Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

The start of the 125cc Stock Novice class gets tight during a qualifier race. Many pileups occurred in the first ess tum. Kawasaki-mounted Jeff Emig (47) and Yamaha rider Damon Bradshaw battle for the lead in the 10Scc 12-plus class during Saturday's races. Dust wasn't a problem this year at Ponca City, but mud was. Michael Craig pursues Brandon Hopkins (175) and Brent White in the 125cc Stock Intermediate class Saturday. Craig won the moto. claimed the l25cc Modified Novice class win after leading from start to finish in the run-of£. Shipman had two points going into the final, while Jay Wentzel, Todd Neal and Clint Jones all had one. In the run-off, Suzuki pi t Robert Flores powered inlO the Icad but was quickly passed by Shipm nand KTM-moumed Robert clauss, Ryan Hughes, ].c. Krueger a Joe Close. Once imo the lead, Shipman was constamly hounded by Clau and Hughes, but halfway through the race, Hu h began to drop back. Wemzel, eal and Jones had poor starts and were trying lo weave through the pack. Up front, Claus never gave up in his pursuit of hipman, but the Suzuki rider never let up, either. Shipman held on and won the race a few bike lengths ahead of Claus_ Wemzel worked his way up lo fourth, but it wasn't enough lo beat hipman's score of three poims. Second overall wem to Wentzel with five, while Clauss, Leone, and Neal rounded out the lOp five. eal came back to win the l25cc Stock Novice class on his Honda after winning Sunday's final molO. Neal and Jon Garner both wem imo the final race with two poims; Leone, David Beckington, Mike Franklin and Jeff Long had one point apiece. Garner grabbed the holeshot, but Neal lOok over and led the field after the se and lap. After that, Neal broke 100 e and wa never challenged. Garner finished in econd, a long ways ahead of Franklin, Leone and David Curry. Yamaha-moumed Chad Pederson cleaned up in the 83 c Stock Imer......edift ~~E1 ~19s~~~KllWll· saki riders Jay Wagner and Rick Henninger. Pederson had one poim heading into the run-off, as did Henninger. But Henninger could only manage a fourth despite getting a third-place start. Pederson eventually passed early leader Butch Smith and wem on to win the mota and take the overall. Smith ended up taking fourth overall ahead of Kawasaki rider Hank Moree and Daniel Blackham. Pederson also won the Modified division despite coming into the runoff with a six-point deficit. Peder on did what he had lO do and won the final, edging Honda rider Randy Moody by one poim for the overall, 7-8. Kawasaki-mounted Greg Derickon had one poim going into the final but finished sevemh, giving him third overall with eight poims. Jay Wagner and Butch mith finished fourth and fifth. In the 83cc Modified Novice 12plus, Kawasaki rider Don Phillips claimed the title. Phillips, Le ter Drake and Jason Akins all had one point going into the final round but only Phillips could capitalize on the situation by winning the molO. Both Di'ake and Akins had poor finishes in the deciding moto. Drake fini hed 10th, while Akins salvaged a sixth. econd overall went to Edward Kessinger and his Kawasaki who finished second in the molO, beating Matt Brake,' Kennie McGrath and Akins. Brake also competed in the 83cc Stock Novice l2-plu division and emerged with the win. Brake led every lap in the final to wrap up it up, while Phillips finished second (and econd overall) after a evemh-place 1lH'... ~Plll!f~ DOO

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