Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

; LOCAL EVENTS e Rick Ryan (20) led Jeff Pestana (70) and Todd Nelson (1) at GFI's Oakdale Motocross. GFI Wmter Series North: Round 4 Matson triples at Oakdale By Tom Prichard Photo by Mark Hawkins OAKDALE, CA, FEB. 7 £ter spending the first three events of the series on fast, natural, wideopen tracks, the Winter Series moved to the arenascross-style confines of Pioneer Arena The change in style made for close racing in nearly every class, and the more versatile riders found their chance to shine. Matson Racing/Gran Prix YamahaKawasaki/Lindemann Engineering/ Fox/Davis Auto Care-sponsored Dean Matson found the track totally to his liking, earning the overall wins in all three Pro divisions for the day. "This is really my kind of track," said Matson. "The more technical it is the better I do. It's going to get rougher, and that's better for me." The Yamaha-mounted Matson was chased home by Jeff Pestana in the 12Scc Pro class, and by Rick Ryan in both the 250 and SOOcc events. The start of the first 250cc moto saw Yamaha rider John Stark snare the holeshot, only to be passed by Matson three turns later. Matson then wicked up his Yamaha and quickly pulled away. Stark was pushed hard by Pestana for two laps before the Honda mounted rider finally managed to get around. Also passing Stark on the same lap was Suzuki rider Michael Brandes. Stark would drop even further back to finish the moto in seventh. Brandes wicked it up and passed Pestana, and the two riders began to battle over the second spot, failing to notice a hard-charging Spud Walters until it was too late. Walters pushed his Kawasaki around both Brandes and Pestana so quickly they didn't have time to react. Walters wasn't finished, however, as he began to close on the leading Matson over the next couple of laps. Then, coming off a big tabletop, Walters bailed hard. "In the whoops before the tabletop my rear brake pads fell out," said Walters. "I didn't know what had happened until I tried braking for the turn and nothing happened. It was a little scary, but I'm okay." With Walters off his back, Matson again had a comfortable lead over the rest of the pack. Pestana again managed to get around Brandes, and settled into second place. Yamaha rider Rick Ryan finally managed to free himself from traffic after a bad start, and also passed A 28 Brandes for third. As the laps wound down, Ryan reeled in Pestana and made several attempts to pass, but Pestana was able to hold on to finish second at the checkered flag. Matson took the moto win with a five-second cushion over the runner-up Pestana. Ryan notched third, and rounding out the top five were Brandes and Yamaha rider Pat Gomm. The start of moto two again saw Matson nabbing the holeshot and exiting the first turn with the lead. Matson was followed by Ryan, who got a much better start than his first time out. As the riders worked their way around the track, disaster again struck Walters. After falling with several riders in turn one, Walters was quickly up again, only to find water pouring out of his radiator. A dejected Walters was once again sent to the pits. Ryan was putting tremendous pressure on Matson as their battle took them far ahead of the rest of the riders. Going into the rockers on lap two, Ryan stuffed his front wheel around Matson and forced the Yamaha rider to shut off the throttle just long enough for Ryan to take the lead. Matson fought back, outjumping Ryan off the tabletop, but Ryan had the only good line going into the following turn, and held the lead. The duo continued to fight over the lead for the next several laps, battling in nearly every tum. Back in third and fourth, Pestana and Brandes were having their own battle, putting on a show for the large crowd. Lap after lap Matson probed Ryan for an opening, but Ryan repeatedly shut the door. Finally, after Ryan blocked Matson one too many times, Matson seemed to have had enough, and he set Ryan up by taking the inside line across the finish line. Matson then suddenly swung wide and pulled alongside Ryan on the back straight, and once again took the lead. The pass seemed to take the wind out of Ryan, and he backed off the pace, letting Matson pull away. Pestana had managed to free himself from Brandes, but was too far behind the leaders to make a serious challenge. When the checkered flag came out Matson again took the moto win for the overall victory, with Ryan earning second in the moto and second overall. Completing the top five were Pestana, Brandes and Suzuki-mounted Rodney Smith. The start of the first 125cc Pro moto saw Suzuki rider Tyler Hummel nail the gate perfectly and take the holeshot. Hummel was followed out of turn one by Suzuki riders Trevor Meagher and Smith. By the end of the first lap, Smith managed to get around Meagher and was followed by Matson less than half a lap later. On lap two Hummel crashed hard when landing off the big tabletop. Hummel lay unmoving in the middle of the track, so track officials red-flagged the race to allow ambulance personnel access to the downed rider. Fortunately, Hummel was not seriously hurt, but he was unable to continue and was taken back to the pits. "I really don't know how it happened," said Hummel. "One minute I was' leading and the next thing I remember is someone asking me to count their fingers. I'll be okay, just my shoulder and hip are hurting, that's all." For the restart, the riders were then lined up in single file according to how they had finished the previous lap. Smith jetted away with the lead, followed by Matson. Within two laps, Matson managed to move up and put tremendous pressure on Smith. Then, just past the halfway point, Smith made a mistake and Matson flew by. Smith missed a shift while approaching the tabletop, allowing Matson to out-jump the Suzuki rider into the tum. Once in the lead, Matson opened up a seven bike length lead over Smith, who seemed to be content to let Matson go. "I really don't like supercross that much," said Smith. "I prefer the outdoor tracks and that's where I do better." In the meanwhile, Walters had slowly worked his way up to the front-runners. Walters was in third by the final lap, camped out on Smith's rear fender. Coming into the last turn before the checkered flag, Walters pitched it sideways and slid under Smith to steal second place away. "I thought it was Ricky (Ryan) behind me," said Smith. "I knew he would take me out if I tried to hold him up. When I saw it was Spud it was too late." The start of the second moto saw Matson grab the holeshot ahead Smith, Ryan and Meagher. Over the first few laps Matson slowly built up a five-second lead over Smith, who was about 10 bike lengths ahead of a three-rider duel for third. Ryan, Walters and Pestana fought over third for several laps before Pestana was finally able to take control and pull away. Pestana, who finished fourth in moto one, wicked it up and reeled in Smith. On the white-flag lap, Pestana and Smith were side by side coming into the rockers. Pestana stuck his wheel in front of Smith and made the pass over the double jumps. Pestana then pulled away to place a comfortable second behind Matson. Third went to Smith, and Walters, who had charged up from a bad start, was fourth. Ryan finished fifth. Matson won the overall, and Pestana and Smith were second and third, respectively. The 12Scc Intermediates featured a day-long duel between Suzuki rider Shawn Highland and Kawasaki mounted Casey Johnson. Highland made up for a bad start in the first moto to finish second behind Johnson. In moto two Highland gated perfectly and took the lead. Johnson gated second and the two series point leaders soOn left everybody else far behind. Highland seemed able to stay ahead of Johnson until he tossed the lead away on the back side and turned the win over to Johnson. Highland was able to remount in time to finish in second for second overall. Of Results 50 (1).3) STK BEG: I. Justin Whipple (Yam); 2. Brian Domi'nquez (Yam); 3. Steven Hernandez (Vam); 4. Wesley Pattenon (lion); S. Nkholaa Dovis (Yam). 50 (9-11) STK BEG: 1. jenny Wardley (lion). 50 (1).3) MOD BEG: I. Anthony H ~ (Yam); 2. jeffrey Stark (Yam). 50 (1).3) MOD NOV: I. Justin Guzman (Yam). 60 (1).3) BEG: I. S;dney Buno... (l

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