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/127184
Early leade': Doug Qubach (left) and Shaun Kalos battled in the main. The two Yamaha teammates finished seventh and fifth, respectively. Series points leader Jeff Stanton was running in third place a few laps into the main before his Honda's transmission broke. Main Twen ty-one riders Iined the backwards-falling gate for the start of the 20-lap Coors Extra Gold Super Challenge main event and when the gate dropped, the pack squeezed into the first turn and Dubach had the holeshot. But emerging out in front after exiting the rum and flying over the first jump was O'Mara. Jamming down the first staight section .. O'Mara was chased by Dubach, DeHoop, Larry Ward, Stanton, Tichenor, Cooper and jeff Ward. However, before the end of the first lap, Ward had shot into second after passing groups of riders at a time. "I made some real aggressive moves that normally 1 don't do early in the race," said Ward. "I usually take it more conservatively, but on this track, being so tight 'and hard to pass on, 1 said to myself, 'I've got to do it right now.' In one turn, 1 went wide to the outside while everybody went to the inside. 1 must've passed four guys right there. Then I passed a couple of more and the next thing 1 knew, 1 went £.rom about ninth to second. That helped out a whole lot." Ward continued to roll forward by passing O'Mara for the lead during the second lap. "I don't even remember where 1 passed him," said Ward. "Everything happened so fast." Even though Ward didn't remember the pass, O'Mara did. "I almost crashed in the whoops," said O'Mara. "I tried a diHerent line and 1 got oH a little bit to the side and JeH was right behind me and got me." By the third lap, both Ward and O'Ma.ra had established a good-sized lead over the rest of the pack, while Stanton worked up to third after passing Dubach. But two laps later, Stanton's ride and bid for his fourthstraight supercross win came to an end when his motorcycle skidded to a sudden stop. ''I'm not sure what happened," said Stanton cooly after the race. "Something happened to the bike; the back wheel just locked up. Things happen; bikes break and that's a part of racing." Team Honda's race team manager Dave Arnold said, "Well, we stiJI have to take it apart, but it looks like something in the transmission broke. It locked up and had a crack in the case with oil coming out of it. It started to miss shifts and then he (Stanton) had to start riding around in one gear. Then when he tried changing gears, it locked up." Back out on the track, Ward and O'Mara continued to lead the way with Ward a few seconds ahead of the Suzuki pilot. About this time, O'Mara began feeling sharp pains in his lower back. "I've had some back problems . these last couple of days and I don't know what it is," said O'Mara. "It's really seizing up on me and really hurts. 1 just had to grit my teeth and tried not to bottom on the jumps. When I bottom, that's when it really hurts; I could hardly breathe." Despite the pain, O'Mara kept char~ing hard and was waiting for a mIstake by Ward. O'Mara nar· rowed the gap to within three bike lengths at the finish, but he never could make a real attempt to pass. ''I'm really happy the way things went," said O'Mara, "but I guess I'm going to have to be satisfied with another second. 1 feel that if I didn't let jeH by in the whoops, 1 probably could've won the thing. But jeH rode strong. 1 guess I'm a little disap· pointed, but I'm gaining in points and things are looking positive." Lechien crossed the finish line in third after a rocky ride. The Kawasaki rider started the mota around 10th, worked up to eighth by the second lap, then was sent back to about 12th after tangling with Larry Ward and Tichenor in a tight lefthand tum. "I tried to sneak under Tichenor and (Larry) Ward, but Ronnie fell on Ward and Ward fell on me and all three of us got stuck there," said Lechien. Once Lechien got back going again, he turned up the boost and picked of( riders one by one till he was in third on lap 15. "The track was pretty n;lUch my style of track and 1 just started pushing really hard. 1 just felt really good tonight, and 1 felt 1 could've won if 1 could've just gotten to the front earlier," said Lechien. Ron Lechien (4), Ronnie Tichenor (111 and Larry Ward (hidden) fell on top of each other during the main. Lechien went on to finish third. • After a third last week in Houston, Texas, and a third in Tampa, Lechien is creeping up on the leaders in points. "It feels real good being up there and 1 think the season is going to have a good firlish," said Lechien. ''I'm ready for it - I've got my second chance and I'm going after it." Stanton said, ''I'm going to have to come back next week and try the best that 1 can. Fortunately, 1 didn't get hurt; my good friend and teammate (Rick johnson) got hurt and I don't like to see that, but 1 didn't get hurt; I'm safe." Cooper finished a close fourth after spending much of the race dicing with Lechien, Kalas and Dubach. Following irlches behind Cooper were Kalas, Tichenor and Dubach. All four riders battled back and forth for the entire moto. Tichenor slipped by Dubach in the late stages to snag sixth away from the Yamaha rider. Rounding out the top 10 were Kehoe, Larry Ward and last week's 125cc winner, LaRocco. 125cc Main Honda rider Jason Langford grabbed the holeshot in the 125cc main but was quickly passed by Suzuki's Ty Davis and Jones. Both Bradshaw and Kiedrowski were found in the middle of the pack. Davis led for three laps before Jones shot by, while Suzuki rider John Kitsch watched from third place. But a few turns later, Kitsch crashed in a whoop section, putting him out of contention. jones continued to lead while both Bradshaw and Kiedrowski mQved up. By the fifth lap, Bradshaw was running second but looped his Yamaha over. a jump while trying to put a move on jones, dropping him back to fifth. Three laps later, Kiedrowski moved into second after passing Davis and he then slipped by leader jones a few yards later. With only a few laps to go, Bradshaw worked back up to third . and began pressurirlg jones. On the final lap, Bradshaw flew past Jones over a double jump but had no - chance of catching the leader, Kiedrowski, in the remaining few turns. Kiedrowski crossed the finish line a safe distance ahead of Bradshaw, jones an(i Davis. Stephenson cap-' tured fifth despite crashing a few yards down the start straight and remounting in last. • Results 250: 1. Jeff Werd (Kow); 2. Johnny O'Mera (SUl); 3. Ron Lochien (Kew); 4. Guy Cooper (Han); 5. Shaun Kelos (Yem); 6. Ronnie TIchenor (SOl); 7. Doug Dubach (Yem); 8. George Hollend (Han); 9. Erik Kehoe (SOl); 10. Larry Werd (Han); 11. Mike laRocco (Yem); 12. Todd DeHoop (SUl); 13. Rav Somma (SUl); 14. Keith Johnson (Kew); 15. Keith Bowen (SUl); 16. Deyid Hand (Han); 17. Allen Dyck (Han); 18. Mike Pascarelle (SUl); 19. Fred Andrews (Han); 20. Jeff Stenton (Han); 21. Larry Brooks (Han). 125: 1. Mike Kiedrowski (Han); 2. Demon Bradshaw (Yam~ 3. Mike Jones (Vern); 4. TV Devis (SUl); 5. Denny Stephenson (Kew); 6. Kennv Kizzar (SUl); 7. Dale Spongier (SUl); 8. Jeson Langford (Vam); 9. Greg Bowen (Han); 10. Carl Vaillancourt (Han); 11. Derrick Roe (Kaw); 12. Jeff Glass (Han); '3. Barry Carsten (SUl); 14. Merk Crolier (Han); 15. Chuck Reed (Kaw); 16. Steye Childres,S (Sull; '7. Grayson Goodman (Vern); 18. Mark Musselman (KTM); 19. Jeff Beckington (Han); 20. John Kitsch (SUl); 21.. BiliV Whitlev (Suli. AMA CAMEL SUPERCROSS 250 POINT STAND· INGS: 1. Stanton(176); 2. Johnson (147); 3. Coopar (145); 4. O'Mara (133); 5. Lechien (130); 6. Tichenor (117); 7. Kalas (101); 8. Dubach (88); 9. Kehoe (82); Jean·Michel Bayle (70). EASTERN REGIONAL 125 POINT STANDINGS: 1. Bradshaw (115): 2. Kiedrowski (lOS); 3. Stephenson (85); 4. Dayis (79); 5. Jones (62); 6. Vaillencourt (52~ 7. Childress (48); 8. (TIE) Chris Coleman/Barry CarSlen (46); 10. Langford (40).