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/146671
_ ImRTTR~Kw~~~~~~_~_rn_cl_h~OS_~_~_R_~_d_ll ~ off their initial attempts. Both riders were happy to hear the news from their teams as they retwned to the pits, but were . angered when it was reported that the times weren't recorded. "I didn't enter their (Graham and Oavis) numbers into the computer in time," said AMA timekeeper GIl Dosmegan. "I had them timed by hand, but not officially. I'm not g~ing to declare them the fastest two of the day by hand." Graham and Davis were ordered to retwn to the track, and put an end to the situation by again turning in the two fastest times of 24.237 and 24.262 seconds, respectively. "Johnny (Goad) and Sarah (Irby) were worried that I would get mad and blow it, but I just went out and fast-timed again," said Graham, whose time was well off the track record of 23.992, set by Lany Pegram in 199I.. Rounding out the six fastest qualifiers who would comprise .the Camel Challenge field were Ingram, Pegram, threetime Grand National Champion Jay - Springsteen and Carr. Heats Will Davis (21) led every lap of the National, and was challenged through most of the race by Ricky Graham (3). Dan Ingram (31) snuck past Graham (3) after. the restart to steal second place, while Graham held on for third. Honda RS750s filled five of the top 10 positions. • • Davis makes It two In arow By Donn Maeda Photos by Mitch Friedman OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, JULY 25 empers flared and tears flowed at the Oklahoma City Half Mile, but privateer Honda rider Will Davis ignored the fuss long enough to earn his second-consecutive, National win. The 27-year-old North Carolinian grabbed the holeshot at the start of the main event and was never headed as he slid away with the win at the Ronnie Jones and Keith Brewer-promoted, Dub Richardson Ford-Isuzu/KXY 96 FM-sponsored event at State Fair Speedway. For his third career National win, A&R Racing/Hondaline/Mother Fletchers/ T 10 Bell/Motion ProlFun Products/Emery's Cycle/Road Rider MCiRedline Cycles/ Dennis Town-sponsored Davis earned $5000 of the $33,000 purse, and vaulted into fifth in the series point standings. "I can't even begin to think about describing what I'm feeling," said Davis. "All I can say is that I can't wait to get back to the miles and see what we can do." Completing the Honda RS750 sweep 9f the top three positions were M&M Racing/Bloomington Honda/Shoei/ Hondaline/Rocky Mountain Remanu- facturinglTsubaki-backed Dan Ingram and two-time Grand National Champion Ricky Graham. After running second for the majority of the race, Graham fell prey to a late-race charge by Ingram and was forced to settle for third aboard his GoadIrby/Hondaline/Aiai/Weimer Plumbing/Floors by Long/Sports Center/ Yamaha of Salinas/S&S Unocal/Matt's Mufflers/Sports-sponsored machine. Over 9200 spectators twned out to watch the race that saw timing mishaps, protests and multiple crashes. Four-time Grand National Champion Scott Parker was transported to the hospital via ambulance after suffering fariallacerations and a suspected broken leg in a crash that brought the red flag out with four laps to go in the 25-lap main event. Parker's Harley-Davidson teammate Chris Carr spun out in twn two while running third and, as he struggled to remove his bike from the track, Parker struck the bike's tail section and was sent cartwheeling to the outside of the track. At the hospital, Parker received stitches above his right eye, but X-rays showed that his leg was not broken as originally feared. "He's pretty well banged up and bruised, and his leg is pretty swollen," Parker's wife, Wanda, said at the hospital. "But he's coherent and basically okay... After he was released from the hospital, Parker flew to California to undergo therapy with Dr. Jeff Spencer, best known for his work with injured motocross racers. Though he was credited with 16th place and received only one point, Parker continues to lead the series point standings; I 6-149, over Carr, who regrouped for the .restart of the main and twned in an eighth place finish to gain six points on the absent Parker. "I feel sick about the whole thing," said Carr. "I want to beat Scotty on the track, not like this." Graham scooted into third in the title chase with 102 points, as Kevin Atherton struggled with his recently-broken ann and failed to qualify for the main. Atherton still maintains fourth over Davis, 102-88. Time trials Angry words were heard early in the day when Graham and Davis twned in what were arguably the fastest two qualifying laps of the day after waving Davey Camlin led the charge into tum one in the first 100lap heat race, but slipped off the groove in twn two and was gobbled up by Graham and Bartels' Harley-Davidson rider Mike Hale. Once into the point position, Graham quickly began to pull away from the pack and enjoyed a five bike-length lead by the completion of lap one. As the race progressed, Graham continued to pull away from the field and went on to win the heat with a 20-bikelength lead. Hale fought off the early advances of Camlin to finish second and earn a direct transfer spot to. the main evenL Jones suffered a mediocre start, but charged through the pack and nipped Camlin for third in the last twn. Though his charge was notable, Jones would have to compete in a semi. "There was' no one to get in my way, so I just pinned it," said Graham. "You really have to stay on the groove if you plan on going fast." . Suburban Motors' Jim Sumner had the fastest· reactions in the second heat but could only fend off the charges of Davis and LA Racing-backed Rusty Rogers for a lap. Davis and Rogers freight-trained past Sumner as they raced into twn one for the second time. Sumner held up the rest of the field - most notably Davey Durelle and Terry Poovey - long enough to allow Davis and Rogers to run away with the two tickets to the main. Rogers tried every trick in the book to get past Davis, but he was forced to settle for second at the finish. "I could hear him back there, and it reminded me of last week at Parkersburg," said Davis. "I just stayed low and guarded my line." Durelle and Poovey closed the gap on the leaders after passing Sumner, but it was too late and the duo finished in that . order more than two seconds off the pace. Steve Morehead dashed through tum one with the lead in the third heat, while Ingram, Parker and Carr argued over second. Ingram won the battle and set out after Morehead, who stuck to the inside line like glue. On lap four, George RoWer II lost control of his Harley in twn three while running eighth and brought out the red flag. . Morehead sat at the front of the singlefile restart, ahead of Ingram, Parker, Carr, Farris and the rest. Carr and Farris made the most of their second chance, and darted past Parker at the flash of the green lighL "I don't know what happened, I just spun off the line," said Parker.