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/126751
(Above) Jeff Ward flew to second. (Below) Ricky Johnson wentfrom 1 Bth to third in the final. Johnny O'Mara leads Goat Breker (19) and Broc Glover (3) in the early stages of the final. Johnny O' went on to win the event for his first Supercross vi,ctory, earning himself a shower of Miller in the winner's circle (inset). InSp-ortlWrangler Su~ereross Series: Bound % '0' Show' pla~s to big Anaheim crowd By Kit Palmer Photos by Dale Brown ANAHEIM, CA, JAN, 28 Factory Honda ace Johnny O'Mara opened the Wrangler Supercross Series with a relatively uncontested win at the Miller High Life Supercross Kickoff at Anaheim Stadium before a record crowd of 70,305 spectators. Throughout the r.ace, O'Mara's only concern was Kawasaki's Jeff Ward; 6 who finished second while Yamaha's Rick johnson worked his way from 18th to third. When asked after the race what bearing he thought this win might mean towards the rest of the series, he said it definitely gives him an' extra "boost" over the other riders, johnson interjected, "For the past two years, the winners of Anaheim have gone on to be National Supercross Champions," O'Mara said he felt he cou!1 live up to that trc;nd, Heats The first qualifying heat almost looked to be a main event with 1983 Wrangler uper Series Champion David Bailey, Bob "Hurricane" Hannah, johnson and Alan King at the Ine, When the gate dropped, Bailey put his factory Honda to the from of the pack with Hannah, johnson, King, and Kenny Keylon in tow. After the first turn, johnson stuffed his Yamaha past Hannah and set after Bailey, Two laps imo the race, Bailey had built a one-second lead over johnson while Hanna'h dropped to three seconds. However, Bailey's advantage over johnson didn't lasl. On the nextlar!,)ohnson leaped past ... ..0 ... . .- of .• " Bailey through a double-j ump section, but Bailey retook the lead a turn later. Johnson again shot by Bailey at exactly the same spot as the previous go-around. This time the Honda pilot could not overtake johnson and had to settle for second, As johnson and Bailey battled for the lead, Hannah dropped way back and finished in third; 16 seconds behind Bailey. King followed in fourth ahead of Keylon and A.]. Whiting, Honda's Ron Lechien, his left . thumb taped after previous crashes during the Golden State Series, stole the hoJeshot in the second heat but was passed by Team Tamm's mainstay jeff Hicks in a jump after the second turn, Suzuki's Mark Barnett and O'Mara trailed closely, Within the lap, Lechien shot past Hicks, as did Barnell soon after. Barnell then reeled in Lechien and passed the young leader a halE lap later. O'Mara got on the gas, slipped by Hicks and spent the next couple of go-arounds banging handlebars with Lechien. After O'Mara finaJly snuck by Lechien, he then set after Barnetl. Th~ .~uz.u.ki .pilot k~pt sh~lling the door on O'Mara until only a few laps remained in the race, and then O'Mara gunned it by Barnetl. When the checkered flag appeared, O'Mara had opened up aJmost a hundred yards on Barnetl. Lechien took third followed by Kawasaki's Billy Liles, Hicks and Micky Dymond. Yamaha's Broc Glover outpowered the pack at the tart of the third heat while pursued by Danny Storbeck, Suzuki's SCOll Burnworth and Kawasaki's Goat Breker. While Glover was busy building a comfortable lead, Warren Reid was busy crashing after passing Goat Breker for fourth and then tangling with Storbeck. Reid dropped to last place, but put in an outstanding ride by passing the whole field except for Glover, Burnworth and Breke,r, Positions remained the same with Glover taking a commanding victory, The fourth heat saw Kawasaki's Kent Howerton jam into the lead houy pursued by George Holland and jeff Ward, Halfway through the first lap, Holland slipped by Howerton then Ward did the same. During the second go-around, Ward zapped Holland through the doubles and from that point on it was all Ward's moto, He went on and took the win easily. Holland finished second followed by Howerton, Phil Larson and J:!rian Myers~q\!gh, ••