Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

.M OTOCROSS ·. C MClMSR GoldenS Nationals · tate , Round 3:Los Angeles County Raceway bump Nelson back to fourth. Lytle was in command of the race un til he started having pro blems with his bike. "My back wheel started coming apart and I had to slow down," said Lytle. " By the end of the race, m os t of th e spokes we re loose or broken ." Lytle was able to nurse his bike to the finish line as Preston closed within bikelen gths . In m o to tw o, Lytle swa p ped rea r wheels and wa s back in actio n. Mark Easley led the field into the first turn but before long, Lytle.Perolio and Rick Ryan were all over his rear tire. Lytle wasted little time and quickly made his way to th e front a nd m ot ored away. Perolio held his grou nd in second for the opening la ps, bu t he coul dn't ree l in t he H onda of Troy rider. The man on the charge in mo to two was Preston. Preston started back in sixth and sta rted slicing his FMF Suzu ki th rou gh the pack like butter. With a few laps remaining, Preston had reeled in Lytte and was ready to go in for the kill when disaster struck. " I cam e off the jump a nd m y rear w hee l slammed into th e fender and stayed the re," said Preston, I looked down and realized my shock link broke ." (Above) Rick Ryan (93) led Casey Lytle (119), Dustin Nelson (535) and Travis Preston (1) off the line In the 250cc Pro cl ass. Lyt le took over quickly and ran away with an easy win. By Scott Hoffman PALMDALE, CA, FEB. 2 eam Honda of Troy /Sinisalo 's young hotshot Casey Lytle was on fire at ro u n d three of the CMC /MSR Golden State Na tionals . Lytle swept both 250cc Pro class motos as he railed th e fast sa nd track at Los Ang eles County Racew ay. Racers were treated to a picture perfect da y of racing after a Saturday rain shower blessed the high-desert track with moist soil that lasted throughout the day. When the gate dropped for the firs t moto, Lytle ripped into the lead as the field followed su it. Bill Sauro held the runner-up spot, followed by Ray Crumb and Billy Mercier . Sauro held on for the ea r ly part of lap on e until Crumb . slammed h is way past to ta ke ov er. Lytle was on the gas an d took command of the race as the fight for second eru pted . The first to challe nge for second was Pat Foster . Foster dropped Mercier one spot and set his sights on Sauro. Sauro held tigh t, but Fo st e r was a ble to squeeze by fo r a short tim e befo re falling off the pace. "I shouldn't hav e even raced today, I sp rained my wrist last week and it is still very sore," said Foster. Back in the pack, Dustin Nelson was ripping his way through the field and reeling in the front-runners. Nelson had a little help as Sauro hit a rock and slid ou t. One lap later, Crumb was doing his bes t to hold his position un til he we nt over a berm. At th is point, Lytl e was still out front, but the race for the runne r-up position was still raging. Travis Presto n and Shaw n Perolio latche d onto Nelson's coattails as he moved through the field, and the two riders were allover his rear tire. With a few laps remaining, both Preston and Perolio were abl e to . . .. T (Left) Honda of TroylSlnlsal o team rider Casey Lytle smoke d to a do ub le-moto win in the 250cc Pro class. (Above) Team Suzuki Spo rt s rider Scott Sheak scored th e win In the 125cc Pro cla ss. At this point, Lytl e only needed to stay on his bike to take the win. Nelson p ut in a late charge to take ove r second and drop bo th Pero lio and Ryan back one spot. In the 250cc Novice class, it was Ch ris Finl ey taki ng th e vi cto ry over Brad Sch ultz and Jeremy Chaissee. In the first moto , David Hop fe took control of the mo to from the drop of the gate. Hop fe held off the charge from Schultz a nd Chaussee ea rly in th e m ot a . Chaussee fell to the pressure as the laps wore on and eventually finished fourth. Following a slow start, Finley mounted his charge with only a few laps to go. He was ab le to ta ke ove r th ird a n d chased Sch ultz , bu t time was a factor and he had to settle for third . Chaussee was the man in front as the field rounded the firs t turn. Chaussee had p ressure right after the d rop of the gate as Schultz, Colin Hunsaker and Finley were out for blood. Hunsaker was th e first to fall off the pace of the

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