Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

(Above) Kawasaki'!; Jeff Ward had a miserable night. He crashed, hurt his arm, placed 18th overall and dropped to third in points. When things go right, they go right. Johnson convincingly won his second Supercross in the U.S. and jumped to second in the point standings. with Liles completing his charge in fourth. George Holland displaced Eaton to finish fifth. Semi two featured one of the best races of the night, and starred johnson and Bailey. With a clean holeshot, Bailey was well on his way and cracked to a seemingly comfortable lead over johnson after only a half lap. But the long whooped section was giving Bailey a bit of a problem, especially at the exit where a sharp right hand pivot was required. johnson, on the other hand, was master of the section all night, and made up the difference after two laps and engaged in a side-by-side-butnever-ahead trial with Bailey that lasted for three laps and brought the crowd to its feet. johnson finally got a wheel ahead with less than 50 yards left in the final lap, then Bailey bobbled and johnson sailed to the win. Alan King finished third behind Bailey, followed by Glover, A.j. Whiting and Cantaloupi. Keith Bowen crashed on the start and maneuvered through to finish seventh. "I caught Broc's rear wheel coming off the line," Bowen said. "I had some work to do after that!" Last Chance Qualifier There wa little doubt as to the outcome of tbe Last Chance Qualifier after only one lap, since Keylon immediately dispensed with Kent Howerton and Goat Breker and set off on a race of his own. Keylon didn't surrender any of his ground and scored a runaway win, with Howerton copping second for the last transfer to the final. Final There were few surprises on the start of the final; johnson, Lechien and Bailey were Castest all night and carried their momentum through the first few corners after the gate dropped. "I basically came out with Bailey and Lechien," johnson later said, "but I came out just a little ahead of them. I have the bad habit of doing wheelies on the start, so I've been practicing on slipping the clutch as I come 0[[ the line. All of the practice has paid 0[[ - I had good starts all night." Lechien wasn't about to let johnson get away. "I wa around fifth off the gate," Lechien said, "but by the time I got into the whoop section I did away with two riders. I pas ed Bailey on the fir t lap, then tried lO get even with and ahead of john on before he figured out the best lines around the track." Bailey was left all alone in a solid third after a lap, as Johnson and Lechien began their battle. "Lechien passed me like a bat out of hell," Bailey said. Alan King was running fourth behind Bailey, but crashed shortly into lap two and O'Mara squeezed past into fourth with G.lover in pursuit. Lechien described his ride in the early laps: "I got by johnson, then he got by me; I got by him, then he got by me; I got by him again, then he passed me and I just couldn't reel him in again." "Lechien put on a real strong charge," johnson said, "thinking he was going to run away from me. I didn't want any part of it, so I passed him back as soon as he would get by me. I thought that if I pushed him hard he would wear down, since I feel I'm a little stronger than he is, and it worked." And by lap five, johnson had pulled clear of Lechien, gaining time through the whoops that had given Lechien and Bailey problems. Ward, lOO, had succumbed lO the lengthy whoop section, and was circulating the track at half speed after crashing at the end of the section. As he went down. his arm caught one of the wooden post that were supporting the course markers. He dropped from fifth lO nearly last. There were few changes through lap 10: johnson continued to pull away [rom Lechien, Bailey was settled into third and O'Mara into fourth. Glover and Bowen were keeping close company for fifth and sixth. Theonly rider making any kind of track through the pack was Liles: he started buried in the field and pulled into seventh. "I was upset when I came off the line 15th," Liles said, "and I just began pickingoffridersoneata time." The warm temperatures were beginning lO take a toll. "It was warm and humid out there," Lechien said. "In the middle I got tired - I felt as if the race should be over. The battle with johnson lOok a lot out of me." With the exception of Liles, who Johnny O'Mara settled for fourth in the main but enjoys a 47-point cushion over Johnson with six races remaining in the series. carved his way past Glover and Bowen in the final lap, there were no more charges in the top places through the finish. johnson extended his lead to win by 10 econds over Lechien, with Bailey third ahead of O'Mara. Liles finished fifth, with Glover keeping teammate Bowen at bay lO fini h sixth. "That's the first time I've had the feeling of being alone out front in a upercross," ajubilantjohnson said. "It felt so good-I just didn't want it lO end!" johnson's tuner, Cliff Lett. wa also riding high. "We've had some tough Iuck in the last couple of months," Lett said, "and this will boost Ricky's confidence as well as mine. " "\ felt johnson and Lechien wanted lO beat each other real bad." Bailey said, "and I thought they might wear each other out, and \ would be right there waiting in third. It was hot, and I think I used up a little too much energy in the semi trying lO beat john on. till, it's my bestSupercross fini h in a while." O'Mara, depressed after finishing fourth, said, "I got boxed in on the start, then had lO use up a bunch of energy to pull my bike out a few lap later when Glover fell in front of me. I wa whipped after that. It was pretty much a bad day." Barnett, who said he "looped out," finished 17th, one notch above Ward. Kawasaki team manager Roy Turner said, "jeff was pretty much shaken up after he fell. His right arm took a beating, but it shouldn't keep him from riding for more than a day or lWO." • Results 20·LAP FINAL: 1. Rick Johnson (Yam); 2. Ron Lechian (Han): 3. David Bailey (Hen); 4. Johnny O'Mara (Han): 5. Billy Liles (Kaw); 6. Brae Glover (Yam); 7 Keith Bowen (Yaml; 8. Alan King (Han); 9. Kent Howerton (Kaw); 10. Eric Eaton (Han); 11. George Holland (Suz); 12. A.J. Whiting (Han); 13. Danny Storbeck (Yam); 14. Donnie Cantaloupi (Han); 15. Gary Bowman (Suz); , 6. John Whelchel (Hon); 17. Mark 8arnett (Suz); 18. Jeff Ward (Kawl; 19. Kenny Keylon (Yam); 20. Jim Holley (Yaml. INSPORT/WRANGLER SUPERCROSS SERIES POINT STANDINGS: 1. Johnny O'Mara (3661; 2. Rick Johnson (3191; 3. Jeff Ward (310); 4. Oavid Bailey (301 I; 5. Ron Lechien (296); 6. Mark 8arnelt (257); 7. Broc Glover (241); 8. 80b Hannah (21 4); 9. Alan King (t 921: 10. Billy Liles(1 75); 1 1. Kent How· e"on (147); 12. Goat Breker (134); 13. Keith Bowen (1201; 14. Rick Ryan (114); 15. George Hollend (1121; 16. Jim Holley (100); 17. Scott Burnwo"h (77); 18. (TIE) A.J. Whiling/Ross Pederson (67): 20. Clint Hardick (64). 7

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