Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

races," said Oobb. '1 raced so much this year while injured, that it looked as if I were simply making excuses. Now that I'm healthy, I'm riding like I should." Kawasaki's Mike Kiedrowski finished a distant .fifth, with Kawasaki of Mexico's Phil Lawrence and Emig in tow. Kiedrowski started poorly and worked through the pack, while Lawrence took off in fifth and worked his way back. Emig, on the other hand, started sixth and crashed back to 34th on the second lap. '1 hit a bunch of tree roots in an outside line and fell," said Emig. "The front end was all twisted, and I pulled over to have my mechanic straighten it. He was only able to do so much, so I had to just get used to it that way." Emig rejoined the race near last, and slashed past his competitors as if they weren't there. Noleen's Kyle Lewis and Larry Brooks, and Honda of Troy's Todd OeHoop rounded out the top 10 at a distance. Emig snared the holeshot in moto two, but McGrath took over within the first lew turns. Together, the dynamic duo began to pull away from the rest of the field, and it looked as if it would be a McGrath Emig one-two again. All that changed when McGrath lost his front end in a left-hander, allowing Emig to take the point. McGrath remounted quickly, and stayed within two seconds (Above) Steve Lamson (5) passed Ryan Hughes (9) in the first 125cc mota. Lamson swept both races and has a threepoint lead. (Left) Jeremy McGrath won the first 2SOcc-ciass mota with ease, but had to work for his second-moto win. McGrath needs three points to clinch the 2SOcc National Championship. '1'm lucky I didn't get hurt, I had no· where to go," said Oowd. "It was scary, you know? Before that, I had broken the string on my Roll-0ffs, so I was having a hard time seeing as it was." Oobb and Ward were able to pounce on Kiedrowski and his loud KX on the final lap, and Dobb's pair of fourthplace finishes secured fourth overall. Oobb actually tied with Emig on points, but Emig's second in the final race broke the tie. '1 was so tired, but 1 heard and saw him and gave it one last push," said Oobb. "This is the third time this year that 1was tied for third and got fourth." -of Emig for several laps before making his move later in the race. "When I first got up I was trying too hard and swapping everywhere," said McGrath. "But once I could.see that I was catching him, it was like he was mine. It's awesome when you can see that you're catching someone, it's like, 'You're mine!'" . McGrath's chance to retake the lead came when Emig pulled a goggle tearoff near the finish line area. "I rode good, but I'm not satisfied," said Emig. "I gave it all I had, but for some reason it's just not happening for me." Bradshaw maintained control of third throughout most of the race, and had Oowd and Kiedrowski scrapping for fourth only inches behind rum. On the 13th lap, semiretired Yamaha privateer Brian Manley crashed on the downside of the Suzuki Staircase, a triple-stepped drop-down jump, just as he was about to be lapped. In a lazy fashion, the flagman in the preceding comer waved his caution flag haif-heartedly, and Bradshaw jumped straight into Manley as he picked up his machine. Bradshaw and Manley were slammed into the ground, as were Oowd and Kiedrowski as they crested the drop-off. It was then that the flagman began to wave his flag furiously. Oowd was the first to remount, doing so in third place. Kiedrowski was next, but his pipe was torn from the cylinder and he wouJd watch helplessly as Oobb and Larry Ward roosted past his ailing machine in the remaining laps. Manley was shaken but uninjured, while Bradshaw complained of a sore elbow and opted to retire. "The damn flag man was waving the flag as if the crash was three or four corners away," said Bradshaw. "I had no idea until I was in the air already." Oowd and Kiedrowski agreed. "My bike got so loud after that, the header was smashed and yanked partway Qut of the cylinder," said Kiedrowski, who would eventually cross the line in sixth. "My ears are still ringing." 125cc NATIONAL Hughes holeshot the first moto and looked to be on his way to a sure win, but as the laps wore down, so did he. Honda of Troy's Mike Craig was the first rider to pressure Hughes, but after he crashed on lap seven and was briefly pinned under his machine, it was up to Lamson and Huffman to hound the leader. Lamson worked past Hughes on lap 10 with a physical pass at the bottom of the downhill, and Huffman followed suit in the mechanic's tum on the same lap. "My arms started to pump up half way through the moto," said Hughes, who would finish third, seven seconds behind Huffman. "Maybe I had some bad lines, too. I'll be ready for the second moto." Lamson went on to win with seven seconds to spare over Huffman. "I rode tight for the first half of the race and my arms were pumping, but I started to loosen up near the end," said Huffman. "1 think it's because we had two weekends off. When we race every weekend, pump-up isn't a problem." Suzuki support rider Scott Sheak 5

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