Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

t' 00 0') ~ 00 Rick Ryan celebrates the biggest win of his career. The start of the main saw Rodney Smith (191) and Jeff Ward (3) take the outside line, while Ron Lechien and others tangle in the background. Suzuki's Ronnie Tichenor captured his second 125cc class victory of the series, finishing ahead of his teammate Keith Turpin. A.A Supercross Series: Round 5 Ryan wins Daytona mudfest By Tom Mueller Photos by Henny Ray Abrams DAYTONA, FL, MAR. 7 "This race today proved that I can beat the best," said Honda privateer Rick Ryan after clinching the main event at the Daytona Supercross by Honda at Daytona Interna2 tional Speedway. Ryan, riding with an injured left knee led . ' Yama~ nder Jeff Stanton and Suzuki's George Holland to the finish, to cap a day of great racing and unexpected results. Heavy, steady rains moved into the Daytona area Saturday moming, and didn't subside until around noon. Due to water standing on the course, the race was delayed from noon until 3 p.m. "We had to reroute the course in three places to steer traffic around the really bad spots," said track designer Gary Bailey. Team managers [rom Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki thou"ghtthe-track was too dangerous and requested either a postponement or cancellation of the event. The requests were denied. In the first 250cc practice session, riders churned through the muck, looking for lines where there weren't any. "It's just gelling worse out there," said reigning Superdoss champ Rick Johnson. "The dirt is getting chewed , up and mixing in with the standing water. It's going to be a one line situation." Kawasaki's Ron Lechien was the handiest rider in practice. He ~asted lillie time in clearing a double jump on the front straight, and was making quick time on the pre-jump just before the finish line hill. Despite the rainy conditions and the delayed start, a fairly large number of spectators were on hand for the event which is a favorite for fans and riders alike: Daytona offers the rich'est purse on the Supercross circuit, with 60,000 up for grabs. Lechien moved into second in the Supercross point standings, trailing hi teammate Jeer Ward by twO points, 6to 84. Reigning Supercross champ Rick Johnson is third with 80 points. Lechien posted fifth in the main at Daytona, while [irstlap mishaps relegated Johnson to a 10th place finish, and Ward to 20th. In 125cc Pro-Am racing, it was Florida's Ronnie Tichenor coming on strong wit,h his factory Suzuki. Tichenor claimed first in spite of a fall in the main event, and overcame his setback with aggressive riding on the rUlled, muddy course. 250cc Ryan, who is quickly becoming known as a holeshot expert, led the way at the start of the first four-lap heat race. Suzuki's Bob Hannah, a three-time winner at Daytona, was soon into second. Hannah closed the gap on Ryan within a lap, but then almost crashed in the fast, rough straightaway in front of the grandstands. He lost eight-nine bike lengths, but immediately resumed the charge. Ryan fell, which opened the door for Kawasaki's Eddie Warren, who had inched up past Hannah. At the halfway point it was Warren with Hannah in close pursuit, followed by Ryan, Suzuki's Donnie Schmit, Honda rider Kurt McMillen and Yamaha's Brae Glover. On the white flag lap, Warren had seVen seconds on Hannah, but Warren stalled his bike after a jump. Hannah blasted by to lead and win with Warren taking second. Ryan held third, Schmit fourth, and Glover pushed into fifth. McMillen faded to give the final transfer slots to Suzuki's Willie Surrat and Kawasaki privateer JoJo Keller. Honda rider Larry Brooks pulled a quick lead at the stan of heat two but almost crashed off the side of the tabletop jump on the front straight. Following Brooks was Honda rider Danny Storbeck, Yamaha's Jeff Leisk, Honda,rider Doug Hoover, Honda rider Richard Sirois and Yamaha rider Doug Dubach. Storbeck chaUenged briefly for the lead; but Leisk moved into second by midrace. Leisk made fast time through the turns and set up Brooks on the front straight, but Brooks slammed the door. Leisk got past Brooks to lead on the white £lag lap when he powered over the tabletop. Storbeck went down in the back section, and Hoover claimed third. Storbeck was fourth, and Canadian rider Ross Pederson came up from an early race seventh to fifth on his Yamaha. Dubach was sixth with the seventh and final transfer spot going to Yamaha rider Glen Nicholson. Sirois fell oH the pace when he crashed. "You don't really think about winning, just keeping it up on two wheels in conditions like that," said Leisk. Suzuki's George Holland had it his way aU the way in heat three. He wenlto the inside orr the start and led Suzuki rider Jeer Frisz, Kawasakimounted Clirrord Walker and Suzuki' Erik Kehoe down the from straight. Yamaha's Keith Bowen fell orr at the tart and started back in the pack. While Holland and Frisz pulled away, Kehoe and Honda rider David Hand moved into the 3-4 spots. Bowen was up to sixth behind Walker, then worked around on the outside of a turn [or fifth. Bowen then nipped Hand, and after some hard riding got Kehoe for third. Bowen jumped past Frisz on the white flag lap for second, but he was out of time. It was Holland, Bowen, Frisz, Kehoe, Hand, Honda rider Andy Stacy and Honda pilot Fred Andrews grabbing the transfer slots to the rttain. "I had a six second lead on the last lap, and I put iton cruise,'.' said Holland. "Then I had to go for it. You can't afford to badt off on this tradt, I

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