Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Mark Barnett fini.tMd HCond. Fourth-placefiniaher Ron Lechien. Danny Chandler winning hi. heat. Glover power. away in the final. front of the Yamaha rider, however, he suffered the same fate as Reid and bailed upon landing from the double jump. However, Ward was able to get going and salvaged a third behind HoJland, who was well in arrears of Cantaloupi. Howerton was fourth and Griewe took fifth. The first quarter-final saw Dean Cates lead for two laps before his machine staJled and he dropped out of the race. Privateer Yamaha rider Mickey Dymond lOOk over and led the remaining six laps to the check~ed. He was followed by Honda Support rider Erik Kehoe. The second quarter-final was led start to finish by Yamaha Support rider Todd Peterson. Reid worked his way up to second by the halfway point and stayed there. despite a IateD« charge by Eric Eaton. merry chase.. Ward flew by Conway down the start straight on the second lap, and before the lap was over, Conway also lost positions to HoIland, Howerton and Chandler. Once in the lead, Ward looked very strong and increased his lead almost at wiU. Holland hung tough in second throughout the race, with Chandler well back of him. On the seventh lap Chandler ran off the course momentarily, but he recovered and regained the position he lost to Howerton. Conway finished fifth, and the other u:ansfers went to Liles, Yamaha Support rider jim HoJley and Ricky johnson. The Consolation race found Steve Martin and Ron Lechien overcoming early leader Keylon on lap two, ar.d then walking away with the race_ The top two would transfer to the final. but Lechien irtsisted on passing Martin just before they received the white Oag. He made the pass stick and the two were bound for the final event of the evening. Yamaha rider Rodney Smith firiished third. Semis The Io-point gap between Bailey and Barnett remained as the two met face to faa in the first semi. However. it was Bailey and Glover out front first as Barnett was founh out of the tight turn one benet. Glover and Bailey played pass and repass on the first lap as Barnett went to third. passing Bumwonh. Bailey, Glover and Bar· nett ran 1-2-5 as they puJled away from the competition in the first three laps. but at the midway point Glover stalled momentarily and banded second to Barnett. It took Barnett two laps to close on Bailey, but then he flew past down the starting straight and made a bee, line for the checkered. Bailey hung on for second with Glover a distant third. Behind them, Burnworth, 0'Mara, Myerscough, Hardick and King took the transfers to the main. The second semi found Conway continuing his fine privateer effort by taking the lead with Ward, HoIland. I frJ ...~9.I ~ttJ )~lj(-:i 1\"~.~1kr--;f i.n Howerton and C":h:antl1er ,). U~ it» Final Although the final ran 20 laps. it was all Glover from the first turn on. The Yamaha rider held the inside line coming out and led Burnworth, Chandler, Lechien. Holley, johnson, O'Mara and Bailey on to the course. Barnett was in ninth behind Hardick, two positions back of his title opponent. Glover began pressing his advantage immediately, while Barnett cleared a path around Hardick. Bailey and O'Mara to run seventh. On lap two Chandler passed Burnworth down the starting chute to run second. HoJley was doing top privateer duty at fourth, trailed by Yamaha teamsters Lechien and johnson. By the fifth lap it had become c~ r that._ h~ .was ,little cha ce .of David Bailey rode to a ufe .btth place. but won the SUperCroM Series. catching Glover, and that Bailey was eyeing the pitboards, checking on where he needed to be. Chandler still ran second with a comfortable margin on Burnworth and Lechien. Barnett was up to fifth, foJlowed by O'Mara, HoJley, johnson and Bailey. Had that order held. Bailey would have taken the title by four points. By the eighth lap, Glover was five seconds in front of Chandler, who was now rather closely tailed by a p-oupconsisting of Burnworth, Lechten and Barnett. Bailey's cause was made a little easier when O'Mara dropped three places. Some viewers suspected team orders, but Bailey later said. "O'Mara went wide in a comer and I had a good line. so I went past." The battle behind Glover was heating up at the halfway point, and on lap II, Lechien zapped Burnworth for third, and Barnett did the same two laps later. At the three-quarter mark. Glover stiJl had a huge lead over Chandler and Lechien, who were actively debating second. Barnett was fourth ahead of Burnworth, johnson, Bailey, 0'Mara and Myerscough. Bailey had the scare of the night on the beginning of the 16th lap, when johnson crashed right in front of him and Bailey could not avoid running him over. Bailey stayed upright however, and johnson managed to walk away from the incident. A lap later Billy Liles crashed hard off a downhill jump and was the subject of medical attention for some time. Check elsewhere in this issue (or complete details on his condition. With two laps remaining, Barnett ·bit~he bullet and-.ailed Lechien for third spot. He would have to go further, because both Bailey and 0'· Mara had gotten around Holley. When the riders got the white flag, Glover had 12 seconds on Chandler, who didn't have that many inches on the tenacious Barnett. Sure enough, Barnett reaJly sailed off the double jump on the front straight and her, lerked it by Chandler with four turns remaining to the checkered flag. Truly a valiant effort. Behind the winner's circle crew. Lechien took fourth followed by Burnworth, Bailey, O'Mara. Holley. Myerscough and Hardick. Glover's win boosted him from fifth to third in the final Supercross standings, and of his final performance he said. "Even in my heats I felt I could go faster than I was going. but I kept making little mistakes and getting bottled up. Once I Kot out in tront JD the finaJ 1 could turn it on." Glover's win makes him the first three-time winner of the L.A. Superbowl. • R.sults 2D-lAP FINAL: 1. IIroc G _ (Y....~ 2. _ IlerMtl (Suzl: 3. Denny Che_ (Hont 4. Ron l8c:hien (Yam): 5. s-t l u . - t h (Suzt 8. Devicl lailey(Hon); 7. JohnnyO·Ma.. (Hont I. Jim Holley (Vamt 9. Irian Mywocough (Hont 10. Clint H . (Suz); 11. Alan Ki"ll (Suzl; 12. Kant (Kaw); 13. Ga«ga Holland (Suzl; 14. Jeff Ward (Kaw); 15. Danial Conway (Hon); 18. St.". Manin (Honl: 17. RicIty Johnoon (Yamt 18. BiIIyUIeo(Kaw). FINAL AMA SUPERCROSS SERIES POINT STANDINGS: 1. David Bailay (420): 2. Ma'" Bar· nan (4' 81: 3. Iroc GI....r (354); 4. Jail Ward (3531; 5. 80b Hannah (3451: 8. Johnny O'Mara (2171; 7. Warr.n R.id (243); 8. Mike Bell 1238); 9. Irian Mye,scough (118); 10. AI.n King (224); 11. Ron Lechi.n (2041; 12. SCon lu,nwonh(l80t 13. Donnil Cantaloupi (171); 14. Ridt JohMOn (1561; 15. Billy Ula.11491; '8. St.". Manin (148); 17. G_ I '....' (122); 18. K.nt H _ n (711; 19. Kanny Kaylon (701: 20. Jail Hieu (84). AMA/WRANGLER SUPER SERIES POINT STANOINGS: 1. Ma'" Ba,Mtl (731); 2. David Bailay (729); 3. B,oc Glover (880t 4. Jeff Ward (889t 5. Bob Hannah (640t 8. Johnny O·M.a (835); 7. Ron Lechian (505); 8. Warren Reid (478t 9. Irian _non MY"fWOOUIhA4Cl8t lD. SCall I .'.11•..11

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