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00 0') Mark Bernett continued his domination of the 12&s.lInsetJ Johnny O'Mare {401 _ AMA 125/500cc National Championship MX Series: Rounds 6/6 Barnett, Sun bloom again at RedBud By Tom Mueller BUCHANAN, MI,JULY 5 Suzuki's Mark Barnett and Honda's Chuck Sun once again climbed to the fore of the 125 and 500cc classes, respectively, in the Hallman Racing National rounds at Gene Ritchie's Red Bud Track 'N Trail. Barnett made it 12 for 12 in the moto win column and could wrap up the tide at the next round in Washougal, WA, 8 on August 2. Sun repeated his 2·1 score of last week to top Yamaha's Brae Glover, who carded 11-2. This time it was a akill·veI'IUI·akill match between the pair with Sun winning out. For the first time this sellOn rider kept Barnett in sight througho t both 125cc motos. Honda'sJoh~nyp'Mara showed he's got the stuff it takes Ind ran to a solid and tight 2-2 score for second overall. Honda's Jim Gibson was the only other rider staying with the leader's pace and took 5-5 for third overall. O'Mlra now steps into second in the point standin81 with 224 behind Barnett's perfect 500. Kawasaki's Jeff Ward, who had a mediocre day (by his standards). went 10·5 for rlfth overall Ind is now third in the standings with 216. the only rider able to keep Bernett In alght.golng2·2 for aec:ond overall Su,n and Glover went at it late in the first 500cc moto with Glover finally reo gaining the lead to win. The second time out, however, Sun got in front early and stayed there, with Glover getting close but unable to challenge. Honda's Danny LaPorte kept himself up front and carded I 5·5 day for third overall, with Yamaha's Mike Bell fourth overall with a 7-5. Sun and Glover each picked up 47 points, so the spreld between first and second in the point standin81 remains at 15, Glover's 266 to Sun's 255. Bell trails with 198 in third, and Maico's Alan King is fourth with 182 after his rlfth overall performance. Most riders were expecting a mud race with rain It Red Bud, like Jut year when I torrential downpour left the track in standing water. Heavy raina came on Saturday, but blew over and out and Sunday dawned bright, warm and IUDDY. Conditions were muddy in practice, but by race time mOlt of the high lections of the track had dried out with lower areas loamy but in some apotI wet. Red Bud once again offered fine racing with varying cIegnea of terrain on high and low land to cbaIIenp riders. The unique·dropaway jump once again P:~titors a chance to thrill the crowd of 7,500 with high flying antia. "You really Oy off that Yau just descend with the bill , it's no big deal," said LaPorte. No . deal, maybe for some. Top riden were getting over 100 feet of air timer Barnett bad spent the past week on I bulldozer in Alabama, and preparations on Mark's RH-I2S·81 went on it the pita as usual. "Mark baa a 61 point lead going into this one, two motos and some change," laid twier Jeff Clark. "We should be able to wrap it droS' up in the first moto at Waahoupl." "From here on in it's necaury to win a moto, and then take second in the relit," said Glover, "but I'd lUre like to win all of 'em. " Last year's 500cc overall mud master, Maico's Swartz, worlted on his bike while COIIllcally glancing at the sky looking for rain clouds. "I'm still hurting a bit from a crash at the Maico Super Series (in Reidaville, NC, in April). Like Barnett, Swartz spends much of his time fanning when not racing. Dennr 12&cc N8tIon.' O'Mara, Barnett, Suzuki's Denny Bentley, Suzuki West's Gary Denton and Honda's Rich Coon throttled through the left hand _per to lead moto one. It was the uaual abow u Barnett bluted into an uphill sweeper to lead on lap one. Ward contended with first lap problema and came around Jut. What wasn't UIUa1 was after Barnett got in front he didn't pull away O'Mara wouldn't let him. Jolumy 0' kept the pace and the two lOOn left the field behind. Giblon slid into third. putting ground on Bentley and Yamaha's Scott Burnworth. Coon and Denton had faded, with the Cipt for IIixth between Kawaaki's Tom RmoDrin and Yamaha's Donnie Cantaloupi. Barnett and O'~cked up the pace. running 15 faster than practice times. Giblon was alone in third, and Cantaloupi, Bendey, Coon and Benolkin locked into a SO-yard IU'elCb in tbe .-7 aIota. Cantlloup and Coon broke free to fight for fourth with Benolkin going into sixth ahead «Bendey and Yamaha-lUpported Rid. Jolmaon. Barnett ran cool but fut and held a 20 yard margin on O'Mara at the finish. From O'Mara it wu one