Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

is an extremely worthy cause and one I support wholeheanedly," says lacobs. ''l will do ever/thin8 I can to help set a record this year. I hope to recruit some of my well-known friends to siSn the SprinS- steen canvas in order to maximize the donation for the kids." For more infroma- tion. visit www.kidsandchrome.com. Racer Productions has announced that the third-annual Moto-X-Country event will take place on Saturday, llay 27 as pan ol the 30th Annual High Point Pro National Weekend, round two of the AMMfoyota Motocross Championship. f'loto-X-Coun- try is a hybrid between GNCC and morocross r?rcing, fearuring a three-mile course consisting of grass track, jumps and woods, all mixed into a 45-minute moto- "This race is a lot fun for us. and we can't wait to do it again," says Racer Produc- tionsJeff Russell, who builds the GNCC and l"loto-X-Country courses. "We'll run the traditional loop out back of High Point, with a few new twists and turns thrown in." For more information, visit www.rac- erproductjons.com or call 304/284-0084- More than 300 attendees from 30 coun- tries and 40 states descended upon the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Long Beach, Cali- fornia, March 28-30 for The Motorcycle Safety Conference, entitled "The Human Element." Sponsored by the Motorcycle Safery Foundation and co- sponrored by the German lnstitute for Motorq/cle Safety Presentations, the con- ference focused on the human factors involved in motor.ycle safety and explored the research efforts, counter- measures and initiatives that contribute to improving motorcycle safety. "The real key to motorcycle safetl. the human ele- ment, is the title of our .onference," said l"1SF President Tim Buche. "ln the ar-rto- motive world, there is immense focus on technoloSy and crash testing, with rela- tively lirlle public menlion abou! improving driver skills and safety stiategies. With motorcycles, it s the opposite. While safe- ty gear, chassis, tires and brakes all have improved on the technoloSically advanced motorcycles available today, and have importaflr roles ro play, ir's still the rider and other roadway users that make the greater difference in motorcycle safery" The follow-up conference, 'Safety, Envi- ronment, Future,'' is slared for fall 2006 in Germary and will focus on accident research, safeq/ technolog/, environmental aspects, the rider, vehicle and trafflc behavior, and trends in the development of motorq/cles. The Mount Saint Helens Motor.ycle Club has announced that tickets are now on sale for the AMA Grand National Championship TT/Flat Track doublehead- er scheduled for August l2- I 3 at Castle Rock Face Park in Castle Rock, Washing- ton. For ticket information, call 541/3l8- 0493 or visit wwwmshmc.org. lohn (ack) Krisman Jr., the holder of three U.S. patents for the filtron foam fil- ter, the labyrinth-type spark arrestor and the turbine or bullet spark arrester, died on l'4ay 6 in Porterville, California, at the age of 81. Krisman was also the team manager for Harley-Davidson's oll-road effort in the 1960s and '70s. He is survived by his son, James, and daughter, Bonnie. Alpinestars has donated riding gloves and footwear to Wheels 2 Alrica for use in Africa by medical personnel riding motor- cycles that \4r'2A helps provide. For more information. visit www.wheels2af rica.org. The Streak Ends: Salminen Loses Th€ greatest domrnatron streak rn I Suzukr Grand National Cross Country Series history is over. Juha Salminen's nine-race win strcak - datint back to last fall - finally came to a close due to an inspired ride by Am Pro Yamaha's Barr,, Hawk at the Wise(o John Pen.on GNCC on llay 21. Hawk and his teamma(e Charlie Mullins battled Salminen all day in a spectacular three-hour race, and a deep mudhole trapped Salminen on the last lap and allowed Hawk to tet around him and take "Man it feels Sood!" said Hawk. 'After I sawruha stuck - and I probably passed him in that same mudhole today eitht or nine times - when I passed him I knew there was a lot of track lef(. I iust kept my head down and kept charging. lt was agood day. I wasn't the lastest today, but I was the smartest." Hawk's mastery of the mudholes con- trasted to that of Salminen, who was strong all day, but found himself stuck one too many times to keep his winnrn8 streak alive. He flnished second. "Second is okay, but l'm really drsap. pointed in my ride.' said the Finnish l0- time World End0ro Champion. 'l found every mudhole in the course! I was stuck three or four times, and it was really bad, nor small ones. I was really stuck. I wa5 half a minute behind, and I caught them, and I Eot rruck. and I would carch rhem and ger stuck again. That war basically how my whole day went: go fast, go stuck, go fast, go stuck again. lt was my fauk. I was mak- ing the bad de.isions." Mullins was in the hunt too, as the 20- year old rookie led the race halfway through until he crrshed hard. "lt was the most spectacular crash l've ever seen in my life," said Hawk. "l figured if he wasn\ dead he would have multiple broken bones. For him to tet up and finish third is pretqa incredible." lndeed, Mullins held on for a podium flnrsh despire literally getring knocked out of contention. I don't know, I don't remember much," said 14ullins. "l just remember the start, and being around Barry on the motocross track." Fourth \,vent to Andrews' Suzuh rider Jimmy Jarreft, who has been loStinS some solid results lately. "l'm tired of tetrint beat by every- body,' said Jarretr. -lve raced the last six weekends. That helps a lot - it helps my endurance, and that's one ofthe things l've struggled with my whole career. I wasn't having fun at the races before and I am FiIth went to Fun Mart KTM'S Shane Watts, who won an incredible duel with lYonster Energy/Pro Circurt/Kawasaki s Fred Andrews and Parts Unlimited/Moose Honda's Paul Whibley. At one point on the last lap, all rhree riders were scuck togeth- er in the same mudhole, but Watts was able to get his l25SX out first and 8et the position. RER l4otorciq/ Yamaha's Nate Kanney was eighth, FMF Suzukis Glenn Kearney ninth, and.lustin \Mlliamson was lOth. Joson Weigdndt Eorry Howk ended Juho Solminen's nine-rq

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