Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

~ .SUPERCROSS AMA Camel Su ercross Series: Round 2race, so 1 was just playing with their ~ minds." Bradshaw was equally enthusiastic about the heat, saying, "1 had a lot of fun. At first 1 wanted to just make sure 1 qualified, but then 1 suddenly found myself trying to pass Guy." The second heat saw the factory Honda duo of McGrath and Stanton assume the front two positions from the get-go. Stanton was gobbled up by Kawasaki's Mike Craig on lap one, though, and the defending champ looked to be struggling throughout the race. "It's not even worth talking about," said Stanton later. "I rode like a piece of crap." Jeff Stanton (1) finished a distant third, while Mike LaRocco (5) was forced to come from behind after a poor start. LaRocco crossed the finish line in sixth place. Jimmy Gaddis notched his first-ever win in the EasternlWestem Regional125cc main. Also on the move were LaRocco and Suzuki's Brian Swink, who moved into fourth and fifth by the completion of lap three. While McGrath began to establish a lead, Craig began to fade on lap four and quickly dropped to fifth. With Craig's demise, Stanton inherited second, but was again demoted when LaRocco bounced past through a tricky section of jumps. Once past Stanton, LaRocco turned up the wick and reeled in McGrath, who at one time had enjoyed a five-second lead. Though he pressured him considerably, LaRocco couldn't find a way past McGrath, who notched the fastest heat race win of the night. Stanton bobbled on the last lap and Swink was quick to pounce and take over third. Stanton recovered in time to finish fourth and transfer to the main. "After 1 got the holeshot 1just tried to ride my own race," said McGrath. "I knew that Stanton was behind me, but then all of a sudden it was LaRocco. My nerves are better than they were last week, but my arms still pumped up a little." 250cc Semis Noleen Yamaha rider Larry Brooks grabbed the holeshot in the first six-lap semi, and missed a spectacular first-turn pileup that claimed Suzuki's Jeff Matiasevich, Kehoe and Japan's Kohji Ohkawara. Matiasevich looked to be in pain as he clutched his lower back, but the newest Team Suzuki recrui t remounted and set a furious pace in an attempt to gain one of the five transfer positions. Suzuki support rider Denny Stephenson, Ward, and Honda of Troy's Todd DeHoop chased after Brooks, with Ward having the most success. Ward overtook Stephenson and roosted past Brooks on the last lap to notch the win. Brooks held on to second with Stephenson third, while Matiasevich was rewarded for his efforts with fourth. DeHoop crossed the finish line fifth and earned a spot in the feature. Kehoe finished a close sixth, but would have to ride in the last chance qualifier. Team Honda's Steve Lamson led oleen Yamaha's Shaun Kalos, Craig and Honda privateer Buddy Antunez through the first turn in the second semi, but his hopes were dashed on the second lap. Lamson swapped over a small triple jump and tasted the dirt, handing the lead to Craig. who had overtaken Kalos a few turns earlier. With that, the top positions were set, as Craig raced off with a comfortable win over Kalos and Antunez. KTM factory riders Cliff Palmer and Keith Johnson finished fou rth and fifth, and for the second week in a row put their pair of Austrian machines into the main event. "I know that 1 have the speed, 1 just need the luck," said Craig, who was taken out in a first-turn crash in the Orlando main event. 8 250cc LCQ Kehoe made quick work of the last chance qualifier, as he grabbed the holeshot and was never headed. Yamaha privateer Ray Sommo gated second, but was ousted from a transfer position by Lamson. Lamson pressured Kehoe momentarily, but opted to settle for a safe second and a spot in the main. "I can't believe my luck," said Lamson. "I can go super fast in practice, but in the races 1 get nervous and can't get it going." 250ccMain When the gate dropped at the start ci the 20-lap main event, it was tre Yamaha-mounted Brooks who led tie charge down the long start straight ard into the first turn. Behind the detemined privateer, McGrath, Bradshay, Matiasevich and Stanton battled f.r position, while Lamson, Kiedrowski acd Cooper rounded out the top eigh;. LaRocco was mired at the start and fw,. nelled through tum one in 18th. Brooks' lead lasted less than a lap is Bradshaw first picked off McGrath, thm swooped past Brooks for the lead. Wih that, the top step of the winner's box was spoken for, as Bradshaw opened up an immediate two-second advantage aboard his Brian Lunnis-tuned Yamaha YZ2S0 and would continue to pull away even further as the race wound down. After being passed by Bradshaw, Brooks began to steadily drop further back into the pack, and eventually finished 16th. For the first eight laps, Stanton ani McGrath rode in close formation in 56:ond and third, well ahead of a battle tmt raged over fourth. Cooper blasted through the pack after his so-so start ilAd gained control of fourth, but hed Kiedrowski, Swink and Ward hot on lis tail LaRocco set a torrid pace and joined that battle on lap eight. Although they started well, Matiasevich and Lamson steadily worked their way back in the pack as the race wore on. Matiasevich finished a lonely eighth, and Lamson faded to Uth. "Someone ran over my back in the semi crash, and 1 can barely stand up," said Matiasevich. "The pain was too much to bear." "I just tensed up," said Lamson. "There's a lot of pressure - you know, being on Team Honda for the first time." Meanwhile, Bradshaw continued to display a fluid and controlled riding style, and just before the ha1fway point enjoyed a six-second lead over Stanton. McGrath began to slow at the seven-lap mark, and fell prey to Cooper on lap nine. "My arms started to pump up," said McGrath. "I just need to get used to rae: ing a 250 wide open for 20 laps. It will come." Once into third, Cooper closed in on Stanton and began to pressure the champ for second. Upon close observation, one would note that Cooper rode completely different lines than the rest of the field. "I crossed over a lot of ruts and zigzagged through the bumps," said Cooper. One particular section that Cooper gained time in was a small tabletop jump, followed by a steep single jump. While most riders flew over the tabletop and sailed off the following jump, Cooper would launch off the tabletop and slam into the face of the single jump. With each lap, Cooper's navigation of the obstacle became more and more ragged, but he continued to do it nonetheless. Cooper used the jump to pull alongside Stanton as they approached the triples on lap 12, and the former 125cc National Champion sailed past Stanton and into second. What made the pass even more spectacuJar, was that Cooper-'

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