Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Cycle News 1993 04 28

Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles

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Jeremy McGrath (15), Mike'Kiedrowski (3), Guy Cooper (7) and Damon Bradshaw (8) jockey for position. McGrath finished second on Saturday, then won Sunday's main event. Kiedrowski, McGrath share spotlight at Pontiac doubleheader By Chris Jonnum Photos by Kinney Jones PONTIAC, MI, APR. 17,18 bit of advice for anyone still waiting for Jeremy McGrath to hit a stumbling block in his sensational rookie season: Don't hold your breath. The youngest member of Team Honda posted a second-place finish and yet another victory at the pivotal doubleheader in the Pontiac Silverdome, and it was not McGrath, but his more-experienced competition who faltered. The 1993 Camel Supercross Championship is now McGrath's to lose. McGrath's success at Pontiac didn't come without incident, however, as he suffered uncustomary crashes in his heat races on both nights, and while he typically holeshot both main events, he was passed by no less than five riders on Saturday before finishing second. Team Kawasaki's Mike Kiedrowski also stole some of McGrath's thunder by winning the Saturday's main event, but the weekend as a whole was all McGrath's. When it became apparent earlier in the season that McGrath's early success in the 250cc class was something more than a fluke, many experts predicted that the 21-year-old from Murrieta( California, would have to overcome two major obstacles if he were to achieve the unprecedented feat of winning a Camel Supercross Championship during a rookie season: The two-time 125cc A 12 Western Regional Champion cleared hurdle number-one when he finished second to Mike Kiedrowski at the brutal eighth round in Daytona, The second barrier consisted of the season's sole double-header. More than once, seasons have undergone major altera tions in complexion at the grueling, back-toback races in the Wolverine State. Two years ago, Jeff Stanton's chances at retaining the crown went up in smoke when he crashed on day one and injured his shoulder at Pontiac, and Yamaha's Damon Bradshaw won both times out last year to take over the lead in the points race, which he would retain until the final round, McGrath, however, made it look easy, as he has done all season long. "I'm not changing anything just because I'm getting so close (to the title)," said McGrath after his win on Sunday. "Everything's been going great so far, so I'm just going to try and win each race." The win was McGrath's seventh of the year and leaves him two shy of Bradshaw's record nine victories in a season. Meanwhile, McGrath's primary competition for the championship didn't fare so well over the weekend, with each of the other riders in the top five placing 11th or worse on one day of racing. Second-place points holder Mike Kiedrowski appeared to be on track to closing the gap on McGrath when he scored his second w in of the season in front of a raucous crowd on Saturday night, but the Team Kawasaki rider's bid for the title took a major downturn when he crashed while running alone in second on Sunday, and finished a disappointing 11th. For Team Yamaha hero Bradshaw, the weekend was even worse. Bradshaw, who won both rounds here last year, crashed out of second place during Saturday's wild feature and dropped out of the race, then gated poorly on Sunday and finished eighth. The Mooresville, North Carolina, resident has not yet displayed ,the raw speed that came so easily for him last year, and he slipped a spot to fourth in the standings. As for defending champion and hometown favorite Stanton, Pontiac was again a let-down. Stanton, who hails from Sherwood, Michigan, was impressive on day one, working through the pack to finish third, but the Team Honda rider was 'involved in a terrifying collision with Team Noleen's Larry Brooks on Sunday, and was carried off the track on a stretcher. Stanton was taken unconscious to a nearby hospital where he was held overnight for obser- vation, and while he suffered a concussion and a pulled hamstring, he was fortunate to escape more serious harm, McGrath capitalized on the misfortune of his opponents to extend his points lead over Kiedrowski to 36 points, 271-235. Despite Stanton's daytwo DNF, and the fact that he has not yet won a main event this season, the 24-year-old's 211-point total moved him past Bradshaw to third in the point standings. Bradshaw is just two points back with 209 points, The long, Rich Winkler-designed Silverdome track was popular with fans and ridets alike, and its numerous passing lines provided plenty of close racing. The sole complaint centered on the ease with which ruts formed in the soft dirt; the grooves were the downfall of many a rider throughout the two days of competition. With the Los Angeles Supercross having been moved to the Pasadena l\ose Bowl, Pontiac is the only stop on the tour where the track actually goes into the stands. Michigan is known for its enthusiastic motorcycle fans, and attendance at the facility's final doubleheader totaled 79,013, A record 50,986 turned out to watch Kiedrowski win Saturday night and 28,027 were on hand for McGrath's seventh win of the series Sunday afternoon. The AMA has announced that

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