Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Veteran racer Buck Murphy suffered a broken ankle and broken shoulder plus knee damage in a get-off while flat track racing aboard a Triumph at Elma Speedway in Elma, Washington, on August 16. Murphy underwent surgery to his ankle on August 18 and faces knee surgery. Well wishers can send cards and letters to 8107 18th Ave. Court East, Tacoma, WA 98404. Six riders who participated in the August 11-15 Amateur/Youth National MX Championships at Loretta Lynn's Dude Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, earned trips to the November 29Tokyo Supercross in Japan, courtesy of Yokohama Tires and the New Jersey-based Kayo Corporation, who sponsor the riders. The lucky racers include Timmy Ferry (Kaw), Kevin Foley (Kaw) and Alan Andreau (Hon), who all won their class championships at Loretta Lynn's. Alan Bowman (Hon) and Jeff Curry (Kaw) earned the trip through their efforts at the Pontiac Silverdome Amateur Supercross earlier in the year. David Mack (Kaw), the recipient of the Yokohama Sportsmanship award, was also chosen. While winners of the trip normally spectate, Ferry, Curry and possibly one other rider will compete in the event. In addition to the racing action, the Loretta Lynn's event offered riders and their families several off-track tourna- ments to participate in after the day's racing was finished. Among the champions this year were the Pro-Action softball team, the Fox/CTi men's volleyball squad, Team Yamaha's women's volleyball team and the Gripper family for their pasta cooking. Justin Jackson won a Scott mountain bike in the Team Green tricycle race, and Jason Edwards won the talent show for his colorful rap about motocross. A three-lap "sponsors' race" took place on the Loretta Lynn's track following the final motos, and AXO's Mercedes Gonzalez was the winner, beating out 23 men. A five-time AMA Amateur National Champion, Gonzalez decided to forego this year's event in order to concentrate on racing trucks. "I would have liked to come back and defend my title here, but there's no way I can give lOO-percent to both (motocross and truck racing)," said Gonzalez. "But being here all week and just watching instead of racing was harder than I thougbt it would be." Fox Racing's Todd Hicks and American Honda's Chuck Miller finished second and third behind Gonzalez. AMA Superbike National Champion Thomas Stevens was a spectator at the Indy Mile. "This is the first dirt track I've seen in about 12 years. The funny thing is that while the faces are new, the machines are pretty much the .James and others test Pomona track F ormer AMA Superb-ike National Champion Jamie James rode his Vance & Hines Yamaha OWOl superbike at the Pomona Fairplex in Pomona, California, a proposed site for an AMA National Championship Road Race in 1993, on August 21. Though the Louisianan balked at giving outright approval of the track that winds through a vast amount of the parking lot as well as the dragstrip, it seems highly likely that the event will be held in the spring of 1993. _ James was joined on the race track by Class Racing's Jason Pridmore and Motorcyclist magazine's Lance Holst, who rode Tom Kipp's championshipwinning Camel Honda CBR6000. "It'll be hairball, but the fans will be in for a treat," James said at the conclusion of his first session on the track, which is also the site of the very successful NHRA Winternationals drag race meet. The course was used for sports car racing many years ago. ' When asked outright if he would give his approval to the AMA, based on his impressions regarding the safety of the layout, James was honest in his response. "It depends how much the purse money is," he said. "We could race here. There's no place that's real life threatening, but there will be a lot of crashes and a lot of bikes will be damaged. It won't be pretty, but we need it (a race in the southern California market)." According to event promoter Jim Webb, he has secured the date of April 24 with both the AMA and the fairgrounds, but it will be left up to the riders to decide if the event is feasible. "We will do what we can to make it safe for the riders," Webb said. "But if they don't think it's safe then we won't have a race. I don't want to be involved with anything that isn't safe. They (the riders) seem to like the layout and the facility is really good. The riders need to tell us what we need to do to make it safe." Toward the end of the session, James experimented with a makeshift chicane added at the end of the dragstrip section, in an effort to slow the riders prior to going under an access bridge. Other chicanes will also likely be added prior to rider and AMA approval of the facility. "It's got a lot of potential," Pridmore said. "They need ,to fix a couple of spots, but it's a good place for spectators. Jim (Webb) is real willing to do things. I think the race could happen." AMA technical manager Merrill Vanderslice represented the AMA at the test session, talking to riders, taking notes and helping with changes. ''I'm simply gathering information to bring b~ck to the A,MA," h~ said. . Vanderslice said a decision from the AMA would hkely come in the next month or so. With Willow Springs International Raceway last holding an AMA National in 1990, southern California has been without a road race National for the past two seasons. same," said Stevens. "I came out to root for my buddy Kevin Atherton." After the regular practice sessions at the Indy Mile, an open practice session was held for racers to test the new exhaust systems that are required for the three remaining Camel Pro Series races in California. A new California ordinance requires that all motorsport events held on state fairgrounds comply with a new lower sound limit of 95 decibels at 100 feet, significantly lower than the 102 decibels at 50 feet limit of the past. Many riders added fiberglass packing to the insides of their traditional 'boomboxes,' while others added an additional disc system to the large 'boombox' opening. Perhaps the most unusual-looking setup was that on the factory Harley-Davidson ridden by Scott Parker. The single, large opening on the 'boom box' was welded shut, and two smaller openings pointing downwards took its place. Most riders agreed that the quieter mufflers had little effect on performance. "I couldn't tell at all," said Parker. "The only thing that I don't like about it, is that I can't hear my engine and what it's doing." "It makes the 'Same amount of horsepower on the dyno," said Parker's tuner, Bill.Werner. "And according to Scotty, it makes the same amount of power on the track." Most of the machines tested met the new sound requirement, and racers will run one more test at the September 6 Springfield Mile. Also taking a few laps around the Indy Mile after practice was Donahue Harley-Davidson's Tony Donahue, aboard a dirt track-converted HarleyDavidson Sportster. Modifications to the machine included a dirt trackstyle handlebar, grooved Dunlop K591 road race tires, a high exhaust system, different air cleaners and stiffer suspension. Donahue's lap times were in the low 41-second bracket, approximately four seconds slower than his times aboard his XR750. Rumors sayan exhibition race featuring the machines will take place at the October 10 Pomona Half Mile, and talk of a 20-race series in 1993 was also circulating through the Indy pits. The series would 'include both dirt track and road races, and racers would use the same machines at both types of events. Will Davis suffered a broken wrist, ankle and collarbone in a crash at the Indy Mile, and underwent surgery on August 23 to repair the damage to his wrist. Davis, winner of the Hagerstown and Parkersburg Half Mile Nationals, is expected to be out of action for at least six weeks. Cards and letters may be sent to Davis in care of Mother Fletcher's Nightclub, P.O. Box 3499, Myrtle Beach, NC 29578. Round two of the Motocross Northwest-promoted Pacific Coast Grand Championship, held at Washougal Motocross Park in Washougal, Washington, was resceduled. The race, scheduled for August 23 was cancelled due to rain and will now be held on September 6. The event will feature a $2500 Pro purse. For more information call 206/695-9221 or 503/543-6028. A new road race course is being constructed in California by the American Road Racing Association (ARRA) in conjunction with Bakersfield Raceway. The 1.2- mile, 13-turn track will host open practice and a nov.ice school on September 27. A full schedule of racing, as well as open practice and a school, will take place over the October 31-November 1 weekend. According to the ARRA, Warren Smith, manager of Bakersfield Raceway, has been the key figure in the financing of the new road course. For more information, call 209/723-9454 or 805/682-3290. International Championship Events (ICE) has announced that the World Speedway Racing Associationsanctioned Budweiser Speedway Ice Racing World Championship IV will take place January 29-30 at 'the Tucson (Arizona) Convention Center. The Bob Hetrick Memorial Championship on Friday night, January 29, will serve as a qualifying event for the Saturday night finals. For additional information, call 602/299-0206. BORN: Cali Marie Bowen, daughter of former Yamaha factory team motocrosser Keith Bowen and his wife, Stacy, in Pontiac, Michigan, August 10. HIRED: Lynn Nickerson, as Fox Racing sales representative in the Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas, area. RESIGNED: Ken Faught, from his position as Cycle News assistant editor and Personal Watercraft Illustrated editor, effective August 26, to become Dirt Rider magazine's Moto! editor. NAMED: Dave Rodgers, as executive vice-presiden t of 0' Neal USA. Rodgers, who was with Bel-Ray, Answer Products and Oakley during the '70s and '80s, has been involved with the venture capital/investment banking industry for the past several years. According to Jim O'Neal, president of O'Neal USA, Rodgers will oversee and direct all operations of the Chatsworth, California-based company. BORN: Elliott Gregg Iverson II, son of Ron Wood Racing Products General Manager Elliott Iverson and his wife, Joanne, in Riverside, California, August 19. CORRECTION: We ran an incorrect phone number for the Dan Rouit Flat Track Museum in a recent Wind item. The correct phone numbers are 209/ 291-2242 and 209/297-8096. NAMED: Bob Graham as manager of distributor sales for Bridgestone motorcycle tires. Graham will continue to oversee Bridgestone-sponsored motorcycle racing programs in the U.S. Tim Oman, as account specialist, will assist Graham. RESIGNED: Joe DeGano, as rider representative for O'Neal USA; DeGano moves to Yamaha Motor Corp. in the accessory division. NAMED: Tony Moseley of Fo~t Worth, Texas, Kawasaki's district manager of the year. Moseley, whose district includes the northern half of Texas, is in his eighth year with Kawasaki. BORN: Alexis Felice, daughter of AMA 250cc National Road Race Champion Jimmy Felice and his wife, Jamie, in Columbus, Ohio, August 21. 3

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