Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

ePREVIEW , 15th U.S. 250cc MX Grand Prix ~ , By Kit Palmer t's finally here. The race we've all been waiting for - the July 19 U.S. 250cc MX Grand Prix at the Unadilla ,Valley Sports Center. It's the annual race that pits some of the world's best motocrossers against one another on what many regard as the most physically demanding, technical and just plain best MX track in the world - the ultimate combination. It all happens July 19 in the rolling countryside of south central New York state. As you drive up to the track on Hi~way 8, the Sight of the nearly black, loamy track, winding up and down the vivid green hills, never fails to amaze those who attend Unadilla year after year. This year's race is the ninth of 12 stops on the World Championship 250cc MX Series tour. Spectators will have the opportunity to see the lush farmland be transformed into the GP race course in Saturday's free practice sessions. Unadilla usually hosts two events a year - the GP and an AMA 125/500cc National Championship MX round later in the year, but in 1992, the U.S. 250cc MX Grand Prix will be the only event . held there. Spectators arriving early on Saturday, however, may have trouble determining which way the course actually goes. The only thing marking the course in the tall grass is a low marking ribbon, and the track doesn't take shape until several riders have turned a few laps. The first of two, 50-minute long sessions get underway at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. In between those sessions will be a 30-minute session for the 125cc Support class. Upon completion of the last practice session, will be the first of two qualifying sessions, where the riders are timed to determine starting positions and weed the field down to 40 riders for Sunday's GP. Each rider must complete a minimum of five laps and each lap is timed. Each rider gets to pick his place on the starting gate for all three of the 20:minute plus-two-Iap motos, according to his practice time, with the fastest getting the first pick and so on down the line. On the day of the GP, the riders will get another hour of free practice in two 30-minute sessions, beginning at 9:30 a.m. At 11 :00 a.m. a single one-hour practice session for the 125cc class will beheld. An hour before the first moto opening ceremonies will begin, during which the National Anthems of all the participating riders' countries are played. Occasionally the riders will come out for pre-race in terviews with announcer Larry Maiers, who often enjoys a friendly rapport with the crowd. Maiers is a master at keeping spectators informed about all the who, what, when, where, of motocross racing on race day and is also well known for his tongue-in-cheek comments over Unadilla's public address system. , Not only do the racers put on a show at Unadilla but so do the fans them- I 20 selves. When there's a break in the day's schedule, spectators usually have no problem keeping themselves entertained. Perhaps the favorite among the fans are the friendly hillside debates, as they chant, "The other side sucks." The loudest side wins. There's definitely a carnival-like atmosphere at Unadilla. Unfortunately, a few unruly fans in the past have forced Unadilla owner Ward Robinson to institute several restrictions to help make the U.S. 250cc GP more enjoyable for everyone. No glass containers can be brought into the excitement and revved up motors on race day. There's also the Soccer Hall of Fame at Oneonta, and the Boxing Hall of Fame at Canastota. If you can make it to Unadilla on Friday, it might be worth your time to hang out at the Holiday Inn Utica, on Burrstone Road in nearby Utica. The hotel has been designated as the race headquarters, so the riders and mechanics can often been seen hanging out as they register in for their credentials. It's a good time to acquire autographs. As far as money, a full weekend ticket purchased at the gate will cost $30 ($28 in advance). A Sunday-only ticket is $26 and children 12 years of age and under will be admitted free, as long as they are accompanied by an adult. The 'gates will open Saturday at 7:00 a.m. Be sure to bring a little extra cash, since there will be many vendors scattered around the track selling race T-shirts and many other neat motocross goodies. On race day, there will be many riders worth keeping an eye on, especially Team Honda's Jeff Stanton, who has won at Unadilla the last two years in a row. Stanton, who hails from Sherwood, Michigan, will be seeking his thirdstraight victory at Unadilla, which will Donny Schmit, Trampas Parker and Bobby Moore, who are all currently among the top five in the World Championship 2SOcc MX Series point st¥tdings. Schmit, who grew up in Minnesota and was once a factory-backe9 Suzuki rider in the U.S., is leading the 250cc GP points chase over defending champ Trampas Parker, who hails from Louisiana, by just a few points. Both Schmit and Parker are former 125cc MX World Champions but have since moved up to what many now consider as 'the premier class in World Championship motocross - the 2508. A native Californian, Bobby Moore has been racing in Europe for most of his career, mostly in the 125cc class, and is haVing perhaps his best year ever. Moore is currently fourth in the series point standings with one GP victory thus far. Schmit has two wins. Third in points is Italian Alessandro Puzar and fourth is Moore. Schmit and Moore are teammates on the Chesterfield Yamaha Team, headed by former GP racer, Michele Rinaldi. Other American ~gulars on the GP circuit to watch out for at Unadilla are two-time 125cc National MX Champion Team Honda's Jeff Stanton will be seeking his third-consecutive U.S. 250cc MX GP win at Unadilla. facility, and alcohol is strictly prohibited, as well as fireworks. There will be one designated beer stand at the track, and it will only be open for a limited time on race day. So that everyone can get a good view, no scaffoldings are allowed. Perhaps the biggest restriction Robinson had been forced to irilpose is the elimination of camping in the fields just across the road from the track. However, there are several campgrounds in the vicinity. For information, call Central Leatherstocking Country, the local tourism agency, at 800/2338778, or 315/866-1500. The best way to enjoy the race is to make a long weekend out of it. There are many quaint towns in the vicinity worth checking out. Baseball fans heading to Unadilla, should cruise over to nearby Cooperstown and tour the National Baseball Museum and Hall of Fame. There's also a scenic lake in Cooperstown with a few restaurants on the water's edge. It's a great place to relax and soak up the sights before the surpass Rick Johnson's (1988, '89) and Kent Howerton's ('79, '80) back-ta-back wins there. No one has ever won at Unadilla three times in a row, or three times at all, for that matter. (Johnson also won the U.S. 250cc GP in 1987, but that year the race was held in Hollister, California). Stanton, however, won't be racing for points at Unadilla, since this will be his, as well as many other American riders, only GP appearance of the year. Stanton's main concern is the Camel Supercross, and 250 and 500cc AMA National MX Series, which leaves him no time to travel abroad. Other riders to watch are Yamaha's Damon Bradshaw, who will be competing in his first Unadilla GP, and Kawasaki's Mike Kiedrowski, the twotime 125cc National Champion who is currently second in the National Championship 250cc MX Series. Wl).ile the Unadilla GP might be just an "exhibition" race to Stanton, Bradshaw and Kiedrowski, it means everything to the GP regula,rs, such as Micky Dymond, Bader Manneh, Mike Healey and possibly Rick Ryan. Injuries early in the season slowed Dymond's progress, while inconsistentcy has hurt Manneh. Healey has a few good motos under his kidney belt, while Ryan is still looking for a top five finish. Of course there are the Europeans,. Most notably Alessandro Puzar, the 1990 250cc MX World Champion from Italy. Puzar, in fact, clinched the championship at Unadilla in 1990, but has, more or less, struggled ever since. The rider who many predicted would win this year's World Championship 250cc MX Series title will unfortunately n.ot be present at Unadilla. Stefan Everts, the 1991 125cc MX World Champion, crashed at the . June 19 German GP and sustained serious internal injuries that will keep him sidelined for the rest of the season. The Belgian, who rides on the Bieffe Suzuki team, had hoped to clinch the title this year and then compete in the U.S. in 1993. He will now, most likely, compete

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