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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126324
Team Honda's Warren Reid bailed heavily in a second mota brush with the Hurricane. Bob Hannah 1301. suffering a sprained wrist in the get-off. Rahier for fourth , then 'W einert who unluckily would soon after retire for the day with a broken bike, Koji Masuda and Steve Wise. The seemingly mild 80·degree temperatures were taking their toll of the foreigners with Championship points leader Akira Watanabe retiring to the pits at the gO-minute mark in the 45 minute moto. "Too hod" Watanabe claimed, "stomach sick . I cannot hold on. I crash and front brake lock up ." Hannah was charging as usual and passed Rond for second place, setting his sights on Glover with the lead. Broc's large 25-second lead burned down to 15 seconds with 15 minutes remaining. but then Bob started crashing, dropping back to fourth at one point behind Rond and Reid . "I bailed off twice. The second time the bike's front end started swapping 0!1 the straight and I knew a crash was coming a long time before it happe~ed. After that I just had to slow down. Hannah recovered his second place ahead of Rond as Glover crossed the finish line for the first moto win. Since Hannah's finishing position was unofficial, Rond was awarded second in the FIM standings ahead of Honda's Wise and Reid who had been battling for third spot, then Mark Gregson as top privateer on his LOP Suzuki, Rahier, Moates, Mike Guerra, David Taylor and Siegfried Lerner on the factory KTM. . Brae hadn't realized, as he slowed up is pace, that the FI M uses overall moto times to decide any tie breaks if he might be beaten the second moto. The situation might have proven interesting if Hannah , who was unable to earn FIM points. had beaten Brae the second moto. - Mototwo 12 And that was just Bob's plan - to win . He knifed his way from the second row starting position behind Broc to fourth place behind Mosier, Wise and Watanabe as they charged tum one. Not one to take things cautiously, Hannah made a charge through a mudhole and over a downhill jump to pass Watanabe on the opening lap. In mid-air off the jump, the two factory stan collided and cartwheeled to the groundl Hannah laid spread out on the ground, dazed for a few seconds got up and shook his head then scrambled over to his bike and took off again from back in 15th place. Watanabe came out of the closeencounter-of-a-Hurricane-kind not so lucky. ' His throttle cable broken, he was out of the race. Team Suzuki was really hot over the incident their World Championship points leader had been nailed out of the race by a rider not even eligible for points! To make matters worse, Rahier would retire a few laps later as his injured hand began to hurt him too badly to continue. Mosier was still holding his lead over Wise , Moates, Glover, Lerner, Rond, Glen Johnson and Reid as they came around to complete the second lap. Hannah hadn't backed off one bit after the crash and continued with the throttle pegged to win . Diving inside Reid before a tum, Bob clipped the front wheel of the pre· production 125cc Honda out from under Warren and set him flying. Warren was out of the race with a sprained wrist. By the fourth lap, Hannah was back up to fifth place and looking for passing room by Glover. Just as he pulled within striking distance of Broc and what could have been the overall win, he was forced off the track with a flat front tire. "I think I felt it going Flat- after crashing with Watanabe," he said later. About the same tim e , Steve Wise, running in second place and putting on a fantastic ride with the new Honda . found himself stranded on the side of the course with a broken transmission. Mosier" still held the lead , but closing at the halfway point were Moates and Glover in a paint-trading party for second place. Attrition had moved Rond, the top European, up to fourth spot from seventh. It was only a matter of time. Broc -fi n a lly pulled himself away from Moates' Suzuki, closing the remaining distance on Mosier and the lead . "Gassin" Gaylon wasn't about to give in though with just four laps left to the finish . "It started raining about then and "the track really got slick ," explained Broc afterwards . " I was trying to keep up with Gaylon , but this one turn was like grease, and I went down . Gaylon couldn't tum either, but he went over the berm instead and that's how I finally got by him. " The second moto finishing order read Glover. Mosier (who also happens to be in second overall in the 125cc National point standings behind Brae), Moates, Rond as top European , KTM's Lerner, Danny Turner on the Moto-X Fox Suzuki, Mike Guerra, Ron Turner on the Luft Yamaha , Gregson and Alborghetti on the factory Aspes . The World Championship contenden packed their bikes and bags to return to Europe. In the 125cc class, at least, the Americans had proven their superiority once again as the best against what the rest of the world has to offer. The foreigners won 't soon forget their defeat at the hands of the "American cowboys." 250cc Support Atlas , Pennsylvania's own John Savitski, fresh from victory the weekend before at a big money outdoor Supercross -style race at Lake Sugar Tree, won both motos in the 250cc Support class. John, riding under the Bob Hannah support program, used Bob 's tired-out 250cc National bike, the OWg8B works machine, tuned by Bevo "T he Czar of Motocross" Forte. John's win this weekend also netted him the use of the bike for the U .S. 250cc Grand Prix at Unadilla. "I just hope he doesn't break it ," joked the Hurricane, " 1 may have to use that bike again next year. John met stiff competition both motes from Suzuki's Mickey Boone and Can-Am's Gary Sernics, both early leaden in the day's first of two 20 minure -plus -two-Iap mores . Also adding to a four-way scrap over the lead in the first moto was Denny Swartz on the Aaen Engineering Maico. in the second moto, Swartz nearly passed Savitski as they dived toward the checkered flag together. Semics took third that time as Perry Klassen on the Moto-X Fox/Ken Sissler Maico improved upon a first moto fall to beat out Suzuki's Mickey Boone for fourth. Results . 125cc GRAND PRIX: 1. Broc Glover 1-1 (Yam); 2. Gerard Rood 2-4 (Yaml: 3. Marty Moates 7-3 ISuzJ; 4. Mark Gregson 5-9 lSuzJ; 5. M;ko G"""" 8-7 (Yaml; 6. Siogfriod Lomor 11>-5 (KTM); 7. Dan Tumor 12~ (Yom~ 8. Ron T..-.-l~ (Yoml: 9 .I.Alborgherti 11·10 (Apr~ 10. Gr,ton MosMlr ' ·2 lKawI: 11. Reid 3-' IHon): 12. Stovo W_ 4-' IHon); 13. Gaston Rahior 6-' lSuzJ; 14. BobColliol5-13ISuz); 15. Glen ~ 18ll1SuzJ; 16. Dove Toylor 9-' ISud: 17. Rick Andorwon 19-12 IHus!; 18. Koji Masudo 14-' !Sud; 19. Alan Loquo 18-' (Yom) 20. Dove Gri""", 17·' (Yaml. ; 250cc SUPPORT: 1. John Sovitski (Yaml; 2. Gory Somics IC-Al; 3. Donny Swonz IMail; 4. Mickey Boone ISud; 5. Perry KIoos«1IMail; 6. Ken Adorns IMoil; 7. Mark Garrison IKTM); 8. Gory Pusalak IMa"; 8. Donn;s Brand IMail; 10. Fred Vertucci ISud; 11. Tod PorIOns (Yaml; 12. Jim Tumor ISud; 13. Calvin KaliolO IHus): 14. Joo Grotchon IMa;); 15. Robert Shoup ISud: 16. CharIos HaIa>mb IHusl; 17. Dove MitchoIl (CoAl; 18. Gory Shipley lHus); 19. Chris Borg (Hus); 20. o..ell SimsIYam). 125cc WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPMX SERIES POINT STANDINGS: 1. Akira W~ 1217l: 2. Gaston Rahior (212); 3. Gerard Rood 12011; 4. Siolriod Lomor ' (86) ; 5. Andre Maaant (65):6. Ivan Alborghetti 1631; 7. M. Autio 1561; 8. C. Maddie l53l; 9. (Toel Jiri Churavyl G. UIijgron (501. w.....