Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126931
Shaun Kalol (911) leadl the start of the first 250cc Pro moto while being chased by Jeff Stanton (behind Kalos). Todd Campbell (4) and Keith Bowen (99). I Early in the 250cc moto. Rick Johnson is pursued by Bader Manneh (42) and. Billy Frank. Johnlon topped both the 125 and 250cc Pro clallel. CMC/Dodge'Dakota Trans-Cal MX series: Round 5 - Johnson takes two at Carlsbad By Nate Rauba CARLSBAD, CA, SEPT. 6 Honda's Rick Johnson said that he came ou t to the fifth round of the CMC/Dodge Dakota Trans-Cal Series at Carlsbad Raceway because he hasn't had much time to ride at home 22 lately and "I just wanted to race," sai~ Johnson. Johnson's I competitors in the 125 and 250cc Pro classes probably wished that he'd stayed home though, since Johnson won everything he entered, teaching some lessons along the way. Johnson breezed through both 250cc Pro motos after taking the lead on the first lap in each moto, leaving Yamaha riders Jeff Stanton and BiJIy Fran,k to fight for second. Frank won the battle in moLO one, but a flat rear tire early in the second moto forced him to retire and put Stanton second overall. Yamaha's Keith Bowen finished third overall with a 5-3 score. The 125cc Pro class wasn't quite as easy though, as Johnson encountered some LOugh resistance from Bader Manneh (Yamaha) and Honda rider Willie Surratt in the second moLO, However, once Johnson worked his way into the lead it turned out to be another race for second overall, which Manneh claimed via 4-2 moLO finishes. A crash at the start of moto one kept Surratt just out of the LOp three overall as he finished behind Mike . Kiedrowski (Kawasaki) in the final results. Frank took advantage of.]ohnson's absence in the 500cc Pro class and went away with the overall victorr.. In moto one Frank finished third behind Kawasaki-mounted Tommy Watts and Stanton then took the lead from last year's 500cc series champion, Willy Simons, early in the second round to claim the overall. Stanton ended up second overall ahead of Watts. . Bill Grossi (Yamaha) took the Vet Pro class with relative ease, beating former National champions Gary J ones (A TK) and Gary Semics (Yamaha). In Mini Expert action, Yamahamounted Chris Neal had a near-perfect day on his way to the class win. Neal took the holeshot and led the entire first moto, then stole another holeshot at the start of moto two. Paul Winn (Ya'maha) spoiled Neal's perfect day when he took the lead about halfway through the second moto and held on to take the win. Winn's IOtb in the first moto brought him down to fifth in the overall standings though. Manneh jumped out into the lead at the start of the first 125cc Pro moto with Johnson right behind. Surratt hada good start, butfel! in the second turn. Manneh held o££ Johnson for the first lap, but midway through the second go-around, Johnson took the lead on the downhill and immediately began to pull away. Back in third Kiedrowski had his hands full with the attacks of Larry Brooks (Kawasaki). As Johnson pulled away Manneh began to fade, and the Kiedrowski/Brooks duel slowly reeled the Yamaha rider in. Further back another battle was shaping up over fifth between Honda riders Ty Davis and Kyle Lewis. Kiedrowski was the first to catch Mannell and took second on the eighth lap of the 12 lap moto. It took Brooks another lap before he displaced Manneh, but by then KiedTowski was out of reach. Johnson cruised home the winner with Kiedrowski a distant second, a few seconds ahead of Brooks. Manneh held onto fourth, and Davis battled Lewis to the end to take fiftll. Although Johnson had the first choice of starting posiiions for moLO two, he failed to show up at the line to make his choice. It turned out Johnson was eating lunch and missed the call to the line, delaying the race for several minutes while he quickly got into his gear. Johnson's only choice was to the far outside of the grid, but that suited him just fine. "I started on the outside in both races" said Johnson, "because everybody was letting off early going into the first turn." Since the track was run backwards there was another right turn immediately following the first Idt hander, so Johnson was "able to open up the turn and when everyone let off just