Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

(left) David Bailey took hi. first outdoor win with a double-moto sweep. (Above) Danny Chandler (22) lead. Wa"en Reid (10) end Broc Glover (6). AMA/Wrangler Super Series: Round 21 Bailey blisters Buchanan By Tom Kolnowski BUCHANAN, MI, JULY 3 David Bailey had never won a National moto before the Hallman Racing-sponsored National MX at Gene Ritchie's Red Bud Track'n Trail, but the Team Honda pilot punched tluough the 250cc class in fine style with a 1-1 score to collect his second outdoor National overall win of the season. 8 Team Yamaha's Broc Giover battled LO a sweep of the 500cc class, landing with another I-I performance to win over Yamaha Support rider Warren Reid. Honda's Darmy Chandler suffered mechanical problems after leading nearly the entire first moto, which snuffed his chances for the win. Johnny O'Mara topped the 125cc class on his Jim Felt-tuned works Honda, edging Yamaha's Ron Lechien. 0'Mara's2-1 score was good enough for overall, after Team Suzuki's Mark Barnett DNF the final moLO after winning the first moLO. Torrential rains hit the southwestern corner of Michigan on Friday night, covering the hillsides of Red Bud with a good layer of mud. Sunday's morning practice sessions had all of the mechanics scraping and otherwise washing the bikes, since they were covered with an abundant amount of slop. By race time, a few of the corners and several straightaways still had wet sections, but for the most part there was a dry line around. Promoter Ritchie added a new sec- tion to his track, an uphill straight with a sharp ISO degree pivot at the top followed by a sharp downhill grade and another tight pivot. Much of the passing took place through the section, which proved tricky to negotiate. Bob Hannah has not fully recovered from the wrist injuries he sustained at the Orlando Supercross, and rode conservatively LO place 11th overall in the 250cc class. "It's the type of injury that takes a lot of time LO heal properly," said Team Honda trainer Jeff Spencer. Barnett still leads in the Wrangler Super Series, with 673 points to Hannah's 640. By winning both motos, Bailey has closed thegapon Hannah, and now has 636 points for a very tight third place standing. 500cc Nationa' Honda's Chandler grabbed an instant lead under the hot Michigan sun in the first moLO of the afternoon, besting teammate Phil Larson and Yamaha's Glover through the staTting area. After a lap, Glover had passed Larson, with Chandler looking perfect as he began LO build a lead. Kent Howerton was holding fourt.h on hi~ w~rk~ Kawasaki, with Reid a tight fifth. Things remained the same for the first six of the nearly three minute laps. Chandler managed to put about five seconds on Glover, and Larson and Howerton were running close together. A half lap later, Larson went down near the finish line and lost several places. "Magoo" was having no trouble staying ahead of Glover, and was starting LO pull away a bit more. By lap nine, Glover was looking at a ten second difference. Howerton was charging, and picked up four seconds in two laps behind Glover. Reid and Honda's Steve Martio were running a tight 4-5. With only a lap left to go, Glover came down the ski hill jump out front and alone, with Howerton five seconds behind. Chandler was left rolling LO a stop at the bollom of the hill-a seized motor had ended his stunning performance. The last lap was not without excitement as Howerton rapidly chased Glover down and carne within five bikelengths by the time the checkered flag fell. Reid maintained third, with Martin and Maico's Mickey Dymond netting the next two positions. Chandler bounced back in the final moLO to take another holeshot, with Glover, Reid and Larson taking up the next positions. "Magoo" and Glover were running side-by-side at the end of the first lap. As they went into the new section, Chandler took Glover all the way to the fence, but managed to keep a narrow lead. On the next lap, Chandler crashed and gave the lead to Glover. Reid was not far behind and moved into second as Chandler picked himself up and remounted in fifth. Glover had a ten second lead over Reid. Chandler had regained his composure, passed Reid and Larson on a long straight two laps later, and took a position behind Glover with a 20 second deficit. Suzuki's Alan King moved up LO fifth. Chandler was chopping away at Glover's lead by a second or two for the next few laps, but then began to fall back. Larson, Reid and King were several corners behind. The last five laps showed no position changes in the top five. Glover took the win by 13 seconds over Chandler, with. Larson, Reid a!,!d King off the pace. "In the first moLO, I didn't feel too good. I had a sLOmach ache or maybe it was nerves since it's getting LOward the end of this championship season," said Glover. "Danny and I got into it in the first couple of laps and it was fun. I don't really like LO race mat way, but it's all pan of racing. When he went ow, I knew something must have happened or he took a spill A few turns later he was completely sLOPped. The same type of thing happened LO me in Florida. It was a lucky thing for me today, butI'll take the win any way I can get itl" The win solidified Glover's lead in the 500cc class a bit more. He holds a 22 point edge over Howerton, with six National motos remaining on tap. Reid's Suppon Yamaha was a nearly stock YZ490, so second overall was very respectable. "All we've done is put on an Ohlins shock, mounted a 40mm carb, and installed a spacer on the reed cage," said Team Yamaha's Bob Oliver. "The stock bike comes on too strong," said Reid. "The changes make it a lot more rideable." 125cc Nationa' Team Suzuki's George Holland held a slight edge over teammate Barnett through the first comer of the opening moLO. In the next turn, a 180 degree pivOl, Holland went down hard and the pack roared past. Barnett, O'Mara and Lechien formed a tight line into the straightaway leading down the ski hill jump. Brian Myerscough's Suppon Honda was running fifth. After the first complete lap, Barnett had smoked to a six second lead over O'Mara. Lechien was still holding close to O'Mara, with less than three hi kelengths between. Suzuki Support rider Rick Ryan moved up LO dice with Myerscough for fifth. O'Mara bobbled on lap five, giving Lechien a chance to move closer. Barnell held a six second lead, but began to lose ground to O'Mara on the next lap. Lechien, Team Kawasaki's Jeff Ward, and Myerscough were following. As O'Mara moved closer, Barnett nearl y crashed into a tree on the root-infested uphill of the new section. Johnny "0" continued to close on Barnett for the next several laps, and

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