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/127147
00 00 0") ....... The heat and humidity in Minnesota took its toll. Immediately after winning the first 500cc moto, Johnson took a dip in a nearby stream. Florida's Ronnie TIchenor was run'ning strong in the first 125cc moto before the reeds in his Suzuki's intake reed-valve broke in half. . Ron Lechien still has a shot at the 500cc National C'ship title. Suzuki's Schmit was interviewed by announcer Larry Maiers following his thrilling come-from-behind win in the second moto. 12 eventually ca tc h i n g a n d p a ssing h im. H owever , on the last lap, like h e h ad done in the seco nd moto in Ohio, Ward pulled over a n d let Lechien by to help keep his teamm ate in th e points chase w i th J ohnson. Stanto n rode the whole m oto in a comforta ble fourth, whil e H onda ri der Danny Storbeck, who's been ou t of racin g action for m ore th an a year, rode a sparklin g race to finish fifth. Sixth we nt to Fish er, whi le L eisk, who had cras he d ea rl ie r, finished seventh. . Yamaha 's Doug Dubach , wh o was still fee li ng the effec ts o f fo od p oi soning h e h ad on Sa tu rday, took eigh th a head of Kawasaki riders J eff Frisz a n d Dennis H awthorne. " It feels good to win the rnoto, " said Johnson, who was a little upset abou t getting nudged by Ward a t the start of the moto. " Ward T -boned me , but what comes arou n d goes arou nd . Paybacks can be a . .. pretty hard." Ward didn' t den y that he tried to . T-bon e J ohnson. " We ll, he (Johnson) was lookin g back at m e and he tried to bl ock me," said Ward. " I wanted to pass bu t he was taking my lin e." . Ward jumped into th e ea rly lead at th e start of the second moto ahead of Stanton, J ohnso n , Leisk, Dubach , Storbeck, Ha wthorn e a nd Lech ien , w ho gated p o orl y after getting crossed u p in some ruts. A couple of riders went do wn in th e first turn , including Yamaha rider Shau n Kalos, who finis hed 11th in the first moto. He was hel ped off the track, but was on his feet, Kalos re-entered th e ra ce onl y to p u ll out later on. Ward, S tan ton - a n d J ohnson quickly p u lled a way from th e p ack as th ey diced for th e lead. During th e third la p, J ohnson sl ip p ed past Stanton and charged a fter Ward, while Stanton sta yed close in third. The battle went on for a few laps until Johnson, after being heavil y pressured by Stanton, dov e underneath Ward in a turn and took the lead. A turn later, Ward went over th e berm a nd Stanton sh o t by. "Stanton was putting the pressure on me, so I deeded I had to make a m ove o n Ward ," sai d Johnson. " I was n't exactly sure wh at he (Wa rd) was up to, so I had to be ca refu l getting arou nd h im." " R ick p assed J eff cleanl y," sai d Stanton, " then he (Ward) went over the next berm, an d th a t's wh ere I got him. After that, I figured Wa rd wo u ld sl ow an d let Lec hien catch up." Which is exactly w hat Ward did. . After drop pi ng to third by the eigh th lap, wi th J ohnson 'p u ll in g away, Ward made no effort in ca tch ing Stanton. In stead, Ward backed off th e throttle a nd waited for h is teamma te Lec h ien to catch up, who wa s ap proxi mately 10 seco n ds back after passin g Leisk. For th e third m oto in a row, Ward let h is teammate by. As th ey crossed th e fin ish line it wa s J ohnson , St an ton , L ech ien, Ward, Leisk a n d Dubach. When ask ed abo u t Ward slowin g to let Lechien p ass, J ohnson said, " I beli eve in team tactics. but n ot to th e point wh ere it makes yo u look bad. Ward was riding good today; he had a good cha nce of wi n ni ng bu t he we nt slow, instead." .Stanton said, " I don' t think it's ' right, everyone shou ld go o ut there .. and ride th eir own race." Bot h Ward and Lech ien left the Spring Cr eek MX Park immediately following the second moto an d were unavailable for comment. • Results 125: 1. Donny Schm it (Suz) 1·1 ; 2. Guy Cooper (Honl 2·5 ; 3. George Holl and (Han) 3-6; 4. Damon Bradshaw (Yam) 5-4 : 5. M ike laRocco (Yam) 11· 2; 6. Ty Davis (Suz) 4-9: 7. Todd DeHoop (Suz) 68; 8. J ason Upshaw (Han) 10- 7; 9. Jimmy Gaddis (Suz) 8·1 0; 10. Larry 8rooks (Kaw ) 9- 11; 11. Ronnie Tichenor (Suzl DNF·3; 12. Billy Wh itley (Cag) 1214; 13. Corey Schweitzer (Han) 14·13; 14. Larry Ward (Yem) 7·DNF : 15 . Stacey Cook (Han) DNF12; 16. Jeff Glass (Han) 19-15; 17. J on Ag in (Han) 17 ·17: 18 . Keith 80wen (13-DNF); 19 . Bran Salamer (Kaw) 15·DNF; 20. Tracy Bachman (Suz) 23 ·28. 500: 1. Rick Johnson (Hon) 1-1; 2. Ron Lachien (Kaw) 2·3 ; 3. Jeff Stanton (Yam) 4- 2; 4. Jeff Ward (KawI3-4; 5. Jeff Leisk (HonI7·5; 6. Doug Dubach (Yam) 8-6; 7. M ike Fi.her (Kaw) 6·9; 8. Danny Storbeck (Han) 5-10 ; 9. J eff Friz (Kaw) 9-7; 10. Denni. HaWlhorne(Kawllo-ll ; 11. Fred And rews (HonI16-8; 12. Tom Carson (Han) 13·12; 13. Ray Somma (Han) 12- 13; 14 . Shaun Kalos (Yaml II· DNF; 15. Andy Stacy (Kaw) 22 ·14; 16. Jeff Hicks (Han) 19-16 ; 17. Shane Drew (Han) 14·29; 18 . David Hand (Han) 21·15; 19. Jason Bunle (Han) 15·21 ; 20. Gary Bronikowski (Han) DNF·17. AMA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 125cc MX POINT STANDINGS: 125 : 1. Holland (466) ' ; 2. Schm it (395); 3. Cooper (388); 4. Erik Kehoe (364); 5. Brooks (283); 6.Tichenor (27.8); 7. LaRocco(249); 8. DeHoop (2341; 9. Bowen (180); 10. Davis (168) . AMA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SOOcc MX POINT STANDINGS: I . Johnson (231 t 2. Lachien (208); 3. Stanton (185); 4. Leis!< (183~ 5. Ward (154); 6. Andrews (132); 7. Carson (104); 8. Wans (102t 9. Fishe r (99); 10. Dubach (82). · Clinched champ ionship