The second heat saw the other Suzuki
. favo rite "d own," as well. Lusk crashed
on the fourth lap, leaving the race win to
Tennessee priva teer Mike Brown.
When the starting gate dropped for
the main event, Tim Ferry almost nailed
the holeshot from th e far outside. Lusk
however, was on th e shorter insi de line
through the first two left-handed comers
and start ed down th e long w hoop sectio n wit h the lea d . RRP / U FO/
Kayo/Dunlop/Cycles of Palm Beach/
H onda We sts ' Ferry, Reynard, DGY 's
Chad Pederson and Button made up the
earl y chase group. Left lying in the first
turn was Honda of Troy's Davey Yezek,
w h o has struggled this seaso n with a
w rist injury .
By th e end of th e first lap, Reynard
had d isplaced Ferry as th e runner-up
and immed iately started to app ly pressure on Lusk.
"At first I thought it might be Jimmy
back there but then it didn't sound like
him," said Lusk of Reynard's surprising
early assault. "He was ov er-revving it
and sticking his wheel in on me in th e
comers. Jimmy and I don't really rid e
like that wi th each other."
On th e third lap , Reynard's pressure
paid off wi th a pass when Lus k failed to
triple the p ress box jum ps, allowing the
Kawasa ki rider to take the high road into
first place.
.
"I too k th e inside there the lap before
an d he took the outside, so w hen he
m essed up the n ext ti me a n d d idn' t
jump, I went over him" said Reynard of
his dramatic pass. "1 was up there just
hoping for the bes t and I got him. After
that I tried to ride smoothly and stay in
fron t of him."
Reynard quickly stretched his lead to
ab out three seconds, but Lusk, himself
eight seconds ahead of thi rd-place Button, remained calm and close.
"Once Robb ie went by me I decid ed
to put a littl e pressure on him and see
how h e handl ed," sa id Lusk. " He
pumped up like I figured he would and I
knew I could get him back"
Indeed, before the halfway mark Reynard could be seen trying to shake out
.the foreann pump from his hands as he
raced down along the mechanic's signal
area.
.
For several laps the situation at the
front remained the same, until Lusk
revenged the earlier pass with a triple
jump back into the lead. But Reynard
immediately retaliated and regained the
lead, only to lose it again when he faded
to the outside on the slick right-hander
that followed the finish line doubles.
Back and forth the two went until just
two laps were left in the I S-lap main
event. At that point, Lusk again dove
insi de after the finish line and snatched
the lead and ultimate Victory from Reynard. Still, the Kawasaki p ilot d id not
give up and made tw o mo re stabs at the
lead on the whi te-flag lap before settling
for a career-high sec o n d -place finish.
Button was a d istant third while a steady
Pederson and H o n d a- m o unted Ferry
rounded out the top five. .
uIt took m e a couple of laps to tuni. it
up and once I did, I just held it toge ther ,
got all the jumps right and things turned
out my way," said Lusk. "I .tried to keep
up wi th Reynard after he passed me but
every time I'd ge t close, I w ould slide
out. Once I got right behind him, I just
waited for the right time to get him. Robbie rode a really good race. That was the
hardest one I've had this year."
"1 wish I could've won it," said a
slightly d isappointed Reynard. "I got
out front but then I just locked up. Ezra
was riding really welL 1 did everything 1
could to stay in front of him. We were
both using our heads, trying to win,
Weinberger (Hon); 14. B. Smith (y. m); 15. Lany Wand
(Yam); 16. A. Squires (5uz ).
Tbnc: 5-.22.79
2.50 SEMI 2 (16 rid .... 6 ...... top 5 tra nsfer); I, 0iH
Palmer (K1'M!; 2. Ryan H ughes (!Caw); 3. Rich Taylor
(Hon); 4. TraV1S Blad:burn (l a\Xilie 'the
· Say ~hen .he ~Ied.hom.e With the ~new s, ·. really he!~~e~t. by:the ti~~ thtl ~,:st .se ries · ·f1oor ol the..fOOtball stadl~rn. Where . ~e NF'L\
· 250cc main even t win.ne r Mike Craig sa id, .' starts.agaln. sa i<:! Hughes ,. I m getting a lot .ol · ·.Ta mP BliY Buccanee rs' pla y. tli9lr hom e '.
.a
"She wOn'l believe it" she;li thiilk,irs 'anotber . ' .eXperience 'and confiaence and I'm 'Ieaming il : games;"
" .
. . " . . . . .. . ..: :'
· p.ranli ~JI:I <;alleQrightbe the 'main event : · lol. a~o ui · how· IO· ride a superCiO!is; 'T~\s: will : :; .: : ' :. . ..' ;'.:'" ',, : ' :" ' . ., ':, ' ..:.':;..: :.' ,::.... :." .'
fore
,.I.won ·.the .mainl' but I·was'· defJn.~ e1y help for "ext ye,!r. 100:. :: . . . ... .:. .':. TI)e 25OCC..class ·tui1)out !It Tampa. rerflili ned ..
·and said,: 'HonllY
: :.
.: ". :' ' . "
. :. .. ,: . .., . .. I~; just lI$ ~ ~aS throughou
.
!.the:'94 series. A '
.just kidding."NowI geno caUand teJl'ber;.'Yes,:: . .. .
· I'won the. mainl~. When Craiglinally rrnidet tie··. "Iwanted .to ride the 2508 oul West like Ryan~s : ..totaloI'47 ·ride~;enlflred. the race in the big.
caJltohis wife 'Joimna back in Callfornia ·:do1ng ·t!ere In the East b,ut S\Jzuki wQn'llet ..bikeclass,'while 66 en1ered the '125ccdil/i- '
·about'.15 minutes after the race he foUnd 'oui..... me: · said Ezra L:lisk Of his·.team's.refusal to ' . .sion.:TIre turnout was·.Sli9.l'1ttY alfeaed by the :
.
' Iha t his ' mechanic.·.Brlan Lunrilss ' a nd . .allow hhii toride tlie'big bikes.in Amihelm ·a nd.,rescl1edu!in9 :91 a Mickey Thompsonraceal
·aimounce'f:Larry ' Maiers had .already.lipped'.'. . San Diego: ':Theywan t ~e' to stay safe ·and .:: Anahejm Stadium thaI kept Team Noleen's·.
r
:. hero~ withpi!one·cans "I iheir'own.·Mike·and : get ready :lO the .125cc Nationals ; I:wish .1 ' Larry Brooks, .,shaun.Kalos.·and.Kyle te~s .•
hil. : wife ,'. h.ave : twoboy.s;': Jeremy : lind : :.c9ul,d .go. oUlt~ere and ride, bull p~obab!y ::· lrorn . atIe!'1dihll' ·AIso h~mperin·g.the ;tumout
.
Christian; Wl1en ask.ed it he w~s the fii:St lami" ·. :wont gel.to.u ntU last three ro!Jnds.~
:the
,.. . .were the recent injuries of Erik Kehoe (knee),:
:.tY dad .eve·r .to·w ln 'a:s uPerctQ 'Il)a ln 'event: ·· .:: :." ,..:,:, .
ss
Phil Law!'8nce (knee) and"l?en~y ' Steph.en. :
·'Cralg :said; "Hey,:that'sright.1 'might:be the ', The .Rlc.h Winkl~r-designed ·track at Tampa . son (linger)..
. '. . ' . ' . ' . ' .
nrsl dad towiri one; unleSs one of tboseguys . '''Stlidi~m was'extr~inely hard·p'ack~d ·an9 ·slick ..· . :.:: : .; .
.,, ' .' : '
' :'.': . :'
.
blii:k in the '70s had a kid:O( something.· .· . : : . ..' :after .scat,tered r:aIn sho:overs late in' the week : ;']'he Pro.m
.
.oters of1he AMA .outd .~otocross.
.oor
· ' . .. ':' :...',-: . .. .'::. " . .,.:: . ., . . .: . ...:.. ::" . ' . .,' kept the 9rounc,l .n\oisVlthink ir s going to be ' . .nationals'·all'gatl1ered in' Tampa to c!iSC\lss '
. .'
TeaiJ:!Vamalia Jeff Einlg WsS 'SiXlliirjg Ii eU( :verv .c1o~er'aciilg.tonighl ~use t~~re'S alot :·: ir1'!prov~meflt$ .tot~e. f~5/25pci: NaUonal
:s
un~r his.left eye at Tampa·that he'sUfferedin :' of triCky t/1ings oul.there thaI could cause a lot. '; series. ant! ·the. spo.rl. ingenerat· Among.the'
:
· tTis~eekiyamaleu~ iCe. hcickeygame·.:,got.a ...Df'rrnljor ~ge~~d irs very'slippery in~ol .... n~.msd.i~ werEia neW .Itl~year teleVi~ .
. little sc~tch under my.eye .when I b<)arded a '. -: Ihe co.rners, . sa'd:.Honda'st.earn.manager.. : :slon deal ,wlth:ESp~, 'marl :. day n igh~ . ' A(I1ong:the pro!essiona! riderS.'
..
'prinled on his hpckey Jerseys by Thor.Racing, ' ::-..', . " . '.," ., " .. :'.>: .' ,,'
, ..: :
rep,ortingl ncide rits w'ere ' HonCtaol .Troy's. .
. the .clothing company. tliat has bac ked hill) '. The ''!s uaUy P ~esen.fpa.re nl!;, Dorothy 'and . .~ Todd Dettoap an(jDave)' yezek,'Canadian .
throughout his prolil&sional racinj;l caree r. '" . .'...J im,.of NCY Yamaha·.rider -leffMatlasevich · . rider earl Vaillancourt and Pemsy/Yailia pil~
" '.' .•... : :, ' ', : . ...:". " " . : . ... .. ' :, ' : " were' missinll lroii1'lh 'pitS' at Tanipil JuSt
e
yaleerShai'le SlOther.·.Maybe Irs U lor.rid: .
me
Following his' career:high Second-plaCe fini sh · ·they. we rj3 at I.a·st we ek's San Diego 'race :' .' 'e'rs and promoterS.to .co·nsi~r :de's igna ling ·a .
·.in tl]e 12SCC' event,Team Kawasaki's.'Robble .' "They mid to Qo to'some bi.rthday party for 'o n~ : ' ~bike ' safe ' area in'.each city where competi:'
· Reyl)8fd :-vas set to.make anall:night road !riP:- '.',cif my d!V~ "re going ~t~ W t.o 'get back ', . ~.iZ~ ,varr ~i.th me.cha~ic - ·R o n _H ~ b ~ ~ . ".T.ney": . .' ,, ::" ." ., "
'
.; :.-.:.:" .'.',:-.- :. ' ": '. '. . .;: .:.. ", ',: .
· to a'local Oklahoma City tJ:a,ck called 59th.and . missed .San.Diego; so IhflY .didn't' see me ge.t Dean.Ba~r, the mei:ha,niclorTeam Honda 01
, Douglas: :said Mr; Rel'nard.:o"1fwe don't havethe ·.holeshot ·a nd ·li",is h:fif1h:. IU dobe.tter .. ' Tr~y' s :Todd DeHoop. had 'a '!lca ry moment
·
·:ariy delays or anything, we 'Should'get'there ;' .tonight they may neirer i:onieagain l~ ' ..::..;. '.. ::'. while making th'e 'Iong'd rive in their team's".
.
: Wit~ , ab()ul an hour·to ·spar~l'. We:re .testing,': ::.:-.:::..:,:. :..' .:..... '. ,:.- ':', ': : .,,-: : ".'.:-: : '" '.> • :" '.' ,'.:" box,val)'from Ih8Anaheim SiJpercross in Calie :
some .stuff for the outdoorbika; so I'lobbie's .· .Longtime.supercross·announcerLafI'Y Malers ::fomia 10 Tampa, Florida. Baker fell asleep at
· going·to rIde :his 125 hfbolh 'classes;.'He'll... .·made an embarrass i",gblui)de(prlortheslart . ': the'wh'eeland woke' up jUst. seconds before'
· probably·.start .practicing with the actua rrace::. 01.the '250CC t,:ast Chance'Qualifier in Tampa: .side:swipping the ' center divider:B.aker was .
bik~ next week.~ No wordat;press time a.s.10" La. iy !lImo;;t read. 0':'.theenli.re Un
r
.e·iJp ;>heet ... urilnjuied .but ,the' t,>Oic~van was sllghl!y 'daii'~ :
· how Reynard did on Su",day:;.or.If l1e eve.'; . ·.for the 125cc main evert! before he caughqhe .·aged .·Yliu rnightreoallthat:another mech;mjc
;.
· made nto·the !rack Int ime." " . . '. . '. ..... . . .: IT)isliltl:e;·"Gee; is my.face redl~ btus.hed Maiers ' · Chad.WaUs,"who 'at '.that:Ume..tuned lor '·
.' . ' . ,
. ... " ...,
.
.' "
. ·1 thll' eo",fusedbl!t undersUinding ·audiencll': : :' Kawasaki · ri~er· Rya'n Hughes ; .was· serio~sly :
0
.
Team!
