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/126948
Bader Manneh leads Michael Craig in a 125cc heat race. ley dropped 0[[ the pace and pulled out of the race a lap later. Pederson went on to take an .easy win. Main More than 33,000 pectator were on their feet when the 21-rider main got underway, and nailing the holeshot was Johnson, followed by Kehoe. Dymond and Leisk. Ward was back (n the pack and soon cra hed to the ground with Brook when the two riders crossed paths negotiating a double jump. Brooks got away £ji-st, while Ward regrouped way back in Last place. After completing the first lap, the top 10 riders were Johnson, Kehoe, Dymond, Lechien, Leisk, Holland, Bowen, Cooper, Pederson and Ryan. O'Mara was 11th. During the next lap. both Dymond and Lechien 'Iipped by Kehoe. while Holland dove inside of Leisk for fifth. Johnson had a few bike lengths on Dymond, who was busy defending his number two position from Lechien. Dymond maintained his stand for the next five laps before giving in to Lechien. Once inw second, Lechien began picking away at Johnson's lead until he wa within a few feet of the leader. "My pit board read Ronnie was gaining on me," aid John on, "and I could hear him coming. I would just take the inside line and then cut him off on the outside." At the halfway point, the battle for the lead was intense as Johnson and Lechien began heading into lapped traffic. It was then that Johnson began lightly stretching his lead. "Lapped riders were a problem," said Le hien. "There were too many riders out there who didn't know what the blue and yellow flag meanl. " About that time O'Mara had dropped out of the race with his seized Suzuki, and Ward had "taken over eighth place from Pederson. After 15 laps Johnson had a slight lead on Lechien, who was followed by Dymond, Kehoe, Leisk and HoIland. For the final five laps, the main battle was between Kehoe, Leisk and Holland. Leisk was the one to watch as he stalked Kehoe and passed him with three laps to go. From that point on, there were no position changes among the leaders. Johnson captured the victory ahead of Lechien, Dymond, Leisk, Kehoe, Holland, Ward, Cooper, Pederson and Storbeck. ''I'm feeling a lot better," said Johnson referring to his recent bout with the flu. "I was able to train laSt Larry Brooks (16) looks back and sees Team Honda's Micky Dymond sneaking through on the inside. Dymond finished third in the main despite having a kidney infection. . week and that really helped. I got a good stan 0 I was able to pick and choose my lines, while everyone else bad to work around my lead. I wa concerned about Ronnie, 'cause he's really aggre sive, 0 I couldn't leave the door open on him, or he would slam it on me." After dropping out of contention during the main last week in Houston because of a sore back, Dymond said, "Il's feeling a lot better. The problem turned out to be a viru that taned in my back and worked into my kidneys. which contributed to my fatigue tonight. I got really tired out there about halfway through, and I thought I was going to die. I was only riding about 70% to 80%" "It went good," Leisk said of his best-ever supercross performance. "I staned a little luggish, but I got a rhythm and then got by Holland and Kehoe. I felt a lot better towards the end of tlle race:" 125 Main The stan of the 125cc main saw Hick nail the holesbot ahead of Bryan Bruner and Lewis, but by the end of the first lap, Lewis was in command and leading the way. At that point, he was pursued by Hicks, Thomson, Brunner, Paul Winn and Craig. Trail ing the pack were Anaheim winner Jeff Matiasevich, Willie Surratt and Dean Mat on. As the race progressed, Lewis maintained his slight lead over Hicks, who was being dogged by Thomson. The trio had developed abouta five-second margin on fourth-place rider Craig, but Craig noticeably gained on the leaders, lap after lap, making it a four-rider dice to the checkered flag. Lewis, Hicks, Thomson and Craig fought tooth 'n' nail right down to the finish, but Lewis prevailed. Lewis captured his first-ever supercross win just inches ahead of Hicks, Thomson, and Craig. The leaders were followed" across the line by Robert Naughton', Craig Canoy, Drey Dircks, Surratt, Winn and Jon Nelson. - Results 125: 1. Kyle Lewis (Hon); 2. Eddie Hicks (Kaw); 3. Lowell Thomson. Jr. (Kaw); 4. Michael Craig (Yam); 5. Roben Naughton (Hon); 6. Craig Canoy (Kaw): 7. Orey Dircks (Han); 8. Willie Surra" (Suz); 9. Paul Priva.r Honda rider Kyle Lewis led every lap in the 1 25cc main, narrowly beating Eddie Hicks and Lowell Thomson. Jr. 16. Stacey Cook (Han): 17. Jeff Matiasevich (Kawl; 18. James Chamberlain (Suz); 19. Jeff Mabery (Vam); 20. 8ryan 8runer (Vam), 250: 1. Rick Johnson (Hon); 2. Ron Lechien (Kaw); 3. Micky Dymond (Hon); 4. Jaff Leisle (Vam); 5. Erik Kehoe (Suz); 6. George Holland (Suz): 7. Jeff Winn (Suz); 10. Jon Nelson (Hen); 11. Dean Matson Ward (Kaw); 8. Guy Cooper (Han); 9. Ross Pederson (Hon): 12. David Graff (Hon): 13. Larry Ward (Vam): (Vam); 10. Danny Storbect< (Vam): 11. Mike Fisher (Kaw); 12. Keith Bowen (Vam); 13. Ronnia Tichenor 14. Steve FuruyaIHon); 15. Timothv Buchlie (Vam); (Suz); 14. Rick Ryan (Hon): 15. Jeff Hicks (Hon); 16. Jeff Stanton (Vam); 17. Jason Upshaw (Hon): 18. Larry Brooks (Hon); 19. Terry Fowler (Kawl; 20. Keith Turpin (Suz): 21. Johnny O'Mara (Suz). POINT STANDINGS: 1. Jeff Ward (64); 2. (Tie) Keith Bowen/Ron Lechien (441; 4. Rick Johnson (43): 5. Micky Dymond (40); 6. (Tie) George Hoiland/Jeff Laisle (39); 8. Guy Cooper (38); 9. Rosa Pederson (37); 10. Sroc Glover (32).