Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Johnny O'Mara traded moto wins with Jeff Ward for the overall. cooling and all around great performance - just works all that much better." 125cc Billy Liles captured second with a 2-4 tally in the 2505. passing riders in bunches, was all the way up to fourth behind Lechien. The rest of the pack was over a half lap off the pace. Johnson finally broke free of Barnett on lap 10, then stayed there to win. Barnett came through for second, fi ve seconds back, with Lechien a distant third - good enough for the overall win. Liles finished fourth ahead of Howerton and George Holland. "It was a relatively easy win for me," Johnson said. "They might have got me down in the first moto, but I showed them this time. I've decided to race against the track instead of against the other riders it seemed to have worked." "I did what I could," Liles said, "but it was rough coming oH the line last after tangling with Alan King. I'm pretty happy with second overall. " King saw his point lead in the class fall into the hands of Lechien. "I got a flat in the first moto," King said, after a rock became lodged in the wheel." After a quick wheel change by the Team Tamm crew, King finished II tho "I crashed a few times in the second moto - that was my fault - but still finished eighth." 500cc David Bailey was in complete control from the very start in the first moto, and immediately left Phil Lar· son and Broc Glover in a cloud of dust. "My goal was to get out front and build up a good lead right away," Bailey said. "I knew I had the fastest lap times in practice, So with a cushion I could afford to make a few mistakes later on and still win." Glover easily dispensed with Larson after three laps, but by that time Bailey was gone - to the tune of eight seconds. On lap four, Goat Breker and Mickey Kessler settled into third and fourth behind Bailey and Glover, with Kenny Keylon run· ning fifth ahead of Mark Murphy. The moto could've ended there, for all six riders held their positions to the finish. Bailey's win saw him pass the checkered flag over 30 seconds ahead of Glover, with Breker a solid third but another half lap off the pace. "I didn't have the best of times out there trying to catch Bailey," Glover said, "but at least I didn't have anyone landing on top of me like Hannah did." In moto two, Glover was determined to make Bailey work for his win, leaving the starting line in perfect form for the lead over Larson and Kessler. Bailey came out fourth. "I was leaning too far forward when I left the gate," Bailey said. "The rear wheel spun for about five seconds and Broc was gone. I never looked at anyone else, but just kept my eyes on Broc. He got away from me right away." By lap three, Bailey had put both Larson and Kessler to rest, with Glover already 12 seconds ahead. "Broc was really riding well at that point, and I told myself that I had to settle down and quit making little mistakes," Bailey said, "and I began to make up some ground." Breker was up to third ahead of Kessler. During laps five through eight, Bailey was indeed hammering away at Glover's lead. The II seconds that Glover enjoyed as a margin over Bailey on lap five was rapidly reduced to only three by the completion of lap eight. On lap nine, Bailey made his move in a whooped section before a throng of cheering fans. "It seemed that Broc had slowed a bit, like his arms had pumped up or something," Bailey said, "and I cruised past lnto the lead. The constant pressure I had applied paid ofL" Bailey cruised on for the wi'n over Glover, with Breker and Kessler also repeating their finishes in moto one for third and fourth. Murphy placed fifth to lock up fifth overall. "I think Broc is still at a disadvantage having to ride the basically stock Yamaha," Bailey said. "It's not that his bike is necessarily bad, but that my works bike - with the water JeU Ward, Team Tamm's A.J. Whiting and Erik Kehoe led the parade in the first moto, while Johnny O'Mara was making tracks through the field after staTting ninth. "There had been a lot of crashes in the first corner," O'Mara said, "so I decided to take it easy coming off the line. I was a little too cautious and got caught in traffic. I could see Ward getting away." While O'Mara succeeded in passing everyone in his way with the exception of Ward by lap three, Ward was about 10 seconds ahead. Whiting was still a strong third, with Jim Anderson fourth over Kehoe. "I was able to keep Ward right where he was," O'Mara said, "and that was 100r 12 seconds ahead of me. I would reel him in a second or two, then lose it again. I was really having to work hard to stay there - it was becoming a losing battle." Ward won over O'Mara, with Mike Beier wedging himself between Whiting and Anderson in the late laps to finish fourth. Ward and O'Mara came off the line almost as one in moto two, with Tom Rice, Danny Storbeck and Whiting following. This tlme around, O'Mara was able to keep Ward much closer, but Ward managed to stake a threesecond lead by lap three. "We changed the gearing a bit for the second moto," O'Mara said, "and I was able to keep Ward in sight. I thought that if I kept my pace up all the way I might have a chance at the end." Through lap eight things hadn't changed much - Ward led a struggling O'Mara by four seconds, with Storbeck up to third ahead of Whiting and Rice, but nearly half a lap behind the Ward/O'Mara duo. Buton lap 12, Ward began to slow, shaking his head from side to side. "Some diTt had gotten into my mouth and throat," Ward said. "I was unable to swallow and couldn't catch my breath, and I began hyperventilating. It finally cleared itself up about two laps later, then my head swelled up and I almost passed out. I don't even remember O'Mara passing me - it , was that bad." "I saw Ward slow down, and thought he must have knocked his wrist on something - Jeff never reall y slows at the end of a moto slnce he's such a hard trainer. On a track Ilke this with alf the uphllls and d~wnhllls it's hard to keep going if you can't breathe well. I felt conIident after I passed fum, and I'm really happy," said O'Mara. Ward held on for second over Storbeck, Whiting and Rice. Floridian Jeff Frisz finished slxth, as he had also done in moto one. "The track today was a good one," Frisz said, "but when you fall down - like I did a few times today - It was so hard to get back in the swing of things due to the heat. I'm pretty pumped to do this well." _ Results 500cc: ,. David Bailev (Han) 1-1; 2. Broc Glover (Yam) 2·2; 3. Goat Breker (Kaw) 3·3; 4. Mickev Kessler (Han) 4-4; 5. Mark Murphv (Yam) 6-5; 6. Kenny Keylon (Yam) 5 l0; 7. Pa,ter Sn'oneland (Yam) 13-6; 8. John Collins (Han) 10-11; 9. Donnie Cantaloupi (Han) 7-16; 10. Eric Eaton (Han) 8·18; 11. Jeff Stevenson (Yam) 14-13; 12. Scan Manning (Yam) DNS-7; 13. Ron Jones (Han) 16-12; 14. MickV Dymond (Hus) DNF-8; 15. Andy Stacy (Hus) DNF-9; 16. Steve Burdene (Yam) 9-DNF; 17. Garv Depillo (Yam) 18-14; 18. David McClain (Han) 1121; 19. Ron Dunfee (Yam) I 2-DNF; 20. Terry Hobbs (Han) DNF-15. 25Occ; 1. Ron Lechien (Han) 1-3; 2. BiliV Liles (Kaw) 2-4; 3. Rick Johnson (Yam)8-1;4. Mark Barnett (Suz) 6-2; 5. Kent Howerton (Kaw) 3-5; 6. Jeff Hicks (Han) 4-7; 7. Keith Sovven (Yam) 5-9; 8. Jim Hollev (Yam) 7-10; 9. Alan King (Han) 11-8; 10. Kevin Foley (Yam) 14-11; 11. Edwin Arnet (Hon) 12-13; 12. George Holland (Suz) DNF-6; 13. Tetsumi Mitsuvasu (Yam) 17-12; 14. Greg Mavo (Suz) 15-15; 15. Scooter Stafford (Yam) 9-DNF; 16. Tom Carson (Hon) 11 -DNF; 17. Keith Simmons (Kaw) 13-DNS; 18. John Whelchel (Han) DNF-14; 19. Johnny Spaw (Yam) DNF-16: 20. Keith Watson (Han) 19-18. 125cc: ,. Johnnv O'Mara (Hon)2-1; 2. Jeff Ward (Kaw) 1-2; 3. A.J. Whiting (Han) 3-4; 4. Mike Beier (Yam) 4-7; 5. Dannv Storbeck (Yam) 11-3; 6. Jeff Frisz (Han) 6-6; 7. GuV Cooper (Han) 7·10; 8. Jim Anderson (Yam) 5-1 2; 9. Eric Hall (Han) 10-9; to. Clav Hoenshell (Suz) 14-8; 11. Tom Rice (Kaw) 185; 13. Jeff Surwall (Yam) 16-11; 14. Erik Kehoe (Han) 8-DNS; 15. Terry Tinnev (Kaw) 19-13; 16. Vincent McMahon (Yam) 17-15; 17. Mark McLaren (Kaw) 12-DNF; 18. Steve Pate (Yam) 13-24; 19. Gary Bowman (Suz) DNF-14; 20. Mike Crane (Kaw) 15-DNF. 250 POINTSTANDINGS: 1. Ron Lechien (162); 2. Alan King (143); 3. (TIE) Mark Barnen/Rick Johnson (141); 5. 8i1IV Liles (131); 6. Kent Hovverton (122); 7. Keith Bovven (115); 8. Jeff Hicks (74); 9. Bob Hanneh (63); 10. George Holland (56). 500 POINT STANDINGS: 1. David Bailev (200); 2. 8roc Glover (174); 3. Goat Breker (141); 4. Pete Snorteland (108); 5. Eric Eaton (96); 6. Kennv KevIon (92); 7. Mark Murphv (89); 8. Scan Manning (75); 9. MickV DVmond (72); 10. Andy Stacy (58). 125 POINT STANDINGS: ,. Jeff Ward (191); 2. Johnnv O'Mara (185); 3. Mike Beier (138); 4. A.J. Whiting(1 37); 5. Dannv Storbeck (80); 6. Rick Rvan (75); 7. (TIE) Gary Bowman/Jim Anderson (73); 9. GuV Cooper 168); 10. Erik Kehoe (66). AMA/BEL-RAY GRAND NATIONAL MX CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES POINT STANDINGS: 1. David Bailev (253); 2. Jeff Ward (246); 3. Johnnv O'Mara (211); 4: Broc Glover(187); 5. Mark Barnen(185); 6. Ron Lechien (180); 7. Rick Johnson (165); 8. BiliV Lijes (162); 9. Alan King (161); 10. A.J. Whiting (145). M

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