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RACE WATCH
Supersport times two
Also on the bill at Laguna Seca were two 600cc Supersport events. One was held under AMA rules, the other under FIM World Supersport regulations. The difference is mainly engine mods; the FIM permits them, the AMA does not. The AMA allows valve seat recutting, but all other engine changes are banned. The FIM permits porting and machining of stock head castings, any ignition and any radiator. Exhaust systems in both series are free.
Both series allow suspension up grades-any springs, front or rear, and any rear damper unit. The FIM per mits altered fork internals and both series require stock brake calipers, al though pads and rotors are free. AMA Supersport has no weight limits, but the Ducati 748 is not homologated. Part of that bike's FIM homologation is a weight differential-367 pounds for 600cc Fours, 378 pounds for 750cc Twins. In both series, carbs, crank, con-rods and pistons must re main stock, although FIM rules per mit alternate valves at stock weight.
U.S.-based HyperCycle Suzuki's Carry Andrew built two engines for the FIM race, and reckoned the cylin der head and other mods were worth an extra 15 bhp over an AMA engine. In practice, Laguna Seca veteran and local resident Doug Chandler quali fied for the low-bhp AMA race as quickly as the top man in the World event. None of the foreign contingent had Laguna experience, and horse power is no easy substitute for it. Chandler set a qualifying record of 1:30.6, and his average race lap was 1:31.06. The average lap of Ducati mounted World Supersport winner Paulo Casoli was 1:32.04.
World Supersport provides a venue for teams that, a few years ago, would have been Superbike priva teers. As in the U.S., it's a place to ride where managers of big teams will see your talent-if you have it. -Kevin Cameron
The hills are alive at British MX GP
It's Sunday morning-race day-at Foxhill, England, and the announce ment has just gone out for 250cc competitors to enter the staging area. The weather is cool and gray, but al ready the hills are covered with thou sands of motocross fans, many of whom are wrapped in their nation's flag or clad in their home team's soc cer jersey. Having never been to a Eu ropean Grand Prix, I'm excited and, frankly, a bit overwhelmed by it all.
Like most aging American mo tocross enthusiasts, I grew up wor shipping the foreign names and places that made up the World Cham pionships. It all came to life for me at age 12 when, perched precariously atop a tree branch at Mid-Ohio, I watched the world's best riders com pete in the 1977 125cc United States Grand Prix of Motocross. That muggy July afternoon, I came to be lieve that the Europeans, most of whose names I couldn't pronounce, truly embodied the heart and soul of motocross. Now, here I was in Europe taking in the sights and sounds of an event that I'd previously only read about in magazines.
"Motocross in Europe is more gen uine, and the people truly love the sport," proclaims American Bobby Moore, who won the 125cc world title in 1993 and now works as team manager for the U.S. FMF/Honda op eration. "It's a sport, through its his tory and traditions, that hasn't really changed in 20 years. We raced on some of the same tracks as DeCoster, Robert and Geboers, and there are a lot of people there who have followed the sport throughout the years. There is still an atmosphere at the GPs that is very, very special."
Unfortunately, that appeal has been lost on today's Supercross su perstars, who are content to remain in their klieg-lit world with its fat factory contracts and lucrative en dorsement deals. In fact, the only. American left on the GP tour is Cali fornian Tallon Vohiand, aptly nick named the "Lone Wolf."
"It's kind of hard over here," Voh land laments, his English now tinged with an Italian accent. "We get no press back home, and everyone thinks we're not fast-at least, that's the mentality back home. However, I'm mak ing very good money over here and it's hard to break away. Why go home and have to build a name again? The riders here are very fast, and to me, equal to those in the U.S."
If the annual Motocross des Na tions is any indication, Vohiand's comments ring true. Held every Sep tember, the event brings together the world's best riders to battle for na tional pride. And while the Ameri can team won the prestigious event an unprecedented 13 consecutive times, Belgium, led by second-gen eration World Champion Stefan Everts, has won two of the last three years. Walking through the Foxhill paddock, I get the feeling that while the Europeans certainly respect American motocrossers, they're no longer afraid of them.
Prior to the start of the first 250cc moto, I sprint down the start straight and find a vantage point at the very bottom of the valley. Looking up at the steep, green slopes that form the natural amphitheater, I gaze at the sea of humanity that covers the hillsides. Rock music blares from the public address system, and as the start gate clanks into the dirt, all 35,000 specta tors shout and sound their air horns.
"It's Everts! It's Everts!" screams the announcer as the pack forms a flying wedge and slams into the chalkand rock-covered first turn. Watching Everts and his main chal lenger, Sebastien Tortelli, flow around the fast, sweeping course is a thing of beauty. Urged on by the spectators, the Belgian and French man power up and down the many hills, and over the large, supercross style jumps that make up the circuit. Eventually, Tortelli reels in his rival and goes on to win. Then, after an other strong ride in the second moto, in which he forces Everts to over shoot a hairpin at the bottom of a hill, Tortelli claims the overall victory.
The first 125cc moto is even more impressive, due to the performance of English teenager Carl Nunn. Urged on by the partisan crowd, the schoolboy blitzes through the pack, eventually passing the leader-and de fending 125cc World ChampionAlessio Chiodi.
"Gooooo, my son!" roars the pos sessed announcer, who by now has thrown objectivity to the wind. "May God be with you!" Chiodi eventually finds his way back around the young ster, who has sparked the valley into a state of bedlam. But the kid hangs tough and strikes back. More pande monium. Nunn eventually gives way to Chiodi and French sensation David Vuillemin, and comes home third. Nonetheless, it's a great ride.
Later that afternoon, while wander ing through the now-vacant, trash strewn hills, I run into six-time World Champion Joel Robert. "Joel," I say, still stoked by the day's events, "do you still get excited about seeing all of this?"
Robert, full of charisma and gruff charm, pauses to take a drag from his cigarette, looks at me and replies, "No, not too much."
"Really?" I chide, bummed by his response.
"Well, maybe just a little," he says with a wink, then walks off toward the pits. -Eric Johnson
Rainey calls it quits
With contrasting lives as a champi onship-winning motorcycle racer and troubled team owner behind him, Wayne Rainey is set to begin yet an other new life-as a family man.
The three-time 5 00cc world cham pion announced his plans during an emotional press conference at the Dutch TT, saying that the fire he once had for bike racing has burned out.
"Basically, I have a combination of reasons for deciding to make a direc tion change in my life," the 37-year-old said from his now-familiar wheelchair. "Rex (Rainey's son) is 6 this year, and will be starting school, and I want to be there in the States with him at my home in Monterey. Physically, all the traveling is very hard on me. To be honest, I also don't have the passion I had a few years ago, so it's time to make a change.
"Things haven't gone so well for us in the last two years, but that's not re ally a major factor-it would probably be easier to leave if we were very suc cessful. But I feel I've helped Yamaha understand what was needed from the bike. There's no question in my mind that the YZR500 is very good. I've put together a very good team. They know what they're doing, and it was important to me that Yamaha could make an easy transition. It's very sad in a way, but I've enjoyed my two lives in Grand Prix racing, and I think now is the time to leave."
Rainey's announcement fueled ru mors that he would manage Yamaha's U.S. Superbike team, but he flatly denied this, saying. "I have business interests (property development) in Monterey, which will keep me pretty busy. I've really enjoyed my kart rac ing this year, and there's a possibility I might get involved in some car rac ing stuff."
But while running a U.S. bike-rac ing team is out, Rainey will maintain close ties with the Yamaha factory. Said race department boss Toshimit su ho, "We do not want to lose Wayne and his knowledge of racing completely, and he is still keen to be involved with Yamaha's Grand Prix program, so he will act as a consul tant to the motorsport division. It is a little too early to talk about our plans for next year, but I can an nounce that Yamaha will continue with a two-rider team based out of the existing Team Rainey headquar ters in Amsterdam."
Commenting on Rainey's retire ment, perennial rival Kevin Schwantz said, "It doesn't surprise me, really. I think that after his accident, Wayne needed something to fill the void left by racing. But there's just no way that running a team can be as satisfying as getting on the bike yourself." No doubt, but after a couple of decades spent racing from one race track to another, maybe Wayne Rainey just wants to relax. Can you blame him? -Brian Catterson
Honda's Ton-Up TT
Honda celebrated its 50th anniver sary in fine fashion at this year's Isle of Man TT, winning eight of nine races and notching its 100th victory at the fabled, 37.75-mile road course.
Scotland's Jim Moodie racked up the all-important 100th win in the Production TT aboard a CBR900RR, shrugging off the expected challenge from Yamaha's YZF-Rl. "Without doubt, the win was the highlight of my TT week," commented Moodie, who set a new production-class lap record in the process. Moodie was joined on the rostrum by Honda's Tadao Baba, the engineer behind the 900RR.
There were a few lows at the event, as well. For one, the expected show down between Phil McCallen and Steve Hislop failed to materialize. McCallen had suffered vertebrae damage in a huge crash a few weeks prior to the event, and failed to make the race. That, combined with the fact that TT veterans Joey and Robert Dunlop were recovering from a cata log of injuries both old and new, meant there was an air of anti-climax about the proceedings. Joey Dunlop did manage to grab his 23rd TT win in the Lightweight 250cc class, while the six-lap Senior TT went to Ian Simpson on a Honda RC45. Simpson raced the same bike to a win in the 750cc Fl race.
With a 50th birthday party, special ferry, banners galore, owners meetings and other promo activity, it was obvi ously Honda's TT. The company claimed victories in all but the Singles class, despite flying in a one-off, XR600R-powered, R5250-framed spe cial for Moodie. Reportedly, the ma chine cost more than Simpson's World Superbike-spec RC45, but the win went to Dave Morris on a faster-if less exotic-BMW F650.
Honda's expense account included three-time World Champion Freddie Spencer, who participated in the TI Lap of Honor. The parade gave fans an opportunity to see and hear some of Honda's most famous riders aboard its most famous racebikes. Though he only did one lap aboard his works NS500 Triple, Spencer got a taste of the TT. "When we started off, it was dry," he said. "Then, we got pouring rain and fog, and a goat ran across the road in front of me. I got the whole TT experience in one lap. I'm glad I never had to race here!"
Heavy rain postponed Saturday's races, so the traditional Mad Sunday opportunity for ordinary bikers to sample the circuit was curbed. Also, there were new speed limits and a large police presence. In some ways, then, the TT has changed forever, and many riders regard it as a themed hol iday or rally, taking little interest in the actual racing.
On track, though, the timeless spirit of the TT survives, encapsulated in incidents like the one in which a race was delayed due to a car parked on the circuit. Or a racer's carbon-fiber handlebar that snapped off on Sulby Straight at 170 mph. Amazingly, rider
Pete Beale didn't crash. "I froze for a second," he admitted. Obviously, Lady Luck still plays a part in the world's greatest roadrace. -Alastair Walker
Parker tops dirt-track title chase
With nearly a third of the season under his belt, eight-time national champ Scott Parker heads the AMA Grand National Championship Dirt Track Series. The factory HarleyDavidson star has led the points chase from the get-go, having won four of seven events, including the season opening short-track event in Daytona. The 36-year-old currently enjoys a 41-point lead over Corbin Racing's Rich King. Heading into round eight at Oklahoma City, former title-winner Chris Carr is third in the standings. Carr also continues to compete in se lect AMA roadrace nationals.
Another dirt-tracker-turned-roadracer, 17-year-old Suzuki star Nicky Hayden, continues to pose a threat in oval racing. His best finish to date is fifth at the New 96 Speedway in Lake Odessa, Michigan. Hayden's younger brother, 15-year-old Roger Lee, com petes in the AMA Pro/Am dirt-track series. Older brother Tommy rides for Kawasaki in the AMA Superbike Championship.
Six for Six Days
The six-member World Trophy team that will represent the United States at the 73rd running of the Interna tional Six Days Enduro (ISDE) in Australia has been decided. Five members of last year's effort, which finished fifth in Italy, will return for the `98 event.
The sextet carrying U.S. colors in the Olympics of off-road motorcy cling will include Ty Davis, Randy Hawkins, Rodney Smith, Scott Sum mers, Chris Smith and World Trophy team first-timer Destry Abbott, a for mer Junior standout.
"Our guys really excel in technical, physically demanding tests," said U.S. Team Manager Dave Bertram. "Con versely, they struggle a bit on off-cam ber grass tracks like we saw last year in Italy. We've got a great team this year, and a good chance of winning."
