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/126788
Ward had the best American moto finilh with a second. konen for fifth. The two were 10 seconds behind jobe who held fourth. The rider on the move was former 500cc MX World Champion Carlqvist. After sorting his way through the turn one pile-ups on the start, the Swedish team's rider systematically cut through traffic to seventh at the halfway point. Belgium's Andre Vromans was circulating at a reduced pace whi Ie contending with exhaust pipe and front fork problems. Ward, suffering from an upset slOmach, put intermittent pressure on leader Malherbe, while behind the front two O'Mara lostthird'to jobeas the molO headed into the final 10 minutes. Bailey, after scooting to fifth over Vehkonen, appeared to slow his pace since he wasn't within striking distance of fourth place. Vehkonen then lost sixth to the relentless Carlqvist. Malherbe posted a 14-second margin of viclOry over Ward with jobe 12 seconds behind Ward at the flag after 19 laps of racing. O'Mara led Bailey across the finish line by less than a second 10 round out the top five. Sixth through 10th went 10, in order, Carlqvist, Vehkonen, Britain's Dave Thorpe, newly crowned 125cc MX World Champion Michele Rinaldi of Italy, and Luxembourg's jo Martens. ''I'm not sure what the problem was," said johnson's tuner Leu about his charge's seized engine. "It could be the gas. We're running pump fuel because we were told it was alright and didn't make any other arrangements. This is the first DNF for Ricky and me this year. lL didn't come at a good time." Leu replaced the engine prior 10 moto two. Bailey had his right wrist taped between molOS. "I got out of shape on lap two or thret:," said Bailey. "I must have twisted my wrist. lL didn't hurt until I finished the mOlO. lL seems alright to grip the throttle, but when'l twist it there's pain." Team U.S.A., with II poims from Ward's second, O'Mara's fourth and Bailey's fifth, easily led the Belgian's 25 point tally heading into mOlO two. . johnson inherited the back row start for moto two, lining up just behind Bailey. . • Moto two started at4:45 p. m. in the land of the midnight sun which was quickly becoming the land of rain and darkness. Turn one again claimed approximately one-third of the field in crashes on the stan. This time Bailey and Ward were victims, running over and being run-over in turn. When they , Johnson (4) followl teammate Salley (1) after starting in the second row during moto two. got restarted, they were running second (Bailey) and third (Ward) from last. Vehkonen was styling out front to the cheers of the partisan crowd when he crashed big time on the downhill slope after a jump. Vehkonen craw led off the track, shook o£f the jarring fall, but then found his bike to have handlebars too bent to allow him to continue. Meanwhile, Carlqvist had taken over the lead and was blitzing the field. O'Mara was running second, a distance adrift, and he was followed by jobe, Finland's Kurt jungqvist, Rinaldi and Malherbe. Some 15 minutes imo the molO, Carlqvist was building a lead wpich would amount to 50 seconds at the finish. O'Mara still held second but was experiencing slOmach cramps, johnson was on the move and 15th, with Bailey 18th and Ward 21st. At this point, Belgium - with all four riders in the top 18 - was in a position to take the overall win after finishing third, second and second again 10 the U.S. in MolOcross des Nations events since 1981. Again the weak link for the Belgium team proved 10 be Vroman's Honda. Problems with the bike's front fork rendered it useless and he parked it at the halfway point. Carlqvist, in the rapidly fading twilight, blitzed to the win as Malherbe and jobe took second and third. Luxembourg's jacky Manens finished fourth over Thrope with Whatley sixth. johnson, in a super ride, worked his way consistently lOward the front and finished seventh over a slowing (j'Mara. Sweden's Leif Persson and Rinaldi rounded out the top 10. A few tense moments passed until Bailey finished 15th with Belgium's jean-Claude Laquaye in 18th. Bailey's finish ensured the American team the win. "Our team had a bit of luck today," said team manager Roger DeCoster, a member of Belgium's 1976, 1977 and 1979 winning teams. "If Erik Geboers missed the ra e because of a broken leg, things might have been tough." "The hardest. part is over," said O'Mara. "On to the 250s! J had problems with stomach cramps and I nearly bailed off big time at least twice. I'm glad it's over." a Johnson luffered a DNF in the first moto due to seized motor. The next time out. Johnson came from the back of the pack to finilh _enth. "My goal in moto two was to ride safe and smart," said Bailey. "After the crash in turn one all I wamed to do was stay ahead of Laquaye. If J did, I knew we could win." "The motor we put in to replace the one J seized was slower," said johnson. "IL was sounding ragged, but I kept the gas on and things worked out alright." "I had problems right from the stan," said Ward. "I got my front wheel taken out from under me by Malherbe and then I got run over while on the ground. The breather hO'eon my gas cap got knocked off in the accident and I got gas on my goggles and had to throw the away on lap two. From there (0 the finish it was a struggle. " A struggle indeed, but a winning one for the once-again World Champion MolOCross des Nations team from America. Their effon to win two World Champion hips in Scandanavia would continue the following week with the Trophee des Nations, a similar event but aboard 250cc machinery, in Sweden. • Results OVERALL: 1. U.S.A. (David Bailey/Ricky Johnson/Johnny O'Mara/Jeff Ward) 41; 2. Belgium (Georges Jobel Jean·Claude Laquaye/Andre MalherbelAndre Vromans) 48; 3. Sweden (Hakan Carlqvist/Conny Carlsson/Anders Eriksson/leif Persson) 61; 4. Great Britain (Kurt Nicoll/Willie Simpson/Dave Thorpe/Jeremy Whatley) 62; 5. Finland (Kurt ljunqvist/Simo Taimi/Matti Tarkko· nen/Pekka Vehkonen) B4; 6. luxembourg (Guy Van Gijsegem/Jacky Martens/Jo Martens/Jaak Van Velthoven) 86; 7. Germany (Arno Drechsel/ Alois Niedermayer/Werner Siegle/Bert Von Zit- • zewitz) 114; 8. Italy (Alberto Barozzi/Maurizio Dolce/Michele Magarotlo/Michele Rinaldi) 93 (3 DNFs). 1 sr MOlD: 1. Malherbe (Hon); 2. Ward (Kaw); 3. Jobe (Kaw); 4. O'Mara (Hon); 5. Bailey (Hon); 6. Carlqvisl (Vam); 7. Vehkonen (Cag): 8. Thorpe (Han); 9. Rinaldi (Suz); 10. Jo Martens (Hus). 2ND MOTO: 1. Carlqvisl; 2. Malherbe; 3. Jobe; 4. Jacky Martens (KTM); 5. Thorpe; 6. Whatley (Suz); 7. Johnson (Vam); 8. O'Mara; 9. Persson {Hus); 10. Rinaldi. 15