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/126486
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(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