Cycle-News-1986-10-08-Mxdn-Page
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~ 00 .... V ..0 .....o ou Bailey (1) leads World Champion David Thorpe (42) and Johnson in the Bailey chases Portugal's Correja De Melo; this was the sixth win in a row final moto; Bailey won with Johnson second and Thorpe third. for the United States in Motocoss des Nations competition. "Sometimes I wonder how they go A one hour intermission didn't so fast," Bailey said in reference to the give O'Mara much time to rest and it Europeans. "Theyjust don't have the was soon time to stage for moto two. style we do, butsome of them still get Tuner Chris Haines dropped a new around quick." set of clutch plates into O'Mara's 125 After a morning practice session while Johnson and O'Mara talked and opening ceremonies on Sunday, strategy with Bailey. Thehilly course, the first moto was staged to start at which started the weekend covered 2:30 p.m. A two-row start was used with fresh sod, was now rough and for each moto and each team had one rocky. rider on the front row and one on the Bailey gridded his big bore Honda back. Moto one was a 125/250cc on the gate with O'Mara behind him combination, and America opted to in row two. After turn one it was Bai put O'Mara up front with Johnson ley all the way. The newly-crowned directly behind. 500cc National Champion roosted After the first turn the finishing away from the pack and didn't look order was set. Johnson took the hole back. O'Mara got off II th and had his shot with O'Mara a close second. "I work cut out. It was now that his didn't hear him (Johnson) coming at extensive training came into play; first, but then I saw his wheel and O'Mara rode clean lines and kept the knew it was time to move over," power on lap after lap, picking off O'Mara said about the start. riders one by one. The star ofthe competition was Johnny O'Mara; the 125ccrider finished Former l25cc World Champion Denmark's Ole Svendsen and second twice to his teammates who were on larger bikes. Eric Geboers gated well for the Bel France's Yves Gervaise dropped their gian team, but slid out in an uphill 500s in a tangle at the start. Italian "I gaveeverythiog I had, I'm totally for Johnson through the final turn, turn on lap one and lost position. hopeful Massimo Contini also crashed drained," O'Mara said. "It's not but Johnson was too close for com Italy's Michele Rinaldi brought the on lap one, putting him out of con important to me who I beat. I did it fort and Bailey knocked him over. crowd to crescendo with his ride to tention. for the team. I could go fast every John on remounted quickly and the third. He displaced France's Chris By lap four O'Mara had moved up where on the course except on the pair crossed the finish line, hands tian Vimond for the slot on lap three to seventh. Belgium's Georges Jobe uphills. I wasn't giving up much raised together in a gesture of victory. and then maintained his pace to the had been holding the pace behind horsepower either. My 125 was run Thorpe held third followed by Dack, finish, 26 seconds behind O'Mara. Bailey for the first two laps, but then ningas fast as some of the 250s. We've Whatley and then Rinaldi. Vimond, on a 250cc Honda, faded dropped to fourth when Holland's got this thing wrapped up with four The final tally had Great Britain back and fell off the pace on lap Jan Van Doom and England'sThorpe top finishes; now I want Ricky and taking second with 10 points fol seven. moved by. Two laps later Thorpe David to go for the clean sweep." lowed by Italy with 13. A very close Holland's Jon Van den Berk rode p<lssed Van Doorn for second. Bailey returned to the Honda trans fourth was Finland, who amassed 14 consistently to lock up fourth. Fin O'Mara picked up one place each porter after the moto and had a short points. ishing fifth and sixth were Great Bri lap, working by many of the world's therapy session with Dr. Metzger, the It was the most perfect of days for tain's Jeremy Whatley and Sweden's top 500cc riders. O'Mara was closing physician who helped Bailey attain Team USA. A victory party was Peter Hansson. The pair diced for on Jobe when the Belgian tumbled this year's 500c title. thrown by the promoter following most of the moto and worked past over a small uphill jump. On laps O'Mara asked for a clean sweep the event, and the celebration went Finland's Pekka Vehkonen on lap 12. 8-10, O"Mara stalked Thorpe, then and that's what Bailey and Johnson on late into the night. Vehkonen carded a seventh. finally motored by for second. Dur gave him in the final 250/500cc moto. "This has been a great race on a Per FIM rules, riders in each moto ing the last four laps of the race Thorpe took the holeshot followed great track and the Italian fans were were scored separately according to O'Mara went on cruise conu'ol, hold by Bailey, who gridded on the gate. some of the finest I've ever raced for," their displacement class. The higher inga pace which brought him within Johnson was thil'd follo~ed by Van Bailey said at the celebration. "In the finish the lower the point score, sight of Bailey at the finish. The Doorn, San Marino's Giovanni Gava America, we work yery hard in order so after one moto it was' Team USA crowd roared in approval as the torta, Finland's Kurt Ljungqvist, to perform well in racing. This is a with two points. Johnson scored the Americans took the final circuit, and Australia's Craig Dack, Denmark's really big pay-off for all that effort. 250cc win and O'Mara topped the O'Mara reciprocated by hollering Soeren Mortensen and England's This day in Italy is one I'll remember 125s. back through many of the corners. Whatley. Bailey slipped by Thorpe forever. ,. • "I was trying to haul butt even fas Former250 and 500cc World Cham on lap two and Johnson quickly ter than I was but I was sliding all pion Hakan Carlqvist scored top closed the gap to challenge Thorpe Results over," Johnson said after his win. "I points for weden by pas ing Van for second. Three laps later Johnson FINAL TEAM STANDINGS: 1. USA (4); 2. Great started staying moreconservative over Doorn for fourth on lap nine. Another Britain (10); 3. Itaiy (13); 4. Fmland (14); 5. Holland got around and set out after Bailey, (19); 6. Sweden (20); 7. Australia (23); 8. France the tops of those blind uphills, because former champion Heinz Kinigadner who had opened up a big lead. (34); 9, France (34); 10. Czechoslovakia (35); 11. there are shadows on the faces of the scored for Austria by piloting his big. Behind the top three Van Doorn San Marino (37). FIRST MOTa: 1. RickJohnson(USA·250Hon); 2. jumps and you can't see how much KTM to sixth. The Italian's top man and Dack were dicing forfourth with Johnny O·Mara(USA·125 Han); 3. Michele Rinaldi shale is sticking out. I'm just glad I was Corrado Maddii in seventh. Jobe Ljungqvisl and Whatley contesting (ITA·250 Suz); 4. John Van den Berk (HOl·250 regrouped and challenged Maddi i in Yam); 5. Jeremv Whatley (GB·250 Cag); 6. Peter was able to get the job done." sixth. In the late stages of the race, Hannson (SWE·250 Hus); 7. Pekka Vehkonen (FIN· "The track is getting slippery in every turn on the last lap. but Maddii Van Doorn faded to ninth. It was 250 Cag); 8. Arno Dreschsel (GER-250 Han); 9. SPOlS," O'Mara said alter keeping held off thc attempts, relegatingJobe Craig Dack (AUS·250 Han); 10. Zdenek Spacek Rinaldi who posted the hardest ride (CZE-250 Kaw). Johnson in sight for the entire race. to eighth. in the moto. Spurred on by his Italian SECOND MOTO: 1. David Bailev(USA-50D Han); "You just can't comc in hard and With one moto remaining in the fans, he came from an 18th place start 2. O'Mara; 3. David Thorpe (GB·5OD Han); 4. Hakan Carlqvist (SWE·5OD Yam); 5. Jan Van Doorn (Hal· grab some front brake like in prac Motocross des Nations, America had and fought every step of the way for a SOD Han); 6. Heinz Kinigadner (AUSTRIA-SOD KTM); tice. I really had to maneuver to hook won overall honors. Eailey and sixth place finish. 7. Corrado Maddii (ITA·500 Kawl; 8. Georges Jobe O'Mara picked upone point each via (BEl·5OD Kaw); 9. Kurt l)ungqvist (FIN· SOD Yam); up on a 125. I ride them all the time, Bailey slowed through the final 10. Giovanni Cava1Dna (8M·SOC Hen), though, and it's not like I've been off their class wins, and with a total of turns to ''''lit for Johnson so they THIRD MOTa; ,. Bailev; 2. Johnson; 3. Thorpe; 4. one for a long time. Riding a 125 fourTeam USA wasunbeatable. Amer Dack; 5. Whatley; 6.