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
Suzuki's George Holland (7) finished second in the main on Sunday. It's his highest supercross finish of his career. Jeff Stanton (56) took the early lead during Sunday's 250cc main event. He's chased by Ron Lechien (9) and Johnny O'Mara (4). . AMA/Coors Supercross Series: Rounds 9·10 Ward, Lechien split wins; Johnson injured in Pontiac By Kit Palmer Photos by Tom Stratman Saturday Heats PONTIAC, MI, APR. 11-12 Team Kawasaki's Jeff Ward and Ron Lechien couldn't have asked for a better weekend at the Pontiac Silverdome doubleheader. Both riders came away with victories and Wardtookovertheseries points lead. Ward won Sat. h . f f 40 084 urday mg t 10 r?nt 0 '. spectators, whl1e Lechlen claimed his first yictory of the season Sunday as 24,073 fans looked on. Heading into the doubleheader with the series points lead, Team Honda's Ricky Johnson crashed in his heat race and severely injured three fingers on his right hand. Unable to finish the heat race, John- pionship title. But, as Ward put it after Pontiac, "Anything can happen. " With Johnson out, Ward completely dominated Saturday night's main, finishing well ahead of Michigan rider and local favorite, Yamaha's Keith Bowen. Bowen captured the crowd's attention in a spectacular . come-from-behind ride. Rounding out the top five were Team Yamaha's Jeff Leisk, Lechien and Team Suzuki's Johnny O'Mara.· A crash during the first lap in Sunday's main kept Ward out of the winners' circle, but taking up the slack was Ward's teammate Lechien_ After stealing the lead away from Yamaha's Jeff Stanton on ,the fourth lap, _Lechien was gone for good. Finishing in second place was Team Suzuki's George Holland; it was the best Sit percross placing of his career. O'Mara settled for third ahead of 'Ward and privateer Honda rider Guy Cooper. The 125cc class was completely dominated by Suzuki support and Moto-X Fox! Arai· Helmetssponsored riders Keith Turpin and Ronnie Tichenor. Turpin claimed Saturday night's somewhat easy victory, while Tichenor led from start to finish Sunday. son tried to qualify in the semis but the- pa,in was too great for. the defendmg Supercross ChampIOn. After the semis, Johnson packed his bags and headed· to the hospital'to have his hand X-~ayed; the pictures revealed two broken fingers. Instead of racing Sunday, Johnson caught a flight back to his El Cajon, California, home. Needless to say, Johnson scored no points in Michigan, which most likely will ruin the Honda rider's chances for the 1987 cham- Local favorite, Michigan's Eddie Warren, started the weekend off with a commanding win in the first heat race. Warren blasted his factory Kawasaki into the early lead, quickly pulling away from privateer Honda rider Guy Cooper and Suzukimounted Jeff Frisz, while Honda rider Terry Fowler followed in a dis'ta nt third. By the halfway 'point, Warren was enjoying a comfortable lead, while Cooper was holding a safe distance over Frisz: Warren crossed the finish line in first place, while Cooper, Frisz and Fowler wrapped up the top four. Two very popular riders with the crowd, Michigan residents Bowen and Stanton, spotlighted the second heat race. However, it was privateer Honda rider Rick Ryan stealing the holeshot ahead of Bowen, Stanton and privateer Alley Semar. Hondamounted Jeff Schumacher was running fourth before crashing over a triple jump during the first lap, and Suzuki's Willie Surratt was running near the back of the pack after a poor start. Midway through the second lap, Bowen plowed Ryan from behind m a tum, but the two riders kept their mounts upright, then Stanton saw his chance and snuck by Bowen. Shortly after, though, Bowen retaliated and stuffed Stanton in a tum. Once back into second, Bowen set after Ryan and pulled alongside the Honda rider through a section of whoops and inched his way into the lead. During the same lap, Stanton shot by Ryan and kept close tabs on leader Bowen throughout the race. At the checkered £lag, it was Bowen finishing inches ahead of Stanton, followed by Ryan and Surratt. Team Yamaha's Jeff Leisk, Canadian Ross Pederson, Lechien and Jason Upshaw were the early leaders at the start of the third head race. During the first lap, Pederson surprised Lechien and passed the Kawasaki rider, taking over the number two position. But less than a half lap later, Lechien £lew by Pederson over a tqble top jump then set his sights on Australian Leisk. Lechien quickly closed in on Leisk and worked hard to pass the Yamaha rider. Lechien forced his way inside of Leisk in a turn, and the two factory riders battled side-by-side down a section of whoops, but Lechien got the better drive and slammed the door on Leisk, stealin~ the lead. Leisk stayed within strikmg distance of Lechien for the rest of the race but had to settle for second place at the checkered £lag. Pederson followed a few seconds behind, while privateer Honda rider, Fred Andrews, took fourth. . Johnson, Ward, Holland, O'Mara, Donny Schmit and Larry Brooks were some of the hotshoes in the fourth and final heat race. When the gate dropped, it was Ward nailing