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/146670
on the Burnett ,Farms Rotax and he made it a quick one. Morgan rode consistent, smooth laps as the action boiled behind him. Tommy Hayden started closing on Morgan after disposing of Brian Knippenberg, but although Hayden moved to within five bike lengths he could not mount a serious challenge and Morgan went on to win. Knippenberg rode alone in third over Paul Kops and Dave Viel. "It's been a long time coming. I just wanted a good start and to ride smooth," said an elated Morgan as his family joined him in celebrating his first National win. Dennis Williams returned to win the Vintage class title on his HarleyDavidson XR750. The former National number holder won by half a lap ahead of a four-rider battle for second. George Ewalt pushed his Yamaha into second on the last lap over Gary Brennan and Robert Collier. The 500cc DTX National was a real barn burner as three riders took turns pushing Mark Burkholder for the lead. Mike Buchholz, Steve Gill and Steve Charles kept things exciting until Buchholz fell in turn three. Burkholder and Gill pulled clear with Gin taking over the lead on lap five, losing it on lap six, then regaining it for the last two laps. ' Chad Miller got the holeshot in the 400cc Modified class National, but he was quickly joined by Scott Freber and Dan Murre. Defending Champion Freber took over the lead from Miller at the halfway mark. Freber held Miller off until Murre moved up to challenge Miller, which gave Freber a little br.eathing room as he sailed home the WInner. The 500cc Modified main was the last class run. Paul Morgan got another holeshot and then he and and Brian Zurn came out of turn two sideby-side, only to see Tommy Hayden blast by on his Wood-Rotax. Hayden kicked in the afterburner and pulled out a comfortable lead on his way to the win. Morgan finished alone in second while Zurn held Steve Hall off for third. Short Track The Peoria M.e. c1ubgrounds was the site for the Short Track Nationals on Wednesday, July 8. The 51cc class was once again the largest of the Youth classes and the first to take to the track. Local rider Jon Champlin, Jr. got . the holeshot and led the 14-rider field into turn one, but Robby Shinn moved into the lead for good down the back straight of the four lap race. Scooter Vernon gave chase but second was as far as he would advance. K.e. Knodel and Tyler Smulders moved into third and fourth as Champlin faded back to fifth. . The 125cc Modified National made up in action what it lacked in size. JR. Schnabel assumed the lead at the start with Paul Lynch close behind and Nicky Hayden soon mad,e it a threerider battle. The three youngsters battled down to the wire with Lynch taking over the lead on the last lap and crossing the finish line the winner over Schnabel and Hayden. Garth Bastian passed Kathie Verdugo for fourth. Jeremy Thompson grabbed the lead, of the 65cc DTX class fmal off the line, but Roger Lee Hayden took over on lap two. Hayden appeared to have things well in hand, but a couple of bobbles brought Thompson and Nick Godfrey back into the action. Hayden got it all back together and hung on to win over Thompson. The 125cc DTX class saw Billy Martin lead the field into turn one at the start with Paul Lynch, Jeremiah James and JR. Schnabel bunched behind. On lap three, Martin spun down exiting turn two and his race was over. Lynch moved to a solid first with Schnabel alone in second. Brian Zurn edged Andy Miller for third. Timmy Huss led the 65cc Modified class main off the line with Roger Lee Hayden, Brandon Rose and Brody Miller in hot pursuit. Miller quickly charged into second and on lap four took over the lead from Huss. In turn four of lap five, Miller slid down and was hit by Hayden who had nowhere to go and high-sided hard. The red £lag came out to stop the race. After almost getting into the ambulance, Hayden instead decided he was fit to make the restart. Huss led the single file restart, but Hayden and Miller were on the move from the back. Hayden took over second from Rose on the fifth lap. Miller was charging and moved into third in turn one of the last lap and then Hayden caught the turn one rut and the momentary loss of drive was all Miller needed to take second at the line behind winner Huss. Hayden recovered to take third. The 125 Schoolboy National brought Nicky Hayden, Lynch and Schnabel back out and it was Hayden who led this one all the way over Lynch. Schnabel held off Joshua Knott for third. 'The 85cc DTX (7-11) National was led by Brandon Rose until the halfway mark when Tom Skethway took over and then went on to win by holding off the determined charges of Rose. Justin Filson edged Brody Miller for third. The 85cc Modified (12-15) main produced an extremely tight race between John Winsett and Joshua Knott. Knott unsuccessfully tried everything to get around Winsett, who went on to win, as Jenny Hayden rode alone in third. Jason Tyer edge~ out Christian Vernon for fourth. Brandon Rose got the holeshot in the 85cc Modified (7-11) National only to see Roger Lee Hayden take over the lead on lap two. Tom Skethway slipped into second on lap three, dropping Rose back another notch. Hayden looked to have the race well in hand but then his exhaust pipe broke, ending his day. Skethway inherited the win over Rose and Ben Brault. The last race of the day for the Youth portion of the program, the 85cc DTX (12-15) National, was a runaway for John Winsett Jr. with Jason Tyer and Andy Pelinsky well back. The 250cc Modified National kicked off the evening portion of short track racing with a bang. Jason Sentell led the first lap, but was quickly passed by Billy Martin. Martin then opened up a lead over a war over second involving Sentell, Nicky Hayden and JR. Schl1abel. On lap five the three tried to exit turn two three-wide and Sentell came out on the short end as he fell hard, bringing out the red £lag. The restart found Schnabel leading Martin and Hayden. Hayden worked his way into second on lap six and Martin settled into third well ahead of Paul Lynch and Shane Mariyman. Schnabel cruised home the winner. After running away with the Half Mile, Dennis Williams had to work his way around Scott Schnabel to win the 200cc Modified National Short Track. Mike Copeland finished second, leading third place finisher Terry Adams across the finish line. The Senior +30 class final got off to a rocky start as Peter Barnosky and Dana McNeil tangled in turn one, bringing out the red £lag. Schnabel (16) aced the I25cc Half Mile class, while Billy Martin (46V) finished fourth. Schnabel had a total of six class wins over the four days of competition. John Winsett (I) came out on top of a tight. battle with Joshua Knott (15) in the 8~cc M~di£ied (I2~I5) Short Track category. Jenny Hayden (69) finished second. McNeil was unable to make the restart which was led by Mike Caves. Dave Kolenda moved into first on lap two only to· see the red £lag come out. once again due to John Winsett, Sr. bailing off hard in turn one. Kolenda kept his lead off the singlefile restart and pulled away as Caves had his hands full holding off Mark Burkholder, but did so successfully to take second. A short way back, Dallas Mayer kept Kenny Clary at bay to take fourth. The 250cc DTX National was also action-packed. John Flesher dove into turn one with the lead off the start line, but could not shake off young JR. Schnabel. As they battled over first, Kevin Miller was working his way up to third ahead of Dallas Mayer. Schnabel took over first on lap six just as the red £lag appeared after Ken Hackman fell in turn three. Flesher led the single-file restart but the red £lag came out again on lap seven after Jamie Inch fell in turn four. The race was called complete with Flesher getting the win over Schnabel and Miller. Flesher came right back in the Senior +40 class and assumed the same size lead he had held in the 250cc DTX National. Bill Snyder worked his way around John Kolenda and, set off in pursuit of Flesher. Snyder caught up on lap six and tried various moves to get around, seemingly with no luck. Finally, on the last lap, Flesher left a small hole on the inside in turn one and Snyder filled it;'!"here was some contact and Flesher tmpnced to the outside and the National was Snyder's. Rocky Watson got by Kolenda on the last lap for third. The Open class final was dominated by Dave Kolenda and his Rotax. Kolenda led froni start-to-finish to take the National win while Tommy Hayden, Paul Kops, Joey Brock, Randy Shank and Paul Morgan fought over positions behind him. Kops was all over Hayden in a fight for second and on the last lap Hayden's front end pushed going into one, he hit the rut, and Kops was by to take runner-up honors. Morgan worked his 500 Yamaha up to fourth among all the Rotaxes. Dennis Williams kept his undefeated string alive by easily winning the Vintage main. Mike Buchholz held off Les Eslinger for second. Buchholz came right back in the 500cc DTX class and chased Mark Burkholder all the way, but came up short. Steve Gill was a distant third. The 400cc Modified class field tangled before they arrived in turn one, sending three riders to the ground. Curt Knitt and Lee Johnson made the restart, but David Gill was done for the day. Scott Schnabel shot into the lead on the restart and he led all the way despite repeated charges from Scott Freber. Dan Murre was by himself in third and Robert Collier held off Lee Johnson for fourth. The 500cc Modified class National was again the last race of the day. At the start, Tommy Hayden left little doubt as to what the outcome would be as he blasted off the line on his Wood-Rotax and hid from the pack. Behind Hayden, Steve Hall was involved in a good race with Paul Morgan and Gary Stogsdill. Just past the halfway mark, Stogsdill worked his way around Morgan, but ht; couldn't catch Hall or the long gone Hayden. TT Scooter Vernon finally put it all together in the 51cc class. After finishing second in the first two events, the Washington speedster won the TT over a fast closing Robby Shinn. The win propelled Vernon to the overall class title. K.C. Knodel stayed close in third with a consistent Tyler Smulders taking his third fourth place finish. 15