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/126452
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lAbovel Runner-up In the 500cc Pros, Steve Rhyen roosts out of a corner.
(Belowl Jim Gibson won both 500cc Pro motos easily.
(Abovel Donnie Hansen 117) and Mark Lawrence placed 2-3 in the 2505.
(Below left) Jeff Ward, 12Scc winner. (Below right) O'Mara's broken foot.
dleback
past. From that point on Hansen just
roosted away from Jennings, building
up a 10-second lead towards the finish.
Jennings collected second, followed by
heated battle royal that included
Lawrence, Brown, Husky's Grossi and
Wanket of Moto-X Fox. Warren Reid.
meanwhile, had moved his Kawasaki
back up towards third place in the
dosing laps before the transmission
blew and left him sidelined for the rest
of the day.
After placing ninth the first moto,
Ron Turner determined he could do
much better and began provi.ng it. He
blasted off the start of the second moto
with the lead and never looked back,
k~ing his Team Suz.uki RM250 in
the lead all 12 laps to the finish line.
Jennings hali gotten off in second
place, tailed by Lawrence, Hansen,
and Brown, It was obvious that
Jennings couldn"t catch Turner for the
lead and then, after a couple of laps,
Jennings found Hansen had moved up
into third place on him and was trying
to push past. Jennings had to maintain
his second place if he wanted to take
home the overall win.
.
"Hansen was going good .. Really
smooth. My front brake cable anchor
a
broke the second lap, and 1 had a time
trying to keep the front wheel from
locking up," Jennings explained afterwards. "I was just hanging on for lifel"
While Tumer took the moto,
Jennings fended off Hansen aU the way
to the finish line by a matter of inches
to collect second place and the- overalt
win. Behind came Lawrence, Brown,
Grossi, Johnson and Banning to round
out the moto.
500cc Pro
The first Open c1as& moto saw Team
Honda's Jim Gibson blowing the
number panels of the rest of the field
as Gibson swooped past Dale Lewis on
the opening lap to grab the lead and
disappear to the checkered flag,
building up a 40-second lead on the
rest of the pack in the process. Gibson
was riding a 380cc Honda with VLRS
swingarm which had been used in lasl
year's Trans-USA Series, Both the bike
and Gibson looked good.
Lewis was trying to keep his Maico
ahead of Lee Ramage" in third, when
Lewis endoed on an uphiU double
jump on the back section of the course
to take Ramage out with his and move
a hard charging Goat Bruer up to
second. Goat had put his Kawasaki
420 Uni-Trak into the second place
spot after jamming past a hot battle
for third place between Tim Locey,
Jim Tarantino, "Rocket Rex" Staten
and Steve Rhyan.
Moto two went to Gibson again, but
this time there was no big margin of
victory. Steve Rhyan quickly put his
Maico behind Gibson's factory Honda
and began reeling himself in on the
lead. Three laps to go and Rhyan was
scorching the back end of Gibson to
get by, but Gibson wasn't opening any
doors and Rhyan had to settle for
second whether he wanted it or not.
Another first place for Jim Gibson
meant the first Open class win of the
Series was his. Collecting the follow-up
positions for the moto behind Rhyan
were Bob Marino, Mike Wickersham,
Val Tamieui and Phil Larson. Rex
Staten finished the moto 'out unhappily
in 18th place as the factory Yamaha
rider had crashed his new 465cc YZ on
the opening lap and wasn't able to
regain his pace after that.
Next race in the Golden State Series
is at Lake Madera on January 12·13
with Amateurs on Saturday and Pros
on Sunday. Bombardier Can-Am is
the major series sponsor, with
contingency support coming from
Cycle News, Crotch Rocket Factory,
Dunlop Tires, DG Pe.rformance, HiPoint West, Husqvarna, IRC Tires,
Maico, Pro-Trac Trailers, Bosch,
Scott and Tibblin Racing Products. •
Results
125cx PRO: 1. Jeff Word. 1-1 (!(awl; 2. John o-Mara.
3-2 IMugI; 3. Gary Denton. 5-3 IHon!; 4. OI'ey Dird