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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126928
.... v ..0 o ...., u o Honda-mounted Rick Ryan dives to the inside at the start of the 500cc moto at Sandhill Ranch. Ryan finished fourth overall in the 500cc class and dominated the 125s with the victory. Defending 500cc Trans-Cal Champion Willy Simons made his first appearance of the series and went home with the win. CMC/Dodge Dakota Trans-Cal Motocross Series: Round 2 Simons, Stanton, Ryan: True grit at Sandhill By Karel Kramer/Dirt Rider Photos by Marv Adams and Kramer BRENTWOOD, CA, SEPT. l3-14 After starring at the opening round of TransCal in Adelanto (California), Jeff Stanton, Tommy Watts and Jeff Leisk blew into Sandhill determined to remain the stars of the 20 series. Stars circling their helmets in the second moto of the 250cc I Pro class, however, cost Leisk and Watts their star status for the day. After winning the first moto of both the 250cc and Open Pro classes, Watts and his EP Performs Kawasakis eemed to have both the larger classes firmly in hand until he bailed hard on a fast downhill section of the rough and abnormally dry course. Stanton wasn't exactly handed th.e the 250cc class win, though. The Yamaha rider showed he had the speed by corning out of the pack to hound Watts on the final lap of the first mota. Leisk was a factor in the first 250cc moto and rode "'(ell in the second, but a era h at the tart of the second mota cost him a chance at the win. Honda/ AXO/ Arai- ponsored Trans-Cal champ Willy imons returned from racing in Italy the weekend of the opener to how Watts and Stanton there was another Open Pro class star to be counted. Many of the Trans-Cal competitors opted to race two classes, but Simons chose to concentrate on defending his 1985 TransCal title and raced only in the Open class; that strategy paid off because he had the strength when it counted. He pulled away slightly fTOm Stanton at the end of the second mota to win the moto and take the overall. Ryan's system of success was modeled after the shotgun theory: Enter three classes and ride every moto in sight. He won tile 125cc class with a 4-1 score over fellow northern California Kawasaki rider Tyson VohIand. Paul Winn continued his win treak in the 80cc Expert class and world famous holeshot artist Gary Semics won the Vet Pro class over Billy Grossi. Doug Dubach (Yamaha/O'Neal) took the holeshot in the first 125cc class mota, but ended the first lap after a erash smeared with mud and driving from the rear of the pack. After the pack settled in, Vohland held the lead over Bader Manneh (Yamaha/Hallman), Honda-mounted Larry Brooks and Fox Racing's Kyle Lewis. Randy Mamola/FoxlTuf-sponsored Ryan's drive through the pack closed the first few riders in on Vohland. Ryan moved up as far as second in a Ryan/Manneh/Brooks battle, but Ryan miscued somewhere on the course. The mota ended with Manneh second, Brooks third and Ryan fourth. Ryan led the second moto from start to finish ahead of some of the best racing of the day. Vohland, Manneb, Bryan Bruner, Brooks and Willie Surratt followed for the first lap. Bruner swapped out on a rough straight for the first change in the leaders, then Manneh and Brooks both passed Vohland. Brooks pushed Manneh over a berm at the bottom of the downhill to capture second for a short time. Dubach moved up one position a lap, finally taking third place. When Brooks went down in a turn. Dubach had second, Surratt third and Brooks fourth until the finish. The racing stayed close to the finish with Vohland finally repassing Manneh for fifth. Watts was magic in the first 250cc Pro mota, as he turned a holeshot into a wire-to-wire win. His trick was to fend off the attack of Billy Frank (Yamaha/Gear) in the early laps, then a combined battle of Frank, Stanton and Leisk in the late laps'- Stanton moved in on Frank first, and Frank was riding defensively - blocking any attempt by Stanton to pas. Their battle let Leisk get into the act. Leisk and Stanton began passing each other each lap as the three battled their way around the track. Watts had a substantial lead midmota, but the three-way battle put all three riders in striking distance in the final laps. Frank did a disappearing act as the mota drew to a close. He fell on a hard packed fast straight and clidn't return to the race. Stanton took second with Leisk, Eric Eaton and Drey Dircks following. Watts' appeared to have an encore underway after he took the hole hotin the second mota ahead of Vet Pro winner Gary Semics, Kelly Andris and Stamon. Stanton dropped back to around lOth on the second lap, and Andris and Dubach battled behind Watts with Manneh in tow. Stanton came through the pack to fifth when Watts bailed, bruising some ribs and scraping himself up well. ") knew) could run with these guys," Watts would sav later, "I sure didn't come to lose, bu't 1 knew Stanton was back there, so I wanted to stretch out a safe lead. I guess 1 pushed too hard. I'd like to thank EP Performs for bringing me out here." With Watts out Dubach took the lead for good, but Stanton picked off Manneh and then Andris for second place and the overall win. Manneh's 7-2 was good for second and Terry Fowler's 6-6 score gave him third overall with Leisk founh and Dircks fifth. Stanton led the first Open Pro mota with Watts right on his tail looking for an opening. Simons cut through traffic to third on the first lap and settled in for (he duration of the moto. Watt. battled with Stanton, then found a way around to lead several laps into the race. The top three was set for the mota. Brian Manley and Ryan moved into fourth afld fifth after displacing Russ Wageman and Terry McGinnis. Watts took the holeshOl in the second mota. Manley, Ryan and Simons followed with Stanton working through traffic. Manley proved a tough obstacle for Simons. "I passed Manley fairly easily, then I missed a berm and he got me back," said Simons. ") think that gOt him pumped because he stuck like glue for the rest of the m9to." Balllingwith Manley letStanton get close, then leader WallS did a low-speed fall in a turn, landing precisely and painfully on the same ribs he bruised in the second 250cc maLO. That knocked the wind out of him, and he circulated for a finish to pick up 23rd for the mota - ninth overall. Watts' fall gave Simons the lead. and he held on to win despite pressure from Stanton. After the race Stanton said that he felt he "didn't ride to my ability today. I just don't get along with these hard tracks, but that's why