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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126528
500cc World Championship
MX Series: Round six
Brad's
back!
By Bob Gould
ROlERIEULLES, FRANCE, JUNE 14
•
Californian Brad Lackey won overall victory
from Britain's' Graham Noyce at the French
round of the 500cc World Championship. In
front of a 24,OOO-strong crowd and French spansors Pemod, Lackey rode two
well calculated second place
motos to take his first overall
win so far this year. •
As the gate started to drop, Lackey
was already halfway over it. French
Champion Jean-Jacques Bruno also
got a good start, but as they ~ntered
the first bend, Bruno was gomg too
fast to stop and he overshot, leaving
Lackey to head the pack. Italian
Franco Picco held second; Malherbe
and Noyce settled in third and fourth.
Bruno lost nine places after his mistake but quickly started to move back
up the field. Hakan Carlqvist and Gerrit Wolsink both crashed on lap two,
and soon they pulled out being too far
down in the field.
The Honda duo meant business and
both fired by Picco. After 10 minutes
Malherbe slipped into first spot, and
one lap later, Noyce demoted Lackey
to third. The challenge was on;
"Rolls" Noyce was trying hard to take
the prescnt World Champion, and for
three laps they battled it out. Noyce
knew he could pass Malherbe but was
just waiting for his chance. Nearly.20
mintues had gone, and they were Slde
by side over the far part of the course.
Noyce's chance came and he took
MaIberbe. Andre tried to regain the
lead. As Noyce recalls: "I heard Malhcrbe right beside me then his bike
started revving really hard, and I knew
his throttle was jamming. I could not
believe it." Malherbe halted two laps
later. After stopping then restarting m
24th, the World Champ had no choice
but retire.
Lackey was now back in second
place. Dutchman Gerard Rond had
fought his way through from seventh
to third. Further down the field,
Marty Tripes had been pulling his way
up from a bad start and was in cl~
combat with Dave Thropc and Ludwig
Rienbold. Thorpe stalled his Kawasaki
in a tight left-bander ~aving ~cnb?ld
and Tripes to pass eastly. Tnpcs tned
to get by the KTM rider though time
had run out, and he had to settle for
seventh place.
Bruno had climbed back up to
fourth after passing Jaak Van
Velthoven in fifth. Britain's young
Davc Thorpe in his fITSt ever 500cc GP
restarted after stalling in ninth and
managc4 to hold on to collect his first
painu. Irishman Laurence Spence
came home 10th.
The track had to be watered after
each race, but the heat was drying it
aImoIt immediately. So with amelitioal
a little dusty in certain parts, the second moto started with Carlqvist getting
the holeshot with Brad settling into'
third spot. Noyce had been forced into
the straw balcs, and as he turned the
bend three more fallen riders made
him lay down his Honda to avoid them
which put Noyce right at the back.
As they came around to finish the
first lap, Carla had already pulled out
a lead from fellow Swede Conny
Carlsson. Lackey was in third,
Malhcrbe came around in seventh and
Noyce was well down in 25th. Brad
soon demoted Carlsson to third.
With the race now in the 20th
minute, JukU Sintonen held fourth
until the stonning World Champion
came through. Andre Vromans, who
finished eighth in the first moto after a
bad start, had been following Ma1hcrbe
the whole race. He also took the Finn
and settled into fifth.
The fastcst man on the track had to
be Noyce who was eating his way
throul{h, already in eighth after passing
Van den Brocck and Velthoven.
Thirty minutcs had gone. Noyce
had moved up two more spots taking
Sintoncn and Rond. Malherbe knew
Noyce was coming, and he put the
pressure on Carlsson. Passing him,
Malhcrbe headed after Lackey.
With just three laps to the finish
flag, Carlsson made a mistake and befor recovering, Vromans and Noyce
were already through. As they started
the last lap, Malhcrbe was right with
Brad. Vromans' gear box was sounding bad, and he was easy bait for
Noyce.
At the finish, Carla CI'OlIlIcd the line
with ease. Brad held off Malherbe
right to the f)a~; Noyce probably rnde
the race of his life to come home
fourth. Vromans kept going to finish
fifth.
Marty Tripes had once again had a
bad start but he could only manage
12th just missing points. Bruno could
not delight his home crowd in the
second moto after pulling out with
engine problems.
•
LOUDON NATIONAL
RICHICHI'S SWITCH TO HOT U
.COMES THROUGH LOUD'N CLEAR.
Nick Richichi exploded the myth
that all spark plugs are created equal
when he won the Accel Formula One
Laconia Classic Race.
The night before the big day, the
rising rookie had switched from
another brand to NO Hot U's. Then
went on to not only win his heat and
the pole position, but the main 47-lap
event, as well.
So the next time you need the spark
to win, remember the '81 Loudon
roadrace.
Where, overnight, Richichi found his
first National win.
And at last, a brand of plugs that
really comes through.
@1981 Nlppondenso"of los Angeles. Inc.
Results
FIRST MOTO: 1. G