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/126666
(Top) Werd throws up his enns in dusgust efter his chein derailed helfway through the race while in second. (Top) Lechien eb80rbe the glory efter his victory. (Below) From left to right. Bailey. Breker. Werd. Lechien. Johnson end Glover were still this close after the first tum. All of them finished in the top five except Werd. Lechien Itole the hoIeehot end ren away with the win. (Top) A.J. Whiting (67) and Lerry Brooks provided the closest race of the night in the Lest Chence Qualifier. Brooks won by e helf bikelength (Below) Devid Beiley hed a fair night with e third. . During the second lap, Sands crashed through the double-jump section, got up, and stood by the side of the trad helplessly watching as his bike was run over by four or five riders. Up front, it was a showdown between the two Honda riders, Brooks and Whiting. The two spent more than half the race handlebar to handlebar, knowing only one would transfer. Most of the action took place with two laps left, when, just before the launching pad jump, Whiting sliped by Brooks; however, on the same lap, Brooks retook the lead through the doublejump section. Again, a few turns later, Whiting zapped Brooks. With one lap to go, the two were neck-'n'neck. Exiting the last tum, Brooks pulled up alonside of Whiting before the 14-foot, Miller High Life'Mountain, finish jump. At that point, it was a matter of who would let off first. Both riders flew over the jump higher than anyone of the night and it was Brooks who took a half bikelength win over Whiting. Mini Main Tonight decided the outcome of the Trans-Cal Mini class, and going into the race, both Yamaha-mounted Eddie Hicks and Kawasaki-mounted Mouse McCoy were tied for the lead. When the gate dropped, Honda's Scott Johnson shot IOta the lead ahead of Hicks. McCoy was found in last after a first-lap crash. For the next couple of laps, Johnson and Hicb,battled. bu ¥icR 'tqal!ycfpupp. a way around Johnson and 'went on to take the win and overall Championship. Main When the gate dropped [or the final race of the night, over 36,000 spectators saw the 16-year-old Lechien put his privately-funded Yamaha to the front ofthe 21-rider pack. Hoton his trads were Ward, Breker, Johnson, Bailey, Finkeldey, Fisher, Myerscough and Reid. Glover, who Lechien said would be his toughest competitor, was found bad in tenth. After two laps, Lechien enjoyed a three-second lead over Ward, who was about two seconds ahead o[ Breker. It took about eight laps for Glover to slip by Myerscough, both of whom got around Reid. At the same time, Johnson started to put heavy pressure on Breker for the third spot and a few turns later, Breker gave in to Johnson's aggresive riding style. Near the half-way point, Ward crashed in the double-jump section, putting him out of the race.. Ward later said his chain came off causing him to bail. With Ward out, Johnson moved into second and set his sights on Lechien. Bailey moved into third position after passing Breker at the same time. Glover followed in fifth about 10 seconds behind. O'Mara, who was having a rough time after a poor start, Pout his Honda into sixth but was sull quite a ways behind I G~orp·( L ) i ; 1 ; , ' i :,[::1 Lllctij Up front, all eyes were peeled on the Lechien/Johnson duel. With only a few laps remaining, Johnson cut down Lechien's lead to only four seconds. HQwever, time was running out for Johnson. On the white-flag lap, Johnson did all he could to reel in Lechien but to no avail. Over the finish jump, Lechien did a victory one-hander while receiving the checkered flag. Johnson finished a very close second while a few seconds back came Bailey. Breker finished in fourth ahead of Glover and O'Mara. "I knew the start would be very critical," said Lechien later. "Luckily, I got a good one so I tried to ride conservative and not crash for the rest of the race" _ Id. '" I J(" ).J!'"l:HJlI.,!1i "All I was trying to do," said Bailey, "was concentrate on myself, my riding, and try to ride the best I could. I knew if I could, I would catch up, but it just didn't work out that way." Results MAIN: 1. Ron Lechien (Vern); 2. Rick Johnson (Veml; 3. Devid Beilev CHonl: 4. Goat Breker (Honl; 5. BrDC Glover ('fern); 6. Johnny O'Mere IHon); 7. Mike Fisher (Hon); B. John Finkeldey (KTM); 9. Oonnie Centeloupi (Yeml; 10. Brien Mvsrscough (Honl; 11. Jim Terentino(Hon); 12.Jeff Hicks(Hon); 13. Werren Reid (Vem); 14. Lsrry Brooks (Hon); 15. Gery Bowmen (Suz); 16. Scott Burnworth (Suz); 17. ROdney Smith (Yem); 18. Keith _ n (Veml; 19. Todd Petenon(Vem); 20. JeffWerd(Kew); 21. Clint Hardick (Suz). TRANS-CAL SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP ANAL POINT STANDINGS: 1. Ron lAchien (78); 2. BrocG_(73~ 3. Jeff Hicka(81)i~'DonnleCsnts,- ··ieot5._Rs;d(1S8~8.MIbF~(1S8~7. .. ~ ....i1lino (66): 8. Rodney Smith (45); 9. Riel. ~ (38): 10 A..J. Whiting (3.7l. -lL'~I)Jr.1 'l!l(JJlil':lflJj, l~