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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/142444
(Top) Brad Lackey (6) leads the start of the second motor flanked by fellow American Gary Semics (50). (Above left) Title contenders Lackey'and Andre Vromans duel. (Above right) Lackey pops the cork as Dave Thorpe and Vromans look on. Brad now leads by 11 points, WorldChamp-lonshlp- 500cc MX Series: Round 10 L.ackey, Thorpe duel in England By Neil Webster FARLEIGH CASTLE, ENGLAND; JULY 4 Dreams almost came true for British teenager Dave Thorpe at the British GP. Still, suffering from the back injury he collected at 'Carlsbad in the American round, Kawasaki rider Thorpe came back from a two week lay-off to take a 'm ach ine he had never ridden . . .. before to a first mota WIn In 16 front of his home fans. He backed that up with a brave second race third, despite pain from his back and cramps in his tired legs. The championship leader, American Brad Lackey, spoiled Thorpe's dreams by taking a 3-1 result and overall first on the day by virtue of a faster aggregate time. " It 's the dream of every young rider to win at his home GP," said Thorpe, " so it was a fantastic feeling to take the flag in the firs t race . It's obviously disappointing to be pipped by Brad for the overall win , especially as he 's done it twice-once in Austria and now this week-but 'I' m still very happy." . Graham ~oyce took hIS Honda to an early lead In moto one, but Thorpe was right with him and slipped past onlap four. "I didn 't know if Graham was playing cat and mouse with me because I wasn't fit, but I decided to go for the lead anyway and found he couldn't close back up," said Thorpe. While Thorpe held his place to the , end, Noyce was in trouble. " I wasn't riding well at all ," confessed the big blond Honda man. " I just couldn't find my rh ythm." . While Noyce trailed Thorpe in second, Belgian Andre Vromans brought his Suzuki right up behind him and sat in his tire tracks, piling on the pressure for six laps before blasting by into second. "I had just managed to get by Dave and was about to make a move when Vromans came past instead," said Noyce. "That messed up my plan and really threw me." Thorpe managed to fight off a strong challenge from Vromans and pulled away for a safe win, but Noyce had a new .threa t to deal with. Lackey had virtually lost touch with the leading trio after stalling on one of the steep Farleigh Castle climbs, but he wound his Suzuki to the limit in the last couple.of laps to slice away Noyce 's advantage. Both men flew down the last straight and went into the final bend almost abreast. As Noyce took the inside line, Lackey dug his back wheel into the berm and got maximum drive which gave him the verdict by a spoke width. "Brad knows I have problems with my left knee after hurting it at Carlsbad so he just came round the outside and there was nothing I could do about it," said Noyce . Lackey was desperate for points having seen Vromans whittle away his lead in recent weeks and was determined to make the most of Noyce's handicap on left-handers. " I had to do it," said Lackey. " I knew Noyce would go inside where it wasn 't too rough so I went for the wide line." Lacky had a fantastic private feud wi th teammate Vromans for almost the full second mota after taking Thorpe's early lead from him on lap six . Vromans tried everything he knew to get to the front and tried time after time to squeeze through, only for Lackey to produce an extra ounce of power to hold on. Lackey's win gives him an extra point advantage in the title chase as the GPs move to Vromans' home territory in Belgium and Luxembourg for what is bound to be a nail-biting climax to a great series . . Noyce had a stunning second race. Brought down by fallen riders on the I ,first bend, he restarted almost last. Urged on by the partisan crowd; he, moved back into the top 10 in only three laps. It was a much harder job to get past the fast men and he had to settle for fifth after picking off Jaak van Velthoven, Gerrit Wolsink and Gary Semics, Semics was disappointed with a performance which left him with only seven points from a 9-6 ride. He is being provided with a I 982-spec works Honda for the last two rounds and should safeguard his top 10 place.• Results ' 1. Bred Lackey (USA - Suz); 2. Deve Thorpe (GBKew); 3. Andre Vromens (Belgium - Suz); 4. Grehe m Noyce (GB - Han); 5. Neil HudSon(GB - Vem); 6. Jeek ven Velthoven (Luxembourg - KTM); 7. Gery Semics (USA · Han); B. Gerrit Wolsink (Hollend Han); 9. Pinrick Fure (Frence - Hus); 10. Iven ven den Broeck (Belgium - Me i); 11. Frenco Picco (ltely Vem); 12. Laurence Spence (lrelend - Mell. 1st MOTO: 1. Thorpe; 2. Vromens; 3. Lackey; 4. Noyce; 5. ven Velthoven; 6. Hudson; 7. fure; 8. ven den Broeck; 9. Semics; 10. Wolsink. 2nd MOTO: 1. Lackey; 2. Vromens; 3. Thorpe; 4. Hudson; 5. Noyce; 6. Semics; 7. Wolsink; 8. ven Velthoven; 9. Picco; 10. Spence. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POINTSTANDINGS: 1. Lackey (186); 2.Vromens (1761; 3 Hudson (1401; 4. Noyce (123); 6. A. Melherbe. Belgium (121 ); 6. Thorpe (101); 7. Semics (72); 8. J-J Bruno. Frence (51); 9. H. Cerlqvist. Sweden (481; 10 . ven Vel, thoven (44).