Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/751305
CN III ARCHIVES BY LARRY LAWRENCE T he dawning of a new decade saw the 1990 AMA Supercross season become one of the more interesting contests in the history of the series. It was a meeting of two generations of riders. On the established veterans side, you had Jeff Ward, Johnny O'Mara, Guy Cooper and Rick Johnson. Those talented riders of the 1980s came up against young guns of the '90s, such as Jeff Matiasevich, Larry Ward, Jean- Michel Bayle, Mike Kiedrowski and Damon Bradshaw. In the end, Jeff Stanton, the rider wedged just in between those two generations, was the one to emerge victorious, but there were a lot of surprises along the way. Part of the reason the 1990 Supercross season generated such a buzz was the way it opened in Anaheim in front of 66,141 eager fans. They came to cheer on their favorite son Rick Johnson in his comeback from injury. Johnson, the all-time AMA Supercross wins leader at the time, looked poised to win the '89 Supercross title after beginning the year with five- consecutive victories. Johnson was seemingly untouchable when a bizarre practice crash in the outdoor national season opener at Gatorback, where another rider crash-landed on top of him, badly broke his right wrist and put him out for the season. So no doubt the headlines com- ing into Anaheim were almost all about Johnson's return and that generated a tremendous amount of anticipation. It was 17-year-old Yamaha rider Damon Bradshaw, however, who stole the show. The 125 East Region Supercross champ came out of the opening gate swinging. In the season kickoff, Bradshaw and fellow series rookie Kawasaki's Matiasevich delighted the largest crowd of the season by battling up front for the win. It was a brilliant duel between the two young guns before Bradshaw finally took con- trol to score his AMA Supercross premier class victory. The win made Bradshaw the youngest rider to capture a super- cross victory since Marty Tripes, who won at the Los Angeles Coli- seum race in 1972 when he was 16. The youth movement continued at round two in the Houston Astrodome when Larry Ward and Bradshaw diced for the lead, with Ward holding the point in the early going before Bradshaw slipped by and sped on to a second straight win. Anaheim was no fluke. Brad- shaw was the real deal. Bradshaw appeared to be en route to making it three for three at San Diego, but early in the race he crashed on a tabletop while leading and injured his foot. It was a broken foot that went undiagnosed for nearly a month that would ultimately sideline the highly talented rookie Bradshaw and drop him from championship contention. A freak snowstorm slowed Seattle to a crawl, but that didn't stop 37,309 fans from braving the elements and being rewarded with the victory of hometown hero Larry Ward (born and raised in nearby Snohomish). Ward and Matiasevich had a riveting race with several early bumps and passes back and forth bringing the enthusiastic Kingdome crowd to its feet. It was not only the first supercross main event win for Ward, but the first victory in the series for Suzuki in nearly seven years. Even though he finished sec- ond, Matiasevich took over the series lead after Seattle and would hold it much of the season. The next round in Atlanta was considered by many long-time fol- P110 SUPERCROSS 1990: VETS VS. YOUNG GUNS