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/126753
(Above) Ron Lechien leads O'MaTa moments before the "O'Show" motored by. (Below) Ward's missed shift cost him $19,000. (Above) O'Maralet the champagne flow after winning the Wrangler Dash. (Below) Ward grabbed the holeshot but couldn't make it last. Wrangler Dash O'Maratalles. the 'big cash bash By Kit Palmer SEATTLE, WA, FEB. 12 After a full weekend of racing at the Seattle Kingdome, Sunday night was capped with the Wrangler Dash with $70,000 up for grabs between nine riders, which is the richest payoff in Supercross history. Each rider had to qualify by having tbe fastest heat race during the 1983 season events, while one rider was chosen by a wild card draw. National champions were also included. Riders who qualified for this once-a-yearevent were Honda's David Bailey, Bob Hannah and Johnny O'Mara, Kawasaki's Jeff Ward and Kent Howerton (wild card), Suzuki's Mark Barnell and Ross Pederson, and Yamaha's Broc Glover. When the evening finally came to an end, it was O'Mara who took tOP honors in the Wrangler Dash and picked up a check worth $25.000. Only seven riders lined the gate for thestartof the Wrangler Dash; absent were Hannah and Bailey. Neither rider fared well in Sunday's points race and Bailey decided not to ride because of a sore knee. When the gate dropped the seven riders jammed into the first turn of the 20-lap race and it was Ward with the holeshot. Lechien followed in second, ahead of Howerton, O'Mara, Pederson, Barnell and Glover. During the first lap, Barnett and Glover battled over last place. Glover edged by Barnett, but the Suzuki pilot retaliated a few turns later. Dicing between the seven riders was fierce, because each rid'er knew that one position meant at least a thousand dollars. The Barnell/Glover duel brought them right up to Pederson's rear fender. Glover found a hole in Barnett's defense and zapped the "Bomber." Pederson and Glover tangled bars in the stutter bumps a few turns later and Glover took over the fifth spot. Up front, Ward stretched his lead to three seconds over Lechien by the second lap, and a few seconds back of Lechien were O'Mara and Howerton. Barnell decided to get on the gas and passed Pederson and Glover on the same lap. However, Glover was very stubborn, and repassed Barnett through the stUller bumps. Glover's rampage didn't end there as he set after Howervon and passed the Ka wasaki rider a few turns later. Barnell stayed gl ued to Glover's rear fender and he too slipped by Howerton. Meanwhile Ward cruised out in front with a comfortable lead, but disaster struck during the sixth lap. Ward crashed hard over some doubles. He restarted his mount and entered the race back in fourth. "I missed a gear, it was a stupid thing," said a dejected and ballered Ward afterwards. "I just went over the bars. I tried to hold on but I didn't ave it. If it had been yesterday I would have saved it, but I didn't have enough strength left." Lechien inherited the lead with O'Mara hot on his tracks. The two teammates ballled for a while until O'Mara cut underneath Lechien through some doubles and the "0' Show" flew by. O'Mara stretched his lead while Lechien was busy fending off Glover and Ward. Soon after, Glover crashed after tagging Lechien. "I double jumped thejumps before the turn," said Glover. "And he cut in front of me. He got passed in the same spot a lap before by O'Mara, and he got a lillIe wise to it and did his job and held me off. I went to the outside of him and he saw me. 1 squared over the jump. He hit the berm and came over and hit my front wheel. " "He misjudged what I was doing," said Lechien. "Hewas trying to square me up and misjudged where I was going and hit my back tire." When Glover went down, Barnett motored by for fourth. Moments later Ward crashed again in the Stullers. "1 was JUSt riding too hard," said Ward. "I hit them too fast and hard. It threw me up against the bars and I bounced off the track. I think I could've caught up." Then it was Barnell'S turn to bail and he dropped back to last. With just about everyone crashing, O'Mara and Lechien were way OUI in front. Howerton found himself in third ahead of Glover, Ward and Pederson. During the 11th lap, O'Mara's lead was five seconds over Lechien, who had a IS-second advantage on Howerton. Glover slipped by Howerton, while Barnett put on a good ride by catching up to Ward by the 16th lap. Near the end of the race, Lechien's Honda started making an awful clatter from his motor which sounded senous. "The transmission went out," said Lechien. "It started popping out of gear. I wasn't sure if it was going to make it." It did. When the checkered flag came out, a very happy O'Mara crossed the finish line first a lillIe over five seconds ahead of Lechien. Lechien picked up $12,000 for his efforts while Glover and Howerton received $8,000 and $7,000. Ward finished fifth, inches ahead of Barnell then Pederson. "This must be a dream. I really can't believe this," said O'Mara after the race. "Even though I dropped to second in points the Wrangler Dash sort of makes up for it." • Results WRANGLER DASH: 1. Johnny D'Marl (Han); 2. Ron Lechien (Han); 3. Broc Glover (VIm); 3. Klnt Howerton (Klw); 5. Jeff Wlrd (KIwi: 6. Mlrt< Blrnett (Suz); 7. Ross Pederson (Suz). 11