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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126924
Jeff Leisk (above) leads Kehoe early in the second 125cc moto. leisk finished third overall. Micky Dymond (below) clinched the 125cc National Championship with a 3-4 tally. The gate dropped for the stan of the second moto, and it was Ward who grabbed the important holeshot, while johnson was second. Yamaha rider jere Stanton - riding his firstever Professional race - claimed third off the stan, ahead of Bailey and Lechien. A few turns later, johnson dropped his Honda in a tum when the bike kicked badly over a bump, Jeuing Bailey and Stanton by. Keller and Liles followed. Aftera few laps, Ward had the clear vision advantage and began pulling away, while Bailey had a few seconds on Lechien, closely followed by Johnson, who had passed Stanton. On the fourth lap, johnson came around far back of Lechien and his chances for a third-straight championship title was bleak. "Right before the triples," said johnson, "I hit Randy Rodriguez. He fell down in a turn, and I hit his bike. It wasn't really his fault, hejust laid it over, and I hooked his back tire with my footpeg. It threw me over the bars." After losing a lot of ground, and having to contend with the blinding, choking dust, johnson had no chance at making a comeback. All johnson could hope for now was Bailey falling- or breaking- down. But Bailey knew the score as Lechien closed in on him. Late in the race, Lechien forced his way by Bailey for second and pulled away. "I wall ted to stay ahead of him," said Bailey, "because I didn't want to. tan racing too cautiously; that's when you stan making mistakes. But Ronnie was all over me, and I was riding worse and worse. He finally passed me on the uphill, and I just let him go." Bailey knew he had the championship in the bag as long as he stayed ahead of johnson. With a few laps remaining, Ward was 15 seconds ahead of Lechien, then followed Bailey, who was 21 seconds ahead of johnson. King was holding his own in fifth ahead of Stanton, Murphy and O'Mara. On the lastla,p, Bailey's pit board summed everything up, "500 Champ." Ward took the win for the overall, while Lechien finished in second ahead of Bailey and johnson. Despite finishing third overall to johnson's second, Bailey had taken the championship, six points ahead of his teammate, 273-267. "I guess I made that seven-foot putt," said Bailey. "It kind of teetered on the edge there, butl made it. I gave it everything-this year, and it's nice to be rewarded like this." johnson was angry after the race. "I don't like losing the championship in conditions like this," he said. "The dust was terrible. I would've liked LO race, but, hey, that's the way it goes: I'm not happy with what happened here, and I'm not content either, but I guess I have to live with i l. " 125cc National Dymond went into today's final round with a comfonable 46-point lead over Suzuki's George Holland, so Dymond preuy much had to just finish the first moLO and the title would be his. Dymond was quiet before the race and spent a lot of time siuing alone in his Team Honda box van. '" was a lillie nervous," said Dymond, "and I had a stomachache for the. past couple of days." While Dymond was taking it easy, contending with the pressure, Suzuki's Kehoe was having acupuncture therapy performed on his left thumb. Kehoe had crashed while practicing on Friday and injured his thumb. He could barely hold onto the handlebars in practice and was desperate. The treatment seemed to work, as he captured the holeshot at the stan of the first l25cc moto. In close pursuit of Kehoe was Innovation Spons' Doug Duhach, Yamaha suppon rider Brian Myerscough and Honda's Larry Brooks and jeff Leisk. Kehoe immediately jumped out to a huge lead, while Myerscough challenged Dubach. By the third lap, Myerscough and his Jim Andersontuned, Answer Products Yamaha had taken over second and staned to creep up on Kehoe. Leisk crashed on the second lap and dropped to ninth, while Dymond staned pressuring Randy Mamola Racing-sponsored Ricky Ryan (Kawasaki) for fifth. Myerscough slightly gained on Kehoe to within seven seconds, but that was about all. Kehoe was on the gas and riding smoothly, then opened up the gap even funher on Myerscough. By the eighth lap, Dubach had dropped hack to fifth after leuing Dymond and Brooks by. Kawasaki's Eddie Warren had moved up to sixth, ahead of Ryan, Team Green's Tyson Vohland and Holland. Yamaha's Keith Bowen was mid pack and was having problems geuing through trareic in the dust. Late in the race, Kehoe had built up a 1~-seco'n'd cushiOll 'ovM Myerscough, who held a five-second lead over Dymond. Brooks was founh and being heavily chased by Warren, while Holland and Leisk diced over sixth. With two laps to go, Leisk finally found the hot line around Holland. At the finish, it was Kehoe way out in fran 4 followed by Myerscough, Dymond, Brooks, Warren and Leisk. During the final lap, Bowen snuck . up and slipped past Holland for seventh. Dymond's third place in the first moto was more than enough to clinch the title. "It's nice not having the pressure anymore," said Dymond. "I put a lot of pressure on myself. thinking about the championship constantly. " The second moto saw Leisk jam into the early lead ahead of Kehoe, Warren, Ryan, Holland, Bowen and Stacy Cook. Dymond was ninth; Myerscough 12th. Leisk and Kehoe pulled away from the pack, and on the fourth lap, Kehoe motored past the Australian and into the lead. Once into the top spot, Kehoe easily ran away from the pack. The severe dust conditions instantly spread out the field. Bowen eventually crashed and dropped to midpack. Warren held firm control of third, ahead of Holland and Ryan. Both Dymond and Myerscough were on the move as they worked their way through the dust and around riders. Dymond motored his Honda into founh, while Myerscough worked his way up LO sixth. In between was Holland. This order remained the same for the rest of the race. The top eight riders were very spread out, with Kehoe taking the win on his Suzuki, ahead of Leisk, Warren, Dymond, Holland, Myerscough and Brooks. Dymond finished second overall, while third went LO Warren. Founh overall via a 2-6 was Myerscough. By winning both motos, Kehoe earned enough points to pass his teammate Holland in the points standing, finishing second. Dymond ended up with 437 points to Kehoe's and Hoiland's 385 and 382 points. Dymond's championship vic.tory means that Honda has swept every AMA National Motocross and Supercross Championship in 1986. It's the first time a manufacturer has swept all four titles since Yamaha did it back in 1978. '" would've liked to have won today's race," said Dymond, "but the dust was too bad. I'd like to thank my mechanic Chris Haines, Roger DeCoster, Malcolm Smith Products, Arai Helmets and Bevo Forte of Scou Goggles for all their help and support." • Results 125: 1. Erik Kehoe (Suz) 1·1; 2. Micky Dymond (Hon) 3-4; 3. Jeff tei"" (Hon) 6-2; 4. Brian Myerscough (Vam) 2-6; 5. Eddie Warren (Kaw) 5-3; 6. larry Broolts (Hon) 4-8; 7. George Holland (Suz) 8-5; 8. Riel< Ryan (Kawl 11-7; 9. Tyson Vohland (Kaw) 10-9; 10. Guy Cooper (Hon) 9-11; 11. Keith Bowan (Vam) 7-15; 12. Willie Surran(Hon) 13-12; 13. Ronnie Tichenor (Kaw) 14-13; 14. Donny Schmit (Kaw) 29-10; 15. Bader Manneh (Vam) 12-15; 16. Steve Oster (Yam) 20-14; 17. Eddie Hicks (Vam) 8-17; 18. lowell Thomson (Kaw) 15-20; 19. Stacey Cook (Hon) 23-16; 20. Keith Turpin (Hon) 16-40. 500: 1. Jeff Ward (Kaw) 3-1; 2. Riel< Johnson (Hon) 1-4; 3. David Bailey (Hon) 2-3; 4. Ron Lochien (Kaw) 4-2; 5. Johnny O'Mara (Hon) 6-7; 6. Billy liles (Kaw)5-8; 7. Jeff Stanton (Vam) 10-6; 8. JoJo Keller (Vam) 9-9; 9. Jim Holley (Vam) 7-11; 10. Mark Murphy IVami 8-14; 11. Alley Semar (Vam) 12-12; 12. Alan King (Kaw) 36-5; 13. Kurt McMillen (Hon) 17-10; 14. Clay Hoenshell (Hon) 16-13;,15. Dennis Hawthorne (Kaw) 15-15; 16. Greg ZinerkopflHon) 13-17; 17. Tim Coombs (Hon) 11-34; 18. 8illy Frank (Vaml 14-35; 19. Robert Hansen (Hon) 28-16; 20. Willy Simons (HonI18-30. FINAL POINT STANDINGS 125: 1. Micky Dymond (4371; 2. Erik Kehoe 13851; 3. George Holland 1382); 4. Keith Bowen (3371; 5. Guy Cooper (2581; 6. larry Brooks 1250); 7. Eddie Warren (245): 8. Rick Ryan (2431: 9. Jeff Leisk (2321; 10. Tyson Vohland 1229). 500: 1. David Bailey (273); 2. Rick Johnson (267); 3. Jeff Ward (228); 4. Johnny O'Mara (194); 5. Ron Lechien 1189); 6. Alan King 1151); 7. Billy liles (144); 8. Jim Holley(118); 9. DannyStorbeck(114); 10. Marlt Murphy (103).