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/127181
The defending 125cc MX National champ Holland (1) leads Mike laRocco (19) and eventual 125cc winner Mike Kiedrowski (762). - Kawasaki's Jeff Ward returned to racing following an ankle injury suffered in January. Ward went 5-1 for third overall in the 250cc class. Stanton's (7) 2-2 moto finishes earned the factory Honda rider second overall. Stanton was leading the first moto until he fell. Bradshaw (45) and Cooper (10) ' diced in the 125cc class. Bradshaw won the first moto but crashed and finished ninth in the second.' eranee paid off as he snuck by Bradshaw. " I started making a couple of mistakes," said Bradshaw. "I crashed and bent my lever, got going after that and when I fell again it just blew all of my composure and I couldn't get going." . Schmit continued to fly during the closing laps and reeled in and passed Cooper. Meanwhile, Kiedrowski was 14 seconds ahead and easily took the moto and his first National win. Cooper took third ahead of Holland, while Davis led LaRocco, DeHoop and Kehoe in a tight battle for sixth through eighth. " It feels pretty good to win a National," said Kiedrowski afterwards. " I started pushing myself and pulled out a lead, then my mechanic told me to keep on the gas and be smooth." . After doing so well in the first moto, Ward didn't get far in the second. "When Holland crashed I tried to miss him and bent my chain guide," he explained. " I couldn't straighten it out so the chain wouldn't stay on. I'm pretty bummed, especially when I saw how the race turned out. " 250cc National 8 Stanton had problems early wh en the gas on his Honda failed to flow during the parade lap. After a plug change and some pushing, his RC250 fired, only to die again before he could get to the line. He got it refired, however, and made it to the line after the 30-second sign went sideways. But the added pressure didn 't hurt his start as Stanton came away with the holeshot over Jeff Ward, Bayle, Storbeck and O 'Mara. " I was nervous and just got to the line, I wasn't even thinking," Stanton said later. On the first lap the top three stayed close, putting distance on fourthplaced Shaun Kalos. O 'Mara also found a way around Storbeck on the opening lap. . Stanton was slowly getting away from Ward, while Kalos was on the move and in Bayle's tracks. But Bayle soo n turned up the wick and passed Ward as the top five started spreading out. Larry Brooks, Keith Bowen and Storbeck provided the only excitement with a close battle for sixth. Once into second, Bayle began to close slightly, but he didn't have to push for long as Stanton handed him the lead when he fell. "My front end slid out over a jump, and then it took a while to get on track again," Stanton said later. Stanton . got going in time to salvage second place while Kalos took over third from Ward. After another lap, O'Mara also got by Ward as the defending 250cc National Champion was having problems. . "I had really bad lines and the bike wasn't set up right," said Ward. "I couldn't even hang on; it's the worst ride I've ever had." . Up front Bayle continued to pull away and would stretch his margin to nearly 25 seconds over Stanton at the finish. O'Mara pressured Kalos on the closing laps, but couldn't get by and was a few seconds behind at the finish. "I was worried about Stanton and didn't want to let up," said Bayle. The ride also blistered his hands, and DeCoster described them as " ham bu rger. " . . "I knew second was okay, so I'll ha ve to go out and win the next moto,' said Stanton. Bayle jumped out front at the start of moto two followed by Suzuki's Ronnie Tichenor and Ward, but it was Stanton who took up the chase of Bayle on the first lap. By lap two Stanton was in the lead with Ward following after disposing of the Frenchman on lap three. Tichenor maintained fourth ahead of a battle between Storbeck and O'Mara. For much of the first half of the race , Stanton maintained a steady two- second lead on Ward, but by the 10th lap that lead suddenly shrank. Ward reeled Stanton in, then passed the Honda pilot and quickly pulled away. Bayle had dropped off the pace, but held a comfortable third over the O 'Mara/Storbeck duel , Yamaha-s Doug Dubach, Tichenor and Fred Andrews. . A little further back a good battle raged between Kalos , Ron Lechien and Dennis Hawthorne - after some close racing Lechien came out on top of the battle with Kalos dropping several positions. Ward continued to pull away to the finish with Stanton a distant second, but well ahead of Bayle. The only excitement came as Storbeck finally took control of fourth over O 'Mara. "This win helps out a lot," said Ward. "I haven't been out riding for so long and getting out there right away and going that fast of a pace 'is a lot differen t," "J eff (Ward) rode a smart race," Stanton said. " H e pushed me and I got tired." • Results 125cc: I. Mike Kiedrowski (Han) 4 -1; 2. Damon Bradshaw (Yam) 1·9; 3. Guy Cooper (Han) 6-3 ; 4 . Mike LaRocco(Yam)3-6; 5. George HoUand(Hon)54; 6. Ty Davis (Suz) 7-5 : 7. Todd DeHoop (Suzl 87; 8. Erik Kehoe (Suz)I()'8; 9. Donny Schmit(Hon) DNF-2; 10. Larry Ward (Han) 2·DNF; 11. Greg Bowen (Han) 11·10; 12. Denny Stephenson (Kaw) 9-12; 13. Willy Surratt (Suz) 12-11 ; 14. Stevie Childress (Suz) 14·13; 15. Brian McElroy (Cag) 16· 16; 16. Barry Carsten (Suz) 13-19; 17. Ray Somma (Suz) DNF-14; 18. Jason Langford (Yam) DNF-15 ; 19. Jimmy Gaddis (Suz) 15·DNF; 20 . Jay Mann (Kaw) 17·DNF. 25Occ: 1. Jean-Michel Bayte (Han) 1-3; 2. Jeff Stanton (Han) 2-2 ; 3. Jeff Ward (Kaw) 5-1 ; 4. Johnny O'Mara (Suz) 4-5 ; 5. Danny Storbeck (Han) 6-4; 6. Shaun Kalas (Yam) 3·12; 7. Doug Dubach (Vam) 11·6; 8. Ron Lachien (Kaw) 8-9; 9. Ron Tichenor (Suz) 12·7 ; 10. Larry Brooks (Han) 7·13; 11. Fred Andrews (Han) 14-8; 12. Dennis Hewthorne (Kaw) 13·10; 13. Mark Barnett (Suz) 1511; 14. 8rian Manley (Kaw) 9.DNF, i 15. Keith Bowen (Suz) 10·DNF; 16. Vince Devane (Hon) DNF-14; 17. Tom Carson (Han) 19-17; 18. Carl Vaillancourt (Han) DNF-15; 19. Michael Stahlan (Vam) 18-18; 20. Jeff Frisz (KawI16-DNF. CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDINGS 125cc: 1. Kiedrowski (43); 2. Bradshaw (37); 3. Cooper (35); 4. laRocco (35); 5. Holland (34); 6. Davis (30); 7. DeHoop (27); 8. Kehoe (24); 9. Schmit (22); 10. Ward (22). 25Occ: , . Bayle (45); 2. Stanton (44); 3. Ward 1 (43); 4 . O'Mara (34); 5. Storback (33); 6. Kalal (29); 7. Dubach (25); 8. Lachien (25); 9. TIchenor (23); 10. Brooks (221.