laBorde (Han). OPEN PRO: 1. Pete Snortela~ (Yam). Johnson again at CMC Carlsbad By Kenneth Stein CARLSBAD, CA, DEC. 12 It is rumored that on Sundays, when He's not busy, God rides around heaven on his Yamaha, pretending he's Rick Johnson. (Above) Rick·Johnson dazzled the crowds at Carlsbad on the way to two Pro elass wins. (Below) A sportsman start at CMC Carlsbad. . . Whiting's turn to'go knocking, but he ran out of time and had to take second. Bowman was in at third. The 250cc positions didn't change; Shoemaker went on for the win, followed, by Chereshkoff and Nev La Borde. Hensley beat the pack to the first turn in the second moto, but Whiting was only inches behind. Chereshkoff got the holeshot on the 250cc start with Shoemaker and Baker on him like two coats of fresh pajnt. Hensley went down on the second lap and lost five places. Whiting leapt into the lead with Shawn McConn joining him ana Bowman slipping into third. Chereshkoff held the 250cc lead, but Shoemaker was slowly reeling him in. With first moto winner Hensley safely back in the pack, Bowman saw the opportunity to come out the overall winner - if - he could get around Whiting; rio easy task. Bow- man began his move by taking second and closing on the leader. Hensley was also up and moving, going back to fifth on that same lap. Bowman made the big move on the first turn sweeper and came out ahead of Whiting. Hensley went up to fourth on an almost identical move. There had been no change in the 250cc order, but Shoemaker gradually closed on Chereshkoff. Shoemaker stomped past on lap six and began to open the gap. The top three finished as they did in the first moto. Dramatic developments were happening in the 125cc ranks. Whiting was second, but"Bowman had moved to first. Hensley got back to third by lap seven. He made an amazing effort to make the difference between first and third overall, but the shortened second moto was against him, and he was forced to settle for third money .. by seconds. Nothing Johnson did last weekend at· Carlsbad helped to squash that rumor. All he did was to place first in both " classes he entered, winning three out of four motos and placing second in the other. Nearly every race started with a chorus of "All fall down," in what could have been mistaken for a Keystone Kops caper. The local weatherman, having ordered rain all week long, was responsible for the nightmarish condition of the track. For the riders, it was a case of plenty of terra, not enough firma. The first moto of the Open Pro class started off with David Gereg (Hus) munching mudpies in the swamp by the first turn. In case someone missed it, he repeated it on the 10th lap. Johnson surprised no one by grabbing the early lead, riding through the firstlUrn's two-foot deep ruts like he was on the freeway. But even Johnson makes an occasional mistake. It's probably what keeps him so humble. On lap six he was caught by Larry Hooper (Hon), who held him off until the end. The second moto was a different story. Rick took the holeshot and never looked back. Halfway through the race, he'd built a seven-second lead on Hooper. Although there was no question as to what the outcome would be, the crowd was not bored. Mike kept 'em thrilled with his spectacular acrobatics as he pranced and danced with his Yamaha while airborne over the ledge. The 250cc Pro race should have been called the" Rick Johnson Show." In the first heat, he blasted through the deepening ruts leaving others still searching for a passable line, often at a walking pace. Johnson ~i .. tminco ,he·'i(.'I' wdiebovt! -the- ledge with wild exhibitions. With one hand w3,ving to the crowd, Johnson threw his bike completely horizontal, giving the screaming crowd a full view of the underside. In other action, Craig Breiham (Suz) climbed up from his last place start to pass a hard riding Steve Baker (Yam) on the last lap for the win in the first moto of the 250cc Juniors. His second place finish in the second moto earned him first place for the day .. Results 250 JR: 1. Carl Breihan (Suz); 2. Steve Baker (Yam); 3. Robert Dykmans (Suz). VET INT: 1. Bob Totten (Suz); 2. Steven Cirone (Han); 3. Rodger Dufer (Yam). 125 PRO: 1. Robert Nolin (Yam); 2. Roger Hayes (Suz); 3. Tim Foster (Suz). OPEN PRO: 1. Rick Johnson (Yam); 2. Larry Hooper (Han). 125 JR: 1. Anthony deBenedetti (Yam); 2. Stewart Fiehler (Kaw); 3. Steve Karosa (Suz). OPEN JR: 1. Steve Fogle (Han); 2. Joey Carter (Yam). 250 PRO: 1. Rick Johnson (Yam); 2. Bryan Maloney (Han); 3. Larry Hooper (Han). 125 INT: 1. Dean Welsh (Suz); 2. Chris Apodaca (Han); 3. Mark King (Suz). VET JR: 1. Dennis Holladay (Han); 2. Ron Kauble (Yam). OT: 1. Chuck Rouse (Han); 2. Michael Salisbury (Han). MINI: 1. Colin Karcher (Yam); 2. Bryan Powell (Kaw); 3. Dale Welsh (Han). 250 INT: 1. Vic Walker (Han); 2. Larry Murray (Suz); 3. Chris Shaw (Suz). OPEN INT: 1. Stephen Batt (Yam); 2. Steve Dawson (Yam); 3. Randy Minteg (Mai). Merkel maims lap record at AFM Riverside By Lori Tyson RIVERSIDE, CA, DEC. 12 "Flying Fred" Merkel shattered the standing lap record, set last year by Eddie Lawson, at Riverside International Raceway' with an unofficial time of I :28.93 at the American Federation of Motorcyclists' season ender in the Open Super Street class. Merkel piloted Wes Cooley's old Yoshimura Katana as he battled Champion Moriwaki/Racecrafters Kawasaki-mounted Harry Klinzmann for the trophy. Klinzmann also broke the record with a I :29.4, but Fred was just a lillIe bit faster. Merkel led most of the race with Harry right on his rear wheel, but by the end of the race, horsepower showed and Merkel-stretched his lead by a few lengths to take the checkers. IHnn¥ lloheJt~ 'rode a consi9tent