Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Ron Lechien won the first 500cc moto and settled for: second place in round two for the overall. ending Johnson's three-race win streak. Rick Ryan (12) crashed while leading the second 125cc moto. Here he picks back up but not before George Holland (7) passes by. AMA National Champio'nship 12S/S00cc MX Series: Rounds 10/4 H.olland, Lechien storm ~ing'hampton By Kit Palmer BINGHAMPTON, N.Y., AUG. 2 Team Kawasaki's Ron Lechien and Jeff Ward ganged up on Team Honda's Rick Johnson and ended Johnson's win streak in the 500cc National series. Lechien wrapped up the overall victory, via a 1-2 tally, while his teammate, Ward, collected a 31 score for second overall. 14 johnson, who said afterwards, "I just • couldn't get my act together, today," claimed third overall with a 2-3 score. Ward was almost assured the overall victory, but ~uffered a flat rear tire while leading the first inoto and ruined his chances. In the.I 25cc class, Suzuki's George Holland captured. the victory after placing second in the first moto and plainly outriding defending National 125cc Champion, Honda's Micky Dymond to win the deciding second moto. Third went to last Jeff Stanton (56) leads Rick Johnson (2). Stanton crashed in the first moto for an eighth. then came back for a fifth in the second moto. year's 125cc Binghampton winner, Kawasaki's Eddie Warren. It all happened at the BroomeTioga Sports Center in Whitney Point, a few miles north of Binghampton. The event, sponsored by Suzuki, Coca Cola and Tony D. Motocross Schools, drew, according to promoter jack Skumick, a recordbreaking crowd at Broome-Tioga, although there was no estimated figure announced or rd.eased. The large crowd of spectato~ witnessed Lechien and Holland fight for their overall victories. With his 1-2 moto finishes, Lechien pocketed $900 from a $14,668 500cc class purse, while Holland collected $408 from the I 25cc class, $7332 purse. 500cc National When the 500cc class lined up for their first moto (following the first 125cc event) the rocky and hill y course was already rutted and extremely slick and muddy following a light rain during the 125cc moto. just before the gate dropped for the first 500cc moto, it began to rain harder. Despite the wet conditions, 40'riders charged into the first turn, and it was Moto-X Fox/Bell Helmets/Life's a Beach-backed' johnson getting the jump' inches ahead of Kawasaki rider, O'Neal USA's Mike Fisher. Hot in Fisher's tracks were Ward, Yamaha's Keith Bowen, jT Racing/Scott USAf Maxima's Lechien and Kawasaki rider Dennis Hawthorne. A few turns later, both Ward and Lechien slipped past Fisher for second and third. But the green wave didn't end there_ By the end of the lap, johnson, too, fell victim to both Ward and Lechien, while Fisher and Hawthorne followed in fourth and fifth. Trailing the rear of tl:Je field was Yamaha rider, and second.in the point standings, jeff Stanton, who crashed a few turns into the race. By the nine minute mark of the 30-minute, plus-two-lap moto, the top riders had settled into a groove with Ward a few seconds ahead of Lechien, who had a comfortable advantage over johnson. Fisher maintained control of fourth while Yamaha rider Jim Holley moved into fifth. It was shortly after this point when Lechien gained

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