Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

_ Bmnrncrw~~~~_~_~_:F_~_lr_~_d ~ Fay and his wife. Tracy (right) celebrated his first National win in years. National apparent that the Maxima/Fardig Racing/Bell/Paul PeirolilLester's Machine/Rick Berry/JT USA/Vince and Jeannie Holt/Screwy Designs/ Jim Roseth/Works Performance/Dirt Track Plates-sponsored Rotax 600 of Fay was out front for good. Fay greeted the checkered flag with a three bike length lead over Carr, while Fisher and Springsteen finished in close formation a few seconds later. While Fay took his victory lap, he repeatedly thrust his fists into the air and rode along the wall as the fans screamed their approval. At the end of his lap, Fay spun a few donuts for the crowd before dropping his bike and nearly jumping into the partisan crowd. . "It felt so great," said Fay. "I started to get a little nervous because my header pipe cracked' on lap 18, just about the time that Carr caught me. It seemed to slow down, so I just held on and tried to ride the line with the most traction. "The track was a little narrow and a lot harder than usual, but I'm not going to complain." ''I'm happy for Mickey, he rode really well," said Carr, ever gracious in defeat. "I didn't get a great start and it took me a while to work through the pack. I was being a little careful and I didn't want to take any uneccessary chances and get hurt before the last two C;1mel Pro races." When the 17 riders sped off the line at the start of the 25-lap National, Hill led Fay, Fisher and Springsteen through the first tum. Carr was caught sleeping and entered the first tum seventh. While the leading foursome began to pull away, Carr went to work and began to pick off the riders ahead of him. By the fourth lap, Carr had moved up to fifth and began to reel in the lead pack. At the same time, leader Hill coasted off the track with a dead machine and Fay assumed the lead position. Carr caught up to Springsteen on lap five, but it took six laps of probing to find his way past the former champ and into third. After passing Springsteen, Carr reeled in Fisher and shadowed him for two laps before making his move. Carr stormed past Fisher on lap 14 and set out after Fay, who enjoyed a comfortable lead. After four perfect laps, Carr closed within a bike length of Fay, but couldn't find the advantage needed to take over first. Fay held his lines and seemed to find just as much traction as Carr. Fay matched Carr move for move, even in the quick left- and right-hand turns before the jump that Carr is fastest through. As the race wound down, it became David Anderson grabbed the holeshot at the start of the 15-lap Junior National, with Jake Zamke, Gary Strode and Ryan Anderson giving chase. Strode lost control and crashed in turn one, leaving Ryan Anderson nowhere to go but over the bars. Ryan Anderson took a trip to the hospital to get stitches in his lip, while the others lined up for the restart. David Anderson' again had the fastest clutch hand and led Zemke through turn one. Brett Landes started third and came to life on lap two. Landes sailed past Anderson and Zemke as he negotiated the jump and took over the point position. On lap five, Ron Brown passed Zemke in three and four, as did Simonsen one lap later. Brown also got past Anderson and into second, but by that time Landes was long gone. With two laps to go, Simonsen zapped Anderson, who crashed a few seconds later in the turn approaching the jump. Zemke plowed into the downed Anderson, went over the bars and suffered a broken hand. The red flag flew on the last lap, thus giving everyone five more laps to compete. At the restart, Landes was not about to surrender his lead and shot off the line ahead of Simonsen, Russ Yarna- Mickey Fay (13) fended off the late-race charges of defending 600cc National Champion Chris Carr (I) to earn a popular win. Fay flies at Castle Rock By Derryl Anderson Photos by Flat Trak Fotos CASTLE ROCK, WA, SEPT. 19 eam Harley-Davidson's Chris Carr clinched his. fifth-consecutive 600cc National Championship Series title with a secondplace finish at the Budweiser Castle Rock TT, but it was winner and local favorite Mickey Fay who was the man of the hour. Fay, who hclils from nearby Spanaway, Washin&ton, eaptured.the hearts of the crowd with a determined ride that saw him fend off the repeated laterace charges of Carr while nursing an ailing machine. "This is great, this is my first National win since 1983," said an elated Fay. "I only race a few Nationals .here and there, but this will definitely make next year's program a whole lot better." Fay assumed the lead early in the race after holeshot artist Aaron Hill retired with mechanical failures, and the 33-year-old former Team Honda . rider went on to lead every lap from that point on. Carr suffered a lackluster start and gained on Fay in the closing stages o( the race, but was unable to find a way past. Second was more than good enough for Carr, though, as he ended the series with a sizable point lead over series runner-up Larry Pegram who did not compete. Rex Fisher rounded out the top three positions and stood on the final step of the winner's box. Fay earned $2500 of the $15,000 purse and received an additional $500 from an anonymous donor for ending Carr's 600cc National win streak. r Time trials 36 Of the 62 riders who took qualifying laps, Carr rounded the track the fastest and along the way shattered the track record. Carr stopped the clocks at 21.90 seconds and eclipsed the record of 22.27 that he set at last year's event. Andy Tresser III was second fastest with a 22.03, while Rick Hocking and threetime Grand National.Champion Jay Springsteen rounded out the four fastest qualifiers and would sit on the poles of their respective heats. Fisher and Randy Roose were fifth and sixth fastest, respectively, and would join Carr, Tresser, Hocking and Springsteen in the five-lap $3000 Budweiser Shootout. Heats As fastest qualifier, Carr chose to start the first lO-lap heat race on the inside pole. Steve Hyson grabbed the holeshot ahead of Speedy Kell, Joe Kopp and Carr, but by lap two Kell had assumed the lead and Carr had passed Kopp for third. By lap four, Carr had turned up the wick and smoked past Hyson and Kell to take over the lead. At the finish, Carr led Kell, Hyson and Gary Strode across the line. Carr and Kell would head for the main, but the rest would have to compete in a semi. Heat two saw Russ Yamamoto grab the initial lead over Fay, J.P. Simonsen and Ben Bostrom. Fay wasted little time and blasted into the lead, leaving Yamamoto to deal with a hardcharging Simonsen. On lap four, Simonsen went under Yamamoto, but got a little too close and made contact. Yamamoto went down and Simonsen flew off the groove. Bostrom, Dan ~tanley and Andy Tresser were quick to react and slid past the floundering Simonsen. With that, the finishing positions were set and Fay led Bostrom into the main, while the others would have to try again. John Wincewicz led the third heat until Rick Hocking and Jeff Annen tangled and brought out the red flag. On the restart, Hill grabbed the lead and led from start to finish. Wincewicz held on for second and a direct transfer, while Hocking and Randy Roose finished a close third and fourth, but out of luck. The last heat saw a classic battle between Fisher and Springsteen. Fisher grabbed the holeshot and fended off the repeated charges of Springsteen throughout the race. At the finish, it was Fisher who prevailed and led Springsteen into the main. Brett Landes topped Mike Dillon in a battle for third, but both would compete in a semi. Semis Three eight-lap semis that offered three transfer positions each rounded out the field for the National. Rick Henson got the best of the competition in the first semi and led Tresser and Jeff Eklund into the main. Roose, Strode and Simonsen led the way in the second heat and earned spots in the show, while Kirk Strong, Hocking and Stanley earned the last three transfer· spots in the third and final semi. Budweiser Shootout Fast qualifier Carr again chose the inside pole at the start of the five-lap Budweiser Shootout, but it was Hocking who led the charge into turn one with Roose, Springsteen, Carr, Fisher and Tresser in hot pursuit. Roose overtook Hocking on lap two, while Carr began to work towards the front. By lap three, Carr had motored into second and began to hound Roose for the lead. On the last lap, Carr charged into tum one and rode the outside line past Roose and into the lead. At the checkered flag it was Carr, Roose, Hocking, Fisher, Tresser and Springsteen. Carr pocketed $1500 for his fivelap sprint. Junior National

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