Johnson Fares Well in Local Farewell : Motocross: He says goodby to San Diego, then finishes eighth in race won by Bayle.

Rick Johnson took a solitary ride on the Camel Supercross Series track in a pre-race ceremony Saturday night, looked into the stands and got a lump in his throat.

Making his final hometown appearance on a 17-city farewell tour, the San Diego native waved.

The 32,862 fans rose to their feet.

A letter from Gov. Pete Wilson--congratulating Johnson for his contribution to motocross--was read over the San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium public address system.

When Johnson got off his 250 cc Honda, he took the microphone and addressed the fans that have supported him over a 10-year career in which he has won seven National Motocross Championships.

“I kind of had a speech planned, but I’m kind of at a loss for words,” he said.

He didn’t have to say much. The fans did most of the talking. This was not a night for Johnson to give, but to receive. And if fate would have it, show a flash of brilliance that made him the sport’s all-time race winner.

Johnson finished eighth in the Coors Light Challenge, his best finish of the year.

The winner of the 20-lap main event was series points leader Jean-Michel Bayle, who won his third race of the season and $10,000. It was Honda’s fifth victory in five races. Teammate Jeff Stanton was second, Kawasaki’s Jeff Matiasevich took third.

Bayle was the benefactor Stanton’s misfortune. Stanton led the first 13 laps, then fell victim to a hairpin turn coming out of the finish jump.

“One little mistake,” Stanton said. “You don’t win races by making mistakes.”

Johnson knows that. He said the final ride would be an emotional one. It was. But it was disappointing, too.

“It was hard to be out there not putting up a fight,” he said. “I was out there in no-man’s land. No one was in front of me or behind me.

“I don’t know what I’m doing wrong in my preparation, but I’m not working with the bike. I’m fighting against it.”

Jeremy McGrath of Sun City rode a Honda to victory in the 15-lap 125 cc race. El Cajon’s Mike Craig took third, losing the lead on the eighth lap and falling short on several runs at Steve Lamson of Pollack Pines.

“I made a couple of mistakes out there,” Craig conceded. “I just wanted to win it for my hometown crowd. It just didn’t happen.”

Craig then grabbed the microphone again and thanked Johnson and another San Diego rider, Broc Glover, for their support. Then Lamson did the same thing. And McGrath.

Clearly, Johnson was on everyone’s mind.

“(Motocross has) been a part of my life for as long as I can remember,” Johnson said. “I’m saying goodby to one of my best friends. Whenever I’ve been happy, I’d take a ride. Whenever I’d be down, I’d take a ride.”

Johnson, who grew up in El Cajon but moved to Encinitas two months ago, finished fourth in his heat and avoided the semi and last-chance qualifiers.

An auto racing career awaits Johnson, whose motocross career has been cut short by a wrist injury he suffered in 1989.

Supercross Notes

Who says Supercross doesn’t have a flair for the dramatic? Camp Pendleton Marines marched the colors onto the track amid a dry ice fog and fireworks. The riders marched behind them on to the stadium floor like a battalion. There were spotlights and a recording of Lee Greenwood’s “Proud to Be An American.” The crowd broke into chants of “USA, USA.” . . . Jeff Ward of San Juan Capistrano, 29, the third-leading all-time victory leader (19) and the senior rider on the circuit, qualified for the main event by winning the last chance qualifier. He had to finish first or second. He was battling Jeff Stanton for first place when he fell on the sixth lap. He finished 11th. . . . El Cajon’s Ron Lechien didn’t qualify for the main event on his Kawasaki. He needed to finish second in the last chance qualifier but lost a duel with Hesperia’s Ty Davis. Lechien, who was sentenced before Christmas to spend 60 days in jail for driving under the influence of alcohol, was making his second attempt to qualify for a main event. He gets out of jail to race, but must make up the sentence.