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/126957
Ward (3) leads the start of a heat race. His 1-4 placings in Pontiac gives the factory Kawasaki rider a commanding series point lead. another one of his picture-perfect holeshots while Schmit, Johnson, Holland and O'Mara scrapped over second through fourth. After Schmit, Johnson, Holland and O'Mara traded places a number of times during 'the first couple of turns, it was Ward out in front followed by Johnson, Holland, O'Mara a'nd Schmit. Suzukimounted, and another Michiganbased rider, Alan King, was running fifth before landing short over a triple jump and crashing off the track. By the time Johnson settled into second, 'be found a three-second gap separated him from the leader. At that point, Johnson began slowly reeling in the factory Kawasaki rider lap after lap until he was within passing distance. Johnson was searching for a line around Ward heading into a section of whoops. Inches behind Ward, Johnson started to lose control of his Honda in the whoop-do-doos and finally bit the dust when his Honda slipped into neutral and the front wheel fell between two whoops, pi tching Johnson over the bars. Johnson's motorcycle flipped over on top of him while the rest of the pack motored by. Breaking his fingers in the fall, Johnson still managed to pick himself up and continue on, but in a lot of pain. After a lap, Johnson pulled into the mechanics area, discussed matters with his mechanic, Brian Lunis, then pulled off the track and into the pits for a DNF. Back out on the track, Ward found himself with a comfortable lead with Holland in second, O'Mara third and Schmit fourth. Ward easily took the win ahead of the three Suzuki riders. Semis Suzuki-mounted Scooter Stafford jammed into the lead at the start of the first semi but dropped to second place after the first lap when Honda rider Jeff Hicks snuck by. Hicks pulled out to a comfortable lead, while Kawasaki rider Dennis Hawthorne and Upshaw moved into second and third. Upshaw then set after and passed Hawthorne with three la ps to go. Hicks easil y took the win ahead of Upshaw and Hawthorne. Brooks pretty much dominated the second semi from start to finish except for the second lap when King slipped by. Shortly after, King casedhis Suzuki over a double jump, snapping off his right foot peg. Brooks recaptUT.ed the lead and _ pulled out to a huge lead. King slowly fell back through the pack while Kawasaki rider Carlo Coen and Honda-mounted Dean Matson diced over second place with Coen getting the upper hand. Last Chance aualifer After a third-place start, King cam.e back to win the LCQ. By the second lap, King had the lead ahead of Hawthorne, Stafford and Matson. Shortly after, Hawthorne bailed in the whoops, giving King a comfortable lead over Staf[ord. Near the end of the race, Stafford began slowing, giving Matson second, but it was King taking the win and the final transfer spot of the night. Main With Johnson out for the night, the situation looked good for the fastest heat race and Coors Cup winner, Ward, who blasted his Kawasaki into an early lead. Warren and Fris2 were second and third after the first turn followed by Ryan, O'Mara, Leisk, Andrews, Schmit and Stanton. By. the end of the first lap, Ward had already developed a sizable lead, while O"Mara slipped past Ryan for fourth. A few turns later, Ryan dropped back to eighth, giving Leisk, Lechien and Andrews fifth, six'th and seventh. Leisk was on the move during the third lap when he flew past O'Mara over a triple jump that O'Mara only doubled. Once into second, Leisk charged after and' reeled in Warren, making the top eight riders Ward, Warren, Leisk, Lechien, O'Mara, Frisz, Andrews and Bowen. Two laps later, Leisk pulled along side of Warren in the whoops and passed the Kawasaki rider, who, at that point, began slowly dropping of[ the pace, letting Lechien, Bowen and O'Mara by. By the ninth lap, Ward had opened up a 9.08-second lead over Leisk, who was being heavily pressured by • Lechien. Lechien eventually found his way by Leisk, who suddenly had Bowen to contend with. Two laps later, Bowen motored to the inside of Leisk, taking over third and setting after Lechien. On the 12th lap, the top five positions were filled by Ward, Lechien, Bowen, Leisk and O'Mara. Stanton was a distant sixth with Holland, Warren and Pederson following. . It was at this time that Lechien and Bowen started to fight over second place. Bowen was dogging Lechien hard and finally made his move by diving to the inside of Lechien in a wide left hand turn. Getting a wheel length on Lechien, Bowen drifted outside, deliberately blocking Lechien's drive out of the turn, thus taking over second. Obviously upset with Bowen's passing tactics, Lechien stalked the Yamaha rider. "He (Bowen) came underneath me and bumped me," said Lechien. "I was setting up for the doubles; he Ron Lechien celebrates his first supercross victory of the year. Sunday. He finished 10 saconds ahead of Holland. Suzuki support rider Ronnie Tichenor won Sunday's 125cc main event. while his teammate. Keith Tu~pin. took Saturday's honors. just cut right over in front of me. I tried to get back and pass him, and we went through a section of whoops, and he just ran me off right into the hay bales. I got pretty pissed." A lap later, while headin~ into a tight right hand turn, Lechlen outbraked Bowen and stuffed Bowen hard on the inside with the two riders banging handlebars. Lechien edged into second only to have Bowen stuff his way back into the number two spot through the next Lurn. . The climax of this raging duel happened two turns later when Lechien torpedoed Bowen from the inside. The two slammed into each other with Lechien getting the worst of it by getting spit off his Kawasaki. "I tried to ram him, but I took myself out instead," said Lechien. Bowen kept his Yamaha on two wheels and settled into second. By the time Lechien remounted, Leisk had slipped by for third. Lechien remounted in fourth, a second or two ahead of O'Mara. "Lechien and I bumped on the star\., and I kind of lost my drive out of the gate," said Bowen. "When I passed him later, I really didn't do anything wrong to Ronnie. I came on the inside of him and blocked him so he couldn't jump, but we never touched. So, I guess he didn't like it, so he wanted to come at me, and that made me mad. He came on the inside of me on purpose with the throttle wide open, so I think he was intentionally trying to take me out." From that point on, the top six riders stayed very spread out to the checkered £lag. Bowen, at one point, was slightly gaining on Ward, but he got no closer than 7.02 seconds. At the finish it was Ward taking the win, followed by Bowen, Leisk, Lechien. O'Mara and Stanton.