Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Yamaha support rider Eric Eaton (44) takes the holeshot in the 500cc c lass just ahead of Kawasaki's Billy Liles (7) and David Bailey (hidden beh ind Eaton). Bailey went on to w in both motos; Broc Glover, who clinched the 500cc National Championship two weeks ago, didn't race . Cooper following h im o ff th e lin e an d through th e first lap. " My strategy wa s to ge t a good sta n a nd stay clean, " sa id Lech ien . '" h ad felt real good here o n press da y o n T hursday , a nd things were going well a fter th e ' sta n. I reall y p u t a good cha rge o n in the first fo ur or five laps o f the race , th en got a good pace going." Lech ien was chargi ng in the early la ps, and after lap five h e h ad a full eigh t-seco nd lead over the seco n dp lace dice involvi ng H oll a nd a n d Rya n. A few seco nds behind R yan ca me Suzuki's A.j. Wh it in g wi th Keith Bowen in close tow . while Cooper was in a hea ted debate over sixt h wi th Kawasa ki Team Green's Eddie Wa rren . With a clear track a head of h im , Lechien method icall y increased hi s leading margi n over a seco nd per la p th rough th e l Sth ci rcui t of th e 16-lap race, push ing out to a maxim um o f 18 seconds ahead of Ho lland. " O nce I was far en o ug h a hea d, I j ust put it into cruise a nd went home," sa id Lechien. Beh ind him. H o lla n d was in a lone second whi le R ya n was under at tack fro m Bowen . O n lap 14. Bowen swept past R yan a n d bega n to close in on Holla nd . whi le Whiting was fifth ahead o f Warren . Lech ien back ed o ff cons ide ra bly in the final two laps a nd posted th e win - by five seco nd s - ove r Holland. Bo wen closed quickly on Holland in the final lap, but fell th ree seco nds short and took second, whi le fourth fell to Ryan over Wh it in g and Warren. Er ik Keh oe th ro trled h is way up to a seventh- place fin ish a ler co m ing o ff the start near mid-pack. " Whe n ' ge t a good h ol esh ot like th a t, ' can a fford 10 ta per orr a bit in the fina l lap s," sai d Lec hi en. " I wa sn 't going very fast to ward th e en d." M OI O two wa s much the sa me for Lech ien; he cli cked for a nothe r holeshot an d left th e pa ck beh ind in a rnot o wh ere he would ea rn th e h andful of points h e needed to cl inc h th e championship. " Yo u n ever kn ow wh a t m igh t happen ," sai d Lech ien . '" ha ve to ride th ese l2 5s so ha rd th at it seem s li ke th ey'r e go ing to co me apart a t a ny seco nd. I wa s just pra ying that noth in g went wrong." Lech ien had bu ilt a seven -seco nd cus h io n o ver secon d -p lace R ya n , Warren , Race T ech 's Bill y Frank , Bo wen , Keh oe a nd H olland by the nd o f th e th ird lap , a nd was well on is wa y 10 the cro wn. By la p 10, th e rder behind Le chien - wh o was 12 econds gone - h ad cha nged co ns id rabl y. Keh oe had man euvered hi s -ay into seco nd , brin ging Bow en nd H o llan d a lo ng with him, while Varren wa s fift h over R va n and \'hit ing. . .;) J, I, ,, . l l l l r 11 . ') '1.1 1 JI S On la p 14, Bowen fin all y p ut Keh oe to res t and secu red seco nd. wh ile H o lland began 10 kn ock o n th e rear fender o f teamm at e Keh oe. Agai n, Lech ien ha d a fortress of nearl y 20 secon ds o ver runner-up Bow en as -h e took th e wh ite flag . " I knew I wa s so cl ose," sa id Lech ien . "All I had to do wa s mak e one more lap!" Not 10 worry; Lech ien clicked orr th e final lap for the win as well as h is first titl e. while Bowen took second over H o ll an d , Keh o e , Whiti ng, Warren. Cooper a nd R yan. Lech ien was gree ted by h is tuner, Chri s Ha in es, who gave h im a bear h u g moments after h e crossed the line. " Win n ing th e cham pions hi p feels great." sa id Lec h ien, "and h opefull y we can make it two at th e Pasad ena Supercross nex t wee kend ; wi n ni ng th e second one (the su percross title) will be even better. That 's wha t were go in g to work o n now. I lost out to J ohnson for th e 250cc titl e last yea r, a nd this makes up for it." 600cc Eric Eaton a n d Savage Raci n g 's J o Jo Keller cres ted the h ill at th e end o f th e starting str aigh taway ru n n in g a tight 1-2 a head of Kawasaki 's Bill y Li les, S&:S Sp ro ck et s/Scott U SAbac ked T odd Harrell , Da vid Ba iley and Honda Suppon rider Mike Fisher. Yamaha rider Eaton ga ve in to p ressure from Kell er (who was riding a Honda C R500 R eq u ip ped with th e Boyesen -Lin k rea r sus pe ns io n ) midwa y through th e seco nd lap. the n Kell er proceeded to ru n away from the rest of th e field . By th e en d of the fifth lap, Kell er wa s a fu ll 10 seco nds in fro n t of Liles and Eaton , while Ba iley was m aki ng strides toward Eaton from founh. "My (left) wrist is feeling pretty good," said Ba iley. " I ha ve it wrapped in a steel- lined bandage wh ich limits th e movem ent somewhat; a fter a wh ile o n th e track , it doesn 't bo th er me." Bailey injured th e wri st at th e Buch a na n (Michiga n) National in Jul y. Alan Kin g was u p to fifth beh ind Ba iley a nd a hea d o f Harrell , Fisher a nd Husq var n a 's Andy Stacy by th e end o f la p si x. " We put a new shock o n th e Kaw a saki an d the spring was way 10 0 so ft." sai d King, " bu t I sta rted 10 work m y way 10 th e fron t." On lap eig h t, Kelle r began 10 lose som e o f hi s lead 10 Lil es, wi th Bai ley up 10 th ird a h ead of Eat on , Kin g , Ha rrell a n d Fish er. " I had a fla t fro nt tire, " sai d Keller , "and as anyo ne w ho has ever had a fro nt flat can tell vou, th e hi ke is a handfu l to steer." . Lil es was passed by Bail ey on la p 10. a nd Ba iley set out a fter lead er Kell er. " I co uld see Kell er wa s ma kin g a few littl e m ista kes," said Bai ley, I '1 ( .\ , • J ) ~ « ,~ C j ~ ; t ..; I J I t . " J "an d it took m e a few la ps 10 catch h im . I fin all y got by h im (o n lap 12) a nd th ought, well , th at 's th at . Then abou t three co rners la ter, he go t by me again; th at su rprised m e a lo t. I kn ew he was serious. " Kell er led laps 13 a nd 14 with Ba iley ha ngi ng o n ly a bikelength or two beh ind, a nd with two la ps left to go, Ba il ey go t by for good. " I j ust had 10 wa it fo r a m istake." said Ba iley. " an d Kell er went wide in a tu rn and I got h im. " Kell er took a n excu rsion into the trees on the final lap, and with tree li mbs hanging over h is bik e, remounted for a n " ea sy" seco n d over King . L iles. Ea ton. Fish er a nd Stacy . H arrell ca me in for 18th a fter stoppi ng 10 fix a dera iled chai n . which came orr af ter a ro ck had beco me wedged in bet ween th e sprocket and chain. Eaton an d Kell er agai n hol eshot th e field in the second mota. with H arrell . Liles, King , Bailey a n d Stacy following th em aft er th e first lap. The lead fell into the la p of Kell er on lap th ree. wh ile Ea ton was left 10 scrap over second with L iles. Later in th e lap. Li les was o n the sideli nes. " I ca me u p with a case of food poison ing a few days befor e th e rac e, " said Liles, "an d was still feeling p retty weak. I was OK a s long as I kept th e bike upright. but wh en I fell it just took too much out of me wh en I h ad to p ick it up. I co uldn' t go on." On la p four. Ea ton ca me out of th e back sectio n of th e tra ck wi th the lead over King an d Bailey. wh ile Kell er was forced to pi t for repa ir s. " Yo u can't win 'em whe n you can 't keep ai r in the tir es," sai d Kell er. wh o had stopped to swap the rear wheel for a fresh on e whe n the tire had gone flat. Keller re-e ntered the rac e n ea rl v a full lap down , then lat er sustained yet a nothe r flat tir e a nd dropped out o f th e race. " I reall y th oug h t th is was goi ng to be m y da y," cont in ued Keller, "an d I was go ne in both mOlOS. It 's a rea 1 h eart break er. " On th e eigh th lap. Kin g scooted past Eat on for th e lead, wi th Ba iley p assin g Ea to n o n the followin g lap. Eaton seu led into a di stant third ahead of Stacy . a nd th e two would ho ld th eir posit ion s until th e fin ish. Kin g an d Bai ley. h ow ever , went a t it until th e very end . " I wa s still a lill ie o u t o f practi ce si nce I hadn 't seen a gat e drop in five weeks," sai d Ba iley, " bu t I managed 10 pa ss Kin g (two la ps from th e end) and won it. T here wasn 't a wh ol e lo t o f incentive 10 do well since the cha m p io ns h ip has a lready go ne to Bro c (G lo ver). " Kin g was o n ly three seconds beh ind winner Ba ilev a t the fini sh, wi th Eaton third ahead of S1tan', ( YaJl}a ha U c . P,t 0lrl 'j S • ry-IarL-" ) J i 1 c t, J I rP J ( e,i A heavily bandaged left wrist didn't slow Bailey down. Murphy a n d Ha rrell . " We cra n ked th e shock prel oad up all th e way for th e seco n d moro," sa id King. " a nd th e bik e worked a lot better. I h ad trou ble wi th la pped riders n ear the en d; th ey wo uld p u ll over right away whe n the y sa w the nu m ber o n e p lat e of Ba iley's, but I h ad to work 10 get aroun d th em ." • Results 25OC 1. Bob Hannah (Honl 1-2: 2. Johnny c: O'Mara (Honl 3-1 ; 3. Rick Johns on (Yaml 2-3; 4. Jeff Ward (Kaw ) 5-4; 5. Dlnny Storbeck (ylml 4- 6; 6. Goat Breker (Kaw) 6-5 ; 7. Briln Myerscough (Suz) B-7; B. St ove Burdltte (Ylm) 9- 1D; 9. Jim Holley(YamI1 2-B; 10. Scootlr Stafford (Yam) 11-9; 11 . Tom Carson (Honll0-13; 12. J eff Hicks (Honl 13-1 1; 13.John Shav (Vlm) 16- 12; 14.Jim Kapitan (Hon) 14-14 ; 15. Alley Semlr (ylmI7·D NF; 16. Don W ipf (Ylm) 15- 15; 17. Mane Safreed (Yl m) 23 -16; 1 Chuck Partr idge (Hon) 20-17; 19. Tony Duboski (Hon) 17- DNF; 20. Jon Ort nl r (Ylm) DNF· l 0. 250Cc POINT STAN DINGS: 1. Jeff Wlrd (40 1t. 2. m El Rick Joh nson/John ny O'M lrl (381t 4. Bob Hlnnah (3391 5. Br il n Mylrscoug h (2371; 6. Jim ; Holl ey (2361 7. Jeff Hicks (2 16t. B. Dlnnv Storbeck ; (2 10); 9 . Steve Burd ett e (151); 10. Scon Bur nworth (147). 125cc: 1. Ron Lachien (Hon) 1-1; 2. Keith Bowen (VI m) 3-2; 3. George Holll nd (Suz) 2-3: 4. Erik Kehoe (SuzI7 -4; 5. A.J. W hiting (Suz) 5·5 ; 6. Rick Ryan (Kaw14-B; 7. Eddil Warr en (Kaw) 6·6; B. Guy Cooper lHon ) 9-7; 9. Billy FrI nk (KIwI 10- 9; 10. Larry Brooks IHonll1 -10; 11 . Clay Hoenshe lllSuz) 12 -11 ; 12. M ike Beier (Ylm) 14-1 3; 13. Bobby Moore (SuzI 15- 14; 14. Doug Dublch (KIwI B-DNF; 15 . DIve Wllk (17 ·15); 16. Jeff Frisz (Hon) DNF1 2; 17. J eft S u rw a ll (KI wI 13 ·DNF; 18. J eff a Schumacher (Yam) 18·17; 19. Kevin Moore (Hon) 24 ·1 6; 20 . 8r uce GIllS(Hon) 16· DNF. 1250c POINT STAN DINGS; 1. Ron lechiln (417); 2. Erik Kehoe (336); 3. GeorgI Holl lnd (32B); 4 . Keith Bow en 1250); 5. A.J. Whi ti ng (238); 6. Rick Ryln (237); 7. Eddie Wlrren (22 1); 8. Guy Cooper (2091 9. Larr y Brooks (l B7); 10. Mlrk Barn ett (183). ; 500cc: 1. David Bailey (Ho n) t , 1; 2 . Ala n King (Klw ) 3 -2; 3. Eric Eaton (VIm) 5·3 ; 4. Andy Stacy (Hus) 7 -4; 5. Mi ke Fishl r (Hon) 6-7; 6. Mark Murphy (VIm) 9-5 ; 7. Mike Harnden (Hon) 10· B; B. Scott Manning IVlm) B-l 0; 9. Jo Jo Keller (Hon) 2-DNF; 10. Dave M cLean (Hon) 11- ' 1; 11. Kevin Fol ey (VI m) 14-9; 12. Todd Harrell (Hon)l B-6; 13. Billy Liles (Kaw) 4 · DNF; 14. Gene Gent sch (Hon) t 5- 14; 15 . Gl ry Bronikows kilHon) 17-13; 16. Terry Hobbs (Hon) 19-1 2; 17. Ron Dontee (Hon) 12-1 9; l B. Sha ne Drew (Hon); 19. Greg Zin erkopf (Hon) 13 · DNF; 20. Dave HInd (Hon) 22-1 5. 500cc POINT STANDINGS ; 1. Broc Glover (37 9); 2. David Bail ey (3 14); 3. Eric Elton 1 233 }: 4. Jo Jo Keller (206 ); 5 . Sco tt Mannin g (19 7): 6. M ike Fisher 11951; 7. Mlrk Mu rphy (190); B. Billy U les (l BB); 9 . K~i !, [ol'\Y P;7~~ t o. jl~~, l;lof\ja, Ill?) ~ , ) I ; 1)z , -

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