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Clint Hardick (30) stole the holeshot in the first 250cc moto and led for three laps. Hardick finished seventh overall. Alan King gave Team Tamm's their first National win with a 2-3 score. King leads the 250cc point standings by three over Ron Lechien. AMA/Bel·Ra~Grand National Championship Motoeross Series: Round 5 Alan King's HangtowD By Kit Palmer SACRAMENTO, CA, APR. 8 "It's been a long time in between," said Team Tamm's Alan King after topping the 250cc class at the fifth round of the AMA/BelRay National Championship at Hangtown on a Honda. "I won a couple a 'while back witD_ Suzuki but this one is even better! With Suzuki you're expected to win, 8 but being a privateer a lot of people don't expect you lO win. When you pull ito££, it's big, big thing for everybody." For the first time in history, a privateer rider leads a National series in overall points standings after more than one round. Going imo HanglOwn, King was tied for the lead with Honda's Ron Lechien, who after leadi~~ J?uch of the firs,t molO and win- ning the second, drops three points behind King. Kawasaki's jeff Ward putlOgether a 2-1 ride lO clinch the l25cc win, while Honda's David Bailey won an extremely exciting 500cc battle against Yamaha's' Broc Glover. All three classes featured intense, handlebar-tohandlebar racing action. 125cc National As the pack exited the first turn in moto one, it wasn't the works riders out in front, it was Yamaha-mounted Mark Flesia,. Honda-armed Guy .. CoopeI', Yamaha pilot jim Anderson and then Honda's johnny O'Mara. Ward fell victim to a first-turn crash and re-entered the race in the mid 20s. As expected, O'Mara quickly got on the gas and took,the lead less than a half lap into the molO. However, all eyes were focused on Ward as he picked off riders in bunches. A LOugh ball..le for second developed between Cooper and Anderson that lasted for the next fiv€-Iaps, then Team Tamm's A.j. Whiting started to get into the action. Soon after, Anderson went down, losing a few positions and putting Whiting into third. Whiting started feel ing heavy pressure from Ward, but Whiting wasn't about to give up without a fight. For about a· lap and a half, the Team Tamm pilot held off Ward, but the faclOry Kawasaki rider found a way by and set after Cooper. A lap later, Ward took control of second, 45 seconds behind "O'Show" O'Mara. During the white £lag lap, Cooper, who put in an outstanding ride, had his luck run out when he crashed in a turn. Hondamounted Erik Kehoe inherited the fourth spot behind o 'Mara, Ward and Whiting at the finish. Anderson rounded out the LOp five. The second molO looked like a rematch of last week's duel at Saddleback between O'Mara and Ward. , O'Mara stole the holeshot ahead of Honda-mounted Eric Hall, Yamaha pilot Mike Beier, Malcolm Smith's Vince McMahon, Ward and Flesia. Onlya few turns into the molO, Ward had second and was glued to O'Mara's rear fender. The two leaders ran away from the pack and quickly engaged in a dogfight for the lead. During the fourth lap, Ward made his move and dove underneath O'Mara in a turn and then proceeded lO pull away. Midway through the moto, Ward had a comfortable lead, while Beier had firm control of third behind O'Mara. Next followed Suzuki's Gary Bowman, Hall, and McMahon. McMahon felt Whiting's pressure on the fifth lap, then Whiting slipped by. A tough ballie took place over fifth through 11th but in the end it was, Ward, O'Mara, Beier, Bowman and Whiting. "I felt rea.lly good a.ll weekend," said Ward. "I just wish I didn't get ta.lc.en out in the first molO. In the , ..... , second moLO, I got around O'Mara and I knew he would have to work twice as hard to get around me. Then I got a comfortable lead and didn't push it." 250cc National The first molO was the most thrilling of the day. When the checkered . flag flew, seven different riders had led throughout the race. The first rider to take control was Honda-mounted Clint Hardick who led Suzuki's George Holland, Yamaha's Keith Bowen, Suzuki's Mark Barnen, (on last year's works machine), and Lechien. For the first two laps, positions remained the same until Barnensnuck by Bowen and set after Holland. However, the two teammates to.ok themselves out of contention after they co.llided on an uphill. Bowen took over second, reeled in Hardick and passed the leader during lap four. Then Lechien labored . up to second with King tailing him in third. Lechien was within inches of Bowen, but high sided coming out of an uphill turn and dropped to 10th. Then Honda's Bob Hannah wove his way up from a 10th place stan to challenge Bowen for first. Bowen managed LO hold Hannah back for a lap; Hannah dove inside in a tight, right-hand, o££ camber turn where the two locked handlebars and Hannah came out ahead. Hannah turned around and shook his finger at Bowen, thinking the Yamaha rider had tried lO knock him o££ the track. That made Bowen mad, and he tried to retake the lead a half lap later. Again, the two collided, this time causing Bowen to crash and putting Hannah over the fence and o££ the track. Bowen quickly restarted in third while Hannah re-entered in eighth. "Bowen took me into the fence. It smashed up my pipe, then the rear brake lever broke going through the fence," said Hannah afterward. "I went LO the inside and got a little squirrely and we hit each other. I'm out there lO win just like he is," said Bowen. That mishap put King into the lead with Yamaha's Rick johnson in pursuit. johnson started LO close the gap on Kingwith six laps remaining. I ~ ... f f. t ......