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/127744
. ROAD RACE· .-'..... ::- Round 9: Sears Point Raceway. AlIA ~"""""'·NationaI QajLISIip . ""I"'"- . 1pICII. By Paul Carruthers Photos by Henny Ray Abrams 8 SONOMA, CA, AUG. 27 mokin' Joe's Honda's Miguel DuHamel threw caution to the wind at Sears Point Raceway as he risked everything in an effort to lie a record set 12 years ago by one of his racing heroes, Wayne Rainey. When all was said and done, the 26-year-old had accomplished much more than just matching Rainey's'record for consecutive race wins at six - he'd all but earned himself a first-ever AMA Superbike National Championship. Of the million things running through DuHamel's mind during the race, one ended up taking precedence over the others: winning. The French Canadian was faced with many decisions along the way. The biggest one was whether or not to take the chances necessary for victory when he really didn't need to. With championship rival and teammate Mike Hale out of the race after 16 laps with a broken transmission, and with a hungry Mike Smith breathing down his neck in search of his firstever AMA Superbike National win, DuHamel would have been excused if he'd settled for second. In fact, he may have been smarter to do just that. But DuHamel is truly a racer's racer and to . cruise would have been to loSe. Instead, he opted for winning. "There's really no words for how 1 feel," DuHamel said after a day in which he'd won not only the Superbike National, but also the 600cc Supersport race and title. "I came in here and in both races 1 didn't have to win to clinch the championship, especially in Superbike with Mikey (Hale) out. 1 could have taken the safe way out and let Mike (Smith), who was going like gangbusters, by me. 1 saw his board and knew that he had plus five (on third place). I knew if he passed me I could for sure get second and still get a lot of points for the championship. But I don't know, there's something in me that just said, 'No, no, keep going, you're doing great' I'm really tired, exhausted. Sears Point is a really tough track, mentally. It took everything I've got to do what I did today.H Smith and the Fast By Ferracci Ducati had their finest outing of the season. Although his second-place finish only matched his career best from Brainerd earlier in the year, this was really the closest he'd. come to winning his firstever AMA Superbike National. Smith led at one point, before being passed by DuHamel, but was able to retaliate late in the race only to be ultimately thwarted by lapped traffic. Still, it was perhaps the Georgian's best outing of his Superbike career. Third place went to the fast-fuUshing Steve Crevier on the Muzzy Kawasaki. The Canadian seems to be picking up momentum as the season nears its end, and his third place at Sears Point marked the second time this year that he'd been on the podium. Crevier started well, but lost touch with the leaders while trying to pass his teammate Pascal Picotte early in the race. Once past, Pascal Picotte (21) gOt the Jump on Mike Hale (23), Steve Crevier (hidden), Mike Smith (68) and Miguel DuHamel (17) at the start of the Sears Point National. (Below) Smith takes a peek over his shoulder at Hale and DuHamel after taking the lead.