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Spencer retires. Again.

Freddie Spencer, either the most-talented or the most-overrated racer of our time—depending on who you talk to—has retired from the road-racing scene once again. Or, as one GP insider put it, “He’s being paid not to race.”

According to England’s Motor Cycle News, Marlboro team manager Giacomo Agostini, apparently not happy with Spencer’s performance, said that the three-time world champion has been retired on “very close” to full pay, and that his equipment will now be ridden by Italy’s Luca Cadalora.

Spencer was quoted as saying, “We do not wish to continue while we are unable to achieve our best performances.” Whether or not that means he will be back in the future, no one knows. Probably not even Spencer.

Czech-mate

The 1989 500cc roadrace world champion will be decided in the very last round in Brazil. But right now, it would be dumb to put money on anyone but Eddie Lawson.

Lucky Strike rider Wayne Rainey had held the points lead ever since the second round, but at GP number 13 in Sweden, the Yamaha rider crashed near the end of the race, a victim of increasing problems the team has been having with its Dunlop tires. According to manager Kenny Roberts, the slicks start to slide as the rider reaches the apex of the turn, and the only way to compensate is with more throttle, making for a pretty hairy cornering technique. Lawson, defending 1988 champion, won that race, taking a commanding point lead.

At the next round, in Czechoslovakia, Lucky Strike’s tire problems were the worst ever, according to Roberts, and Rainey had to ride to a conservative third place, 20 seconds behind Lawson, who trailed winner Kevin Schwantz by five seconds. That gives Lawson a 1 5.5point lead going into the final round. Considering that a win pays 20 points, it would take a major disaster to prevent Lawson from winning his fourth world title.

'Trampus Who,' indeed!

America has a new world champion. KTM-mounted Trampas Parker dominated the 125cc motocross GP season this year to take the championship and join Brad Lackey and Danny LaPorte as Yankees who beat the world. But Parker, who lives with his family in Italy, considers himself as much Italian as American. “Americans on the whole have a bad attitude,” says Parker. “They think that they ride better than everyone else. When I race, I race for Italy. I want to win for them.” Italian or American, Parker clearly dominated the championship this year, beating Italian Alessandro Puzarand American Mike Healey. “When I race, the only opposition is me. I can win every race because there’s no one out there as fast as me. I just have to use my head,” says Parker, who obviously doesn’t suffer from a lack of self confidence. [öl