Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

~ ~ ct: w :::i; ...J <{ ll. .... ;l > III 0 '" .... 0 :I: ll. ~ - 00 O'l ~ ~ M V .D 8 v ;> 0 Z For the third year in a row, Jeff Ward won the 125cc class aUhe Japan GP. Ward duelled with Ron Lechien in the first moto. Honda's Bob Hannah wasn't too pleesed: "The track Was terrible. h was flat and fast... I'll never go back... " He finished fourth. International motocross: packed and fast." In both motos. Ward and Lechien lapped the field up to third place. VVard, Johnson take Japan GP by storm By Kit Palmer SUlUKA CITY, JAPAN, OCT. 14 Americans Jeff Ward and Rick Johnson swept the l25cc and 250cc classes at the 21st annual Japan Grand Prix before an estimated crowd of 30,000 spectators in Suzuka, Japan, Ward spept most of the first 125cc moto dicing with Ron Lechien (who hadn't raced on a 125 for almost a year) before taking the win, and he easily LOpped the second round. Johnson went 2-1 to capture the overall in the 250s. 125 18 In the first 125cc moLO, facLOry Honda rider Lechien shot into the lead: "I sLOle the holeshot," said Lechien, "then I started lO pul1 away." Meanwhile, Ward came out of the first turn about fifth and started to work his way up through traHic. By the eighth lap, Ward had reeled in Lecruen and the dogfight began. "I led for the next 121aps with Jeff right on my rear fender," said Lechien. . At this point, they swapped leads about five times, but Lechien managed lO hold on. Once Ward tried to make a move by going wide into a turn, while Lechien went LO the inside; in the middle was a lapped rider. When the lapped rider looked to his right and saw Lechien, he immediately went wide and collided with Ward. Neither of the riders went down. but Ward lost valuable time. Once again, Ward managed to reel in Lechien. Eventu'!lIy, Ward made a pass that stuck, going on w take the win about four seconds ahead of Lechien. "We didn't get much chance to ride during the week," aid Lechien, "and my hands got tired and fuU of blisters. The bike I was riding was the one O'Mara used during the ational ,and it is a little slower than Jeff's Kawasaki. This made a big difference, because the track was pretty smooth and wide open." The second molO was completely dominated by Ward. He started things orr with the holeshOl and never looked ba k despite nursing a sore ankle through both molOS - a sore ankle injured at the Sacramento Supercross in'California two weeks earlier. Lechien jumped to a fair start, tangled with a lapped rider and crashed later on in the moLO; although he didn't lose any places, Lechien 10 t enough time to Ward to end his hopes for a win. Ward's win was his third-in-a-row in the Japan GP: He beat Mark Barnell two years ago and edged out O'Mara last year. Lechien finished econd overall. "The track wa prelly nice," said Lechien. "The layout wa good, too. Except it was a lillie hard- 250 "I grabbed the holeshot (in the first 250cc moto) and led for the first four or five laps," said Team Honda's Bob "Hurricane" Hannah. "Then I crashed when my front wheel washed out through a fast right-hand sweeping turn. I picked up my bike. but in second." Hannah's teammate David Bailey took over the lead after Hanna.h crashed andjumped outtoa comfortable advantage. "When I got going again," said Hannah, "Billy Liles was right behind me," Soon after, Liles washed out and lost a few seconds to Hannah. At this poim, Johnson was making up for a 10th-place stan: He worked his way into fourth after passing factory Kawasaki rider Georges jobe from Belgium. Johnson's drive didn't end there: The new U.S. 250cc National Champion reeled in both Liles and Hannah and passed them. Once imo second, johnson had a long ways to go to catch the nyin~ Bailey. With Johnson out oCthe way, Liles caught back up to Hannah, and a fierce battle over third ensued. For the rest of the 45-minute molO, the two riders were side-by-side many times. The climax of the duel came on the last lap. a few feet from the checkered £lag. "It got a lillie hectic at the end," said Hannah. "Liles made a last-ditch effon to pass me by holding the throule wide-open coming out of a turn into the finish-line jump, and he pulled up alongside of me." However, Hannah edged Liles by a from-wheel length. "He probably would have beaten me if he hadn't washed out a couple of times earlier." Bailey won the moto, while Johnon LOok second. Johnson's mechanic Cliff Lett said, "Ri ky' bike had slight jetting problems. When landing from the jumps it had a slight hesitation. Before the e ond moto we did some jeuing changes to get it running right." The second moto saw Bailey jump to an early lead while jobe, Liles and johnson followed. Hannah had a horrible start and was back in the pack. After three laps, Bailey had an eight-second lead, while Liles again slid out, letting johnson by for third. It took Johnson five laps before he was able LO find a way past lobe. Bailey, who had the fas[Cstlap times during praClice at 1:34, started losing ground LO Johnson. Lap after lap Johnson closed the gap until he was within inches of Bailey. Johnson finally made his move and passed Bailey for second. Soon after, Liles started to pressure Bailey from behind and eventual1y passed him. At this point, the moLO was far from being over, even with only a few laps remaining. Surprisingly, Liles . was making a move on Johnson. The factory Kawasaki rider Liles was soon glued to johnson's rear fender; with three laps to go, Liles passed Johnson taking over the lead. Unfortunately for Liles, he crashed for the third time in the mow, relinquishing the lead LO Johnson on the last lap, one turn before the finish. Johnson crossed the finish line first ahead of Liles, Bailey and Jobe. Hannah finished sixth for fourth overall. "I got a had start," said Hannah, "and I never got the chance to see anybody. The track was terrible - it was one of the tOP five worst tracks I've ever ridden on. It was tOO nat and fast, and the dust was so bad I couldn't even see the end of my face. I'll never go back, and that's for sure!" Johnson's win gave Yamaha its first win at the Japan GP since Heiki Mikkola did it back in 1976. For taking first in the 250cc class, Johnson was awarded a brand-new Yamaha RZV500 street bike. • Results 125: 1. Jeff Ward (Kaw): 2. Ron Lechien (Honl: 3. A. Ot

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