Lackey, Hansen, O'Mara Take 1982 Golden State Series Titles

LACKEY, HANSEN, O’MARA TAKE 1982 GOLDEN STATE SERIES TITLES

RACEWATCH

It was the first time in years that grand prix contender Brad Lackey stayed home to seriously contest an American motocross series. And even though Lackey was able to pull off the Open class title in the CMC/Preston Petty-sponsored Golden State Series, the Team Suzuki rider found the pickings hard at most of the seven races held over the winter at California’s top tracks. The first race of the series at Saddleback Park was a runaway for Team Yamaha’s Mike Bell, then a knee injury at the next round left Bell facing corrective surgery. Still, Hi-Point/ Honda support rider Phil Larson pushed Lackey hard to claim second overall in the series.

The 250cc class was the most exciting and hotly contested class with factory riders like Honda’s Donnie Hansen, Jim Gibson, Darrell Shultz and Larry Wosick; Suzuki’s Warren Reid; and Yamaha’s Bob Hannah fighting out every race with closely-packed side-by-side battles. Hannah’s Yamaha teammate Broc Glover even put in a rare appearance at the Carlsbad round to take the win there, but the majority of the races saw Hannah trading moto wins with Gibson. It was Honda rider Gibson’s smooth consistency which paid off with the 250cc class title at the final Madera race as Hannah lost his composure and crashed out of the deciding last moto.

Team Honda’s Johnny O’Mara made a shambles of the 125cc class, dominating every race and clinching the title before the final race, all on a new CR125R production bike.—Jim Gianatsis