Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

o 00 0') (Top. o.nny laPorte ended the ..-.on on e winning note.IAbove. s.nett Iwith cepL LaPonelin ........... new &OOcc numt* one Chuck Sun IcIIIrk shorts. end AMA'. Mike DIPnrte In victory circle. pulled some muscles in it." The bailie looked like it would set up when Glover and Barnell shared the holeshot in moto two. but it never materialized. Luft's Gary Denton, DC's Chris Heisser and Benolkin fol· lowed. Glover stuck on Barnell after Mark got ahead, but by lap six had backed off. Benolkin had a skirmish with Heisser and won out. and Ward was once again on the throttle and into fourth. O'Mara and Race Ready's Mark Rakestraw were dueling in the 5· 6 spots. Benolkin soon put the moves on Glover, and Ward took Heiser for fourth. O'Mara and Bigelow also passed Heisser a few laps later. Barnett now had 52 seconds on Benolkin and one minute 10 seconds on Glover. Soon Ward passed Glover. It was as if Glover's pace was almost lackadaisical - lappers were gelling in his way, and he wasn't zapping them in his usual manner. By the finish, Barnett was ready to lap' Glover. Barnett came across the line and received a hug from his father. A wh~ later came Benolkin, Ward, O'Mara, Bigelow and Glover. "It was about time - it sure feels great," said a quiet· mannered Barnett in the pits. "TOward the end of the year we just didn't have the support we needed," saidl Glover. "That doesn't cut it. In New York the motor went away, and we didn't have another one. This week a shock went away, and we didn't have a replacement. " Glover was asked if he had a choice of what displacement bike he would ride in next year's Nationals. "I guess I'll have a choice - it's contract time," he said. - " . • • ... "I was passing a rider and kinked my front brake cable. It bollomed the forks. and I bf,nt my leg under the frame and twisted my knee," said Cantaloopi concerning his second moto ride. Jeff Ward locked up third overall for the season ahead of Suzuki's Brian Myerscough, who wasn't present the last. two rounds due to his problem with hypoglycemia. Tbough Coon crashed out of the second mota. he still took fifth overall for the year. Top privateer in the l25cc class for the season was Jim Holley. sponsored by Mugen and Jim O'Neal Products. tied with Ron Sun in ninth place. 500cc National New 500cc National Champion Chuck Sun was present. but didn't ride. He had broken a bone in his right hand whe~he smacked a post at New York. He said he would be ready to go when the Trans·USA starts September 21. Arlo Englund took the fint moto holeshot followed by Honda's Jim Gibson, Gary Semics of LOP. Danny LaPone, Kawasaki suppon rider Goat Breker and Maico's Denny Swanz. Soon Gibson was in the lead trailed by Englund and a Breker/LaPone/Kessier clash. Semics and Maico rider Alan King were next. Then Kenny Keylon, the 16·year·old Florida rider that some felt would be a top five rider, fell in the back section of the course. He was never in contention for the day. LaPorte passed Englund and began to close the gap on Gibson. Yamaha's Rex Staten had moved to founh with Semics and Maico rider Steve Stacllable in fifth. LaPone took the lead as En~und 'and Staten fell mto a -dice behind Gib: son. King had taken seventh after moving on Maico rider John Reinholt. Mickey Kessler and Steve Rhyan were next. LaPone once again looked like the champ - as he was in 1979 - on the gas all the way. Staten passed Gibson with Semics. Englund. Stackable. Suzuki's Marty Smith. Kessler, Rick Burgett. Swartz and Tony Summey following. Gibson got out from in mota two with LaPorte a close second. Semics, Stackable. King and Burgett trailed. LaPorte took the lead after about eight laps. and King found his way to third. He got Gibson in the corners but Gibson would out·motor him in the straights. King then fdl out of contention when he caught his leg under the frame and bf,nt his knee and ankle. Semics displaced third place rider Stackable and then got Gibson for second. When Gibson stopped for a dowsing in the mechanic's area, Smith blasted into third. Smith then used a tight inside line to gain second. He tried to close the gap on LaPorte, but couldn't do it. Semics, Burgell, Stackable, Staten, Englund and Gibson crossed the line arranged in that order. "It's been a good year. I'm not really disappointed." said LaPorte later. "This is the only real motocross of the year. It's bumpy and takes lot of technique. I wanted to win it. It was just like it was last year. I've just had this weird luck, but that's motor sports racing. Things are swinging my way again." Goat Breker took second overall for the year, even though he wasn't in contention in the final round. "I drank too much water (before the fint moto) a and I threw up on the second lap. 1 had enough POlDts and I didn't have to prove anything," said Breker. Many Smith took third overall in the season's standings. followed by Rick Burgett and Jim Gibson. Top privateer honors in the 500cc class • went to Arlo Englund in sixth. Results 125cc NArlONAl: 1. _k Barnen. 2-1 lSuzI; 2. Jell W.d. 1·3 (!Caw); 3. IIroc G_. :u lYoml; 4. Johnny 0'_.. 6-4 IMug); 5. Choppy 81000. ~ 1!Caw1; 6. Rodney Heo-,;"g. 7·10 IYoml; 7. rom Rice. 12·7IYom); "-2IHonl; 9. Jim Holey. 9-11IMugl; 8. Tom 10. Donnie~. 4-' IYom); 11. Jim _ . 1312 IKTM); 12. Jell W ..... 10-15 IYom); 13. Scott Burnwo<1ll. 5-20 lSuzI; 14. K,is ~. -·5 (Yoml; 15. Chris _ . 16-13 IHonI; 16. David W..... 15-14 IYoml; 17. IU. Whiting. 11·18 IYoml; 18. _ _ _• 17·17IHon); 19. Bobby Hendy. 17-17IHonI; 20. Jell 5..-14-"IYoml. SOOcc NATIONAl: 1. Donny LoPorte. 1·1 !Su7); 2. Gory Semics. 4-3 lYoml; 3. Re. SIMen. 2-6 lYoml; 4. M8rty Smith. 8-2 lSuzI; 5. Jim GibIon. 3-6 lHon); 6. S_ S _ . 8-5 fMIj); 7. Atto Engk.wld. 5-7 lYom); 8. Rick Burven. II-'lYomt 9. S._ Rhyon. 7-10 1Meil; 10. Mid

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