Ward Rides to Rose Bowl Win : Motocross: Mission Viejo veteran, 28, goes wire-to-wire in the 20-lap main event as Supercross returns to Pasadena after a five-year absence and draws 30,846 spectators.

Veteran Jeff Ward rode a wire-to-wire win on his green Kawasaki as Supercross returned to the Rose Bowl after a five-year absence Saturday night, drawing 30,846 spectators.

The 28-year-old rider from Mission Viejo came off the line in front in the 20-lap Coors Challenge and had only one challenge in mid-race from Kawasaki teammate JeffMatiasevich of La HabraHeights.

Matiasevich, the Camel Supercross points leader, finished second, followed by Jean-Michel Bayle of France, the world 250cc champion.

The victory was Ward’s second this year, and the 19th of his stadium series career. It was also his second in the Rose Bowl, having won there in 1984. The 19 victories place him third on the all-time stadium list behind Rick Johnson’s 28 and Bob Hannah’s 27. Johnson missed the Rose Bowl race with injuries and Hannah has retired.

“It was the best start I’ve had all season,” an elated Ward said. “It’s so crucial on these tight stadium courses and was all the better coming on a hometown course with all my friends watching.

“It was kind of nice to be riding out there all by myself for a while. Usually, I’m back about fifth or sixth where I can get tangled with someone, or forced to take lines I don’t want. It was fun tonight, especially when I looked around and didn’t see Bayle right behind me.”

The finish was the reverse of their heat race where Matiasevich held off Ward by a couple of bike lengths. The other heats were won by Larry Ward and Jeff Stanton, the defending Supercross champion from Sherwood, Mich.

The hottest race was contested by Bayle, Stanton and Ron Tichenor as they traded third, fourth and fifth positions back and forth before Bayle pulled away.

Mike Kiedrowski of Canyon Country moved into fourth place late in the race, followed by Larry Ward, Stanton and Tichenor, who faded in the last few laps. Larry Ward was in second place on the fourth lap when he fell and lost ground.

Jeff Ward’s other 1990 victory came at Atlanta. The win enabled Ward to pick up only three points on Matiasevich in his quest for a third Supercross champion. The native of Scotland won in 1985 and 1987.

“The way Matiasevich is riding, he’s going to be tough to catch, but we have 10 races left and a lot can happen,” Ward said. “He’s been getting excellent starts and when you do that it takes a lot of heat off you.”

Buddy Antunez of Ontario and Jimmy Gaddis of Phoenix, two Suzuki riders who had to make the 125cc main event through a last-chance qualifying race, finished one-two in the 15-lap support race final. It was Antunez’s first victory of the season.

Both crashed during their heat race and were forced to ride an extra six-lap race to earn their way into the 15-lap final.