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/126636
(Left) Mike Bell w inning in Da llas. (A bove) Ron Lechien uses his le gs. (Below) Brian Myerscough and Jeff Wa rd . AHA/Wrangler Super Series: Round 9 Bell tall enough for Dallas asphalt-o-eross By Karel Kramer DALLAS, TX, APR. 16 "I feel real good ," was Da llas Miller High Life Supercross winner Mike Bell 's comment after winning the 20-lap final. "I didn't even get out of bed until Wednesday... maybe a little rest helped me out. The track was just like Ascot, which is where I grew up, so I have a lot of hours on this kind of dirt." Two riders who were not thankful for his experience were second-placer Bob Hannah, who could not catch Bell, and Bell 's teammate Ron Lechien. The young rider grabbed the holeshot and held off the best advances of Bell and Hannah for good portions of the race. Kaw asaki 's Jeff Ward moved from mid-pack to fourth a h ead of Honda semi-priv ateer Brian Myers cough. The ex trem ely .ha rd-packed , slip pery clay was a problem for the Hondas but seemed to suit th e powerval ve Yamahas quite well. All of the Yamaha teamsters, en masse, were turning laps faster than the fastest lapping Honda piloted by H onda's Johnny O'Mara. Where th e course wasn't too slippery to roost away, it was hard as concrete, so at least th ere were no worries about the track changing between riders ' ra ces. Surprisingly, there were sh aking heads, but most riders didn 't have much to say , and some liked th e layout. By winning this latest round of the Wrangler Super Series, Bell moves himself up, but Hannah, by virture of his second place, has extended hi s overall series lead since he leads the Supercross standings as well as having a perfect score in the outdoor 250cc Nationals. Wh ether th e new format is a success is still under debate, but 40,476 fans paid to see this example of the breed and saw good racing. Heats The starling gate was still a m ys- ter y in th e first heat as it was much closer to th e first tu rn o n th e in side, but o n ly had a berm o n th e o u tside . Team Yamaha 's BrocGlover gambled on the ins ide a nd em erged from the turn with th e holesh ot. Bell a nd Hannah trailed on lap o ne, a nd H annah moved by Bell on that lap, but Bell repassed and H annah was rel egat ed to third for th e rem a in der ofthe race. Behind th e leadin g tr io, Cl int Hardick, Honda Support rider Steve Martin, Yam aha Support rider Tim Locey a nd Hi-Point H onda rider Eric McKenna circu lated. Honda pi lot David McClain moved up to punctuat e Lo cey and McKenna, but otherwi se the transfer position s rem ained th e sa me. Kawasaki's Jeff Ward led th e second h eat from start to finish with Honda Support rider Tom Carson, Ceet/ Yamaha -supported Warren Reid, Scott Burnworth from Suzuki and Team Tarnm 's Mik e Shoemaker following in the early laps. In the end Ward had the win, but Carson had dropped behind Shoemaker, with Yamaha Support rider Denny Bentley, KTM 's Dave Hollis and Hondamounted Gary Dircks iaking the transfers. Brian Myerscough got, his semi- supported Honda off th e line well, too k advantage of a first turn mess and grabbed th e lead in the third heat over Rick Johnson 's factory Yam aha, Honda-supported John Reinholt and Suzuki 's Mark Barn ett and Ri ck Ryan. Reinholt went over th e bars in a big wa y and was left under his bike, and Johnson go t Myer scough on one of four giant jumps near th e stands. Barnett blasted into th e lead on lap three a nd J ohnson went to war. Both were double-jumping twi ce in a row on the back straight, th e only riders to do so regularly. Yamaha 's Lechien and Honda 's Goat Breker hooked up in fifth and six th and swooped past R yan in one blast. On the la st lap, J ohnson doublejumped so me whoops and landed in front of Barnett and both went down . They both got their engines fired as Myerscough ra ced up, but Johnson grabbed th e lead with Myerscough and Barnett following. Barnett drove past "Flyin' Brian" and reeled in Johnson, bu t could not pass. Lechien was fourth over Breker , Ryan, Honda 's Kenny Keylon and Phil Larson for the transfer spots. Honda 's Johnn y O 'Mara ran away with the fourth heat. He was close to the others in th e early go ing, but was safe a t th e; end. Even though ~ is h eat