Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

eSUPERCROSS e AMA Camel Su ereross Series: Round 6 ~- Team DGY Racing's Chad Pederson led from start to finish to score his first-ever Eastern Regional125cc Supercross feature victory. Damon Bradshaw rounded the first lap in sixth place but worked up to second. pipe:' Swink said. "There wasn't much I could do." The second semi featured another close race. Honda of Troy's Todd DeHoop was the early leader until he endoed over a triple jump; his bike too damaged to continue, mainly because the tip of the exhaust pipe had become packed with dirt in the crash. Suzuki privateer rider Larry Ward inheri ted the lead and held it un til he was passed by Team Noleen/Yamaha rider Shaun Kalos a lap-and-a-half from the finish. Palmer settled into third late in the race, as did Suzuki's Phil Lawrence in fourth. The battle for the last transfer of the semis came down to the last lap, when Ocala, Florida's Carl Vaillencourt passed Rossini Racing Products' Kevin Crine on the last lap, sending Crine to the last chance qualifier. 250ccLCQ The six-lap last chance quaLifier also featured tight racing, and when the brief race was all over, it was Japan's Kohji Ohkawara enjoying the win, which bought him a ticket to the feature for the second time this season. Boyesen Racing's Dag Boyesen executed a picture-perfect block pass on Canadian Bill Wallin on the last lap to secure the last transfer position of the night. Swink's problems continued in the LCQ. He and a few other riders were involved in a first-turn pile-up. "I had the last pick on the line and I had no choice but the far outside:' said Swink. "I was pushed out in the first tum and everyone crashed into me. 1 figured that would happen. It's been a pretty frustrating night to say the least." 14 250cc Main When the gate dropped for the start of the 20-rider, 20-lap Coors Light Challenge, McGrath wasted little time moving to the front of the pack. After the first lap, the top four riders in the series points standings - McGrath, Stanton, Kiedrowski and Bradshaw were running that order in the top four places. Following in fifth was Lamson, but hot on his tail was Craig, then Kales and Brooks. Mired in the middle of the pack were standouts Larry Ward and Suzuki's Matiasevich. McGrath quickLy established about a three-second Lead over his teamma te Stanton, who enjoyed about the same distance over Kiedrowski. Supplying most of the entertainment was Bradshaw, who was obviously trying to move up and was working hard on Kiedrowski. For the next seven la ps, Bradshaw challenged Kiedrowski every inch of the way until he saw the open. ing he needed in a turn and finally passed the Kawasaki rider for third. . Bradshaw then set his sights on Stanton but didn't have to work on him for long. On the ninth lap, Stanton washed out over some whoops and crashed, handing Bradshaw and Kiedrowski second and third, respectiveLy. Stanton recovered in time to salvage fourth just ahead of Craig, who had earlier passed Lamson. "It was so slippery I washed out,", said Stanton. "I was trying a little too hard. After that it was so slippery that you couldn't make up much time." At the halfway point, Bradshaw found himself in second but still some five seconds behind the leader McGrath. At one point it looked as though Bradshaw might reel in McGrath but lapped traffic put a stop to Bradshaw's charge. "I was ca tching him (McCrath) until we got in Lapped traffic," said Bradshaw. "The track was just too hard to pass on." "When I'm out in front like that my strategy is to race to the next lapper:' said McGrath. "I wasn't too worried when Bradshaw got into second, because I know that Lappers effect Bradshaw; he doesn't deal with ~em very well." From the 10th lap on the race was a yawner as there were no position changes among the top seven riders, who were at that point fairly spread out and stayed that way. In fact, the only rider inside the top 10 who managed any passing was Matiasevich, who climbed as high as eighth before dropping back to 11th where he would finish. Matiasevich was still feeling the effects of a bad crash during Thursday press day. "1 smashed my head on a concrete wall and had a concussion," said Matiasevich. "1 ran off the track and hit the wall; I'm still seeing a little blurry and not quite feeling right." The last half of the race was uneventful and McGr!ith sailed across the fipish line jump unchallenged. Approximately four seconds behind in second followed an obviously disappointed Bradshaw, then a few seconds later in third finished Kiedrowski. Stanton took the checkers a lonely fourth, while Craig, Ward, Kalos, Brooks, Lawrence and Palmer rounded out the top 10. "The track was so slick, that while they were all battling behind me, I was able to get away," said McGrath. "I don't feel majorly fast or anyt/ling, but things are just going my way right now. I could see Bradshaw was back there but I wasn't worrying. I knew he'd have trouble with lapped traffic." By the expression on Bradshaw's face, one could easily tell that he wasn't at all pleased with second. "1 think I should've won," said Bradshaw. "He (McGrath) was within catching distance. 1 was riding well enough and I should've caught him. But the track was so tight, it was almost like a trials. You

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