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/146693
won the same Novice class race over Rompella and Yates with Allen and Chris Lumkin rounding out the top five. "Bill (Himmelsbach) beat me to the finish line for every lap except the last," said Brad Sawyer, who won the lead race on Saturday, Formula II Expert. "Himmelsbach was faster than me under the Nissan bridge, but on that last lap, I said 'to hell with it,' and dove under him." That last lap pass not only allowed Sawyer to win the F-II race, it also enabled him to become the four-time consecutive WERA F-II champion - a WERA record. Gibbs won his final two races on Saturday, with victories in Band C Superbike. Fritz Kling and Tripp Nobles went head to head in B Superstock Expert, with Kling getting a hard-fought win. Tray Batey took third, Tom Wilson, who had misjudged the suspension setup and accidentally ran Batey off the track in high-speed turn four on the third lap, took fourth, with Ray Yoder Jr. fifth. Richard Eyman won the final race of the day, Unlimited Twins, over Robert Bates and Fausto Amatore. All three were Ducati mounted. All three Suzuki Cup Finals were held on Sunday, with the.600cc race coming first. In that race, Hall and Jacks were inseparable, and the whole event came down the final turn of the final lap. Jacks was in the lead under the Nissan bridge - the second to last corner - but heading down the hill towards turn 12, Hall downshifted twice, instead of the required three time~, and stuffed up underneath his Valvoline teammate in turn 12, the last bend. "It was a pretty risky pass - though it didn't feel chancey, because I was carrying more speed than Donald," said Hall, who edged Jacks across the line. "I never really rode the Superstock bikes all year, and when we got here I was severely underpowered on all three (the GSXR600, 750 and 1100)," said Michael Martin, who underwent a blitzkrieg of development in the three days preceding the GNF, but was still underpowered. However, Martin held on for third in the 600cc final, ahead of David Sadowski and Don Canet. The 750cc final was equally thrilling, with Hall and Turkington battling for the lead. This race would also be decided in the final few turns. "I knew I c·ouldn't break away from Britt," said Hall, who waited until the second to last turn of the race to play his cards. "Last year, in the same race, Britt went inside (under the Nissan bridge) to keep me from passing him on the brakes, and won the race. I knew he was going to do that again, so I went around him on the outside. I guess old dogs can learn new tricks!" The crafty Hall was now $10,000 richer, and looking forward to the final cup race, 1100cc Superstock. Jacks, Robert Wright,. and Tom Wilson rounded out the' fop five. Comparatively speaking, the lIOOcc final was a snoozer - Hall went out and led every lap to finish nine seconds ahead of Jacks. Valvoline Suzuki support rider Stevie Patterson was third with Wright again fourth and Tray Batey fifth. "lowe a lot to Scotty Beach (his tuner)," said the $15,000 wealthier Hall after the 1100cc race. "To build one fast bike is an accomplishment, but it seemed that 1 had the fastest bike in Brian Gibbs was the top Novice racer at the Grand National Finals, .winning three National titles at Road Atlanta. One of Brian Gibbs' (25) victories came in B Superbike Novice where he topped Aaron Yates (458). every (Suzuki Cup) race. Whenever someone would pull alongside of me on the backstraight, they could never motor on by. Thanks, Scotty." (;N Results: 1100« SUZUKI CUP FINAL: 1. Kurt Hall (Suz); 2. Donald Jacks (Suz); 3. Stevie Patterson (Suz); 4. Robert Wright (Suz); 5. Tray Batey (Suz). 750cc SUZUKI CUP FINAL: 1. Kurt Hall (Suz); 2. Britt Turkington (Suz); 3. Donald Jacks (Suz); 4. Robert Wright (Suz); 5. Tom Wilson (Suz). 600cc SUZUKI CUP FINAL: 1. Kurt Hall (Suz); 2. Donald Jacks (Suz); 3. Michael Martin (Suz); 4. Dave Sadowski (Suz); 5. Don Canet (Suz). . B SIBK EXPERT: 1. Thomas Wilson (Kaw); 2.D. Greg Abbott (Kaw); 3. Dean Hayes (Kaw); 4. Larry Locklear (Hon); 5. Bri~n Lantz (Suz). D PROD NOVICE: 1. Mark Sweeney (Yam); 2. Paul Palombo (Yam); 3. Patrick Mullen (Yam); 4. Craig Shores (Yam); 5. John Thomas (Yam). A PROD NOVICE: 1. Barry Rompella (Kaw); 2. Patrick Ludwig (Hon); 3. Brian Gibbs (Kaw); 4. Darryl Wills (Suz); 5. Lanny Allen (Hon). FORMULA CLBMN NOV: 1. Robert Brown (Hon); 2. Raymond Carter (Yam); 3. Donald Fine (Suz); 4. Brian Carroll (Hon); 5. Clinton Brotz (Hon). FORMULA CLBMN EX: 1. Eric Fait (RTX); 2. Tommy Hayden (Hon); 3. Nicky Hayden (Hon); 4. Winfred Hopp (Yam); 5. Jason Sanders (Hon). B PROD NOV: 1. Brian Gibbs (Kaw); 2. Barry Rompella (Kaw); 3. Patrick Ludwig (Hon); 4. Lanny Allen (Hon); 5. Darryl ""ills (Suz). VINT 3: 1. Steven Papenfuss (Yam); 2. Michael Eiland (Yam); 3. Rixon Breckon (Tri); 4. Van Funchess (Due); 5. David Cornelison (Tri). VINT 5: 1. Brad Morrison (Suz); 2. Michael Tiberio (M-G); 3. Ronnie Lunsford (Hon); 4. Todd Henning (Yam); 5. David Cheek (Hon). C S/BK EX: 1. Kevin Rentzell (Yam); 2. Jeb Bridgeman (I'ion); 3. Michael Himmelsbach (Hon); 4. Daniel Sabol (Hon); 5. Larry Locklear (Hon). C PROD NOV: 1. Patrick Ludwig (Hon); 2. Lanny Allen (Hon); 3. Barry Rompella (Hon); 4. Toby Grace 5. Grant Lopez (Hon). VINT 2: 1. Ted Hubbard (BSA); 2. Rixon Breckon (Tril; 3. Walt Schaefer (H-D); 4. Bruce Allen (BSA); 5. Robert Dinneweth (Hon). VI NT 4: 1. Brad Morrison (Suz); 2. Todd Henning (Yam); 3. Michael Eiland (Yam); 4. George Mood (BMW); 5. Van Funchess (DUC). A S/STK EX: 1. Thomas Wilson (Hon); 2. Michael Martin (Suz); 3. Tray Batey (Suz); 4. Larry Locklear (Hon); 5. Billy Eisenacher (Hon). FORMULA 1 NOV: 1. Chris Taylor (Yam); 2. Barry Rompella (Kaw); 3. Aaron Yates (Hon); 4. Lanny Allen (Hon); 5. Chris Lumpkin (Suz). FORMULA 1 EX: 1. Craig Gaver (Yam); 2. Greg Abbott (Kaw); 3. Thomas Wilson H4. David McGrath (Suz); 5. Larry Locklear (Hon). C S/STK EX: 1. Kevin Rentzell (Hon); 2. Michael Himmelsbach (Hon); 3. Tray Batey (Suz); 4. Jeb Bridgeman (Hon); 5. Billy Eisenacher (Hon). UNLIMITED TWINS: 1. Richard Eyman (Due); 2. Robert Bates (Due); 3. Fausto Amatore (Due); 4. Ray Hixon (Hon); 5. David Richardson (Due). C S/BK NOV: 1. Brian Gibbs (Hon); 2. Lanny Allen (Hon); 3. Patrick Ludwig (Hon); 4. Chad Bynum (Hon); 5. ian McKinstray (Hon). B S/STK EX: 1. Fritz Kling (Kaw); 2. Tripp Nobles (Kaw); 3. Tray Batey (Suz); 4. Tom Wilson (Kaw); 5. Ray Yoder (Suz). D S/BK NOV: 1. Aaron Yates (Yam); 2. Chris Stefanik (Yam); 3. Daniel Scholten (Yam); 4. Patrick Mullen (Yam); 5. Jason Tresslar (Yam). D S/BK EX: 1. Michael Myers (Yam); 2. Bobby Bossardet (Yam); 3. Jason Sanders (Yam); 4. Eric Smith (Yam); 5. Robert Marsh (Yam). B S/BK NOV: 1. Brian Gibbs (Kaw); 2. Aaron Yates (Hon); 3. Barry Rompella (Kaw); 4. Chris Lumpkin (Suz); 5. Patrick Ludwig (Hon). FORMULA II NOV: 1. Chris Taylor (Yam); 2. Aaron Yates (Yam); 3. William Comeguy,s (Hon); 4. Lee Van Norman (Hon); 5. Jason Tress!ar (Yam). FORMULA II EX: 1. Brad Sawyer (Yam); 2. Bill Himmelsbach (Yam); 3. William Quinn (Yam); 4. Jim Sabin (Yam); 5. Damon Carvey (Yam). 9