Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

turer will pay $20,000 for the Baja 1000 win aboard an ATK ($5000 for second and $2500 for third); $7000 to the overall winner in the Baja 500 ($2500 for second); $5000 for an Open class victory in each round of the MotoLink Four-Stroke MX Series ($1500 for second) and $10,000 to the series overall Open class winner; and a total of $5000 will be posted for each round of the AMA National Championship Hare & Hound, Hare Scrambles and Enduro Series with $2500 of that amount going to the winner, and the balance paid out to the second through eighth place finishers on a decreasing scale. ATK is also offering parts and bikes to selected riders at cost, and will provide pit service for $700 per entry for ATK four-stroke riders at the Baja 1000. For more information, call 213/722-8880. The American Motorcycle Institute (AMI) of Daytona Beach, Florida, will again open its shop and dynamometer facilities at no charg~ .to road racers competing in the AMA/ CCS Race of Champions at Daytona Internatiol)al Speedway, October 1618. The shop facilities will open for race teams on Thursday, October 15, at 8 a.m. and will remain open around the clock until closing on Sunday, OCLOber 18, at 7 a.m. Free dyno time will be scheduled up to midnight each day. AMI is located at 3042 Volusia Avenue, 1.5 miles west of the Speedway. For more information, call Bruce Brahms at 800/882-2AMI. AMI will also continue the practice of supplying comerworkers for the Daytona Race of Champions. Students who have outstanding grades, attendance records and attitude will be manning stations around"1he Daytona International Speedway track. They'll first attend a class covering safety procedures and responsibilities conducted by Roger Lyle, president of the Mid-Atlantic Road Racing Club. American Honda is accepting orders for the 1993 RS250Rand RS125R road racers. The '93 RS250R is based. on the works NSR250 and offers a newly designed V-twin engine, that Honda says is "straight out of the NSR250 works machine." The balancer shaft, cylinders, reed valves and numerous other features are to NSR250 specifications. The new frame features revised rigidity balance and Pro-arm rear suspension. Peak horsepower is claimed to be upped by 3 to 85 at 12,250 rpm. The RSI25R's porting, expansion chamber, crankcase and ignition system have all been improved as have the frame and suspension. The front wheel rims are wiger (2.50 x 17), and the front and rear suspension have been revised, with the front fork featuring infinitely adjustable compression damping. Horsepower output has been increased from 39 to 41 at 12,000 rpm. Both the RS250R and RSl25R come with extensive spare parts kits. The approximate price of the RS250R is $18,200 ($2000 required with order); the price of the RS125R is $8500 ($1000 required with order). To order, call American Honda at 310/783-3873. Unadilla drops 250(( MX GP he Unadilla Valley Sports Center (UVSC) in New Berlin, New York, which has hosted the FIM/AMA-sanctioned U.S. 250c-c MX Grand Prix since 1978, will not host the event in 1993. In its place, the AMA has agreed that round six of the AMA ational Championship 125/25Occ MX Series will be held at Unadilla, on July 10-11, 1993. UVSC President Ward Robinson cited a number of reasons why he declined the World Championship 250cc MX Series event. For the past few years, the FIM has scheduled the 250cc GP at Unadilla one week after the Venezuelan 250cc GP. This has created constant problems expediting the motorcycles of foreign teams to the U.S. in a timely manner that allows setup, practice and qualifying as scheduled on race weekend. This year, Robinson noted, a number of bikes as well as equipment for leading European riders did not arrive at the track until 1l:50.p.m. on Saturday, which forced the riders to miss scheduled qualifying and practice. As a result, practice and qualifying had to be rescheduled for race day, creating additional burdens for riders and mechanics, and in addition, Robinson said that "cheated" the fans who expected to see a full weekend of racing. Additionally, Robinson noted that TV rights for the 1993 MX Grands Prix had been assigned by the FIM to a consortium, and individual promoters were prohibited from televising their events. "The UVSC has invested a great deal of time, effort, and finances to develop our event for national and international TV exposure," Robinson said. "Now, the FIM wants us to abrogate these rights on them, with no compensation. With apologies for borrowing a line from a John Wayne movie, I say to them 'Not hardly I' ". Robinson also explained that for the third consecutive year, confusion arose with the European riders over additional money that the FIM had assured them they would be given the weekend of the race by the UVSC. "Promoters of both the 500cc and the 250cc U.S. G Ps had negotiated an agreement in good faith with the FIM- months prior to these events," Robinson said. "We agreed to a greater assessment than the other world promoters, and in fact, the . agreements as standing are inequitable to the U.S. promoters. "To be confronted on race day with a threat not to race, by a group of European riders, is too much," said Robinson, referring to what happened at both the 1992 250cc GP at Unadilla and the 500cc GP at Glen Helen, California. In a similar action, the Glen Helen promoters previously announced that they would not host the U.S. 500cc MX GP in 1993. T The 4th Annual Women's Invitational Motorcycle Ride will take place on September 27, starting at Del Amo Yamaha in Hollywood, California, and ends at Griffith Park with a pjcnic courtesy of John and Victoria Winslett of Del Amo Motors. Both the ride and lunch are free and men are invited to attend. According to Margaret Fowler, the ride's fOl,lnder and publisher of Free 2 Wheel, "The ride provides an opportunity for women motorcyclists to meet and ride together, sharing the camaraderie men riders have enjoyed for years." A raffle will be conducted at Griffith Park and it will benefit the Valley Trauma Center of orthridge. For more information, call 818/702-9196. Steve Morehead celebrated his 37th birthday a day early at the August 22 Indy Mile. After the races were over, a small bust of a bald man with the words "Over the hill and losing it" inscribed on it was seen sitting on the gas tank of Morehead's HarleyDavidson. "One of my sponsors, Denise Kelly, of KK Motorcycle Supply gave me that," said Morehead with a chuckle. "It does kinda look like me, doesn't it?" , . John Penton. Promoter Ben Cheatwood always delivers a fun event and this year he promises that competitors will have a chance to win a "used, quite large trophy or unique plaque made by a 12-year-old girl in her backyard." The event is limited to 50cc bikes, although Harley-Davidson riders are allowed to ride 65cc bikes. The event starts and ends at T.W.O. Campgrounds in Suches, Georgia, AMA membership is required, and bikes must be street-legal. The field is limited to 60 riders. For more information and/or an entry blank, call 404/442-2086. Mike Hale, the 1990 Camel Pro Rookie of the Year, showed up at the Indy Mile with a "secret weapon." Hale sported a flashy new painted helmet, complete with glow-in-thedark stripes. "Joe Schmoe Graphics tried out this new kind of paint that glows in the dark. Hey, maybe it will distract everyone behind me," said Hale. When asked what his main sponsor, Bill Bartels of Bartels' Harley-Davidson, thought of the new paint scheme, Hale smiled and replied, "Well, he hasn't seen it yet. He'll probably make a face and say, 'What the heck is that?' Bill is a traditional kind of guy, he likes black and orange." The WERA Pro Series will donate a portion of the proceeds from the September 18-20 Sunshine State Nationals in West Palm Beach, Florida, to victims of Hurricane Andrew. A portion of every spectator ticket sold at the gate will be donated to the Red Cross. The event will take place at Moroso Motorsports Park which was not damaged by the hurricane. In addition, the event will be The 11th Annual True Grits 50cc Galaxy Championship Fun Run will take place in the north Georgia mountains on Sunday, October 25. Notables who have participated in the True Grits Fun Run in the past include Bob Hannah, Gary Bailey and utilized as a drop-off point for canned goods for distribution to hurricane victims. Brent Houston, chaplain for the International Christian Racers Association, has donated a truck for delivery of the canned goods to the proper distribution centers. All spectators and participants are urged to bring canned goods. The Metro Triumph Riders of Rochester, Michigan, will host their 10th Annual Battle of the Brits bike show on Sunday, September 13, at Freedom Hill Park in Sterling Heights; Michigan. The judged show is open to British, European and American (pre-1965 British Colony class) bikes. For more information, call 313/652-4329. Confirming rumors, Honda has signed Steve Lamson to replace Jean-Michel Bayle, who will leave the manufacturer's MX team to contest the 250cc G P Road Race Series. 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