Fall Helps Stanton Win Supercross

Jeff Stanton of Sherwood, Mich., took advantage of another rider’s misfortune Saturday night to win the 250cc final during the third stop of the Camel Supercross Series at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

Damon Bradshaw, a 17-year-old from Charlotte, N.C., who had won the first two stops, tumbled coming out of the final turn of the ninth lap, making way for Jeff Matiasevich of La Habra Heights and Stanton.

Although Matiasevich took the lead after Bradshaw’s mishap, Stanton overtook him in the middle of the 14th lap and set the pace for the remaining six to win his first supercross of the season.

Matiasevich was second and Mike Kiedrowski of Canyon Country third.

Bradshaw, who came into the event leading the series with 50 points, later said he thought he had broken his left ankle in his accident. He went to Sharp Memorial Hospital for examination.

What was certain was that Stanton passed Bradshaw for the series lead with 55 points. Bradshaw has 51.

Ricky Johnson, a 25-year-old El Cajon native and the most successful motocrosser on the circuit, was never a factor and finished eighth. Seems not even Honda could make it simple for Johnson. Not after a spill last March that left Johnson’s right wrist broken and with ligaments in the same joint ripped apart.

Keep in mind that the right hand pretty much controls a motorcycle. You can’t brake, accelerate or even steer properly if you have no motion in the hand.

Nevertheless, Johnson rode his Honda and wound up with disappointment in front of 37,184 fans. He was hoping to win his fifth consecutive supercross at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium and use the event as a farewell to the sport that has made him a youthful millionaire. Doctors had convinced him he should quit, what with continuing talk of fusing the dangling hand back onto the forearm.

But it was also a doctor who changed Johnson’s mind last week when he told Johnson that the wrist couldn’t get any worse.

But Johnson’s will still didn’t make it any easier to control a 250cc motorcycle with a shattered wrist. Johnson was back, all right, but just not on top anymore. In his preliminary heat, Johnson placed fourth and never pushed winner Matiasevich and his Kawasaki.

If Johnson is the home-town favorite on the wane, then El Cajon’s Mike Craig may be the home-town favorite wading in the wake, primed to take the lead.

In the 125cc final, Craig finished fourth, five months after breaking his neck. Ty Davis of Hesperia, who rides without any factory backing, gained the initial lead and took it 15 laps all the way to the finish line for his first series victory this year.

Jeremy McGrath from Sun City placed second and Steve Lamson of Pollock Pine was third.

After Craig suffered a broken neck last September in an accident while racing in Sweden, doctors told him he would never ride again.

He didn’t listen.

To get into the finals, Craig won his preliminary heat, the first race of the night, in much the same fashion that Davis took the finals. He never trailed, which gave him hope for the main event.

Those hopes never materialized, however, as Craig got caught in a pack at the beginning and never recovered.