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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127252
swingarm hit my head and shoulder,
and twisted my helmet around my
head. I ma y have broken a knuckle or
two. "
The incident sent Ward back to the
pits for medical attention and possible
retirement for the day.
Up front , Tichenor forced his way
around Du bach as did Johnson, and
Tichenor held the lead for two laps.
Then Johnson sho wed the world he 's
back as he took the lead .
Stanton and LaRocco were the next
10 displace Tichenor to take over
second and third. Stanton put in a solid
effort to catch Johnson, but J ohnson
was runnin g a slightly faster pace.
Back in fourth Suzuki's Tich enor was
trying to break ba ck into the top three.
" I got a good start," Tichenor said,
" and rod e real aggressive for the first
few laps. Then I hit a (mental) wall,
an d my arms started to pump and I
faded. I started to feel better at the end,
but by then it was too late."
.
Ti chenor found his way back
around La Rocco for the n umber three
spot shortly before Dubach and Bradsha w also passe d LaRocco. Toward the
end of the moto , Bradsh aw a lso
ma na ged to force ' hi s way around
Dubach and Tichenor to earn a top
three spot at the finish.
Duba ch grabbed the holeshot again
and set th e initial pace in moto two.
Stanton quickly ended Dubach 's run
out fro nt as he worked his way around
Larry Ward and Dubach in a matter
of minutes.
J ohnso n was back in fifth tryi ng to
ma ke up for his less tha n pe rfect start,
and had tr ouble passing Larry Ward.
O nce around Ward, J ohnson a nd
. Ward went alter Sta nton and Bradshaw, who were go ing at it for the lead .
The four riders moved wi th in two
seconds of each o the r with Bradsha w
holding the lead for a short while.
Then it was Stanton's tu m to control
as Brad shaw was knocked to third
behin d J ohnson . Stanton led for a few
laps before Johnson canceled his lead
and pu t him in second.
While J ohnson a nd Stanton were
caug h t in thei r dogfight, they p ulled
away from Bradshaw , who was passed
for third by La rry Ward. .
Accord ing to Yama ha team manager, Keith McCart y, Brad sha w began
feeling pain in a leg he injured du ring
the San Diego Supercross. Earlier in
the day T eam Yama ha's Bradsh aw had
recorded some of the hi g h est an d
longest (appro ximately 140 feet ) j u mps
near the fin ish line an d one of those
jum ps caused so me pa in that forced .
him to slow .
Ba ck up fr ont, Stan to n wasn ' t
letti ng J ohnson run away like he had
in the first moto, Bo th riders kne w that
th ey had 10 beat the other if they
wanted a shot at the overall win.
The pair contin ued to trade the lead
and on one lap swapped the po int
position back and fort h four times.
Each rider had his own section where
he was faster, and the lead seemed to
change accordingly.
At th e halfway point, Tichenor
made his presenc e felt and slipped past
Bradshaw and Dubach for third. Jeff
Ward was back in sixth fo llo wed by
Larry Ward, O 'Mara and Kawasaki
support rider John Dowd.
As the race wound down it was still
unclear as 10 who wo uld win bet ween
Stanto n and Jo hnson. Fo r the
remainder of the race, neither rider
backed off and J oh nson wo n in a'near
photo finish.
".It was so close o ut the re,". Johso n
said : ".1 didn 't have time to see if it
was J eff (Stanton) or Da mon (Bradshaw) beh ind me. They were using
someolthe same lines, and I just di dn 't
know."
But winning was the only thing that
mattered to Johnson.
".You love to be in one of those
races,". he added, "not at the time. bu t
you like to loo k back on them. I rode
my butt off and I was tired. It's been
a lo ng time (since I won a National).
and I feel I am riding up to par. There's '
still room for improvement, th ough."
" I rode a good race ," Stanton said,
" bu t Rick (Johnson) rode a better one.
I'm not disappointed , it was real
fun.".
O¥
Resu lts
125 HEAT I: 1. J ean -Mich el Bayle (H o n); 2. Chri s
Co lema n (Kaw): 3. Steven Childress (Suz); 4. J ell
Becki ng to n (Su. ): , . Chris Neal (SUI); 6. Micha el
Treadwell (Ka w); 7. l am es Eickel (Ya m ); 8. Bill y
Whi tley (SUI ); 9. Jell Glass (Hon ): 10. Micha el
Andr ews (Suz); 11. Gra ysOn Goodman (H e n): 12.
Bill Wallin (Hon ); 13. j ason Langford (Yam); 14.
Lan ce No rick (Ka w): 15. Da vid Beckington (Suz);
16. Stanley Ch omer (Ho n) ; 17. All en H ome (Suz);
18. Michael J on es (H on ); 19. Don Forma (Hon ); 20.
T om Welch (Yam); 21. Rom H ans on (Yam); 22.
Pa tri ck Waiu (KT M); 23. Pau l Hilario (Ka w ); 24.
Jerry Benner (Su. ); 25. Peter Kane (H o n); 26. J ohn
Fra nco (Suz); 27. Steven Lem on (Ka w ): 28. Bryan
Lineman (Ya m); 29. Mark Pil1ion (Ya m\ 30. Todd
Schmi u (H o n).
125 H EAT 2: I. T all on Vohland (Kaw); 2. Kyle
Le wis (Kaw ); 3. Denny Stephenson (Suz); 4. J ay
Mann (Kaw) ; 5.1wuin Ja ckson (Suz); 6. Cliff Palmer
(Suz); 7. Barry (:ancen (Suz); 8. Jim Ches ter (Suz);
9. Rich Taylor {Suz): 10. Ty Wallace (Kaw): II.
Jimmy But ton (Hon ); 12. Patrick Barton (Sur ): 13.
Joseph Mau rer (Suz); 14. Heath Kirk land (Hon); I, .
DaVId lIcckington (Suz); 16. Peter Olson (H on); 17.
Jim Randa (Suz); 18. Chuck Reed [Kaw ]; 19. Jimmy
J ohnson (Kaw): 20. Doug Iddings (Hon); 21. Jefl
Deveread y (H on ): 22. Dennis Decker (Ho n); 23.
Timothy Beachak (Hon ); 24. J ohn 'Fickel (Su.); 2>.
Greg Nelson (Su. ); 26. Rick Wcuel (H on); 27. l ordy
La ird (Hon ); 28. Bill Eb y (H on ); 29. Stephen Cooke
(Ka w) : 30. Danovan O 'Leary (Suz).
l2Scc HEAT 3: 1. JeU Emig (Ka w ); 2. SIeve
Lamson (Yam); 3. Brian Carrol (Suz); 4. Gra yson
Goodman (H o n); :. . Jerom y Buehl (Suz); 6. Phi l
Lawrence (Yam); 7. Brian Pryor (Suzl; 8. Chri.
Young (Su. ); 9. Chad Pederson (Yam); 10. Bret t
Salander (Hon ); II . Mark Rena ud (Su. ); 12. David
J o nes (Kaw); 13. Michael Treadwell (Kaw); 14. Todd
Wolle (Suz): I,. Wa lly Silva (Ya m ); 16. Peter
j astrernski (Hon ); 17. James Mdlvane (Hon); 18.
T racy Bachma n (H on); 19. Michael Mcdonald (Suz);
20. Richa rd Clarke (Hon): 21. Paul Ooyeue (Ka w};
22. Brian Carrol (Suz); ~. Edward Morse (Hon )l
24. Brian Cavanaugh (Suz); 25. Mike Eiklenborg
(Ya m ); 26. Chris Brynildscn (Kaw) ; 27. Ma rk
Mu sselman (KTM); 28. Steve Ern est (H on ); 29. Keith
Go vetre (Ya m ); 30. Chris Sh ipclark (H o n); 31. David
Gaylord (Kaw).
12Scc CONSI 1: 1. Michael Andrews (Suz); 2. T y
Wall ace (Kaw); 3. Brett Slander (H on ); 4. Bill Wall in
(H o n); ' . Patri ck Banon (Su. ); 6. David jones {Kaw ];
7. Lance Nori ck (Kaw); 8. Heath Kirkland (Hon);
9. Todd Wolle (SUI); 10. Stanley Chomer (H on ); II.
Pe ter O lso n (Hon ); 12. Peter jasuemski (H on ); 13.
Michael Jones (H on ); 11. Chuck Reed {Ka w): 15.
Tracy Backma n (H on ); 16. Tom Welch (Yam ); 17.
Doo~ Iddi ngs (H on ); 18. Rich ard Cla rke (Hon); 19.
Pa trick Wai n (KT M); 20. Dennis Decker (H a n ); 21.
Harold Vezina {Sua): 22. Jerry Renner (Su.); 23. J oh n
Rickel (Suz); 24. Brian Cavanaug h (Suz); 25. Jo h n
Franco (Suz); 27. Chris Bryni ldscn (Kaw); 28. Bryan
Lineman (Ya m); 29. Bill Eby (Han); 30. Steve Earnest
(H on); 3 1. Todd Schmiu (H on); 32. Chris Sh ipclark
(H on ).
12Scc CONSt 2: I. Rob H anson (Ya m ); 2. Da vid
Reck in gton (Suz); 3. J osep h Mau rer (Su. ); 4. Dou g
H enry (Yam) ; 5. J ason La ng ford (Yam); 6. Allm
H om e (Su.) ; 7. J ason You ng (Suz); 8. J im Ra nda
(Suz); 9. J im my Johnso n (Ka w) ; 10. Don Forma
(Hon) ; II. Wally Sil va (Yam ); 12. Mar k Musselma n
(KT M); 13. Edward Morse (Hon); 14. David Gaylord
(Su.) ; I, . J am es Mell vane (Hon); 16. T im oth y
Beachak (H on); 17. Mark Rena do (Su.) ; 18. Je U
Deveready (H on); 19. Jordy Laird (H on ); 20. Pa ul
Hilario (Kaw); 21. Mar k Pillion (H on); 22. Pa ul
Covene {Kaw ): 23. Rick W