Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

MOTOCROSS Budds Creek U 250cc MX Grand Prix .S. • or the second yea r in a row, some of the most highly skilled and fastes t motocross racers from around the world will converge at the Budds Creek MX park in Budds Creek, Maryland, for the U.S. round of the World Championship 250cc MX Series. On July 31, 40 riders - more than half of them coming from Europe and Canada - will resume their season-long fight towards the prestigious world crown on the 1.1mile Budds Creek track after ha ving banged handlebars a t the prev ious week's GP in far-away Finland. The Budds Creek round is -the 11th stop on the IS-round tour and is perhaps one of the most important GPs of the series, especially for top contenders like defending champ Greg Albertyn of South Africa (riding under a Luxembourg license) and last year's Budds Creek GP w inner Stefan Everts of Belgium. The two racers have been battling all season long towards the series title, but what makes the Budds Creek GP so different and perhaps more important tha n the other 13 GPs, is that in Maryland they will also be competing against many top riders in the U.S. - riders who concentrate on the AMA National and Supercross circ uits. This once-a-year event gives those who com pete stateside a cha nce to see how they stack up against the top "Euros." But these "GP one-timers" can be a thorn in the series co n tenders' sides, as many non-series regulars are capable of inter- F 26 tw ining themselves amongst the title chasers and possibly affecting the ou tcome in the overall points hunt. This is one reason why American Kawasaki chose not to send team riders Mike Kiedrowski an d Mike LaRocco to Budds Creek this year; they don't want to take any chances o f hindering Kawa saki rider Everts' chances at winning the title. However, a big qu estion mark hangs over Everts' head. While practicing for the Finnish GP, the Belgian crashed and broke his collarbone, and was un able to compete in Finland. But there's s till a chance he'll make the trip to Maryland. We'll just have to wait and see. Points aren't the only th ing on the line at Budds Creek; there's pride as we ll. Winning a GP - especially in the U.S., where the best of both worlds - the World Championship 250cc MX Series and the AMA National Championship MX Series - come together, is like announcing to the world that you are , without a doubt, among the best motocross racers on the planet. The Budds Creek GP perhaps means the most to series rivals Albertyn and Everts, who have battled back and forth for the series points lead all season long. In a dis tant sixth, sits the former champ from Bloomington, Minnesota, Donny Schmit. Schmit is the Stars and Stripes' only hope of winning the title this year, though the '92 champ would require disasters to befall both Albertyn and Everts (that may have already happened to the young Belgian). Schmit, who will be riding a very trick- and unique-looking black and yellow Team Chesterfield Yamaha YZ250 at Budds Creek, once led the series points chase before injuries put a damper on his efforts. There are many fast Europeans to keep an eye on at Budds Creek, riders such as Belgian Marnicq Bervoets and Frenchman Yves Demaria, who is a member of Roger DeCoster's new Pepsi Honda team . There is also Werner DeWitt, another fast rider from Belgium, a nd Kurt Nicoll, and the speedy but inconsistent Rob Herring. The latter two will represent the United Kingdom. Schmit isn 't the only Yankee on the 250cc GP circuit - th er e's also Tallon Vohland from Sacramento, California, and Trampas Parker from Shreveport, Louisiana. Vohland has been riding well . of late, putting in some top -five finishes on his Pepsi Honda, while Parker, the 1991 World Champion, has had a hard time adapting to his Far ioli KTM th is year. Both are among the top 10 in the series point standings. Newcomers to the Budds Creek 250cc GP this year are many top U.S. National MXers, such as 12Sec Champion Doug Henry - last year's 125cc support class winner - and Yamaha's former 125cc National Champion Jeff Emig, as well as multi-time past GP winner Jeff Stanton, and his Honda/1-800-COLLECT/Honda teammates Steve Lamson and two-time Supercross Champion Jeremy McGrath. Factory Yamaha rider By Kit Palmer Photos by Kinney Jones and Chris Jonnum Mike Craig will be seek ing his first GP victory, as will KTM's Cliff Palmer, and privateers Ray Somma, Mike Healey, and Dag Boyesen. I The mota format at GPs is nearly iden tical to that used at the AMA Nationals. At Budds Creek, the GP racers will compete in two 25-minute-plustwo-lap motos, five minutes shorter than the Nationals. Points are awarded per mota: 30 points for first, 17 for second, 15 for th ird 11 for fourth, 10 for fifth and so on down the line. The rider who earns the most combined points on the day is declared as the overall winner . In case of a tie, the rider who finishes higher in the second mota gets th e nod. Unlike most GP s, w he re the 250cc class riders try to qua lify for the feature via timed practice sessions on Saturday, the GP riders will race against the clock ' on Frida y at Budds Creek. Amateur racers will have the track - free of charge all da y Saturday. Also, a 125cc "support" race will be held between 250cc rnotos Sunday. Last year, Henry and Emig tr ad e d mota wins . And what will it all cost? A three-day adult ticke t will run you $35 ($20 child re n); a two-day ticket $30 ($15 child ren), and $20 ($10 children) for Sunday only. You can s ub tract $5 fo r tickets bought in advance. There are no sellouts or rain-o uts. For more information, call 301 / 475-2000. a

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