Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Cycle News 1992 11 25

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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White Bros. World Vet MX Championships Rex Staten (I) fended off the charges of Mike Beier (3) and Johnny O'Mara (not shown) to earn his fourth Vet World ~ampionship. Third-place Mike Beier (left), winner Rex Staten (center) and runner-up Johnny O'Mara (right) were joined. by race sponsors Tom and Dan White in the winner's circle. 4 ::.je, Staten unstoppable at Perris By Toni Alessi 8 PERRIS, CA, NOV. 7-8 ex Staten earned a fourth term as Vet MX champ at the White Bros. World Vet MX Championships at Perris Raceway. R Riders poured in from five countries and 19 states to take part in the twoday event that drew nearly 800 riders. So many Vet Pro class riders were on hand that qualifying heats were required in order to thin the field. The event was sponsored by 86 different companies, ranging from clothing manufacturers to accessory dealers. A $4300 Pro purse was up for grabs and over $20,000 in manufacturers' product giveaways were awarded to the top-finishing amateurs. Race Tech's Staten appeared to be sure of himself during the opening ceremonies and said with confidence that he would be the winner at the end of the day, a seemingly cocky statement, considering that he would be pitted against a talented field of riders that included East Coast Vet Champion Alan Andrews, Canadian champ Zoli Berenyi Jr., and former Supercross Champion Johnny O'Mara. Those were just a few of the riders in the talent-rich lineup looking to dethrone Staten. The t9P 10 riders from each of two qualifying heats would transfer directly to the main event. All remaining riders would compete in a lastchance qualifier, where the top four riders would also make the cut for the main event. The format for the Vet Pro final would be two 12-lap matos, with the lowest poiot earner being crowned the Vet World Champion. Brian Myerscough roosted away with an easy win in the first qualifier while O'Mara spent much of the heat working up from a poor start, eventually finishing second aboard the only 125cc machine in the field. Joe Waddington rode consistently for third followed by Berenyi and Arkansas' Ron Turner. Dave Coupe showed raw speed by winning the second qualifier, while Honda-mounted Staten appeared to be cruising in second. Mike Beier finished third, followed by Andrews and Andy Jefferson. Pete Murray came out on top of a three-way battle with Marc Johnson and John Deremo during the last chance qualifier, in what may have been the best race of all the qualifying events. John Dauth finished fourth and was the final rider to qualify for the Vet Pro final. . At the start of the first championship mota, Myerscough blasted out £rant on his Pro Circuit-backed Yamaha and quickly opened a 10-second lead. Myerscough simply roosted away from the competition during the opening eight laps. Staten and Beier battled closely for second, while O'Mara entertained the crowd by passing riders at a rate of two per lap after starting well out of the top 10. Myerscough slowed suddenly just past the midpoint in the race, suffering from back pains, and he would eventually drop back to a disappointing 22nd place. Staten took over the lead, but O'Mara and his screaming Pro Circuit 125cc Honda were in third place, and within striking distance of Beier and Staten. Beier never had a chance. O'Mara simply made the pass and roosted away. With Staten in his sights, O'Mara picked up the pace and reeled in the leader. O'Mara caught the defending champ, then dogged him right up to the final lap, where he made his move. "I got stuck behind a lapped rider and was forced wide," said Staten. "O'Mara cut inside and rolled down the side of the jump, looking at me. I didn't like that." O'Mara made the pass, but Staten responded with a pass of his own by choosing a deeply rutted inside line to shove O'Mara over a berm to retake the lead. "I pointed my fi~ger at him after I passed him. I wanted him to know I didn't like the way he passed me," Staten said. After coming so far, O'Mara was not about to throw in the towel, and passed Staten for the final time in the back section of the course. O'Mara won the moto, while Staten's mood turned almost hostile as he crossed the line in second. Beier finished a distant third, followed by Coupe and Joe Waddington. Staten led the start of the second mota and began to ride in an unusual smooth manner, almost as if he were reserving his energy, while Beier and Waddington battled over second place. O'Mara was again putting on a shaw, quickly moving through the pack, and within three laps disposed of both Waddington and Beier. Once inta second place, O'Mara quickly caught Staten, who responded by turning up the wick and setting an even faster pace. O'Mara seemed spellbound, and was unable to advance any fu.rther. It all began to come apart for O'Mara during the closing three laps of the race, when he started to make a number of mistakes. "My arms were gone. They were so numb that I couldn't even feel them," O'Mara said. O'Mara dropped back during the closing moments of the race and handed the mota and the Vet World Championship to Staten, who rode a near-perfect mota. Beier finished third, followed across the line by Coupe and Berenyi. Alan Olson and Gary Jones battled during the first 40-Plus Expert mota until Jones made a mistake and

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