Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127741
.MOTOC·ROSS .. . AMA t2S125Occ National Championship-Motocross series' Round 10: Washougal MX Park By Donn Maeda Photos by Ross Maeda & John Valdez WASHOUGAL, WA, AUG. 6 fter two dry weekends, Red Riders returned to the top of the AMA National Motocross standings as the series visited the picturesque Washougal Motocross Park in the Pacific Northwest. But while series point leader and championship favorite Jeremy McGrath and his factory Honda/1-SOO-Collect/Fox CR250 were a familiar sight at the head of the 2S0cc class, it was a new face who topped the charts in the 12Scc division. Like McGrath, Team Honda of Troy's Mike Brown turned in 2-1 moto finishes and scored the first 12Scc National win of his career. Thanks to consistently high finishes, the scrappy semi-factory rider has been in contention for the '95 Championship throughout the series, but it wasn't until now that he topped an event. In winning, Brown moved from fourth to second in the series point standings, and with two rounds remaining trails Team Splitfire/Pro Circuit/ Kawasaki rider Ryan Hughes - second at Washougal - by six points. "My first National win feels great," said the 22-year-old from Tennessee. '1've been so close for SO long, and now I've finally won one. All I want to do is win, and I want this title bad." Hughes had entered the race tied for the series point lead with Team Honda/l-800-Collect/Fox rider Steve Lamson, but emerged with the lead after his Honda-riding rival suffered a fifthoverall finish. Lamson crashed on the opening lap of the first moto and could only muster a 12th-place finish, and then came back to finish a close second in moto two. In contrast, Hughes' finishes were consistent - albeit unspectacular and his 3-4 scores netted him a bit of breathing room entering the penultimate round of the series. Hughes boasts 377 points to Brown's 371. Lamson has 370, but considering the huge deficit he has overcome thus far in the season, is still. well within striking distance. But what about Team Suzuki's Damon Huffman? The fourth title contender and former series points leader had yet another off day and slipped further adrift in the points race. Though the two-time Western Regional 12Scc Supercross Champion displayed impressive speed, he didn't have the luck to match. Poor starts and crashes held the quiet Californian to fourth- and seventh-place finishes for fourth overall. Huffman has 160, and needs to dig deep in the final two rounds if he is to win his first-ever 125cc National Championship. Finishing an overwhelmingly popular third overall was hometown hero Jason McCormick. The likable Washingtonian led the opening laps of the first race before dropping to an eventual seventh, but pulled out the stops and finished an impressive third in the second race to secure the best National finish of his young career. The highly partisan crowd went ballistic as the Honda privateer graciously accepted his third-place trophy. Kawasaki wonder boy Robbie Rey~ard roosted the field in the opening race and scored his third moto win in a row, but pulled off the track on the first lap of the second go-round with a supersore knee. Despite scoring no points "in the second race, Reynard maintains fifth in the point standings with 328. "My right knee was popping in and out in the first moto," said the fragile Reynard. '1t came out about four times in the first race, and it started doing it again in moto two." A ~ ~ It) 0\ 0\ .... \0 .... .... "- (/) 6b -< ::l 14 e· • aga-In