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/95613
- 00 C') o CAbove) Steve WIae rnecIe It. Texu one-two in the finel. (Below) 5eetde winner Mike Bell had gearbox problema which helped slow him down. them in for third and founh. Gibson and Hansen got their best-yet Super- cross finishes in fifth and sixth, Hansen somewhat hampered by a knee and ankle he twisted in practice. In seventh was Many Tripes with a tremendous catch-up ride after his bike quit in the first turn leaving him at the rear of the pack. Rounding out the top ten were Croft, Dan Turner on the Bill Harrison Construction Maico and LOP's Many Moates. Afterwards, Howenon breathed a sigh of relief and exclaimed, "I was so happy I made it around the fU'St turn'" Riders have fallen right in front of him in the first turn of the last few races he explained. "I think the other riders were trying too hard (today)," he said. "Pan of my strategy was not to push as hard as I usually do at the beginning. I think it worked." Barnett had a pian roughly similar to Howenon's. "I tried to ride really consistent," he said. "I got a halfway good stan. Then, I noti~ a couple .of riders ahead of me making some mIS- takes. It was so rough that I paced my- self at the beginning and staned going faster near the end." All riders seemed to agree that the .8 track was rough. Howenon said, "It was just very difficult to keep good control. There's a lot of spots where the frame would hit (due to deep ruts)." Wise shook his head and said, "This track is one of the hardest to pass on because of the grooves." He especially noticed the severe demands of the course as he had expected more rain and mud. Thus, he had a softer shock installed prior to the race and experi- enced a lot of bottoming. Even with a good shock (or two), "It's one of the hardest tracks," agreed Howerton. "There wasn't really any spot, except for about five feet, that you could rest on." It's unlikely that Howenon would rest very long on the track. anyway, though, especially when he goes into Atlanta on March 1 just four points shy of Bell's 1980 Supercross series points lead. . • Results 3. _ Gibeon lHon); 6. Donnie _ FINAl: 1. K__ISuzl; 2. Stew Wioe lHon); a.nett (Suzl; 4. Chud< Sun lHon); 5. Jim lV",",; 8. Tommy OaIllVtml; 9.~T.... ca.); 10. Morty _lV.,,~11. MiIce BoIlVomI; 12._ Englund lVomI; 13. 0...1 Shultz lSuzl; 14. laTy WooicIt oc-t; 15. _ ~ lV",",; 16. _ Ilurgon lV.,,); 3. Choppy Ble-I~I;4. Gory Semics lVomI; 5. Gory.lana lAnud. . SUPERCROSS SERIES POINT STANDINGS IUNOFRCIAll: 1. Mike Bell 168); 2.K_-""'1641; 3. Stew W.. 1561; 4. Chud< Sun 154); 5. Jim Gibeon (51); 6. _k Baonen 150); 7. Morty Tri_ l36l; 8. W...... Reid 1351; 9. mel &roc Gov., JimmyW_ (30); 11. o.moll Shultz 125); 12. W_Reid uc.wl; 19. o.vid Teylar lV.,,); 20. Miu __lV.,,); 21. BrionM~lSuz); 22. Riel< B_CHonl. CONSOLAnON: 1. Brion M\IWICOUlIh ISuzl; 2. Rid< ~lV.,,); 17. Donnie CorUIoUpi lV."l; 16. _ ~1191; 14. Donnie _1171; 15.lTIEl Tommy CraIt. _ ~. J"" Word 124); 13. Rex _1161; 16. Bill Groooi 11S1; 19. mEl Domy~DonioI T....I12I. lHonl; 7. M.nyT~