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/127178
Erik Kehoe (8) passed Dubach (16) for f ifth near the end of the main when Dubach's teammate held him up . (From left to ':ight) Matiasevich celebrates his fourth consecutive 125cc w in with Craig ~nd Mike laRocco in the w inner's circle. 8 out of control. 1 followed him and knew he was going to make a mistake." That mistake came on the seventh lap when Fisher crashed. " I felt really strong, 1 finally got a good start," said Fisher. "I bobbled a couple of times but regained my composure, then 1 lost it, 1 cased a set of whoops, came down and somehow grabbed a handfu ll.It threw me off the track and 1 hit a barricade. " Fisher injured his shou lder in the . incident and was out for the night. With Fisher gone, Stanton was abl e to pull a few seconds on Bradshaw, who was holding Johnson at bay. After studying Bradshaw, Johnson set him up and took second on lap eight. "It took me a while to get Bradshaw because he wanders a lo t; he doesn 't. hold his lines well," said Johnson. " I haven't been racing against him much so 1 haven 't developed a strategy for passing hi m. " Once by Brad sh a w , Johnson quickly made up the time on Stanton, who put up a fight for a few laps. Then on la p I I Johnsort railed a berm and took the lead. "I got out fro n t and knew 1 had to pace myself be cause 1 knew Johnson would be there in a few laps," Stanton said. " I went a little too fast and got tired. I've been sick and was drained." Back in third Bradshaw dropped off the pace slightly but was way ahead of Dubach, Kehoe , Upshaw, a charging Cooper and Manley. " I got a bit tired and my back started to hurt about halfway through the race," said Bradshaw. " I Ronnie Tichenor (11) worked up to sevent h in the ma in. while Atsushi Okabe (8 5 9) was 12th and the first Japanes~ rider to make a main event. just tried to ride smooth and stay in third. When Johnson got by he had J eff in his eyes and was riding real well. " J ohnson was able to easily pull away from Stanton and soon had a five-second lead. Bradshaw continued to fade and dropped seven seconds behind Stanton, whil e Dubac h was a long way back in fourth and being held up by Kalos. That allowed Kehoe to close in , but Cooper was on the gas and passed him, then was quickly on Dubach's rear end. Late in the race Johnson continued to pull away and crossed the finish line 14 seconds ahead of Stanton, who had backed off on the last lap. Bradshaw was a lonely third, but quite happy with his finish in his first .Ca mel Supercross Series main event, "My goal was to finish in the winner's circle, and 1 reached it, " Bradshaw said. Cooper got by Du bach with two laps remaining for fourth, and Kehoe also passed Dubach when the Yamaha pilot went down near the end. " Kalos was holding me up, and 1 was yelling at him to move over," said Du bach. "Cooper pushed me and I ran into the back of Kalas in some whoops and crashed. 1 just don't understand why he didn 't with Honda's Larry Ward early in the race. Matiasevich led the start of the main with Craig and Ward battling for second. Ward's ride ended a few turns into the race when his exhaust pipe was bent awa y from the cylinder. Chris Young, Vohland and Lance Smail then chased Craig. Matiasevich and Craig quickly left the pack behind, and Matiasevich started to leave Craig until. he made a slight mistake that allowed the Yamaha pilot to get back on his rear fender. Vohland crashed on the third la p , while Mike La Rocco sailed into third after a so-so start. At the halfway point Craig was all over Matiasevich, but a couple of lap s la ter Matiasevich go t through lappers quicker and put a few' seconds on Craig that he'd keep to the end. With the leaders long gone, LaRocco cruised home third and well ahead of Smail. Vohland blitzed back from his crash to round out the top five. " I'm real happy with the way 1 rode," said Matiasevich. "I got the holeshot and tried to ride as smoothly and conservatively as possible, and everything just fell into place. 1 usually ride well under pressure. 1 just kept my eyes in front of me, didn't worry about Craig and just waited . for him to make mistakes." • move. " Results Tichenor put on a late-race charge to claim seventh ahead of Upshaw, while Bayle came back from the firstturn melee to claim ninth over Manley. Following the race, Johnson took a victory la p, waving to his home- : town fans and stopping on a few jumps to bow to the crowd. . " I was just so happy 1didn't know what to do," explained Johnson. " I . wanted to do some radical crossups for the people, but couldn't think of a n yth in g good enough. It's like when an actor is done, he bows , and it was just my way to say thank you." 125cc Matiasevich led the first heat from start to finish just ahead of Tallon Vohland, while th e second heat belonged to Craig after a brief battle 250: 1. Rick J ohnso n (Han); 2. J eff Stanto n (Han); 3. Damon Bradshaw (Yam); 4. Guy Cooper 5. Erik Kehoe ( Suz~ 6. Doug Dubach (Yam); 7. Ronnie Tichenor (Suzt 8. Ja son Upshaw (Han); 9. Jean -Micfoel Bayle (Han); 10 . Brian M anl ey (Kaw); 11. Larry Brooks (Hont 12. Atsus hi Okabe (Kaw); 13. Fred And rews (Han); 14 . Shaun Kalos (Yam); 15 . J eff Hicks (Han); 16. Terry Fowler 9Hon); 17. M ike Pascarell a (Suz); 18. M ike Fisher (Kawl; 19. Ray Somma (Suz); 20 . Ron Lethien (Kaw); 2 1. Keith Bowen (Suz). 125: 1. Jeff Mat iasevich (Kaw ); 2. M ichael Craig (Yamt 3. M ike laRocco (Yam); 4. Lance Smail (Suz); 5. Tall on Vohland (Kaw ); 6. Kerry Mu l! igan (Suz); 7. Darr in Hoeft (Suz); 8. Chris Young (Suz); 9. M ike Young (Cag); 10 . Jer emy McGrath (Han); 11 . Paul Cort az (Han); 12. Tony Graves (Suz); 13. Scott Steffy (Suz); 14. St ave Lamson (Yam): 15. Tom Holt (Han): 16. Steve Friesen (Suzl; 17. Shawn Wynne (Suz); 18. Darrl e Mart ens (Kaw); 19. M ike Bell (Suz); 20 . Vi nce Warren (Han). POINT STANDINGS 250 : 1. Johnson (100); 2. Stanton (80); 3. Cooper (72); 4. Tichenor (53t 5. Lachien (49); 6. Kahoe (47); 7. (TIE)Bayle/ Dubach (43); 9. Johnny O'M ara (39); 10. Kalos (37). 125 : 1. Matiasavich 2. laRocco (72t 3. Smail (65); 4. Vohland (63t 5. Craig (80); 6. Mc Grath (58); 7. Jimmy Gaddis (51); 8. Ward (4 7~ 9. Chris Young (43); 10. Scott Steffy (42). (H o n~ noo»