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/127799
Emig had a good day and got second overall with a consistent 2-2, but just could not put together the great starts he's grown accustomed to getting lately. He rode really strong, though, as he proved after getting a midpack start in the second mota and moved up to second place by mota's end. He's confident and ready for the final showdown. "My starts weren't up to par today, but that's racing," said Emig. "All week long I tried not to think about the points battle, but when you're in the hunt, it's hard not to. I was definitely nervous coming into today's races, but now I feel relieved and confident - I know I'm the strongest guy out there (after his second-mota charge) and I'm ready. It's just really interesting that it's all going to come down to the last mota. I know I feel better riding than spectating because my fans want me to win real ,bad and can't do much about it, but I know I'm in control of my own destiny and I think I can win the championship." Team Suzuki's Greg Albertyn had a consistent day and finished on the pod.ium for the second time this year (the other time being his win at Unad.i1la) in third place with a 4-3. He was pretty exhausted after th.e second mota, where he kept McGrath in his sights for most of the r.ace until Emig got around him on the last lap. He had a good ride, nonetheless. "I just thank the Lord for giving me the talent to ride with guys like Jeff (Emig) and Jeremy (McGrath), and we had a great race today," Albertyn said. "Next week I'm going to try and show those two guys a thing or two (says with a laugh). It's taken me some time to adjust to the speed of American motocross, but hopefully I'll be here a few more years to race with these guys." Fourth overall went to Honda of Troy's Larry Ward, wno turned in a 5-4 mota tally and really seems to be coming on strong at the end of this season, showing good starts, speed and endurance. Last week's Washougal winner, Team Suzuki's Mike LaRocco, got fifth overall with a 3-8 and was actually in good position early on in mota two for a podium finish until a crash dropped him back in the pack. Sixth overall went to Team Kawasaki's Ryan Hughes. He turned in a 3-8 after starting from the back in moto two when a pileup just after the start put him into catchup mode. Team Yamaha's Doug Henry took seventh overall wit11 a 7-9, T.eam Noleen's Kyle Lewis got eighth with a 12-5, F&S Suzuki's Cliff Palmer ninth with a 9-8 and PJl/Xtreme/Burnsville Yamaha's Jimmy Button finished off the top 10 with an 8-13. . Emig Leads McGrath by two points, 516-514, in the official point standings. LaRocco is in a d.istant third with 394, follo\Yed. by Albertyn with 371, and Ward rounds out the top five with 319. While the 125cc class definitely lacks the title-race excitement that the 250cc class now enjoys, with Team Honda/l800-Collect/Fox-backed Steve Lamson wrapping up his second consecutive 125cc championship after the first mota in. Washougal, the battle for second in the points standings is dead even and also will go down to the wire. Team Yamaha's Kevin Windham elevated himself from third in the standings into a tie for second with teammate John Dowd after thoroughly romping the rest of the field with a 1-1 at Binghamton. When' Lamson wasn't winning Nationals this year in commanding style, Windham was. He has now won all of the Nationals that Lamson hasn't, and he flat ran away from the field in the motos he's won. That pretty much explains how things happened at the Broome-Tioga Sports Center as Windham grabbed the lead early in both motos and never let up. The perfect 1-1 score gave him his third AMA 125cc National MX victory of the year, and his first ever double-mota victory. "I had a lot of fun because this was my first 1,-1," Windham said. "I got thirds on both starts - I just started from the inside both times and hugged the first corner tight. Craig was a little tough to get around in the second moto - he was riding good - but I squared off one of the turns on top of the hill and got him. I think I got people both motos there. The heel clicker-s were good in the first rnato, but Dowd got a little too' close at the end of the second mota for 'em. He was riding good and it was a great day for Yamaha." Lamson came to Binghamton wanting to win - there was no doubt about that in the pits before the races but Windham was on fire and Lamson could only muster a 2-3 to gamer second overall. (Above) Yamaha's Kevin Windham rode extremely well and took his third overall national win ofthe year. with a 1-1. (Below) Jeremy McGrath did what he had to do to stay In the points battle with Emlg by taking the overall victory with a 1-1. The championship will be decided at the final round in Delmont; Pennsylvania. "In the first moto a rock got stuck in my brake pedal, and it was slowing me down a lot for a few laps," Lamson said. "In the second moto, Brown got a good jump and came over on me, but I didn't get out (of the gate) too bad. Then I 'Was chasing Brown and clipped his tire going pretty fast and highsided. I didn't get hurt, but it slowed me down a little, then I just charged. I'm trying not to think about the championship (being, clinched), but Dowd and Windham rode good today and I'm just going to train harder for next weekend." Dowd did ride well again and was on the podium for the third straight week. His second motos usually seem to work out better for him lately, and this National was no exception as he turned in a 5-2 for third overall. "I got a leusy start in the first mota," Dowd said. "Then it just seemed like I tried too hard and started doing everything backwards. It was too late once I started moving forward. I got a better start in the second moto, and I didn't think I could catch Windham, but I was stayIng close in case he made a mistake. The youngster had a good day (laughing toward Windham). It's going to be a good battle next week for second in the points between us." Team Kawasaki's Damon Huffman finally had a day he'll remember after getting his motor problems sorted out from the last two Nationals and finished in fourth overall with a 3-4. Mike Craig had a pretty good day with excellent starts and made the Honda of Troy boys proud with a 4-5 for fifth overall. American Honda/Primal Impulse/ Bill's Pipes' Robbie Reynard took sixth with a 7-6, Great Western Bank/ Xtreme/CTi2's Buddy Antunez got seventh with a 6-7, Team Honda of Troy's Mike Brown turned in an even 8-8 for eighth overall, Reynard's teammate Pedro Gonzalez finished ninth wi th a 9-13, and Team Splitfire/Pro Circuit/ Kawasaki's David Pingree rounded out the top 10 with a 13-10. . Lamson now has 540 points on his championship year. Dowd and Windham are tied in second with 405, Craig moves up a position and into fourth with 281 and Antunez is not far back in fifth with 274. Spectator attendance was near the 15,000 mark and was definitely up in umbers from last year's event. Jack Skutnick, Tom Hurd and crew did an excellent job with track preparation and layout, and had to fight a rainstorm late in the week which saturated the track, making it near perfect on race day after some hard work. 125cc NATIONAL At the start of the first 125cc National moto, Lamson looked to have the holeshot, followed by Craig, Antunez, Windham, Huffman and F&S Suzuki's Todd DeHoop. But when the riders made the 180-degree turn at the end of the start chute ane! came into the supercross-style section of the course, it was Windham securing the lead over Lamson and the rest of the field. 15