Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

O ctober 21, 1992 ® 2 2 3 2 0 2 3 IN THE WIND By Papa Wealey Three-time National Enduro Cham pion Randy Hawkins (Suz) scored the overall win in round six of the AMA National Championship Enduro Series in Redding, California, October 11. Hawkins edged runner-up Kelby Pepper (KTM) by one point, while defending National Champion Jeff Russell (KTM) placed third. Rounding out the top five were Steve Hatch (Suz) and 1987 National Cham pion Kevin Hines (Hus). The eighth round of the AMA National Championship Hare Scram bles Series in Kahoka, Missouri, October 11, saw Jan Hrehor (Suz) earn yet another win. It was Hrehor's fifth National victory in a row, includ ing both hare scrambles and cross country competition. Duane Conner (Kaw) finished second and was fol lowed across the finish line by series points leader Scott Plessinger (KTM), Swede Jimmie Eriksson (Hbg) and Matt Stavish (Yam), in that order. Defending champ Scott Summers (Hon) failed to finish. Ted Wilkens (Rtx) won the 540cc class at the final round of the AMA National Championship Hillcimb Series in Oregonia, Ohio, October 11. Scott Everett (Tri) finished second and Paul Pinsonnault (Hon) was third, while Tim Frazier (BSA) placed fourth and earned his fourth National Championship, his third straight. Greg Williams (Hon) topped the 800cc division over Tom Reiser (H-D) and Bob Castledine (H-D). Reiser was crowned 800cc National Champion. Fastline/MCM Racing (Suz) clinched the AMA/CCS GTO Endu rance Challenge Championship by winning the three-hour endurance race at Texas World Speedway on October 10. Riders Jeff Heino and Tommy Lynch rode the team's Jeff Stern- prepared Suzuki GSXR1100 to a one- lap victory over the second place Dutchman Racing (Suz) team of Scott Zampach and Ray Yoder Jr. N2 Racing/ National Car Rental (Hon) finished third with Jim Sabin and Mike Myers handling the riding chores. Fastline/MCM Racing com pleted 145 laps of the 1.8-mile course at an average speed of 87.575 mph. The GTU championship was also decided at Texas World Speedway with Moto Liberty/Nankai (Hon) tak ing the race win and championship. I Can Jam (Hon) finished second with American Flyers (Hon) finishing third. Moto Liberty's Danny Walker and Doug Carmichael completed 145 laps at an average speed of 86.575 mph. Jeremy McGrath (Hon) won the Supercross du Parc in Paris, France, October 10. Jean-Michel Bayle (Hon) finished second and Jeff Stan ton (Hon) was third. National 500cc MX Champion Mike Kiedrowski (Kaw) was the 500cc Pro class winner at the 16th Annual Kawasaki Race of Champions at Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey, October 11. Kiedrowski won both motos to top runner-up Jeff Ward (Kaw), who was second both times out, and third place finisher Keith Johnson (KTM). Robbie Reynard (Kaw) topped the 250cc Pro class, winning both motos. Ryan Hughes (Kaw) was second and Ray Sommo (Kaw) was third. Tim Ferry (Kaw) turned in a 1-2 performance to win the 125cc Pro class, with Hughes second with a 3-1 moto tally and Reynard third. The opening round of the GFI Fall MX Series at southern California's Perris Raceway, October 11, saw Mike Chamberlain (Kaw) win in the 125cc Pro class, Steve Lamson (Hon) come out on top in the 250cc Pro class, Willie Surratt (Hon) score the 500cc Pro class win, and Rex Staten (Suz) head the Over 30 Pro class. After losing the Grand National Championship to his factory Harley- Davidson teammate Chris Carr, four time Grand National Champion Scott Parker has vowed to come back with a vengeance in 1993 to earn a record-breaking fifth title. Parker is currently tied at four with the legend ary Carroll Resweber. When asked what number he will choose to carry now that Carr has the number one plate, Parker replied, "Number two. When I was younger Kenny Roberts gave me an autographed number plate, so I think I'll Xerox it and use his same pattern. Also, that was the number that Bubba Shobert said that he was gonna use before he got hurt. Bub and I are good buddies, so I say, number two." A 10-race Harley - Davidson 883 Sportster dirt track and road race series was announced at the October 10 Pomona Half Mile. The 1993 series will include five half mile dirt track races and five road races, and riders will compete aboard basically- stock 883Rs. According to AMA Direc tor of Professional Competition Roy Janson, the same machines will be used for both types of racing, and the series is designed to introduce new riders to the sport of dirt track and road racing. Seven of the dirt-track con verted 883Rs were prepared by Min nesota's Donahue Harley- Davidson and Los Angeles-based Bartels' Harley-Davidson and were ridden both by the press and in an exhibition race at Pomona. Accord ing to Donahue Harley-Davidson's Butch Donahue, the stock Sportster can be converted into a dirt tracker within 40 minutes with a $400 kit available directly from Harley- Davidson. A switch of handlebars and foot peg positioning, and the same bike would be ready for road racing. Those same seven Harley-Davidson 883 motorcycles were raced in a six- lap exhibition before the start of the Pomona Half Mile National, as reported elsewhere in this issue, but the real excitement took place before the races even began. Members of the press were allowed to strap on a steel shoe and take a few laps aboard the new machines. Cycle News Associate Editor Donn Maeda rode one of the bikes. Editor Jack Mangus opted to chuckle and stand on the side of the track with an egg timer to record Maeda's lap times. Dirt tracker Terry Poovey suffered a broken collarbone, five broken ribs and a punctured lung in a crash at the October 10 Pomona Half Mile. Poovey was treated at a local hospital and released on Monday, October 12, and returned to his home in Texas to recuperate. According to Poovey's wife, Kathy Poovey, the injury hasn't changed the veteran's mind about his "one more year," of racing. Cards and letters can be sent to Poovey at 1803 Toplea Dr., Euless, TX 76040. Davey Durelle was also injured in a crash at the Pomona Half Mile, suffering a broken hip and cracked pelvis. "I'm pretty sore, to say the least," said Durelle in a phone con versation from his hospital room. "They put pins and a plate in to fix my hip, and I started therapy today. I'll have to be in a wheelchair for a while, then on crutches." Cards and letters can be sent to Durelle at 7330 Green Ridge, Eden Prairie, MN 55344. After Chris Carr clinched his first- ever Grand National Championship with a third-place finish at the Pom ona Half Mile, he was presented with a huge replica helmet bearing the number one by Arai Helmet Racing Coordinator Bruce Porter. Carr held the helmet high above his head while in victory circle before lowering it over his head and shoulders and parading around in circles. Later that evening, Chris Carr signed autographs for hours in the pits while fans swarmed around him to offer their congratulations. Next to Carr sat his Kenny Tolbert-tuned Harley- Davidson XR750, with one slight modification. Carr's number 20 was crossed out with a black marker, with the word "not" written just below it. The League of Off-Road Voters of Glendale, California, has endorsed President George Bush in the upcoming presidential election. They are also urging off-road enthusiasts to cast their votes for John Seymour (two-year term) and Bruce Her- schensohn (six-year term) for the two U.S. Senate seats up for grabs in California this year. As the League says, "Make a difference, vote November 3rd." The AMA has announced that there will be at least one across-the-board rule change for the 1993 professional racing season, new noise standards. The new standard requires all motor cycles to test at or below 105 decibels (102 decibels in motocross and super cross) measured on the "A" scale at 20 inches. Previous limits were 105 decibels for motocrossers and 110 decibels for all other motorcycles. The AMA has also informed profes sional motocross riders, team manag ers and apparel manufacturers that the already-existing rule on jersey numbers and names will be enforced next year. The rule requires riders to run a standard block version of their assigned number on the back of the jersey. The number must be at least eight inches tall, and be a contrasting color to that of the jersey. In addition, the rider's last name must appear in three-inch block lettering at the shoulder on the back of the jersey. "Often when conditions are adverse the only usable number for scoring is on the back of the rider," said AMA National Technical Manager Merrill Vanderslice, "Script and stylized numbers are often difficult to identify." 1992 AMA Superbike National Cham pion Scott Russell will race a Muzzy Kawasaki in the 1993 World Cham pionship Superbike Series. Russell will be joined on the two-man team by New Zealander Aaron Slight. According to Rob Muzzy, Russell and Slight will be aboard their 1993 World Superbike Kawasakis at the first two rounds of the AMA National Championship Superbike Series in Phoenix, Arizona and Daytona Beach, Florida. Russell will be attempting to duplicate his 1992 Daytona 200 victory, and he may also compete in other AMA Nationals that don't conflict with his World Superbike commitments. Muzzy Kawasaki team owner Rob Muzzy confirmed at Texas World Speedway on October 11 that he has indeed contacted Miguel DuHamel regarding the French Canadian join ing his team in 1993. "I made Miguel an offer yesterday (October 10)," Muzzy said. "The rider we hire next year will ride Superbike and Supersport. Righ،- now it's our intention to also ride 600cc Supersport. I'm looking to hire some body within 10 days, probably, two riders." World Superbike Champion Doug Polen las not made firm plans for the 1993 racing season. The Texan said at Texas World Speedway that his options include AMA Superbike, World Superbike, Grand Prix and the Japanese National Championship. No matter what Doug Polen decides to do, Fast By Ferracci's Eraldo Ferracci will be staying in the U.S. in 1993 rather than contest the World Superbike Championship. "It's a little political, but I want to stay here," Ferracci said. "It's a big market here and it's important to the two (Casti glione) brothers at Ducati. I spent a lot of money going around the world. Pascal Picotte will be riding for me here and he feels like a club racer when I'm not here. Somebody has to help him take charge. I don't know yet what Doug Polen is going to do, but I wish him the best whatever he does. I can't say enough about what Doug has done for me and for Ducati." Ferracci said the team is likely to have two riders in AMA racing, possibly three if Polen stays put. As for who the other rider is, Ferracci would only say: "He's another guy." One rider who appears to be out of a factory road race ride for 1993 is Yoshimura Suzuki's Dave Sadowski. The New Englander, who now calls Georgia home, won't be returning to Yoshimura next year. "They pulled the rug out from under me," Sadowski said. The former Daytona 200 winner says he has had some other offers, and has talked to ؛ Rob Muzzy about the possibility of joining the Kawasaki team. Yoshim ura Suzuki will reportedly field three riders in 1993 — Thomas Stevens, Donald Jacks and Britt Turkington. Road racers Dr. Bob Meister and Todd Harrington are planning an assault on the record books at the AMA/CCS Daytona Race of Cham pions. Meister is on the front row for 10 of the AMA/CCS sprint races, using five different machines prepared by Four and Six Cycles. Harrington will be going for eight titles riding three different bikes. Meister had to skip the Supertwins race at Texas World Speed way on October 11 because his Ducati was already en route to Daytona. The morning after finishing fourth in the AMA 250cc Grand Prix race at Texas World Speedway, Del Amo Yamaha's Robbie Petersen headed for Japan for 10 days of testing. Petersen will test the 250cc Kawasaki at Suzuka and Tsukuba, and may return in a month for more develop ment. Petersen said it was strictly a test and that there were no guarantees of a future ride. The machine has been raced little since Daytona, finishing fourth recently at a Japanese cham pionship race at Fuji with Trevor Nation aboard. I

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