Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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Round 10: Pontiac Silverdome By Kit Palmer Photos by Kinney Jones AUBURN HILlS,MI, APR. 9 t migh t have taken h im every available lap in the evening's program to do it , but Te am Honda /l-8OO-COLLECf's Jeremy McGrath recorded hi s seventh win of the ID-race-old Cam el Supercross Series under the air-supported roof of the Pontiac Silverdome. An d in doing so, McGrath's name will be wri tten down in the record books as the first rider ever to win a main event after having to qualify for the feature race through a Last Cha nce Qu alifier. "Having to ride every lap tonight - I'm pretty tired," said McGrath, following his wi re-to-wire victory in fro nt of 47,524 spectators. It was a long night for McGrath, and it all started in the first heat where he tangled with teammate Jeff Stanton and was forced to ride a semi. In the semi, the champ's problems continued when a rock lodged between h is bike's rear brake pedal and the frame, causing the brake to stay in the on position. McGrath had to stop on the track and dislodge the rock with his hands. By the time he got going again, most of the field had passed. In both the heat an d semi races, McG rath missed a transfer position by one p lace. Then McGrath came out to race in the LCQ. This time, however, he won the race and qua lified for the Coors Light Challenge feature in what was the second-tolast transfer of the night, giving him the next-to-last pick on the starting line for the main event. But despite having just about the least desirable gate on the line - on the far outside - McGrath pulled off a rare (for this season, at least) holeshot and rode like the McGrath of old. "I put in my best six or seven laps, then paced myself the rest of the way just like last ye a r, "said McG ra th . " I 1 ...... ..... l-< ~ 18 haven't been getting the starts like I used to. I wan t to get as good as I was last year. Things ended up good tonight and I'm happy." Dou g Henry, one of McGrath's three teammates, ran a distant and un eventful second - until the last couple of laps, tha t is. Things got a little crazy after a last-lap, three-way battle over second place developed involving Henry, Team Noleen /Sizzler Rest aurants / Xtreme's Larry Ward and Team Kawasaki's Mike LaRocco. The three riders went into the very last tum of the race three-abreast and only one rider came out on two wheels - Wa rd . The Yamaha rid er sailed across the finish line in second, while laRocco got back on his bike quicker and beat out Henry for third . Completing the top five, after crashing on the first lap, was Team Kawasaki's Mike Kiedrowski. "I couldn 't ask for much more," said a ha p p y Ward on the podium . " It's all mental; I'm feeling great this year and my bike is wo rking awesome." Moments after crossing the finish line, Ward received a giant bear hug from his team's own er, Clark Jones, who was perhaps the happiest person in Michigan Saturday night. "This is great, " said Jones. "Things are coming along; everybody'S working hard and it's paying off. I couldn't be happier." The only other person who mig ht 've been happier tha n Jones was Mike Brown , who wo n the race to the checkered flag in the I5-Jap East Coast I25cc featu re. The privateer from Tennessee, on a Jim's Motorcycle Sales/Pro-Circuit /Sinisalo-backed Honda CRI25, led all bu t the first lap to score the first 12Sec supercross win of his career. Brown was running second on the firs t lap when series poi nts leader Ezra Lusk, of the factory-backed Suzuki team , crashed - for the second race in a row - in a section of whoops while out in front. Brown inherited the lead, fo ught off th e advances of Suzuki's Jimmy Button, and held on for the win. Button gave Brown a run for his money un til the Suzuki rider lost control of his bike and ran off the track. By the tim e Button had rejoined the race, Brown was long go ne and ther e was no cha nce of ca tchi n g the speed y' p rivateer. Button ended up second, Lusk third, home state he ro Jeff Curry fourth an d Tim Ferry fifth . (Above) Honda ofTroy's Erik Kehoe (15) nailed the holeshot In the Coors Ught Challenge feature , but Jeremy McGrath (1) had the lead two turns later. McGrath ran away from the pack to sco re his seventh win of the year, and the 17th of his career. (Below) Privateer Mike Brown, fro m Tennessee , scored his fl rstoever supercross win In the East Coast 125cc main event.