Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126304
Astrodome action shows 125cc Intermediates Pedro Perales and Derek Wedding in a close battle for the lead. Wedding took two other class titles. Wyman Priddy tries to out·fly John Kelly in the Open Expert GNC final. but Kelly got by for second. GNC hosts I200 MXersunder the 'Dome By Brian George HOUSTON , TX, MAR. 19 After months of qualifying and 12 straight hours of eliminations, the second annual Grand National Championship finals were ready to begin. The floor of the Houston Astrodome became the battleground for over 1200 riders, as Sportsmen and Pros alike earned their . chances to TIde the same track Keith Davis pullliTony Neilson and Rickey Collins in the125cc Novice final. Winner in the 250cc Expert battle was Randy Kirshbaum after a last lap pass. 12 Supercross Series riders did the evening prior. Safety modifications were made, but the course was still tough on both bikes and bodies. T~e ~an responsible for the entire evenmg ~Jerry Surber. Fourtee~ states and MexICO were repr:sented m the 15·event program, the nders after that big win under the 'Dome. As the 7 p.m. start drew closer , the first event rolled up to the line. The last class entered into the GNC finals lineup. the Over 30 Support class, was ready to roll . As the new Even Break starting gate dropped, Ernie Mitchell and Billy Click started a race- long duel from the first turn to the checkers. Mitchell led for the first half of the race as Click motored his Husky into striking position. As the white flag came out, Click moved around into the lead and stayed out front for the win. Mitchell held on to second as Alan Davis rode in a distant third. Clay Cauthorn led the next event. the 100cc division . Scott Burnworth put some heavy moves together early in the race to finish second ahead, of Pedro Perales and Ben Theric t. As the Mini Juniors rolled out for their turn at a final , Ron Lechin took the holeshot, and by the end of the first lap held a commanding lead . He kept it throughout the race, with Bryan Abernathy second. Scooter Stafford came back from an early fall to nip Bubba Sheldon at the line for third.. II • • C:0mmg back to t~ke .the Mml Senior class was Californian Scott Burnworth on his R&D Suzuki. ~ark Meredith pushed the entire final .' but could get no further than second at the flag. Randy Seawright and Mike Crane followed . Texas dominated the Open c .Jass, with Derek Wedding and Tim Ca~~le taking the top two spots. Breaking.up the eight-out -of-the-top-IO Texas romp was Glen Romero of Louisiana in third. At opposite ends of the powerband, the second support class came up next, the Mini -Minis , Little Jon·Jon Belisle brought his chrome-engined MR50 Honda out and took the win over Tony Smith and Keith Turpin. In fou nh was a sporty little female, Angie Scott. who gave more than a couple guys a blow to the ego . Or do guys worry about things like girls at six years old? With rricked -out bikes ~. a nd screaming parents. the Mini 105cc Open final shot out of the gate. Jerry Surber, Jr. took the lead as Craig Raymond, Carl Boyette, Scott Burnworth and Wendell Simmons filed in to hot pursuit. Nobody caught Surber, but Burnworth did manage a third behind Raymond . Coming out at the halfway mark in the night's action were the Open Experts. Eight different states were represented in the top 10 alone as Clarence Fortney battled with John Kelley and Wyman Priddy. Positions switched constantly from every part of