Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

w w w a: X w a: >- III lZl CIl ~ :x: lL Ron Lechien (7) takes the holeshot in the Open Pros ahead of Phil Larson (21). Rick Johnson (behind Larson) and Mike Larson (86). CMC/Trick/Pro-Tec Four-Stroke Nadoaals . . Leehien thumpin' else at Carlsbad By Rex Reese CARLSBAD, CA, DEC. 9 Honda's Ronnie Lechien, riding a supertrick, one-off XR600, came away as the undisputed winner in the Open Pro class at the California Motorsport Club's 10th annual Four-Stroke Nationals. The event, sponsored by Pro-Tec Performance and Trick Racing Fuels, saw the youthful 30 factory rider totally dominate both molOs from the first turn to the finish line. Nobody else was close. Phil Larson, riding an ATK, was second, and Yamaha's Ricky Johnson was third on a Pro-Tee/Yamaha TT600. Closer racing could be found in the 500cc Pros as Keith O'Neal (Hus) and Don Turk (C-A) battled lap after lap, with O'Neal winning the first molO, Turk the second and the overall. Honda off-road racer Chuck Millel was third, and former 250cc National Motocross Champion Gary Jone (Hus) was fourth. In Amateur action, the Vet classes brought out a lot of riders to do battle and relive the past. Jone took the Vet Masters ahead of Tom White on one of his own White Bros specials; Jim O'Neal (Hon) was third. Keith Petrangelo won the Vet portsman on a baskally stock British-built CCM, beating the more modern Japanese technology ridden by Team Honda MX Manager Dave Arnold, who was second. Third was Roy We cott(Hus). Rick Johnson went 3-4 on the Pro-Tee Yamaha TT650. (Below left) Ron Lechien. Much of the excitement in the Pro class races was centered around the Team Yamaha and Honda camps. Yamahas have dominated the FourStroke Nationals for several years, and the Pro-Tec-equipped TT600 that Ricky Johnson was riding was the same machine that Phil Larson had finished second on the,year before. The engine had been bored and stroked out to 650cc and boasted a catalog of tricks from Pro-Tee and was said to be otherwise mostly stock. ot so for the Honda entry. Lechien's bike had a CllcJ frame, A-Trak rear suspension, Showa works forks, disc brakes at both ends and RC plastics. The crowning touch was the engine, which was an XR-based 600cc engine borrowed from Ricky Graham's flat track racer. The presence of the un usual machine was a magnet, attracting hundreds of the curious. And those who saw Lechien ride the . Honda in practice descri bed it as a certified missile. When the gate dropped for the first Open Pro moto, Lechien was in the lead by the first turn. By turn two, he had at least two bikelengths over second place, and then he was gone. Phil Larson (ATK) was second; not far away was his brother Mike, also on an ATK 560. Ricky Johnson was third and Warren Reid fourth, Phil Larson held his po ition until lap eight when Johnson thumped on by lO take second, dropping him back to third. And that's the way the first molO ended. Moto two became history by the time the pack reached the first turn as Leehien again roosted into the lead, never to be challenged after that. This time, Larson got second and held onto it for the duration of the molO, followed by Reid, who was engaged in a constant duel with Johnson. With Lechien so (ar out in (ront and Larson holding, this was the hottest racing in the class as Reid managed to successfully hold 0(( the repeated charges of Johnson. The moto finished Lechien, Larson. Reid and Johnson. "The bike was pretty good," commented Lechien afterwards. "This year we got to work on it earlier than before to get it dialed in. They changed the cam on it SO the power wouldn't be so peaky; it's a fun bike lO ride. I really wanted to win this one." "It was a works bike," said Carl Brown of Pro-Tee, regarding Lechien's bike and victory. "There was no way we could compete with it." Brown added that next year's ProTec entry will be more developed; there is also the possibility of having a production-only rule for next year's Four-Stroke Nationals. The 500cc Pros was a closer race, and the only runaway was O'Neal and Turk, as they quickly split (rom the pack to put on their own race. MOlO one was O'Neal all the way as the Husky-mounted rider kept the door closed on Turk from wire-towire. There were a few occasions when it looked as if Turk would get by, but 0' eal was able lO stay out in front to the checkered. Chuck Miller was third. The second round was a different story. 0' eal got the lead again and it looked like things would be a replay qf the first moto. But Turk squeaked by on .the second lap and never looked back. 0' eal tried to repass Turk on every lap, but all he could settle for was second overall. Jones (Hus) worked his way up from .a bad start to finish third for fourth overall; Miller rolled in next to claim third overall. Amateur. While the going may have been rough in the Pros, Jones had a relatively easy time taking both Vet Master rounds. The first lap had Jones in the lead, followed by O'Neal (Hus), Tom White (WB), .and Vet Sportsman Jerry Young(Yam). Young faded fast and was displaced by Keith Petrangelo (CCM), who was followed by Roy Westcott (Hus) and Arnold. At the flag it was Jones, White and O'Neal. Petrangelo - whose decade-old CCM has two shocks, no disc brakes, and not much plastic - maintained his Vet Sportsman lead, while Arnold - on a 1984 XR500R with works forks - passed Westcott to take second. Petrangelo (ollowed 0' eal in fourth overall, first Vet Sportsman, with Arnold second and Westcoll hanging on in third. . Jones repeated his class lead in the second molO to lock up the Vet Masters. O'Neal briefly held onto second, which was taken over by White; Bill Tarling (Hon) then moved into third as O'Neal held (ourth. By the end o( the molO, O'Neal got back into third (for third overall) behind White and .Jones. In the Sportsman, Arnold put his Honda into·the lead, ahead o( Petrangelo. But on the next-to-last lap, Petrangelo got by (or the overall win. Arnold came in next for second overall, with Westcott in again (or third. - Results MINIS: 1. Dave Miller IDMC); 2. Rick Atkins (Hon); 3. Fronk Schel1ini (Hon); 4. Gory Menlnl (Hon); 5. Jeson McForlond (Han). VET SPTSMN: 1. Keith Petrengelo (CCM); 2. Do.id Arnold (Hon); 3. Roy W_con (Husl: 4. Roy Bunon (Hon); 5. Karel Kremer (Hon). VET MASTER: 1. Gory Jo.... (Hus); 2. Tom Whito (WB); 3. Jim O'Neel (Hon); 4. Jody Wei..1(Hus); 5. Bill Terling (Hon). OT SPTSMN: 1. ~ Storley (Hon); 2. l.Mry Seu.. (Honl; 3. Gene Dempsey (Hon); 4. Ron Fry (Yomt 5. Corl Ellen (C-Al. OT MASTER: 1. Ken Sh.ndrow (Hon). 250 JR: 1. De"en Senfon! (Hon); 2. Scott Dempoev(Honl: 3. Chuclt Dem_(Hon);4. Chorl.. Burnett (Hon); 5. Metthew Feirfulll"-). 250 INT; 1. TocfVender Reeclt (Hon); 2. Jooe Gonul"IHon). lSO-20D JR: 1. Fronk Schellini (Hon); 2. Jim Lewis (Hon); 3. Weldon Nomuro (Hon); 4. Stave Hodepp (MM): 5. Bob Symons (Hon). 350 JR: 1. Kevin Crewton! (Honl; 2. Rondy Yerllk (Han); 3. Ste.. Hodepp (MM); 4. Chuck Dempsey (Hon); 5. Glenn Turner (Honl. 350 INT: 1. R _ Sloman fHon). Brehon(Hon); 5OOJR: 1. Mike Nofl(Hon); 2. 3. l.M Dodge (Hon); 4. Rodney Howe (Hon); 5. Metl Persons (Hon). 500 INT: 1. Alon Olson (Hus); 2. Brien Showeker (Hon); 3. Don Welsh (BSA); 4. Keith Petrongelo (Husl; 5. Jody Wei.., (Hus). SIDECARS: 1. Peto Whitney/Scott Whitney (WosplYom); 2. John Polfrymon/ViC1Or Poltrymen (W_); 3. Phil Pe/frymen/Perry Melitz(WosplYom); 4. Bob SChnoor/Rondy Lengeoh (EMLj; 5. Thom Lund/Duone McDo_IIIEMLj. OPEN JR: 1. Jon Nichols (Yom); 2. John Porry (Yom); 3. Abe Boumonn (C-A); 4. Ross Hoecker (Yem); 5. Mike St. John (KTMI, OPEN INT: 1. Alon Berker IC-AI: 2. Morlt Keriyo (C-A); 3. Ken Shondrow (Hon); 4. Lerry Groos (Yom); 5. Dennis Cox (Yom). 250 EX: 1. Rick AIkins (Yom): 2. Keith O'Neol (Hon); 3. Trey McForlond (Yom). 50D PRO: 1. Don Turk IC-A); 2. Keith O'Neol IHusl; 3. Chuck Miller IHon); 4. G.ry Jon.. (Hus); 5. Bob Rutten (Hon). OPEN PRO: 1. Ron Lochien (Honl; 2. Phil Lerson (ATK); 3. Rick Johnson (Yem); 4. We"en ReidlWB); 5. Mike Lerson IATK). er.ig

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