Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

...... CO en ...... 8roc Glover Cleft) doee eome pre-rece ...-xIng. He won the first mom but finished behind Chuck Sun lrtghtlln the MCOnd, Sun won overall with a 2·1. minute, one second to GibsonJ Cantaloupi won hil fight with Coon for founh with Benolkin, Bentley and JohDlOD rounding out the top ei/{ht. " "That sure wasn't like another day at the races," said Barnett. "That was the c1.-.t National thil year." Barnett had: been screaming his bike more than ever. Mark had the correct gear· ing in mind after practice, but course changes had him leaving the line with a bike geared too low. With the correct pPWerband around 8,500 rpm, Barnett's bike sounded like a wounded bee on the straights, It's no secret Honda has been build· ing fast 125s this year and O'Mara bolstered that fact when Barnett got the jump off the gate and Johnny motored by to lead moto two. Barnett galled it through a comer to lead O'Mara, Coon, Gibson, Bentley and Cantaloupi on lap one. Barnett and O'Mara took off while Gibson and Coon matched it grip to grip for third, with Gibson taking the position. Coon went down in the hard stuff but retained fourth. Soon Cantaloupi moved into fifth, Bentley dropped out with a twisted right knee and Pro Trac Suzuki rider Danny Chand\er was·sixth over Ward. Chandler stuffed Ward in the tum at the bottom of the dropaway after a battle of throttles. This time Barnett had a bit more breathing room, pulling 14 seconds near the end of the race. Hillap time went from 2:45 to 2:50 on the lut lap as Mark rode an easy pace, with O'Mara a trouble·free second OYer Gibson, Coon, Ward, Cantaloupi, Chandler and Benolkin. • "I could have gone faster," said Barnett. "I had to pull away at fint. becaUle it's always easier for someone to stay with you when they have you in ~ a.h.t It ,-.-;.. • •• I •• , • j, "I've been working really hard, try· ing everything to stay with that guy," said O'Mara. "We've done.a lot With the bike to get it right too." For Barnett, the cost of victory isn't always cheap. Mark again contended with a bit of a stomach probl'em after the race. 600cc Netlonel Kawasaki's Goat Breker led the field through the dropaway in moto one with Clover, Sun, Suzuki's Marty Smith and Yamaha-supported Kenny Keylon in tow. Breker crashed back to fifth by lap two and Glover took over with Sun a close second. Glover put a cushion on Sun early in the race. Keylon and Smith faded with Maico's Mickey Kessler moving into third in a strong ride. LaPorte and King were on the move and headed up front. Breker came back up to challenge Kessler. By mid-race Glover had Sun at bay with Kessler holding third but back. As Broc traversed the low section of the course he almost stopped, trying to find some visi~n through his mud-caked goggles. That was all Sun needed to slide into the lead through an uphill hairpin tum. Glover regained his vision and held second over Kessler, LaPorte, Breker, King, Smith and Bell. . La te in the race Glover closed the gap and regained the lead. Sun looked to set up one last challenge, but slid out in a muddy tum and remounted without hute, holding a safe second. Chuck still retained a 54 second cushion on LaPorte at the flag. Kessler, King, Breker, a close Bell and Smith tailed. "Some guy on a Maico gave it to me through a mudhole," said Glover. "I was trying to find a tear·off but there wasn't any, 10 I was.doing a windshield wiper act with my fanger trying to see." ....... ., .- . - "How 'bout that holeshot'" said Breker. "Then mud got behind the calipers on my front (disc) brake and locked it up. I crashed and broke my finger." Glover holeshot moto two with Sun, Bell, Keylon, Kessler, Bill Grossi and King behind. By lap two Sun was leading with Bell and Glover in tow. Smith had lap one problems and came around last. Glover was soon into second, but that's where he stayed for the duration. Sun held true with the gap to Glover varying but never diminishing to un· safe point for Chuck. Bell held third with King fina.!ly edging past Kessler for fourth. Sun and Glover began to put ground on Bell with King closing on Mike but later scttling into his position. Kessler gave up fifth to LaPorte late in the race while Yamaha support rider Arlo Englund came in strong for seventh. Breker plugged into eighth and held tha t slot. Sun was smoothing it out, riding cautiously but quickly. Glover threw his mouth guard into the mechanics' area and kept gassing it, speed shifting through the straights. All leaders were contending with heavy traffic. and though Glover got around and by quickly he couldn't decrease Sun's lead. Sun won the moto for overall with Glover back four seconds in second. Back in the pits Glover came over to give Sun a congratulatory handshake before retiring to his truck. "The foremost thing in my mind was to get around lapped riders as quickly as possible because that's where the race was," said Sun. "Early in the race Broc was trying to open it up on me but lost his front wheel in a tum. He's a worthy opponent, he's proven that. I'm just trying to do the best I can to close the gap. They (Yamaha pit crew) ~ve Mike the sign 'Let Broc By' early 10 the race. Those words sounded familiar. "I almost didn't made the nee. Eric (Crippa, Sun's tuner) had been changing tires with baby powder in the truck. When I stepped out my fcct went right out from under me. I. thought I broke my thumb." • Results 12Scc NATIONAL: I. ~k _ ~Suzl I-I; 2. Johnny 0 ' - ' IHonI 2-2; 3, Jim Giboon (Hon) 3-3; 4. Rich Coon (Honl 5-41: 5, Donnie Contaloupi IYom) ~; 6, TO!" _ i n 1K8wl6-8: 7.,Jell W.d 1K8wll~: S. Gory Oenton (Sud 12-9: 9, Doug J_lYoml I 1-10; 10, Devid WeoklYoml 14-1 I; 11, Denny Choncl* lSuzl ·,7: 12, Bobby Hondv lSuz) 13-15; 13, Donny Ilendey ISuz) 7-·: 14, Kyle Undrum ISuzl 16-13; 15. Rick Johnoon lYom) 8-.; 16, Chris _ ISuzl 9-.; 17. Scon _ I Y o m ) ··12; IS. Gene GonlIch ISuzl·14: 19, M.t< Sutl.lSuzl 18-17: 20. M.t< Murphy lYom 1S-·: 21. Jell S..-J lYom) ·-16: 22. II

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