Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

"I feel it will separate the men from the boys." &OOcc Naonel Honda's Goat Breker led the pack into tum one in the opening moto, with teammate Chandler and Kawasaki's Kent Howerton making the bend off the lengthy starting grid only inches behind. Breker led for only a lap, when Otandler took over but wasn't able to pull much of an advantage. Glover was mired in mid-pack ahead of Suzuki's Alan King. Glover and King continued to move through traffic and by lap eight were running fourth and fifth behind the trio of Chandler, Breker and Howerton. On lap 10, Howerton made a midair pass on Breker to take up a secondplace position behind leader Chandler. Glover and then King made their way around Breker to set the top-five finishing positions. Chandler's win came eight seconds ahead of Howerton, with Glover riding a safe race to third over King and Breker. Glover had a 30-point lead over Howerton in the 500cc point chase, and only needed a pair of consistent rides to win the title. Breker again led the final-moto start, followed by Chandler, Mickey Kessler, Howerton and King. Chandler led after the first lap, but at the beginning of the third lap Glover was out front. Chandler, Breker, Howerton and King were in a tightly knit pack only seconds off the pace. Midway through lap four, Chandler made up the deficit and led once again over Glover. For the next twO circuits, Glover pressured Chandler and finall y got around for good on lap eight. Breker had fallen off the pace back to fifth, and the order of the top four read Glover, Chandler, Howerton and King. Chandler never allowed GLover to pull out of sight, but Glover took the win. Howerton, King and KTM'sJohn Finkeldey grabbed the next three spots behind Glover and Chandler. Glover was bubbling after the win. When asked how he felt about taking the 500cc title, Glover said, "Just how anyone would feel if they were about $100,000 richer - I feel great!" 250cc National Suzuki's Scon Burnworth got the best start in moto one over Bailey, Hannah and Yamaha's Rick Johnson. As Burnworth pulled away, Hannah passed Bailey. Johnson was running a tight fourth behind Bailey and also made a clean pass on lap three. Hannah wasn't able to close the gap on Burnworth until lap six, then easily went around and began to open up a fairly comfortable lead. Johnson pulled up to the rear of Burnworth on lap 10 and went ahead. Bailey held a close fourth over Yamaha's Donnie Cantaloupi. The jockeying for top positions was over by Lap II, and Hannah held on for the victory over Johnson, Burnworth and Bailey. Bailey took his more-relaxed attitude into a holeshot in moto two over teammate Hannah, Tom Benolkin, Burnworth and Cantaloupi. Bailey immediately left Hannah about four seconds behind and held for three laps. Benolkin dropped out of contention lth Burnworth, Johnson and Canta10 pi continuing. On lap four, Hannah came through tl;ie mechanic's area with a several second lead over Bailey. Johnson came out on top after a dice with Burnworth over third. Hannah continued to lead laps seven and eight, but Bailey trimmed his advantage to about three seconds by lap nine. Burnworth repassed Johnson, but a lap later Johnson again found himself in third after a better flight off a jump. .. . . . . . . _ With two laps left, Bailey bounded into the lead, leaving Hannah second again. While there was no pit board signal specifically telling Hannah to back off the race, there was much speculation in the air that a bit of team politics was on display. Whatever the situation was, Bailey and Hannah left the pack and were; most certainly the fastest riders in the class, especially late in the race. Bailey won his eighth 250cc moto of the season, with only about two seconds of breathing room over Hannah. Johnson, Burnworth, Cantaoupi and Kawasaki's Billy Liles claimed the next four positions. Though Bailey had the 250cc title wrapped up with a 37-point cushion over second-placing Burnworth, the outcome of the GNC depended upon the performance of Barnett in the final 125cc moto. C(") 00 0') 125cc Nationel With a maximum traction situation existing on the sandy loam base of the track, which had received healthy doses of rain and artificial watering in the days before the event, Suzuki's George Holland powered to the front of the pack. Honda teammates O'Mara and Brian Myerscough kept a short lead over Barnett, running a strong fourth. Lechien, coming off a sweep of the class at the Colorado event, didn't get the best charge off the line and held fifth. Kawasaki's Jeff Ward had the best chance of taking the 125cc title away from O'Mara, but got tangled in traffic and got back up nearly last. Holland kept his lead for the first two laps, but at the start of lap three Barnett took control. O'Mara also passed Holland, and Lechien then staged a move that pulled him past both Holland and o 'Mara, giving him second behind Barnett. On lap five, Lechien closed the gap on Barnett and pressured for a full two laps. The start of lap seven saw Lechien edge into the lead, with Barnen doing all he could to stay within three seconds. O'Mara held third over Myerscough. Lechien was determined to pull away, and he used all of the available power of his rotary-valved works machine to build up a very impressive IS-second advantage over Barnen with three laps left. O'Mara and Myerscough were engaged in a battle over third and Myerscough came around with the nod. The win easily went to Lechien over Barnen, followed by Myerscough and O'Mara. Ward worked through the entire pack to finish sixth behind Holland. Barnett knew be had to win the final moto, and pulled a clean holeshot over HolJand, Lechien and Ward. Lechien passed Holland halfway through the first lap. At exactly two laps into the race, Lechien blasted past Barnett beading through the mechanic's area. Ward, Holland, Myerscough and O'Mara followed, already off the pace. By lap five, Barnett was faced with a four-second difference as Lechien continued out front. On lap nine, Lechien still led by the same distance as Barnen tried in vain to make up ground. A series of mechanical troubles spoiled the chances of Bamen to win the Supercross and 125cc crowns, and he was playing his last ace in efforts to win the GNC. fiarnen clearly made up some of the deficit in the last two laps, but Lechien was still not in reach. As a clue to the type of pace Lechien and Barnen were setting, O'Mara, running in fifth, was about to be lapped by Lechien with only seconds remaining. O'Mara didn't see Lechien coming up from the rear, and they collided only two corners from the finish. Barnett tightened the gap and nearly went past, but Lechien recovered quicJcly enough to save the win. Ward, Myerscough and O'Mara placed 3.4-5. .• _ : : : : ;.- ~ ... ,'•.•• (Above) Open-cia.. winner Danny Chandler was his usual con..rvative ..If. (Below) Winner Ron Lechien ch.... Johnny O'Ma,. in 126cc action. "I thought I was going to lose itall," said Lechien. "Johnny didn't see me coming at him and we tangled. Barnen almost took it. I'm going to go down to the creek and cool down." In regard to losing the GNC title to Bailey, Barnett said, "I was just the victim of some team racing by Honda, no doubt about it." "Both Lechien and Barnett rode really hard and it's a shame that someone had to lose," said Bailey. "I stood near the start line and ·watched. Everybody was running toward the finish line and I didn't know what was going to happen. Then I heard a scream and I stood there with my fingers crossed. I saw Lechien come by with his hand in the air, and I can't really describe the way I felt, except that it was nice to win everything I entered this year, and I hope I can do it again next season." Bailey's mind was fixed on Europe and the upcoming Motocross des Nations race in Belgium, where he will be accompanied boY his tuner, Cliff White. "After Europe. maybe it will all sink in," said Bailey. O'Mara garnered his first National title. "I was under so much pressure to get the title that I'm not feeling very well right now," said O'Mara. "With things working out like they did, all of the hard work seems to ha"e been worth it. I'm looking forward to some time off." • Results 500cc: 1. Denny CNndler (Hon): 1-2: 2. Broc G _ (Y.ml 3-1: 3. Kent Howerton (~2-3: 4. (S")+4: 5. Br_(HonI5-8:~ . .l9IIn R '(KTMt 7-5~ 7. S_ Moi-tin ~I 8-'1: 8. • "1'= E!"'" Mike Leroon 11-9; 9. Eric EOlon(M.ill0-10; 10. Pote Snonelond (y.m) 9-12: 11. WorT.n Roid (Y.m) 14-8; 12. Tim Locey (Y.m) 12-1 I: 13. Phil Leraon(HonI8-0; 14. D.n Conway (Hon) , 3-18; 15. John Collins (Han) 15-15; 18. Chudt Pertridge 18-17: 17. Mickey ~ DNF-13: 18. MicIty Dymond (DNF-14): 19. Doug CIoI· lin 17-°; 20. Steve Tomfield(Y.m) DNF-18. °Denat. . . linish out of tile lCp 20. 500cc FINAL POINT STANDINGS: 1. 8rae G _ (471): 2. K.nt Howerton (438t, 3. Denny CNndIer (356~ 4. AI.n King (328): 5. Steve Merlin (2971; 8. W."en Reid (293): 7. Goet Br_ (267): 8. Phil lorson (248): 9. John Finl

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