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/127390
Overall winner Jeff Stanton gets some encouragement from his mechanic Dan Betley (left) during his battle with second-mota winner Mike LaRocco: Stanton reigns at Unadilla, again By Nate R au ba Photos by Tom Strattman, Michael Snyder and R au ba NEW BERUN, NY, JULY 14 II hail Jeff Stanton, the new King of Unadilla. Team Honda's Stanton turned in a royal performance before an estimated 8000 subjects who came to watch the 14th Annual U.S. 250cc MX Grand Prix at the Unadilla Valley Sports Center, scoring his second straight overall victory with 1-2 mota finishes aboard his Dan Bet le yprepared Honda CR250. Stanton's performance, which also included his second-straight fastest lap in tim ed practice that's used to determine the riders' pick on the starting gate, proved that he's worthy of taking the crown that once belonged to Bob Hannah and then Rick Johnson, both U.S. GP winners who are now retired, and five- A 6 time 500cc World Champion Roger DeCoster. " I guess I'm ready 10 take the crown," said Stanton, who joined Johnson and Kent Howerton as a twotime winner of th e Unadilla U.S. GP and extended the American win streak to nine 'straight. " Bu t I would like to have won both mOlOS." Suzuki's Mike LaRocco was the only one who didn't bow to Stanton, as he outdueled the Sherwood, Michigan, resident in a spectactular battle in the second 40-minute plus two-lap mota. LaRocco's rnoto win end ed Stanton's five-mote win streak in U.S. GP competition at Unadilla. That streak started in 1989when Stanton won both rna lOS of the 125cc Support class, cont in ued at last year's GP when StanIOn swept both. GP motos, and cont inued when he easily beat runnerup Trampas Parker in the first GP mota this year. LaRocco finaIly shut him down after the two swapped the lead .several tim es in the second mot o. LaRocco, who fini shed third in the first rnoto after a come-fro m-behind ride , earned second overaIl honors, while Sweden's Peter J ohansson was the top European rider at third overall with his 6-3 mota fini shes. While Stanton was king for a day, Louisiana's Parker got a big boost in his quest for the 250cc World Championship title. Parker, who currently lives in Italy, picked up 24 points at Unadilla on defending World Champion Alessandro P uzar of Italy, who failed to finish either moto. Last year, Puzar clinched the title at Unadilla. After he was unable to advance from a poor start, Puzar retired 30 minutes into the first mota after he had thrown off his goggles and was' unable to see well enough to negotiate the tough course laid out in the roIling hills of central New York. The track was made" even tougher by a rainstorm that soaked the ground throughout the day on Saturday. That rain was a welcome relief to the area whi ch had been experiencing a mild drought, but due to the previous lack of rainfall, promoter Ward Robinson had been extensively watering the grassy' course for nearly two months prior to the event. Partly sunny skies, though interrupted by a light shower during the first mota, helped dry the track, but there were still deep ruts and many soft, muddy areas on the undulating course thro ugho ut the day. In the second moto, Puzar ran into a fallen Micky Dymond, who finished fourth in the first race, then fell again several corners later and puIled out of the mot a . As a result of his scoreless day, Puzar saw his lead in the standings sh rink from 35 10 II points. He leads Parker, 204-193. " I never felt ready for the race, or very comfortable," said Puzar through interpreter and team manager Michele Rina ldi, the 1984 125cc Worl d Champion. Californian Mike Healey entered the GP tied for second with Parker, but after suffering a groin injury during timed practice he o n ly scored 10 points for sixth place in moto two and lies third in the standings with 179 points. In the 125cc Support class, Kawasaki's Mike Kiedrowski was the overall winner, sweeping both motos aboard his Shane Nalley-tuned KX125. The 1989 125cc National Champion easily won the first moto, then charged up from a mediocre start in race two to take the lead from Yamaha's Jeff Emig late in the race. Emig finished second overall with a 4-2 score and Team Peak Honda rider Steve Lamson rounded out the top three with 2-4 moto finishes.