Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

o 00 0') Gary Denton takes the hole.hot in the first 125cc moto. Chulng him .... Mike HoIme.I2W, Scott Bumworth III, John O'Mare INn end Jim Holey I7IL CMC/Can-Am Golden State MX Series: Round two Mudder at Madera to Johnson, W-_.. . By Jim Gianatsis MADERA. CA,JAN. 13 It hadn't quit raining f~r days and it wasn't about to stop; not even for race number two of the Can-Am sponsored CMC Golden State Series held at Lake Madera. Probably the only thing that saved the day was the track's hard packed sand base which soaked up the rain like a sponge. Anyone smart enough to make it around or through the few mudholes were sure to pick up some bucks. Amid the mud and the mire of Sunday's Pro class races it was Yamaha mounted Rick Johnson pulling off the 125cc win, with Team Kawasaki's Larry Wosick taking the 250cc bout, followed by "Rocket" Rex Staten washing things out in the Open class with his factory backed Yamaha, 125cc Pro 6 Previous winner Jeff Ward of Team Kawasaki wasn't at Madera to maintain his points lead. which gave runnerup John O'Mara the chance to pull out a strong points lead. But, un· fortunately, the Team Mugen star was hampered by the heavy footwork reo quired in getting around the muddy, rutted track and his broken foot wasn't cooperating as it had the previous week. Johnny still collected a fifth overall for the day, this week aboard a non·watercooled Mugen Honda, to remain in strong contention for the series class lead. Gary benton put his lotal stock Honda CR into the holeshot lead of the first moto chased by Scott Burnworth, Jim Holley, Dave Taylor and Ron Turner. Suzuki support rider Burnworth couldn't cope with the mud and dropped back quickly, putting Holley up into a temporarily distant second behind Denton and ahead of Taylor. Towards the halfway point Holley began closing on Denton and he finally splashed by on the fifth lap of the rain shortened eight-lap motos to take the lead which he held to the finish line. Dave Taylor figured he at least had a secure third. but the Team LOP rider had been using a snowmobile suit to keep warm and dry. Not far from the end of the moto Taylor was over· come from the heat his body had built up in the protective suit and he was forced to drop back to ninth place. Collecting third was Rick Johnson tailed by Burnworth and O'Mara, Moto/mudder number twO saw Gary Denton repeating his first moto lead steal only to bite it in the first big mud hole he saw. The race was turned over to Rick Johnson as Denton reo covered in second ahead of Holley, Turner, Burnworth and Taylor. "Radical" Ron Turner kept up a seorching pass and repass battle with Holley for the first half of the moto as the pair flung mud at each other in trade for third place. The Team Suzuki test rider finally won out, pulling away from Holley and catching Denton on lap six for second spot. Turner tried to reel in the remaining distance to leader Rick Johnson, but he ran out of time and had to remain content with second. O'Mara, looking good in the final laps, blasted himself up from near the back of the pack to nail Denton as well and took third with Holley in fifth. Dave Taylor had dropped his bike to the end of the line after sticking it for two laps in a hidden hole. 250cc Pro Mad man of the day had to be berzerko Rex Staten who was trying to pull off two class wins, But in the 250cc class the Rocket Man spent too much time flying through the air or swim· ming out from beneath his Yamaha to catch overall winner Larry Wosick on the Mike McAndrews wrenched KX 250 Vni·Traker Kawasaki, "r knew I had to get the holeshot both motos or else I'd lose all my goggle tear-offs the first lap and wouldn't be able to see anything," explained Wosick. "[ wanted to keep Staten behind me for at least the frrst couple of laps so he'd use up his goggles. [ just thought about going as smooth as [ could." It was Jim EUis who shot off the start of the first moto in the 250cc class. but Wosick was right behind. When Ellis bailed off his bike twice on the third lap. Wosick had the lead and was gone. Team Husky rider Mike Loeffler held down third spot for a while before pitching himself into the drink ahead of Yamaha riders Mike Brown and Mark Lawrence. Staten had crashed out on the fint lap and was left in last place. but once Rex got running again there was no stopping him. He slipped and slithered' around. hanging onto the handlebars with nothing but tenacity, and ~ Brown just four comers before the checkered flag to take second place behind Wosick. The second moto start saw Wosick and Staten racing side by side through tum one. Staten hit a bump and almost bailed off, dropping back to fifth as Wosick roosted out a strong lead ahead of Ellis, Lawrence and Brown. Staten wasn't backing off one bit as he blasted up to second position on the third lap; he lost control in a wild flying- W - but saved it and set out after Wosick and the lead. Ron Turner, 'also riding his second class of the day, motored up into third place. With three laps to go Staten made his play for Wosick and the lead. puUing up even beside him on a bumpy and muddy straight with a small jump near tbeend. "I had just pulled up beside Wosick and was passing him," said Rex after-

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