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(Above) Rick Johnson continued his domination of the 250cc class at Southwick. (Below) Eventual 125cc winner Keith Bowen (9) chases second-place finisher Ricky Ryan (20). Team Honda's Johnny O'Mara wound up second 250cc rider overall, middle of a Honda sweep. AMA National Championship MX Series: Round 3 Johnson, Bowen tops at Southwick By Tom MueUer Photos by Henny Ray Abrams & Mueller SOUTHWICK, MA, MAY 18 Honda's Rick Johnson and Yamaha's Keith Bowen took top honors in the 250cc and 125cc classes, respectively, when National MX racing returned to MX 338 at Southwick. Johnson, the win marked another perfect 1-1 day, bringing his record to six moto wins in six tries this season. Bowen's FOT 10 victory was his first in National caliber competition, and it also boosted him to first in the J25cc National MX standings with three of II rounds ompleted. . A National MX was last hosted by MX 338 in 1982. Now, after a threeyear hiatus, America's LOp competiLOrs returned LO race a t one of the finest tracks on thecircwl. Abundant watering by track personnel kept racing dust-free. The sandy course became more demanding as the day progressed, and with high temperatures and humidity onJy the most physically conditioned riders could stay out front. "There are two main lines on the big uphill that work," said Johnson after practice, regarding some elevated terrain in the back section. "I learned preuy quick that if you get off LO the sides, you might as well be riding on water; there's just no traction if you start riding in the wrong places." A lively, large New England crowd turned out to enjoy a sunny day of racing. MX 338 chairman Ray Peebles estimated auendance at 10,000, a figure justified by throngs of fans who jammed fences and bleachers. ·25Occ National Honda's Johnny O'Mara found traction on Southwick's unique cement start pad and rounded the wide right-hand firstLUm in the lead. Johnson was a close second, with Joey Schlag and Dennis Hawthorne in third and fourth. Alan King and Yamaha's Danny Storbeck were left behind in a first-tum tangle. By lap two it was Johnson's race. RJ had forged a path past O'Mara and quickly created a two-second lead. Behind O'Mara was Hawthorne, Schlag, Kawasaki's Jeff Ward, and Honda's David Bailey. On lap three things started to happen: Eric Eaton and four other rides wiped out domino-style through a sharp right·hand turn. Then the roar of the crowd turned everyone's auention to Bob Hannah, who was making his return to racing since recovering from a broken collarbone. Hannah, who started out of the LOp 10, was carving his way through the field, riding his Suzuki LO the limits on whatever line would hold the bike. At the halfway point in the 30minute plus two-lap moLO it was Johnson leading 0' Mara, then a shon gap to Bailey and Hannah. Haw- thorne, Kawasaki's Ron Lechien, Billy Liles, Yamaha's Jim Holley and Ward were running in the 5-9 slots. Johnson's strength and abilities were apparent during the closing stages of the race as he increased his lead LO 12 seconds over O'Mara. Bailey increased his efforts and, at the 26-minute mark in the race, set up LO the inside and passed O'Mara for second. Johnson, Bailey, O'Mara and Hannah broke free of the pack, with th front running group holding a 34second lead on fifth place Liles. Ward was close behind in sixth, with Lechien seventh, off the pace after falling in a downhill right-hand turn. Holley was circumventing in eighth. The positions remained the same LO the finish, with the exception of Ward. With about a quarter lap remaining, Ward's Kawasaki ranoutof gas, leaving him struggling with a powerless bike just shon of the check-I ered flag. "There were a few times I was out of control, going fast over some jumps, but I put it all together for the win," said Johnson. "The only real problem I had was taking stupid lines on the last two laps. It's about 2O-percent easier riding this track if you stay in the right lines." "The bikes are good, but you can't say it was the Hondas that made us ride like that," said Bailey regarding the 1-2-3 Honda sweep. "Rick, Johnny and I make the Hondas go fast. It was twice as rough out there as it was in practice, and you just plain have t know how to ride." Bailey's second-place finish didn' come without setbacks: "I got insid of Ward and got by early in the race. After I passed I crested a hill and bike was laying in the track right i from of me! ] wheeliedover the bike' handlebars and almost got pitched. was just glad] didn't get thrown int Ward." All o[ the top riders were showin the effects of the heaL Most were stay ing in the shade, drinking fluids an conserving their energy for the fina moLO.