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/126458
I e o 00 0') Dynamile in asmall package By Terry Whytal Photos by Mike Klinger and Charles Morey Dynamite comes in small packages according to Jeff Ward of Team Kawasaki, Nicknamed "Teeny Meanie" by his teammates, Ward is an explosive n'der who blasted his way through the minibike ranks right into the heat of the 12'cc AMA National Championship MX Sen'es action. "You get a little of everything in MX and it just makes you a better all around n'der" noted Ward just minutes after finishing third - behind Suzuki's Kent Howerton and Kawasaki team member Jimmy Weinert - in the inaugural Superbikers event at Califomio. 's Carlsbad Raceway, With a tn'o of MX 'ers at the top of the standings, Ward was more than vocal. since he had battled against some of motorcycling's best n'ders from the world of speedway, road race, flo.ttrack, desert racing, and international MX, The conversation took place after the Superbikers and covered a van'ety ofsubjects, Read on and enjoy. Ward's early days of motorcycle riding consisted of trail riding on a Bonama minibike, "I was five when 1 first started riding, but it was a couple of years before Honda came out with a Mini Trail 50 and 1 tried racing." Racing at Saddleback was fine for a while but soon the lure of pitching it sideways attracted his attention. Armed with a new Yamaha Mini Enduro, Ward raced flattrack for a while until "I just got bored with going around and around." Returning to MX on a Honda XR75, he soon earned the nickname "The Flying Freckle" and regularly trounced the competition even though most were riding much faster bikes. Ward's presence on the track was so devastating that he soon attra~ted the Honda factory who sent him to race the Florida Mini Olympics. "I won the first race and Honda was so pleased they gave me a contract and paid for me to go to all the big races. " Soon, however, the faster 2-strokes began to take over mini racing. Jeff remembers, "We tried to talk Honda into building a 2-slroke bike because we were getting beat. We even tried to sleeve a 125cc Elsinore but it was slower than hell." With Honda becoming uncompetitive, Jeff moved on to the FMF Suzuki team and then on to the 125cc Nationals. "Going to the big bikes was just like starting over, but the experience of riding a mini that was slower than the other bikes taught me strategy!" Riding a stock Suzuki in the 125cc Nationals, he did well enough that Yamaha approached him in the middle of the season and soon he was riding Broc Glover's back-up bike_, "I finished the season in seventh and Yamaha was going to sign me for 1979. Then they said 1 could have everything like a salary and parts and stuff but not a works bike. 1 said 'no way!''' Kawasaki hadn't planned on fielding a 125cc champIOnship effort for '79, but when Ward went to see them they had a change of heart and the season started with one more rider on Team Green_ ''I'm pretty happy to be with Kawasaki and they're happy with me," says Jeff and indeed he took to the Uni-Trak like it was made just for him. The year started on a down note, however. "At the second stadium race at Seattle 1 tried to clear these four jumps all at once." He didn't make it and endoed down the track, dislocating two vertebrae in the process." 1 had to just lie around on medication for a month. I tried to work out some, but just got sick from all the drugs. " Completely out of condition he nonetheless decided to race the first 125cc National at Hangtown and surprisingly pulled holeshots in both motos. "I should have won, 1 had a good lead in both motos, but 1 just got tired. " The season continued to hold surprise endings with disaster coming each time success was in sight. ...At Phoenix," recalls Jeff, "I had a 20 second lead and then a rock jammed in the chain guard and 1 couldn't get it out." In the Nebraska round, with the win in his pocket, a lapped rider ran him off the track just two turns from the checkered flag. Ward had some good days too and finished sixth in the fmal standings. T.}lings will be different in 1980. "I can beat Broc Glover. I know 1 can outride him, but I haven't been in shape. This time I'm going to train really hard. " A lot will be different as teammate Jimmy Weinert comes to the 125cc class and Suzuki rider Mark Barnett moves to the 250's. Jeff thinks that 13