Europeans Challenge U.S. in Supercross Finals

World motocross champions Eric Geboers and Georges Jobe of Belgium and Pekka Vehkonen of Finland, and American stars Jeff Ward, Johnny O’Mara and Ron Lechien head the field for the World Supercross Finals tonight at the Coliseum.

The event pits the established European riders against the top national riders on a man-made, 3/4-mile course that has bumps, berms, whoop-de-doos, plateaus, and a peristyle jump. It is the final in a three-race series. The two previous races were in Sweden and Spain.

The American riders compete for national titles on supercross courses, but the Europeans race on conventional outdoor courses. Promoter Mike Goodwin has planned an inverted start, with the top 10 American riders starting five seconds behind the Europeans.

Geboers, 23, leads the European squad. He won the 125cc world championship in 1982 and 1983, then moved up to 500cc competition, finishing fifth last season. Jobe won the 250cc world title in 1980 and 1983. Vehkonen is the reigning world 125cc champion.

Ward, the American Motorcyclist Assn.’s 1985 supercross and 250cc national champion, will be joined by new Kawasaki teammate Lechien. Lechien won the first race of the series in Sweden but did not compete in Spain.

Honda factory riders David Bailey and O’Mara recently finished 1-2 in a Japanese supercross race and will be joined by Yamaha’s Jim Holley on the American team.

Gates will open at 6 p.m., with the first heat scheduled for 8.