Cycle World Race Watch
CYCLE WORLD RACE WATCH
Lawson wins South African GP
Eddie Lawson won the first 500cc Grand Prix of 1984, in South Africa. Riding the latest version of the Yamaha V-Four, Lawson finished 13 sec.
ahead of privateer Raymond Roche’s RS500 Honda. Roche crossed the finish line 0.2 sec. ahead of Barry Sheene on an ex-Mamola Suzuki.
The race was held in rain and started without reigning World Champion Freddie Spencer; he sullered torn tendons in both legs and damaged his right ankle and foot in a crash during practice Thursday before the race.
According to Honda spokesmen, Spencer crashed when the carbon fiber rear wheel on his NSR500 V-Four broke in a fast turn.
Spencer watched the race on TV from a hotel room and then was taken to the airport in a wheelchair for the flight home.
Lawson’s victory gives him a 15-point lead over likely World Championship rivals Spencer and Haslam.
Race Watch Calendar
Steve Wise retires
Steve Wise has announced his retirement from road racing. Wise started his racing career as a motocrosser, won the made-for-TV dirt/pavement Superbikers race twice and switched to road racing in 1982. He won the 1983 Superbike race at Mid-Ohio raceway and made it to winner’s circle on several occasions. But his 1983 season was
marked by several severe crashes that required hospital stays.
Wise, a devout Christian, says that he was near death after a crash in practice at Laguna Seca, but made a miraculous recovery in the emergency room after praying aloud.
Wise said he will run motocross schools and work with Christian youth groups through his new organization, Steve Wise Ministries, P.O. Box 3840, McAllen, Texas 78501.
O'Mara leads Wrangler Series
i/ohnny O’Mara led the Wrangler Supercross series after five rounds, 198 points to Ricky Johnson’s 189 points. Kawasaki’s Jeff Ward won the second race of the series, the Saturday half of Seattle’s doubleheader. Yamaha’s Johnson won the third race in Seattle the next night. But Team Honda’s >
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O'Mara won the next round, in Atlanta, and his teammate David Bailey won in Houston, the fifth round of the series.
O'Mara also won the non-points, $75,000-purse Wrangler Dash invitational held in Seattle, taking home $25,000.
In an overseas foray, O’Mara and
Bailey split wins in a two-night doubleheader exhibition Supercross held in Paris.
Trials Championship tied after two rounds
Two-time Trials World Champion Eddy Lejeune and his four-stroke Honda came from behind to tie for the lead in the 1984 series after two rounds. Frenchman Thierry Michaud won the first round, in Spain, on a Fantic. Michaud beat Lejeune and former World Champion Bernie Schreiber (SWM ).
But at the second round, in Belgium, Lejeune won by nearly 30 marks on his home ground, with Michaud second. Schreiber, the only American contesting the championship, finished eighth.
After two rounds, Lejeune was tied with Michaud at 37 points, followed by Frenchman Philippe Berlatier at 28 and Schreiber at 23. gg
