Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

00 ~ ICIoc:kwiM from top) PhllM80n (44). Rex Staten 1341 and Tun Elia(29) wute no time getting In front of the peck and C8I'nlIg8 In 2&Occ Pro 1lCtion. l.lIraon went 1-5 In the 2IiOa for . .cond and 7-3 for fourth 12&. George Holland (137) drag races Ron Turner through a section of whoops. DG Golden State MX Series: Round two Staten tops two, Magoo uses his head at Lake Madera By Terry Whytal MADERA, CA,JAN. 11 Yamaha teamster "Rocket Rex" Staten managed to avoid the bad luck that plagued his competitors en route to victory in both the 250cc and 500cc Pro classes. "This is a tougher series than last year," exclaimed CMC 1980 500cc Champ Steve Rhyan be· tween motos, and Brae Glover, 6 Brad Lackey, Darrell Shulu and Graham Noyce would probably agree as problems kept all three Americans from the winner's circle, and former World Champ Noyce failed to qualify due to unlucky placement behind falling riders. Grey skies and bitter cold couldn't dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd as Suuki's Ron Turner and Yamaha support rider Danny Chandler took tums dazzling the spectators with come-from-behind rides in a two-way battle for the 12:'cc Pro win. Turner had to settkfor second. The veterans again provided the entertainment between Pro motos with Maico rider Greg Gustafson juking his way to victory with a first moto win followed by a runner-up placing in moto two. Topping Gustafson in the second Veterans Junior class was Suzuki rider Bill Miller who picked up the second place honors of the day. Jody Weisel piloted his Maico to third overall ahead of Greg Young on a Yamaha. 500cc Pro Brad Lackey debuted his new Suzuki ride by showing up at Madera with a stock 1980 RM, but the misfortune of teamster Darrell Shultz who twisted an ankle and called it quits for the day gave Lackey the opportunity to ride a works Zook for the first time. Lackey found the mount to his liking and quickly blasted into the lead of the first :.oocc Pro race. Hot on Bad Brad's rear wheel were Maico rider Jerome Heiberger and Yamaha riders Broc Glover and Rex Staten. Arlo Englund pushed his Yamaha into fifth as Honda rider Ron Sun and Pro Circuit Husky ace Jeff Jennings battled for sixth. Glover put a classic block pass on Heiberger on the tricky off·camber hill leading to the finish and Staten soon followed to keep the pressure on the three-time National champ. Glover reeled in Lackey as the moto reached the halfway point, and soon the two were side by side with Glover inching ahead. Lackey dueled back but soon allowed Glover to slip out of striking distance. "I've never ridden the bike before, and I'm a bit out of shape" explained Lackey in the pits later_Glover held to the finish with Staten picking up third behind Lackey and Englund finished fourth ahead of Heiberger. Maico rider Eric McKenna dialed in the awesome power of his 490 Mega Two and roosted into the lead at the start of moto two. Wil Harper placed his Maico in second before succumbing to mechanical problems and allowing Kevin Davis to move his Maico into the number two slot. Staten applied pressure on Davis from third whik Jennings, Lackey and Glover argued over fourth spot. Glover found a way into fourth as Lackey took a spill and Jennings began to fade. Staten and Glover worked past Davis and trad· ed a few paint scratches before Glovn's rear wheel desintegrated on the rough track surface. Staten made a last minute charge at McKenna, but the stylish Maico rider had the track wired and reached the checkers first. The overall win was Staten's, however, with McKenna tak· ing ~cond, Davis third and Englund fourth. 250cc Pro Bremerton, Washington Yamaha rider Phil Larson surp~ everyone as he ran away with the first 2:'Occ Pro race. Larson fought back strong challenges from Yamaha riders Tim Ellis and Rex Staten on his way to the checkers. Broc Glover, who won last week's 2:'Occ event, tangled on the starr with

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