:' AMA 1251250cC National Cham iohshl Motocross Series Rounds 10: Washougal, Washington
MOTOCROSS ยท. .
(Abo ve) Suzu ki ri der
David Pingree gets a
wheel on Steve
Lamson (4) at the
start of the first 125cc
National moto .
Lamson suffered a
major blow to his title
hopes when he was
unable to sco re any
points in the second
moto.
(Right) Mike laRocco
(7) clinched the 250cc
National
Champ ionship title
afte r fi nishing second
In the first 250cc
Nati onal. Here, he
leads Team Noleen
riders Larry Ward (11)
and Larry Broo ks
(31).
By Kit Palmer
"I'
WASHOUGAL, WA,AUG.14
t's more of a relief than anything," said Team Kawasaki's
Mike LaRocco, AMA's newest
National Champion. "I've been pushing
a long time to get this championship,
and it really means a lot to me. Now I
can go out, relax and not worry about it
anYJ1lore."
Despite the fact that two Nationals
still remain on the calendar, Indiana's
laRocco put the finishing touches on
the 1994 AMA National Championship
250cc Series title chase after finishing
second to Team I-BOO-COLLECT I
Ho nda's Jeremy McGrath in the first
moto on the high-speed Washougal
track in southern Washington. And just
for good measure, laRocco came back
out in the second moto and left no
doubt in anyone's mind just why he is
the new champ. Aboard his Mike
LaRocco Sr.-tuned KX250, LaRocco
smoked the entire 40-rider field to
record the moto win and post the overall victory.
Compared to the 500cc title he won
last year, this year's 250ccchampionship
was certainly sweeter for the quiet and
reserved Kawasaki rider. "Yeah, the
250cc title means a little bit more for me
because it's a full season," said laRocco.
"It's quite an accomplishment."
McGrath, who led from start to finish
in the first moto, just couldn't get the
start he needed to pull off back-to-back
wins. Unlike in the first moto where he
led the pack through the first turn,
McGrath spun his rear tire at the gate
and rounded the first comer about 10th.
By the time he had reached second - on
the last lap - LaRocco was long-since
gone. Still seeking his first 250cc National overall victory, McGrath ended up
seco nd overall, via 1-2 moto finishes,
