Randy Mamola:

RANDY MAMOLA:

The USGP's most famous no-show

FOR FANS OF UNDERDOGS, ITALian motorcycles and Randy Mamola, the USGP at Laguna Seca was a letdown. Their cause, their motorcycle and their man were taken out in a practice crash two days before the race when Mamola was high-sided off the new Cagiva V588. Mamola suffered a mild concussion and just wasn't up to

riding on Sunday. "I wanted to race, but it would have been too dangerous," he said, "I feel lousy." Even if he had been well enough to make the grid, Mamola's chances of winning would have been slight. His riding skills were up to the task (he was second in GP points last year and has finished in the top 10 seven other times), but his motorcycle and tires were not. After being inexplicably dropped from the Roberts' Lucky Strike team last year, Mamola hooked up with Cagiva to campaign the Italian factory's promising but unproven racebike. Making things that much more difficult, he is using new Pirelli tires, rather than established Michelins or Dunlops. So far, Mamola has yet to come to terms with the combination. At the Japanese GP, ignition problems snuffed his effort after just eight laps, and prior to his practice crash at Laguna, he could do no better than 16th-fastest during timed qualifying. "We're struggling," said a candid Mamola from the sanctuary of his motorhome. "The engine is very

strong—as fast as the other bikes—but our weakness is weight. We’re 10 to 15 pounds heavier, and that makes a big difference in acceleration. But what keeps me going is the progress we’re making. We’re still very much in the development stage; don’t forget, we’re talking of a race shop twice the size of this motorhome. It’ll take time to do the development, but when I do ask for something to be done, it gets done.”

Despite his early-season setbacks, Mamola is still optimistic. “It’s a great challenge,” he said, “but we’ll just have to work and push. It won’t happen in the next two or three races, but we will beat these guys.”

David Edwards