Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Rick Ryan steals the holeshot at the start of the first 260cc mota. Ryan led for a lap before getting passed by O'Mara. When Hannah realized he had no chance of catching O'Mara, the Suzuki rider backed off a bit, knowing a second place was as almost as good as a first with the second molO being the tie breaker. But Vimond set after Hannah and got close for a couple of laps. Then Hannah clicked it up a notch and started pulling a few bikelengths on Vimond towards the end of the moto. Meanwhile, Rinaldi was having problems with his works Suzuki. "The mOlOrcycle wasn't getting fuel," said Rinaldi. "Maybe there was something in the mainjet or something. I stopped to take the gas tube off, and I lost a lap. After I got going, the muffler broke off, so I just pulled ,out. The track is very technical and difficult, and I don't feel so strong. I like the more hard-packed tracks like we have in Italy. Spectators are crazy here. We have nothing like this in Europe." With a few laps remaining, O'Mara was way out in front, while Hannah had complete control of second after Vimond crashed a few times and decided to pull off the track. A battle for third 'Was in high gear between Kehoe and Liles. In the back section, Liles made his move on Kehoe. "He (Kehoe) got a little out of shape and got off in the real soft dirt, and I was able togo by himon the hardground," said Liles. By the end of the race, Whiting backed of( slightly and dropped of( the pace in sixth. "My bike wasn't handling the way I wanted, so I had to back down a bit." At the finish, it was O'Mara way out in front taking the win, followed by Hannah, Liles, Kehoe, Han~on, Whiting, Denmark's Soren Mortensen. and Finland's Simo Taimi. Nilsson dropped back and finished 13th. "I had a good start," said Nilsson, "then I was going to pass an American rider down the hill. As I was passing him on the outside, he got his leg in my rear wheel and got stuck there. So, I had to wait until he got his foot out." Velkeneers rode his Yamaha to a ninth, while Henk van Mierlo from the Netherlands rounded out the top 10. "The first moto doesn't count," said Hannah. "Why beat your brains? He (O'Mara) better take a good rest. If I'm within to seconds of him and in the clear during the second molO, he's going to have 10 ride much harder this time." "I got away quick," said O'Mara, "by the time everyone settled in, I was gone. That's the best way to do it, and that's whatTm going to try and do again in the next moto. I feel I have a lot left over, and I'll be really strong for the next mota." Both riders started much further to the inside on the starting gate in the second moto. As the pack rounded the first turn in the deciding moto, it was O'Mara in the lead with Hannah fourth. Sandwiched in between were Whiting and Vimond. A third-turn pile-up took out a number of riders, including Rinaldi and Yamaha rider Mark Murphy, who also crashed early in the fi rst moto and finished 11th. During the first lap, Whiting went down when his from wheel got crossed up in a deep, muddy groove, pitching the Suzuki rider over the bars. Kehoe, who was running fifth, said he ne.arly ran into Whiting as he scurried back 10 his downed bike. Meanwhile, Hannah had taken over second after Vimond bailed hard. A spectator had thrown a smoke bomb onto the track as the pack came a~ round on the first lap. Vimond charged from his usual inside line to avoid the blinding smoke bomb and hit a bump and went· down. He recovered near the end ohhe pack, buta few laps later, Vimond endoed going up a . hill, then decided to call it quits. Up front, the stage was set between O'Mara and Hannah. Hannah reeled tn O'Mara and began pressuring the Honda rider hard. By the third lap, O'Mara and Hannah vanished from sighton a drop-off jump, and as they crested the hill back into view, it was Hannah in the lead, doing a onehander of[ the jump. The spectators loved itand cheered Hannah on. "We were getting down to some serious racin'," said O'Mara. "I admit, maybe I did let him by, but I didn't feel like taking the pressure that early in the race. " The battle between Hannah and O'Mara was fierce, as Liles tried to keep the two leaders in sight. Liles did stay close for a number of laps before backin'gofL "In the beginning- Priwlteer Billy Ules rode aggressively and. wound up second overall. He finished third in the first mota and second in the next. I was catching them," said Liles. "I was riding as hard as I could, and I was using a lot of energy, taking a lot of bad lines and trying 10 make up that time. About the 30-minute mark, I kind of ran out of gas and decided to take a deep breath and ride my own race. " After Liles followed Kehoe, Belgium's Jo Martens, Nilsson, Cagivamounted Whatley, Monensen (Yamaha), Velkeneers (Yamaha) and Taimi (Husky). Butall eyes were fixed on the battle up front between Hannah and O'Mara. At times, Hannah would pull away from O'Mara, but the "O'Show" would reel the Suzuki rider back in. This dogfight raged on for many laps, until O'Mara finaJly made his move and dove to the inside of Hannah in a turn and started pulling away. Hannah, noticeably making more mistakes, couldn't keep up with O'Mara's quick pace. "He didn't pass me because I was tired," said Hannah. "He passed me because .he went faster." With four laps to go, O'Mara had a 9.5-second lead over the Hurricane, while Nilsson had worked his way up to fourth. Kehoe, beginning 10 tire, fell back to the number seven position, making the top six O'Mara, Hannah, Liles, Nilsson, Martens and Whatley. On the final lap, O'Mara looked to have things all wrapped up for his second straight Unadilla GP win. But it didn't happen. O'Mara rolled to a stop, his gas tank empty. Hannah took the checkered flag not knowing he had won. Liles came around in second, followed by Nilsson, Mertens, WhaLley, Velkeneers, Kehoe, Mortensen, Taimi, Colin Dugmore and Michele FantoTt. "To win it like that," said Hannah, "I've never been pleased. I'd almost rather lose, because at least I can hold my head up losing. This doesn't impress me; he beat me like this last year, and that didn't impress me. Last year I should've beat him; this year, he should've beat me. We just traded. "He rode me into the ground," Hannah continued. "I came here the best I could come. After he passed me, he rode real good for a couple of laps. One-lap, I lerhim go and gar back 100 far. It freaked me out a little bit. I thought, 'Man, why let him get so far ahead! I got to get back that time.' But I couldn't. I worked from 20-30 minutes, then I started to miss a couple of gears and beat myself up a little bit. I decided to hold my own. "When he was behind me," said Hannah, "O'Mara knew my lines. I wasn't making any mistakes, but when he passed me, I figured there was a reason. He had some better lines, so I followed him. I started riding his lines, but that was stupid, because I started making mistakes. I should've just picked up the pace on my own lines, because I knew what I was doing. "I had 50% of the track on him," said Hannah, "but that means he had 50% of the track on me. I think he just ti'red me out. I don't know if I'm in as good shape as I could be, but I came here good, the bike was good, and I had no ailments. My ;rnkles never tweaked once, my knees never tweaked - I thought for sure something would go wrong. Nothing did go wrong, except thai O'Mara just outrode this oldman. When O'Mara ran out of gas, "I just thought it wa's all over," said O'Mara. "Some races you use more gas than others. It depends on how you use the throttle. It might've been from chasing Bob. I did my best, and it's just real disappointing." • Results 250: 1.:...~ ~~nah (Suz) ~ 1; 2. Bil!y UIe!.(K!W) _::_ 3-2; 3. Erik Kehoe (Suzj3-7; 4. Jorgen Hiluon (Suz) 9-3; 5. Marc Velken..r. (VamI9-6; 6. Jo Maneno (HIlS) 12-4; 7. Soren Monensen (Yam) 7-8; 8. Simo Taimi (HIlS) 8-9: 9. Tom Carson (Hon) 14-13; 10. Johnny O'Mara (Hon) 1-0NF; 11. Jeremy Whately (CagI24-5; 12. Pater Hansson (Hus) 5-25; 13. A.J. Whiting (Suz) 6-19; 14. Colin Dugmore (Mai) 21. 10; 15. Henk Y1In Mierlo (HonllQ-24; 16. Michele Fsn'on (Yam) 23-11; 17. Mark Murphy (Yam) 11-' 20; 18. Arno Drechsel (KTM) 19. Michele Rinaldi (Suz) 22-14; 20. Fred Verherotraeten. POINT STANDINGS: 1. Jacky Vimond (304); 2. Michele Rinaldi (222); 3. Jeremy Whately (161); 4. Ger' Jan van Doorn (1481; 5. Pater Hansson (1441; 6. Michele Fan'on (1371; 7. Jo Manens (130); 8. Jorgen Nilsson (1231; 9. Kun ljungqviOl(115); 10. Anders Erikkson (921. 500 SUPPORT: 1. Mickey Kes.ler (Kaw); 2. Andy Stacy (Honl; 3. Kurt McMillen (Hon); 4. David Mcl.an (Hon); 5. Raben Haye. (Kaw); 6. Dan Grahn (Hon): 7. Man levy (Hon); 8. Ste""n Brown (Han); 9. David Pacquene (Yam); 10. Bruce Zimmerman (Honl; 11. Michael Robinson (Hon); 12. Frank Calandra (Hon); 13. John Driscoll (Vam); 14. Mark Costa (Kawl; 15. Kenneth 81izard (Vaml; 16. Douglas S'ephen. (Hon); 17. Roger Durno (Hon); 18. Jeff 8eli""au (Hon); 19. Rick Johnson (Han): 20. Jerry Harris (Husl. 9

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