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RACE WATCH

Doohan, Gardner win Suzuka 8-Hour

Fellow Australians and Rothmans Honda teammates Wayne Gardner and Michael Doohan survived typhoon rains and a relentless attack from Doug Chandler and Kevin Magee to win the 14th running of the Suzuka 8-Hour.

The works Honda RVF7 50-riding duo traded the lead with the works Yamaha YZF750 of eventual second-place finishers Chandler and Magee until the sixth hour, when Magee crashed, costing the team a couple of laps.

`When the heavy rain came, I just wanted to go home," said Doohan, who was happy to have finished his first Suzuka 8-Hour race in four attempts.

"The first time I raced here. I said I would never do it again." admitted Gardner, who was enjoying his third win in 10 outings. "But it's such a hard race to win that it gives you the greatest satisfaction if you do."

For Magee. the race was especially important. because it proved that he's recovered from the serious head injuries he suffered at Laguna Seca last year.

Englishmen Steve Hislop and Carl Fogartv finished third on their Honda. After (`handler, the next highest-finishing American was Tom Kipp. joining Japan's Mitsano Aoki on a Yoshimura Suzuki and running as high as second before he crashed; they finished ninth.

Rainey extends lead in 500cc GPs

Team Marlboro Roberts' Wayne Rainev is driving towards another championship. thanks to his wins in two 0)1 the three most recent rounds of' the 500cc world roadracing championship.

Rainey won the French Grand Prix on the shortened Paul Ricard circuit in convincing fashion, but he was beaten by Team Lucky Strike Suzuki’s Kevin Schwantz the next time out in the British GP at Donington Park. Rainey recovered to win the San Marino GP in Mugello, Italy, again by a comfortable margin.

Rothmans Honda’s Michael Doohan, Rainey’s nearest rival in the series point standings, has fallen on hard times, and has not won a race since the Austrian GP, five races ago. With three rounds remaining in the series, Rainey leads Doohan, 205-190. Schwantz is third with 1 73 points.

Eddie Lawson and the Cagiva continue to have mixed luck. The four-time 500cc world champion gave the Italian team its second third-place finish of the year in France, but could only manage sixth place in England and dropped out of the race in Italy.

In the 250cc ranks. Rothmans Honda’s Luca Cadalora extended his series points lead with a win in the San Marino (iP. much to the deli~ht of the Italian fans adalora flO~V leads Spaniard (`arlos (`ardus. 209I 74. German lielmut Bradl. second in the standings prior to crashing in Italy. now lies third. one point be hind (`ardus.

Polen still Superbike king

Dou~z Polen and his I)ucati remain untouchable in the Diesel Jeans World Superhike Championship.

The Texan’s most recent victory came in round seven of the series at Anderstorp in Sweden, an airport circuit dropped from the GP calendar last year. There, he passed fast-starting Yamaha rider Fabrizio Pirovano in both legs of the race to take the win. Polen was threatened by Ducati-riding Frenchman Stephane Mertens in leg one. but Mertens ran wide in a corner and crashed, ending his challenge.

Polen also von both legs of' the previous round at MiSaflo, Italy. af ter brief' scraps with Kawasak i-riding Australian Rob Phillis.> Round five at the dauntingly fast Oesterreichring in Austria provided some excitement. Polen won both legs there, as well, but only after battling with Pirovano. Phillis, Mertens and Raymond Roche, the French defending champion on a Ducati.

Polen now leads Phillis, his nearest rival in the series point standings, by a whopping 56 points. The title is almost certainly his.

Two-time world champion Fred Merkel has been having a tough year aboard his Team Rumi Honda RC30. His best finish in the last three races was a sixth in Sweden.

Stevens extends points lead with Mid-Ohio victory

/t's been a long time coming, but Vance & Hines Yamaha’s Thomas Stevens has won his first AMA Superbike National.

Stevens' win came at the MidOhio Sports Car Course, one of the premier stops on the U.S. roadracing circuit. Stevens got off to a slow start, beginning the race in fifth place, but he was elevated a position when his teammate Jamie James crashed unhurt at the end of the first lap. He then passed Muzzy Kawasaki’s Scott Russell, Commonwealth Honda’s Miguel DuHamel and early leader Tom Kipp, then held them off to score the win. At the finish, it was Stevens by 2.5 seconds, with DuHamel second, Wiseco-sponsored Kipp a happy third, and Russell fourth. Stevens now leads DuHamel in the series point standings, 80-7 1. Russell lies third with 64 points.

Three-time 500ec World Champion Freddie Spencer enjoyed his finest result since coming out of retirement, placing fifth at MidOhio aboard his Two Brothers Racing Honda.

Jimmy Filice took the 250cc win on his L.A. Motor Works Yamaha TZ250. defeating Del Amo Yamaha's Nick lenatsch by three seconds. Chris D'Aluisio led the series point standings coming into the race, but he retired his DavHar Racing Yamaha on the second lap with ignition problems, surrendering the series lead to journalist-turned-racer lenatsch.

In supersport action. Miguel Dul lamel continued his 600cc win streak, as did Scott Russell in the 750cc class. Each now enjoys a huge series points lead.

Parker still can't pass Springsteen

A fter the Louisville Half' Mile. where Scott Parker won the 40th race of his career, the three-time grand national champion had just one thing Ofl his mind: winning number 4 l. the one that would break his tie with Jay Springsteen atop the all-time career win list.

It hasn't happened yet.

Barker finished second to his factory Harley-Davidson teammate Chris Carr at Fima. Ohio. At Hagerstown. Maryland, he finished eighth, victim of an oil leak. In Oklahoma City. Oklahoma, he finished a lowly Í l th. At the Peoria TT, Parker again finished second behind Carr, who took his fourth consecutive and fifth-ever win at the famed Illinois facility. And in Rapid City. South Dakota. Parker really hit rock bottom, finishing 14th when his motor again had oil problems.

“I don't know what it is." Parker said. “We're going after it just as hard as we ever have. We re just not getting hooked up. It’s a little frustrating, but there are still five races left."

Parker now trails Carr in the standings by l 4 points.

Perhaps Parker is having trouble because, with the exception of Peoria. all of these races have been held on half miles. and Parker is renowned as a miler. Whatever the case. he'll now have to wait for the Indianapolis Mile to become the winnin~zest rider ever.

Bayle clinches 250cc MX title

Frenchman Jean-Michel Bayle cap tured the AMA 250cc outdoor motocross championship with a 4-2 IT}Ot() ta1I~ in Southwick. Massach u setts.

Coming into the event, Bayle's Honda teammate Jeff Stanton was looking to claim his third consecutive 250cc title. And though he went 1-1 to win at the rough and sandy Southwick track for the thirdstraight time, not finishing two motos during the series hurt him in

the final point standings.

Bayle, who was crowned Camel Supercross champion earlier this year, earned his second U.S. title by posting consistent finishes. He won just three motos in the seven-round series, and never took an overall win. The final point standings read Bayle 277, Stanton 251. Team Yamaha’s Damon Bradshaw finished third with 210 points.

If Bayle can win the upcoming 50ÖCC outdoor motocross title, he’ll be the first rider ever to win all three titles in a single season. B)