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/126784
Bob Hannah (6) grabs the holeshot in the second 250cc moto, but George Holland (35) led two turns later. Jeff Ward's dream finally came true; he captured the 125cc National Championship beating 58ason-long rival Johnny O'Mara by 18 points. Johnson u eda2-l score to capture the overall and championship, but the win didn't come easily; he had to overcome Bob Hannah's first-moto victory and the pressure of only a three-point cushion over Honda's Ronnie Lechien going into the race. It looked as though it would be Lechien's day after he stole the firstmoto holeshot, but it was Hannah who stole the show. John on wasn't the only rider LO clinch a championship today; Kawasaki's Jeff Ward'used a 2-1 tally to beat Honda' Johnny O'Mara's 1-2 outing in the I25cc clas , which was more than enough for Ward to claim his first National Championship. "It was a long, hard-fought battle," said Ward, "but it was worth itl" Honda's David Bailey, who claimed the 500cc Championship title the week before in Denver, had one more goal to achieve at Washougal and did so - Bailey captured his second-in-arow Grand ational Championship overnearestrivaJ Ward, 541-534. Bailey clinched it after his first-moto second behind Yamaha's BrocGlover. 250cc AMA/Bel-Ray Grand National MX Championship Series: Round 15 Johnson, Ward sew up titles; Bailey GNC By Kit Palmer WASHOUGAL, WA, AUG. 19 "I don't. think I've ever been this happy in my whole life," said Yamaha's Ricky Johnson after clinching the 250cc AMA National Motocross Championship at Washougal. 12 "Shoot! I don't believe it, I finally did it. I've been work- I ing for this my whole life and now I've got it." When the gate dropped for the start of the first maLO, Lechien quickly put his Honda out in front with Suzuki's Mark Barnell, Yamaha's Keith Bowen, Honda's Hannah, Yamaha-mounted Jim Holley, Team Tamm's Alan King and Kawasaki's Billy Liles in hot pursuit. Johnson's hopes for the championship looked almost doubtful, with Lechien leading and Johnson wav back in 14th. Lechien's lead grew slightly over Barnett by the end of the first lap. But, during the second go-around, Lechien's pace began to slow and Barnell quickly took advantage of it; the Suzuki pilot sLOle the lead, while Hannah had worked his way around Bowen, cleanly. By the founh lap, Lechien dropped to fourth with the high-flying Johnson breathing heavily down his back. Barnett's three-second lead over Hannah began LO dwindle by lap four. A lap later, Hannah, much to the pleasure of the estimated 8000 spectators, passed Barnell and quickly extended his lead. Before the race, Hannah said he wanted to win very badly because he feels Washougal is the best track in the country, and he wanted to prove he could win on a "real" track. He was living up to his own expectations as he started. to pull away from the pack with ease. Near the halfway point, Lechien and Johnson were dogging each other, but Johnson soon found a way around Lechien for fourth. A few turns later, Johnson also slipped by his teammate Bowen. Johnson's next victim was Barnell who he stung with five laps remaining. By this time. .Han- Danny Chandler finished fourth in the first 500cc moto. nah was long ~one, riding his best race of the year. Fifteen seconds separated Hannah from Johnson three laps from the end. Lechien began a late-moto drive that carried him past Barnetl. However, Hannah easily took the win over Johnson, Lechien, Barnell and Bowen. The final 250cc moto of the year would determine the outcome, and Johnson and Lechien knew what they had to do. If Lechien won the maLO and Johnson finished third, they would tie in points and the overall would be decided by whoever had won the most motos throughout the year - which Johnson had. Hannah was the first rider into the first turn, but after the dust had cleared three turns later, Suzuki's George Holland was out in fronl. But his moment of glory ended during the first lap after he crashed, handing the lead to his teammate Scott Burnworth. After Burnworth came King and Hannah. A few turns from the end of the first lap, King overtook the lead. Burnworth, Lechien, Hannah, Barnett, Johnson, Liles and Jeff Hicks followed. King looked like he had things under control as he extended his lead quickly. Hannah was on the gas as he worked his way into second by the fourth lap. After Hannah cruised Lechien and Johnson. Six laps into the race, King's led over Hannah had diminished, but Hannah started to slow with a fiat tire that eventually put him out of the mota. Halfway through the race, King still had control of the lead, but Johnson found a way around Lechien and set his sights on the Team Tamm pilot. A lap later, the top spot belonged LO Johnson as King's Honda began to sputter. This made King easy prey for Lechien, who took over second about five seconds behind Johnson. After Johnson the pursuers were Burnworth, Liles, Bowen and Yamaha rider Jim Holley. However, all eyes were focused on Johnson and Lechien. All Johnson had LO do at this point was to stay upright and maintain his quick pace over the two-mile track and the title would be his. Four laps from the end, Lechien's pit board read "Don't wait" but time ran out; Johnson and his Cliff Letttuned production-based YZ250 Yama· ha took the victory. "It got a decent start and I saw Ronnie and Bob ahead of me," said Johnson. "I thought Bob would let Ronnie by to let him win. I knew even if I had finished third I wouLd win, so I just rode comfortably and Ronnie just kept making mistakes. Next thing I knew, I was ri~ht qehind