Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

00 00 O'l ...... Toni Mang won a race-long battle with Sito Pons for the 250cc w in ; it was Mang's 42nd career GP win . H onma erred on the 13th lap, dropping back 10 ninth before eventually working hi s way 10 eighth. On la p 17. Kocinski began 10 slip as the Yamaha stop ped producing power at high rprns, and th e race for th e lead became a three-man a ffa ir with Mang, Pons and Kob ayashi pulling clear. As is becoming the norm . Mang managed to save some thing for late in the race a nd p ulled sligh tly clear on the fin al la p. Pons managed 10 ho ld o ff Ko ba ya sh i a n d Cornu . cruised in for fourth. Meanwhile. Koci nski had his hands full in th e ch ica ne wi th Garri ga. Kocinski held the o uts ide line goi ng into the final two comers (in sim ila r fashion as he had earl ier do ne to Man g, a nd what 'Rainey wo u ld la ter do 10 M a ~ee in the 500 GP ), too k the ins ide In the last comer. put his foot down and for ced Garnga wide. taking fifth place in hi s debut GP. Garriga, J ean Philippe Ruggia, Honrn a, Card u s and Tagu chi rounded out the top 10. " I enj oyed it ." Koci n sk i said. adding. " I loved it. 1 ran wi th them and let them know I was there. It started missi ng at high revs; 10.500 was it. T he H o ndas are fast. 1 rode harder today than 1 ever have in 250 racing. I'm just going to forget about this one a nd concentrate on the next one. The Dunlops I had were the best set of tires 1 have ever ridden on; they were bitchin'... When asked which rider in the lead group he thought was superior, Kocinski wasted little time in saying, "Mang. Bar none, Mang is the best. 1 enjoyed racing with him." Mang explained that after practice he didn 't feel he had a legitimate shot at the win, but after his good start the " tires felt very good and 1 thought 1 could win. " Mang, who does not often offer compliments. said of Kocinski . " H e is a very ~ood rider. but 1 think the Yamaha IS a little too slow and he does not know the way we ride. All the riders are new to him and he does not know what Sito or 1 will do in the race." • Results SOOcc: 1. Kevin Schwantz (5 uz); 2. Wayn e In the final corner, Koc inski (441stuffs it under Juan Garriga (11 I, putting his foot down in the process. 10 Cagi va-mounted R o ch e, who dropped out a lap after Mamola on lap nine. blamed his bike's problem on fuel. " It was the same problem we had all week. ma ybe it's benzine." Rainey was pleased with sixth p lace. " I just kept working on my riding." he said. " I' m ready. I'm just glad to get the first one over with. " The 250cc G P got underway with the Swiss Cornu leading the freight train of Hon ma, Mang (after a great start fro m the fourth row). Cardus and Kocinski. Already missing was Dominque Sarro n after a bolt ca me out of th e rear sp rocket. causing the cha in 10 jump. . Kocinski followed Mang to start lap two with Cornu. Honrna, Cardu s, Taguchi and a fast-approaching Pons in pursuit. Near th e com p letion of lap two. a disrespectful Kocinski shot up the outside of Mang entering the chicane and pushed his way up the inside on th e exit of th e left- bander to take th e lead. The 20. year -old didn 't get a good drive out. however. and was ba ck to fifth by the time the pack got to tum one. On lap six ; Regg ia ni, who was back in ninth. pulled into the pits with no feeling in the hand he injured in his practice mis hap. Another out relativel y ea rly - was Marlboro Yamaha 's Luca Cadalora, who experienced problems with mi st on the inside of his faceshield. Up from the lead group now featured the charging Pons, Mang and Kocinski. With Cornu still within striking distance and joined by th e slo w-star ting Kobayashi . The dice up front was exhilarating wi th each rider taking a tum a t -leading. Kocinski's Yamaha was struggling to keep pace on the straightaways, but the newcomer was o ut-riding the o thers through the com ers. Asked later where he was making u p the top-speed deficit. Kocinski replied. "Everywhere." By th e halfway mark. it was a sixrider pack going for the lead. Mang, Pons. Kocinski. Corn u, Kobayashi a nd Honma led a group that featured an on-the-move J ua n Garriga o n th e T eam Du cados Yamaha YZR250. Gardn er (Hon); 3. Eddie Lawson (Yam); 4. Niall Mackenzie (Hon); 5. Tadahi ko Tair a (Yam); 6. Wayne Rain ey (Yam); 7. Kevin Mag.. (Yam); 8. Chr istian Sarron (ya m); 9. Didier de Radigues (Yam); 10. Shunji Yatsush iro (Hon); 11. Hikaru M iyagi (Hon); 12 . Ron Haslam (Elf); 13. Patr ick Igoa (Yam); 14 . Pier-Fran cessco Chi li (Han); 15. Osaum Hiwa ta s hi (SUl). 250Cc: 1. Anton Mang (Hon); 2. Sito Pons (Hon); 3. M asaru Kobayashi (Han); 4. Jacques Cornu (Hon); 5. J ohn Kocinski (Yam); 6. Juan Garr iga (Yam); 7. Jean Phil ippe Ruggia (Yam); 8. Toshihiko Hooma (Yam); 9. Carlos Cardus (Hon); 10. Ma sumitsu Taguchi (Hon); 11. Seigo Kikuchi (Hoo); 12. Kyoji Nanba (Yam); 13 . Carlos t.evedc (Yam); 14. Youi chi Yama moto (Han); 15. Keiji Tamu ra (Han). 500cc WORLD CHAM PIONSHIP POINT STANDIGNS: 1. Kevin Sch wanu (20); 2. Wayne Gardner (17); 3 . Eddie Lawson (15); 4. Niall Mackenzie (t 3); • 5. Tadahiko Taira (11); 6. Wayne Rainey (l Ot 7. Kevi n Magee (9); 8 . Christ ian Sarron (8); 9 . Didier de Radigues (7); 10. Shunji Yatsu shiro (6); 11. Hikaru Miyagi (5); 12. Ron Haslam (4); 13. Patr ick 19oa (3); 14. Pler -Praree sscc Chili (2); 15. Osaum Hiwatashi (1). . POINT 2 50cc WORLD CHAMPI ON SHIP STAND INGS: 1. Anton Mang (20); 2. Sil OPons(1 7t 3. M asaru Kobayashi (15); 4 . J acques Corn u (t 3t 5. John Kocinski (11); 6. Jua n Garriga (10); 7. J ean Philippe Ruggia (9); 8. Toshihiko Honm a (8); 9. ca r los Cardus (7); 10. Masumitsu Taguchi (6); 11. Se;go Kikuchi (5); 12. Kyoji Nanba (4t 13. Carlo s Lavado (3); 14 . Youich i Yamamoto (2); 15. Kaiii Tamur a (1),

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