Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126594
- - irtg into- third 'a head of Holland" and - O 'Mara. By lap three Chandler had taken the lead with O 'Mara close behind and Kehoe third. O 'Mara fell but remounted quickly and charged back to pass Chandler at the midway point. O'Mara bobbled once again and Chandler regained the front position. The final few laps were very close between the two Honda teamsters. O 'Mara finally stuffed under Chandler to take the win. Lechien picked up the third place share of the purse with a 2·4 score. Holland finished fourth overall and Heisser earned his come-from-behind fifth place. - 500cc Pro KTM speedster Donnie Cantaloupi pulled the trigger and blasted to the first moto holeshot with Yamaha rider Jeff Hicks running second ahead of Lackey, Yamaha-mounted Jim Holley, Maico pilot Randy Losh and last week's winner , Team Yamaha's Mike Bell. Lackey displaced Hicks on the second go 'rou nd and ' Bell soon moved into third. Lackey found a line past Canra lou pi on lap five as Bell closed in on the tight battle for first place. Suddenly Cantaloupi went down hard, su ffering a shoulder injury. With Cantaloupi out it became a two rider duel for first. Bell tested Lackey for several la ps then made a daring pass off the big uphill jump. Lackey stayed close and made his move on the final lap , coming up just inches short. Hicks too k the checkered flag in third ahead of Suzuki rider Alan King and Maico-mounted Jerome Heiberger. Hi-Point Honda rider Phil Larson led the pack through the first tum of .the second moto , with La ckey, Hicks, Bell and Lash following . Bell passed Hicks while Lackey pressured Larson for the lead . Larson , riding a very fast race, held off Lackey for several more laps . Lackey finally slipped past but Larson stayed closed and nearly repassed. Unexpectedly Bell pulled off the track, obviously in pain. "I twisted the knee first but kept going, then when I landed off the jump i ~ just gave out ," Bell explained later as he packed ice around the swollen joint. Lackey opened a big lead as the rnoto came to an end. Larson finished second for the moto and his 6-2 score was good enough for second overall . Losh , Heiberger and Hicks battled right to the wire with Losh grabbing third , Heiberger fourt h and Hicks fifth . T hird place money went to Hicks with a 3-5 score and Heiberger had to settle for fourth while King picked up fifth . 250cc Pro The large spectator tum-out, pleasant weather and a challenging track provided the ideal setting for one of the toughest 250cc Pro battles ever seen ·in California. . Honda's Darrell Shultz aced the first moto holeshot with Yamaha rider Scott Burnworth grabbing second ahead of Honda's dynamic duo of Jim Gibson and Donnie Hansen, Yamaha rider Juan Benavidez and Kawasaki teamster Jeff Ward . As "Shu" stretched his lead , Bob "Hurricane" Hannah recovered from his mid-pack start as he passed 15 riders in two laps. The Hondas were running 1-2-3 , with Hansen in second and Gibson third , while Hannah charged past Ward and into fourth. Hansen and Gibson were locked in a close battle for second as _Hannah closed and when Hansen bobbled , Han. nah grabbed third and Gibson moved into second. Next it was Hannah's turn to slip and Hansen moved back to third. Shultz had a strong seven-second lead on Gibson until he also fell and Gibson took the lead. Shu quickly remounted in second with Hansen and Hannah closing and . p~~:.~ep.. his : ,-:ay' !>~~~ .i ~t!>. ~h.e! front (Top) Bob Hannah 12H)and Seott Burnwonh try two lines and styles in 250ee Pro action. (Above) 260ce Pro runner-up Darrell Shultz (40) holds the inside line through the first turn. Winner Hannah's helmet is berely visible behind. position. Gibson got out of shape and Hannah slipped past into second. All four of the front -runners were riding on the edge of control and the action was very close . Shultz held on to th e win , a s Hannah finished second , Gib son was thrid , followed by Hansen , Ward and Burnworth. Ward timed th e gate perfectly and shot into the lead as the pack headed onto the track for the second moto. Shultz powered past Ward before th e lap was over and Hansen moved into third ahead of Hannah . Shultz pulled out a small lead as the battle for second place heated up with Suzuki rider Warren Reid moving up to challenge. Hannah knifed under Hansen as Ward recha llenged Shultz for the lead. Ward came up short and • H~~~~ ~ov~ pa;st t.o p~u..re .~.h u ltz -. . , In an astounding display of riding talent , Hannah and Shultz passed and repassed each other severa l times in the next half lap, often while using the same line! Finally Shultz missed a shift and Hannah stuffed under and into the lead. " I was tired from the first moto ," noted Shultz later , "and I wanted to pace myself in moto two but it didn't work out. " Shultz faded back as Hansen charged after Hannah. Gibson finally worked up to battle with Reid and Ward for fourth place as Hansen reeled in Hannah. Hannah went over the bars on the 'back part of the track. "T he reason I was slow to get going was that I knocked my head so hard I couldn't see straight," commented Hannah after , . t!l~ race: 1:I~~r .Q¥h~ p.a~~ P\l~ with _ one lap to go Hannah berserked to within striking distance and when a lapped rider forced Hansen to take a wide line, Hannah regained the lead for good . Shultz held onto third place to collect second place money behind Hannah. Hansen finished third overall , Gibson picked up fourth , and Re id garnered fifth place. • Results 500 PRO: 1. Brad lackey ISuzl; 2. Phil Larson IHon); 3. Jeff Hicks (Yam); 4. Jerome Heiberger (Mai); 5. Alan King (Suz); 6. Larry Hooper IMaO; 7. Kirk Spencer (Yam); 8. EricMcKenna (Yam); 9. KevinDavis (Mai); 10. Steve Banning IHonl . 250 PRO: 1. Bob Hannah (Yaml; 2. Darrell Shultz lHon); 3. Donnie Hansen(Hon): 4. Jim Gibson lHan); 5. Wanen ReKI(Suzl; 6. Scott Burnworth (Yam); 7. Denny Bentley ISuz); B. Larry Wosick lHon t; 9. Jeff Ward !Kaw); 10. Jim Tarantino (Hon), ." 125 PRO: 1. Johnny CYMara IHon); 2. Danny Chandler [Hon); 3. Ron _l ech ien lYam); 4. George Holland ISuzl; 5 Chris Hei_ CSuzl; 6. Robb Marmry CHont; 7. Rick Ryan ISuzl; B. Ron Turner (Hon); 9. .•~~~!Suz !;.10.J~~~e!n!"'I!'-.) , -, 9