Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

~ INTHEWIND By Papa Wealey ~ Italian Fabrizio Pirovano (Yam) won both legs of the rain-sodden World Championship Superbike Series round at Moma, Italy, October 4. Pirovano topped Stephane Mertens (Due) and Rob Phillis (Kaw) in the first leg and then beat Raymond ~oche (Due) and Pier Bontempi (Raw) in the second leg. Defending World Champion Doug Polen (Due) maintained his 16-point lead in the championship over Roche by posting a 10-5 tally; Roche crashed in the first leg before finishing second in the second race. Polen leads Roche in the point standings, 304-288, with just two rounds remaining in the series. Phillis is third with 249 points. Jan Hrehor (Suz) scored the overall win at the AMA WisecolYamahal Yokohama Grand National Championship Cross Country Series round in Elizabeth, West Virginia, October 4. The runner-up was already-crowned series champ Scott Summers (Hon) and Doug Blackwell (Kaw) rounded out the top three. The final round of the AMA National Championship Reliability Enduro Series in Minden, Nevada, October 3, saw Rodney Smith (Suz) score the overall victory ahead of Sweden's Jimmie Eriksson (Hbg) and Dan Nielsen (Hus). By finishing third, Eriksson wrapped up the eries. The day after clinching the AMA ational Championship Reliability Enduro Series title in Nevada, Jimmie Eriksson (Hbg) competed at the Flat River GP in Missouri and scored the overall win there as well. The runnerup was Larry Roeseler (Kaw), the rider he dethroned in the reliability enduro series. Local rider Steve Leivan (Yam) finished third. Chris Manchester, 19, posted a perfect score of 15 in the October 3 U.S. National Speedway Championship at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, California, to become the first rider to win the championship in his first try. The teenager from Hesperia, California, won all five of his heat races, the first time that had been done in the National since two-time World Champion Bruce Penhall did it in 1980. Bobby Schwartz finished second with 13 points. Steve Lucero defeated Billy Hamill in a runoff for third. Kyle Lewis (Yam) won the Ultracross race at the Las Vegas round of the Mickey Thompson Gran Prix OffRoad Series, October 3. Mike Craig (Kaw) finished second and Scott Trails funding_n1an nasses test A 2 plan to provide muco-needed funding for America's trails in next year's federal budget has outlasted a series of attacks .by groups opposed to motorized recreation. A U.S. Congress conference committee, despite repeated pressure from several preservationist groups, voted September 24 to appropriate $7.5 million to the Symms National Recreational Trails Act as part of the 1993 federal transportation budget. Under the terms of the Symms Act, passed in 1991, the trail improvement program should receive up to $30 million per year over the next six years. That money, which represents a portion of the federal tax revenue generated through gasoline sales for use in off-highway vehicles and other recreational equipment, was designed to be used for trail projects that are developed and maintained in harmony with the environment. Funding for the Symms Act was stalled until the Senate allocated 15 million to it as part of its 1993 transportation appropriations bill. However, that plan was up against a House version of the same spending measure that did not include any funding for the trails program. The final version of the transportation budget came out of a joint Housel Senate conference committee charged with ironing out the differences between the two bills. Throughout the debate on the funding issue, the AMA and other groups representing off-highway recreation enthusiasts lobbied in support of the Senate's proposal, which was in line with the Bush administration's funding recommendation for the program. Meanwhile, heavy opposition to the trails program in the conference committee came from the Sierra Club, the National Wildlife Federation, the Wilderness Society and others. But motorcyclists and other trail users, led by the Coalition for Recreational Trails, successfully defended the Symms Act, eventually winning approval of a plan that guarantees $7.5 million in start-up funds for the program. Funding for the trails program in next year's budget represents a complete turnaround from the approach ~en to the Symms Act in recent months. Earlier this year, congressional leaders failed to provide any money to get the trails program rolling in 1992 through supplemental appropriations. "While $7.5 million for the program next year is certainly a step toward enhancing recreational trails," notes AMA Washington Representative Jim Bensberg, "it represents only a fraction of the gasoline tax money being generated by off-highway vehicle users each year. ow it's time to put more of that money to work on improving trails for all outdoor recreation enthusiasts." Bensberg says the AMA plans to work with the ~oalition for Recreational Trails to "aggressively lobby Congress" for full funding of the trails program next year. Two AMA members, Roger Pattison and George Lear, have been appointed to serve on the National Recreational Trails Advisory Committee. The 12-member committee is charged with administering grants under the federal trail-funding program, and it was appointed by the Federal Highway Administration and recently announced at a trail symposium in Montana. The committee will set criteria for trail-side facilities and make recommendations on establishing federal polices, in addition to distributing money to states for motorized and non-motorized trail projects. Pattison, from Clovis, New Mexico, will represent the interests of motorcyclists on the trail panel. He is president of the Clovis Sport Cycle Association, which successfully manages two OHV riding areas in the eastern part of New Mexico. Lear, from Centerville, Virginia, will represent ATV enthusiasts on the panel. He is an AMA Life Member and serves as the legislative officer for the Northern Virginia Trail Riders organization. - Myers (Kaw) was third. Multi-time National MX Champion Rick Johnson continued to make his transition to four-wheel racing an impressive one, driving a Chevrolet to the win in the Sport Truck main event. Damon Huffman (Suz) was the top rider at the final two rounds of the CMC/Valvoline Trans-Cal Series inHuron, California, where riders from the orth and South divisions faced off. Huffman won the 125 and 250cc Pr.o classes on both days of racing, and was crowned the champion in both classes. Craig Canoy (Yam) finished second in the l25cc class on Saturday, and Chris Young (Suz) was third. On day two, Craig Decker (Kaw) placed second ahead of Canoy. In Saturday's 250cc class, Decker was runner-up to Huffman, with Young third. The following day, Young finished second ahead of Tony Amaradio (Kaw). No word yet on who Suzuki plans to run alongside Kevin Schwantz on the Lucky Strike 500cc GP team. The list of possibilities includes Australian Kevin Magee, Spaniard Juan Garriga, and Brazilian Alex Barros. It now appears highly likely that 1992 AMA Superbike Champion Thomas Stevens will sign a contract to ride for Suzuki in the 1993 AMA National Championship Road Race Series. "I haven't signed anything," tevens said on Monday, October 5. "I've spoken with Suzuki, but I haven't signed a contract. Right now, I have an obligation to Kawasaki until the end of the year, and I'm going to Texas (October 9-11) to try and win the championship for Kawasaki. Beyond that, anything is negotiable." The second part of the Suzuki AMA uperbike puzzle will likely be filled by Donald Jacks, according to reliable sources. The probable 1992 WERA F-USA Champion is rumored to be leaving the- Valvoline Suzuki team and will join Stevens on the two- . man Yoshimura Suzuki team riding a 1993 Suzuki GSXR750. Who will fill Stevens' shoes on the Muzzy Kawasaki team should the Floridian indeed sign with Suzuki? Many believe that Canadian Miguel DuHamel will return to AMA racing next year, and he's been tipped to join Scott Russell on the two-rider team. While Russell will be concentrating his efforts on the World Superbike Championship, the Georgian will also likely see action in the AMA series, in a situation similar to the 1992 Ducati effort of World Champion Doug Polen. DuHamel rode a Banco-backed Yamaha YZR500 to 12th place in the 1992 500cc World Championship in what was his rookie season in Grand Prix racing. Rumor has it that DuHamel's Banco Yamaha ride will be taken over by multi-time MX champion Jean-Michel Bayle. Another rumor had former AMA and World Superbike Champion Fred Merkel returning to AMA action on the Rob Muzzy-owned Kawasaki team. Merkel, though, apparently has another year left on his two-year contract with BYRD Yamaha. At the October 3 Sacramento Mile, Mike Kidd announced his resignation from the position of AMA National din track manager. "There are three main reasons," said Kidd. "Throughout the summer I neglected my two children, and I'm not goin!?; to do it again. Secondly, my business (Mike Kidd Promotions) is suffering. Since I accepted the position, I've only promoted three events. I'm just like anyone else and I have to make a living." Kidd is currently speaking with AMA Director of· Professional Competition Roy Janson about the possibility of staying on as a consultant. "I would like to be available as a consultant, and I will still promote the Syracuse Twin Miles, the Dallas Half Mile and the Granite City (Illinois) Half Mile Grand Nationals," added Kidd, revealing two new Grand National events - Dallas and Granite City. A "not for publication" Grand National schedule has been circulated, but still lists some tentative dates. And speaking of Mike Kidd, the former Grand National Champion will conduct a seminar entitled The Business Side of Racing at the Ontario Red Lion Inn in Ontario, California, October 9. Open only to AMA professional dirt trackers, the seminar will cover topics such as how to get sponsors in and outside of the motorcycle industry. Kidd certainly knows something about obtaining sponsorship, having been backed by the U.S. Army at one time during his illustrious racing career. For more information, contact Kidd at 817/8342298. Three-time World Champion Wayne Rainey is doing four hours of therapy each day following his post-season knee operation. "I had some hardware taken out," Rainey said from his southern California home. "It definitely feels better than it did during the- season. The screws were sticking out too far and were rubbing, so they took them out." In addition, Rainey and his wife Shae are expecting their first child on October II, thus the Marlboro Yamaha rider won't make it to the final AMA National Championship Road Race event in Texas to watch his Otsuka Electronics 250cc team rider Kenny Roberts Jr. "It's pretty close to the due date, so I'll be staying home." Be sure and cast your vote for the Camel Supercross Series competitor you feel is most deserving of the Mickey Thompson A ward of Excellence. A ballot appears on page 41. Road racer Doug Chandler will have his last ride aboard the Lucky Strike Suzuki in the final round of the Japanese National Championship Road Race Series at Sugo on October II. Following the race, Chandler will head to Italy where he hopes to test the Cagiva that he will ride in nextyear's 500cc World Championship. Chandler has been keeping busy since his return from Europe by participating in dual-sport rides aboard his Suzuki DR350. The California Superbike School will return to Texas World Speedway for the first time since 1982 for a session on Monday, October 12, the day after the AMA National Championship Road Race Series at the- College Station, Texas, track. Originally, the school was scheduled to take place on October 5. For registration information call 213/484-9323. Keith Code, the man behind the California Superbike School, recently gave an impromptu lecture to the Sunday crowd of motorcyclists at Newcomb's Ranch on the Angeles

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