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/126654
... en ::3 bll ::3 < IAbove) Second. efter thl., George HoIl.nd (20) we. In the lead over M.rk B.rnett (1). IBelow) Scott Burnworth (18) .nd Bob H.nn.h (12) did .enne dicing. lLeft) Broc Glover (8) lead. the Open c1.... AMA/Wraal1er Super Series: ROaD. as Barnett, Johnson, Glover bring Yellow peril to W..shougal By Kerel Kremer WASHOUGAL, WA, AUG. 15 Three of America's best and winningest riders attempted to hew down their competition in the piney woods of the Washougal motocross track at the Bob Osborn/Wally Brosamle-promoted, Northwest Motocross Enterprises National Motocross. Mark Barnett did his part to erase the point deficit he 10 has at the hands of Honda's Johnny O'Mara, and today his Suzuki did its part while Barnett controlled it to two moto wins on a track he described as nice and rough. Third-in- points Jeff Ward put his Kawasaki into second overall with a pair of third-place finishes, while O'Mara saw his point lead shrink with a third overall finish. Broc Glover continued his roll of National wins with a double moto sweep of the 500cc class, putting the Washougal National trophy next to hi.s.Superbowl of Motocross trophy. Kawasaki's Kent Howerton was second overall, but while several other ride.rs led the race at points, Glover was in his element and in control. Bob Hannah was back on track with a newly healed wrist and leathers that, like O'Mara's, read "Bad Guys" in answer to "Good Guys" leathers seen in the Yamaha pits. Hannah was well on the way to showing the troops that his wrist was indeed well enough, but the weakest link in his hurricane force turned out to be the chain on his works Honda rather than his anatomy. With Hannah out two laps from the overall victory, Suzuki's Scott Burnworth looked set for a second National win, but a move by Yamaha's Rick Johnson and a miscue by Burnworth put the second trophy of the day in the ... . , Yamaha camp's trophy case and several dollars in "RJ's" pocket. The Washougal track is among the best of the American motocross tracks with a rough technical track and a hardcore following of spectators for the fourth annual running in the beautifully forested mountains above Washougal and in sight of the barren slopes of Mount Saint Helens. Today the only eruptions in WashingtOn were the fans' appreciation of jobs well done by the down-home boys. Two former Northwest national champs, Chuck Sun on a Honda and Rick Burgett on a 490 Yamaha, made an appearance in the top 10 of the 500cc class along with local Maicomeister Eric Eaton. Washougal regulars Jimmy Anderson and Tim Michlitseh were in the top lOin the 125 and 250cc classes respectively. Much noise was ~de over occasions when Bremerton's Phil Larson led motos also. As an experimental change, qualifiers were run on Saturday before a crowd of 2800. The operation was deemed a success by most with the excitement of the afternoon being Doreen Payne's determined effort to put her Honda into the National and be the first woman to do so. Her Iastlap-wide-open charge fell short ~ a wheelIength at the flag. 600cc N.tion.1 ) Suspense in the Open class started in practice when Danny Chandle.r, who had looked fast and been one of the three or four riders triple jumping a section of whoops before the finish line, arrowed into the third one and was slammed on the crossbar of his works Honda. Magoo then rode to the Honda pits where he was iced down. Fo.ur people had to assist him to a laying position. To many people's surprise, Chandler showed up on the line and he followed Kawasaki's Kent Howerton around Glover - who had motored to the holeshot - on the first lap of the first moto. Howerton's Kawasaki led the first lap in front of Chandler, Glover, Phil Larson, Mike Larson, Yamaha's Tim Locey, Chuck Sun and Hondamounted Arne Hettman. Halfway into the third lap, Chandler made a move on Howerton that put the Rhinestone Kawboy into second. On the same lap, Alan King moved his works Suzuki into seventh from way outside the top 10 followed by Eaton and KTM's John Finkeldey. Phil Larson had dropped Glover to fourth and Mike Larson had dropped out of contention. With the exception of King swapping places with Sun, the next lap's order was static. Larson passed Chandler on the next loop, and Glover started his charge. He tried a move on Chandler in the mechanics' area only to have Chandler do a feet-off slide right into his line and hold on. Larson flew past Howerton coming out of a grass section of the track, and led for a lap ahead of Howerton and· Chandler. Howerton repassed briefly but Larson passed him again in the same spot. While the first four riders were close, they had a 25second lead on Locey in fifth; and King was trying to catch Locey just to break into that gap. Two laps later the first four c:ilne out of the trees with Howerton in the lead over Chandler, Glover and urson. King was past Locey and flYing. King caught and passed Larson nd moved up on Chandler in the late laps, even passing Magoo a cou~le of times only to have Magoo hold it on in the jumps and repass. The final change in the top four came when Howerton went wide to . pa.ss a l'!pped rider in a mudhole after