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MOTOCROSS Mammoth Lakes, California
29th Annuall1ammoth MX
Willoh and Lytle, Team SplitFire/Pro
Circuit/Kawasaki's Johnson. and Team
Green's elson. Davis had a last-place
start going again and Hughes wasn't
doing much better after flying off of the
track in the first tum.
Dubach and Johnson were in a serious duel early on and passed each other
numerous times in the course of the first
few laps. Young had moved up to
fourth behind Dubach on about lap
three and was holding his own quite
well. Hughes was already up to fifth
after an amazing ride to the front, followed by Gomm, a fading Willoh, and
the battling Dymond and Taylor.
Amazingly, Hughes made his way
to the front of the pack, around
Dubach, and into third on lap seven.
Things began to heat up dramatically
as one of the best duels in all of Mammoth's illustrious history took place.
The leader, Johnson, was being closed
on fast by a seriously battling Nelson
and Hughes. The two went back and
forth for laps - cutting inside, outside,
and under each other at every comer and actually made up time on the
leader Johnson.
The duo caught Johnson at the end of
lap nine and the three battled for almost
two laps before Hughes finally got
around the both of them, with Johnson
running into the back of Hughes' bike
and going down at the bottom of the
Mammoth downhill. He would remount
in about the eighth position. Nelson and
Hughes battl~d closely for a few more
laps before Hughes was able to open up
a comfortable three-second margin and
secure the victory.
Johnson held on to second ahead of
Dubach, Young, Smail on a KTM 250
(his 620 is too large for the class). Johnson moved back up to sixth after the
incident with Hughes ahead of Team
Green's Robbie Horton, Walters, Amaradio, and Willoh squeaked by to complete the top 10.
"I feel real good," said a content
Hughes. "I had to ride real hard in the
beginning after going off the track, and
towards the end my arms got tired.
Casey Gohnson) and I had a really good
race going and he was trying all kinds of
last-ditch efforts, but [ wasn't going to
let him get it."
Team Green's 18-year-old-sensation
Nelson rode extremely well in every
class he rode in, and was very excited
about his second-place finish in the
250cc Pro class.
"I feel great," said an excited Nelson.
"After the start I just l1ung back and I
ended up catching Casey Gohnson) in
first. After Hughes got around me I just
followed him and he took care of Casey
(laughs). I was trying different lines on
Hughes because I was getting roosted.
With two laps to go I thought I had him,
but I slid wide in a comer and that was
it. I'm happy with second, though. it
was a good race."
What more can be said about
Dubach, after finishing third in the highly competitive and exciting 250cc Pro
class
"Us guys in the front four were going
at it for a long time," said Dubach. "It
was a really clean and fun race. Guys
made good moves out there, but r knew
it was a long race, and I thought 1'd save
some for the end. Third's not winning,
but it feels pretty good. I turned 33
today and I got a third yesterday (in the
125 Pro race) and a third today. You
always want to win, but if your racing
and enjoying yourself - that's what Its
all about."
Johnson was still happy with his
sixth-place performance after the great
race he had with Hughes and Nelson.
''I'm happy with how things went,"
explained Johnson. "My arms pumped
up so bad I could barely hold on. I just
started following (Hughes) once he
passed me and we started going at it. He
plays some real good games. He knows
what he's doing."
Terry Fowler took first in the Vet Pro
class on Thursday on a Pro Circuit
KX500, followed by the ever-present
Dubach in second, and Honda-mounted
Willy Musgrave got third.
In the Women's Pro class it was Dee
Anne wood taking home the Mammoth
MX title on a Kawasaki, while Kristy
Shealy finished second, and Sheley
Hickman rounded out the top three.
"Rocket" Rex Staten easily won the
Senior class on his KXSOO, second went
to B. Wallingsford, and third-place honors went to Tom Webb who barely
edged out brother Mike Webb over the
finish-line tabletop for the position.
IN
Mammoth Motocross
Mammoth Lakes; Cllfornla
Results: June 27-30, 1996
Thursday
MSTR: 1. David Rogers (Hon); 2. Tommy Pearl
(Hon); 3. Gary Doggett (Hon); 4. Edward Rodzach
(Hon); 5. Bill Weltunann (Han).
sa, J. Rex Staten (!