Montemayor Leads into Turn One

• Larry Lawrence

This photo is the start of the C Superbike race with B.B. Montemayor (No. 33) leading the field into turn one at Road Atlanta during the ’85 WERA Grand National Finals.

Jeff Farmer (No. 4) took the early lead in this race with Greg Tysor (No. 67) in his draft. Those two battled for the lead for the first half of the race until Steve Nardiello (in the back on the No. 1 bike) worked his way up through traffic to join Farmer and Tysor. If I recall Nardiello was on a Yamaha RZ500 and motored away from Tysor and Farmer. Those two had an intense battle for second with Tysor, on a Yamaha FJ600, just getting the nod.

Now the strange part, reports say that Farmer was given a one-lap penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct after the race. I don’t remember the incident. If anyone remembers maybe they can tell the story of what happened there. Farmer’s penalty moved Lennie Combs (No. 264) into third.

Also shown in the photo are Robby Braunscheidel (No. 665), Neil Barker (No. 35), Chris Martone (No. 590), Charly Buse (No. 741), Tim Wilson (No. 29) and Paul Thomas (No. 126).

This photo is the start of the C Superbike race with B.B. Montemayor (No. 33) leading the field into turn one at Road Atlanta during the ’85 WERA Grand National Finals. Steve Nardiello (in the back on bike No. 1) defended his ’84 championship and won this title for a second year in a row. (Larry Lawrence photo)

This photo is the start of the C Superbike race with B.B. Montemayor (No. 33) leading the field into turn one at Road Atlanta during the ’85 WERA Grand National Finals. Steve Nardiello (in the back on bike No. 1) defended his ’84 championship and won this title for a second year in a row. (Larry Lawrence photo)

9 thoughts on “Montemayor Leads into Turn One”

  1. Farmer flipped of the officials when he came into the pits after the cool off lap. Back then the officials on the bridge would clap for the riders as they came in the pits.

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  4. 84 GNF was a great race for us guys from the Ghetto. We won both B & C Superbike on the RZ 500 owned by Doug Roberts, meticulously tuned by Doug Roberts and Scott Hover. The first race of 85 at Roebling Road did not go so well. I crashed my RZ 350 in turn one, crashed Bill Shelly’s Ninja 900 in the off chamber and T-totaled Doug’s RZ 500. That afternoon with help from Stan Chiras, we secured our FZ 750 which we campaigned for the rest of the year.
    At years end, our Social director, Doug Roberts, arranged a loaner RZ 500, from Gregg Faull. I think it was a Rodenbaugh Built machine. I entered the race and was gridded on pole, per the rules. I had not raced the class that year. Jeff protested and claimed I had not qualified for the race. Ed Bargy decided I could be IN the race but would start from the back of the grid. The bike would not handle at all, but was a rocket.
    I just stayed in line in the curves and moved to the passing lane on the straights (opposite of my usual MO). I kept the leaders pretty much in sight and slowly reeled them in. I thought I would blow pass both when I caught them but by the time I made it Jeff was pulling away from Greg Tysor. I passed Tysor on the back straight and a lap later passed Jeff right as we crested in to gravity cavity.
    There was a fellow at the bottom, on the left, moving slow. I aimed to his right and was there like then, as he moved right to give me the line. He and I brushed elbows at around 100 mph difference in speed. I almost went off track on the right side (at the bridge) but was able to save it. I remember being surprised Jeff didn’t re-pass during the diversion.
    I should say THANKS AGAIN to Doug, Scott and Greg Faull. What a fun race and what a great bunch of folks, all of the racers and friends. I do miss those days.

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  5. Hey Linz, what did happen to BB? I lost track of a lot of people when I got married in 92, and had helped BB when he just started in 84-85. I knew of his “Mexico” connections back then. Did that have any thing to do with his passing?

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  6. Wayne –

    I sent Larry the obituary I found online. It does not reference how B.B. passed, but it 2005, which is further back than I first mentioned. Maybe Larry could link it here, but that’s up to him.

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  9. I was just talking with Dave Burdette about the 1984 GNF, and he forwarded this link to me. I seem to remember Jeff Farmer pitching a fit over the RZ Steve borrowed not having a tail light. Jeff and his dad had made all kinds of arrangements such as big Cycle World ad to celebrate and promote his championship, which did not happen.

    – Scott “Coon Tune” Hoover.

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