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o 00 0') ..... Broe Glover leads Kent Howerton (1). Marty Tripes (7). others at start. ·AMA Trans-USA MX Series: Final round Hovverton retains title in Road Atlanta surprise finale By Tom Mueller BRASELTON, GA, OCT. 12 Team Suzuki's Kent Howerton pulled iIi two moto wins in the International class, beating the odds to claim his second consecutive TransUSA MX Series Championship in Road Atlanta's final round of the series. Howerton and Team Yamaha's Broc Glover took it down to the wire for a winner-take-all final 8 moto, but Howerton took command and paced to the checkers for the moto win, the day's overall, and the title, 153 points to 151. Team Yamaha's Bob Hannah was second in points going into the round, but mechanical problems and the loss of his bike's seat in moto two relegated the Hurricane to a tie for third in the final standings with Team Suzuki's Mark Barnett. Barnett was third in the standings going inlO the round, but crashed out of moto two. The big news of the weekend was the cancellation of the final Trans-USA round that was 10 be held Oct. 19 at Golden State Raceway in Sonoma, California. "The promoters at the facility weren't receiving any response from the local press, and advance ticket sales weren't good," said AMA's Carroll Chandler. Husqvarna's Mike Guerra put in an· other ride just like the one at Unadilra the week before - mistake·free for two molO wins in the National Support class. But when the dust settled, it was Kawasaki supported David Bailey hold· ing the series title. Baile.y had gone into the round as points leader, and he stayed there with his 6·2 score for third overall. Bailey topped Guerra in the final standings 158 to 152, with LOP's Kippy Pierce stepping into the third overall series spot after placing fourth overall for the day. Things got hectic in the pits before racing began as many riders were planning on the final round in California to better their position in the standings. With the final round sud· denly upon them practice looked dif· ferent than usual. with lOp ranked rid· ers watching closely as other riders picked their lines. Road Atlanta's clay· based course was slightly revised for 1980 by promoter Bill West of Super Sports Promotions, and though a bit wet in practice many riders gave a nod of approval on the layout. The circuit is 5p~ad through open and woods sections on both high and low areas. From full.power uphill climbs to delicate downhill sections. Road Atlanta offered riders ma ny dif· ferent situations. International Broc Glover, Kent Howerton and Mark Barnett came out of the left hand sweeper IOgether and headed into the start uphill as moto one got under· way. Honda's Chuck Sun, a top con· tender in recent rounds, came off the line last with a fouled plug. Before a few laps were completed Howerton took a slow speed tumble over the bars, but was up again quickly. Glover, Barnett. Yamaha's Donnie Cantaloupi, Honda's Donnie Hansen, Yamaha's Marty Tripes and Howerton soon shifted into a single· file. Bob Hannah was mid· pack. Hansen and Howerton moved by Cantaloupi, and Glover and Barnett were clicking bars in an all out battle for the lead.. The two finally went down together, and Glover was up and gone first. picking up in second behind Hansen, Tripes came up with Howcnon and the two took the 5-4 spots with Barnett getting back in fifth. Howerton went into overdrive and shot out front with Tripes coming along for second. Glover was tight on Tripes with Hansen a ways back, Soon Howcnon was pulling Tripes a bit and from there it was 25 seconds to Glover, Hansen and Barnett. With only a few laps to go, things started to change. Warren Reid came up to fourth on an air·cooled factory Kawasaki and Barnett followed him past Glover along with Hansen. Glover was slowing and constantly kicking the left side of his bike. At the finish Howerton led Tripes, and back from there it was Hansen, Reid, Suzuki's Danny LaPorte, Barnett, Honda's Jill) Gibson and Hannah. Glover limped his bike around the last time and came in 15th. "My swingarm pivot bolt came loose. The bike finally quit." said Glover. Kawasaki's Brad Lackey had been in the early hunt but dropped out of the race. "The front brake was sticking, and I almost ate it about five times, so I packed it in for this molO," said Lackey. It was Glover, Howerton, Sun, LaPorte and Tripes showing the way as molO two got underway. Soon Hansen took his water· cooled Honda past Tripes for fifth. Barnett and Hannah were running 7·8, but a few laps into the race Hannah was out of it. The seat came off his bike and the Hurricane took to the sidelines for the day. Glover and Howerton started to put distance on Sun, while Hansen was trying to take fourth away from LaPorte. Around mid-molO Tripes pulled out at the fini-..il line with a flat rear tire. Lackey was also in the DNF column for moto two after retiring. LaPorte wicked it up and worked past Sun, and about the same time Howerton took the lead and started to cruise for the checkers. By the two lap sign, Howcnon had put quite a lead on Glover as LaPorte and Sun continued to battle for third, Howerton pleased the crowd as he took the checkered flag and threw both feet off the pegs. Glover claimed second, and Sun won out over LaPorte for third. Futh was Hansen, whOlSe 5·5 tally was good for second overall. Yamaha's Mike Bell and Honda's Steve Wise took sixth and seventh. It was Howerton over Glover by two points for the title. Barnett could have moved past Hannah, but Mark crashed out in the late stages of the moto to join Bob in the scorer's DNF column. The two fell into a tie for third in the standings at 151 points apiece. "What a way to lose the series," said Glover. "Now I feel like Mike Bell, losing a series by 10 few points." "At lim I was a litte disappointed that this was the final round. I was less than enthusiastic when I heard about it," said Howerton. "Then after moto one it became simple: Win moto two to win the championship. With three riders 10 clOlSe and me in fourth 20 points down going into the round. the odds looked impossible. "I've never been able to defend a title before. Someone was helping me out. I feel good that I had a chance to defend my title. I was very sick at the beginning of the series, and I'm still not as strong as I was in the Nationals (25Occ National Championship MX Series). If there was another race I would have won that one, too." Howerton gave credit to his tuner Greg Arnette for his success. Since Howerton and Arnette have been together, they have not suffered one mechanical DNF, Support Honda's Ron Sun, LOP·supported Larry Wosick, Suzuki's Scott Burnworth and Maico's Alan King led the Support class into moto one. After a few laps King didn't come around; he'd gone into a swapper and launched himself into the woods. He was earned off the track, but later wallr.ed away under his own power, Sun and Wosick started to pull ahead. Points leader David Bailey had his factory Kawasaki in ninth, Kippy Pierce, second ranked, was in futh, and third ranked Mike Guerra was in fourth. Guerra picked up his pace an took Wosick. while Pierce and Bailey moved into the 5·6 spots. It took Guerra a while to get by Sun. The two exchanged lines many times before Guerra finally took over. Wosick also got Sun and Suzuki's Scott Burnworth moved up to fourth. At the 20·minute mark, Bailey misjudged a jump and crashed hard. The only break David took was to throw off his goggles and pick up his bike. Guerra took the checkers followed by Wosick. Sun and Burnworth. Pierce was next, and Bailey edged Suzuki's Denny Bentley for sixth. Bailey had been having shock problems in moto one, but sorted that out for the fmal moto, All he needed for the title was a fourth in the moto, but that situation didn't keep Guerra from pushing all the way, Guerra, Burnworth and Wosick took the lead at the start, but Burnworth and Wosick got ahead of Guerra on the high section of the course. Wosick went way outside and off the course and by the time he got back on Guerra and Bailey had gone by. Sun, Pierce and Bentley moved up to battle for fifth. Then Wosick dropped out with a twisted knee. Guerra and Bailey put Burnworth behind and went to war, stealing each other's lines and riding wheel to wheel. In the final laps Guerra looked back at Bailey and shrugged his shoulders, but kept up his pace to hold off Bailey to the finish. Burnworth stayed ahead of Sun for third with Pierce. Bentley and Husky support rider Derek Wedding spread out behind. Sun's 5-5 day put him in second overall for the day with Bailey in third. "If Guerra had made a mistake, I would have tried to go by. I was just . riding the same as I did in practice. We bumped a few times, but Guerra was leading; he had the right of way," said new National Support champ Bailey after getting a big hug from his father, Gary Bailey, and congratulations from tuner Rocky Williams. "Hey, it was: What do you want to do? Do you want to pass or stay back?" said Guerra concerning his motions to Bailey late in the race. "I dropped six seconds waiting for him to make a move." • Results INTERNATIONAL: 1. Kont _ ISuzl 1·1; 2. Donnie . . . . , lHonl 3-6; 3. Donny ~ lSuzlIM; 4. Broc Glover lYomll5-2; 6. DomoI_1Suzl N; 6. S _ w. CHonl 10.1; ,. Mille Bel lYoml 13-6: 8. Morty T,;p.lYoml2··: 9. Donnie ~ IYoml12. 10. 0u:I< SunlHonl'-3: 11. Jim _lHonI1·17; 12. W..... Reid lKewI 4-'; 13. Gory ~ lYomll4-13; 14. - . . _lSuzl8-': 15. _ Englund lYomll812; 18. _ Honnoh IYoml8-'; 17. Midl8V ~ IYoml ··10; 18. Jim BoIYoml··II; 19. CIorlt ~ lHuoIl814: 20. Goot _ oc-Il,··. SUPPORT: 1. Go.ro lHuoI 1·1; 2. Ran Sun (HonI; ~; 3. Dooid IIelIov C"-l 8-2; 4. Kippv Pierce lYoml 1M: 5. Scott IIlIr.-Ih ISuzl 4-6: 6. Donny IIonIIoy 1Suzl1-6; 1. Oorok w-.g (HuoI9-1; 8. Jeff _lYomllG-8;9. RondyK_IYomll1-8; 10. IArYy Wooick lYoml2··; 11. Andy S_IKTMII2·10; 12. Gory . . . - (Hull 6-14; 13. _ Mc:CMnioI IY_I 13-12; 14. Bob Hendy lHonl 16-11; 16. Keith W.-, lYomll8-15; 16. Mlko Twigg lYoml '·13; 17. Mork _ lYoml 14-·: 18. Rick _ _ (Hull 15-': 19. Alon Smith lHuoI ··16: 20. Troy _ lYomI··17. AMA TllAN5-USA MX SERIES ANAl POINT STANllINGS: 11531; 2. Broc INTERNAllOHAl: 1. It.- _ Glover 11511; 3. (TIE) _ _ Bornoll (1311: 5. Morty T,;p. 11041: 6. 0u:I< Sun 11021; 1. Worren Reid (81); 8. Donnie _ 186l; 9. Jim Giboon 1841; 10. S _ Wioe 1811; 11. Mille Boll 1131; 12. Donnie ContIIloupi 1601; 13. Donny lJIPorto 1511; 14. Jeff W.d 1551; 15. Gory Semica 1411; 16. _ Englund 1411; 11. 0 - HoIio 1391: 18. 129); 19. Jo Jo K_ 1241; 20. Morty Smith 1221. SUPPORT: 1. Dooid BoiIoy (1581; 2. Mille G...,o 11521: 3. Kippv Pierce 11411: 4. Ron Sun 11251; 5. Denny IlontIoy 11 OBI: 6. Oorok W-.g BlI; 1. Gory"'IIlII; 8.lT1EJ Jolt HitbISooltIlllr.-lh 119~ 10. Andy Sl8CY(75l; 11. _W_tIOI; 12. _ _ 1511; 13. IArYy Wooick l49I; 14.lT1EJ Alon KingIllNd T~ 1411; 18. I(8ith WoIIon 141 ~ 11. llorNn RhoIon 134); 18. _ l.MNnco (331; 19, RicIt _ _ l32I; 20. lT1EJ Troy _ _ _0 1Irod..-., ~I31I.