Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

SUPERCROSS AAfA SUPERCROSS SERIES ~ . . . . ._ ••• - -- ~ .. . - '~_~ ~)~~ ,-\~'Y- -~. , ;.. ; i ~ - ) .;: Coliseum (Left) Nearly 50,000 fans were in lIttendllnce for the second round of the AMA Supercross series at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. (Below) At the end of the night, it was Team Yamaha's Doug Henry earning his second career 250Cc AMA Supercross victory. By Cameron Coatney Photos By Kinney Jones LOS ANGELES, CA, JAN. 18 eam Yamaha's Doug HtmrY proved to the world and the 47,831 specta· tors on hand a t the Los Angeles Coliseum that he is indeed to be taken seriously for this year's AMA Supercross Series crown. Henry took the next step up from his second place last week, held at the same venue, to win the premier 250cc-class main event. With his win, Henry gave Yamaha its first 250cc supercross victory since Jeff Emig won the controversial Las Vegas Supercro s finale in Nevada on June 10, 1995. Henry's only other 250cc supercross win came the same year as Emig's when he won the mud-soaked main event in Dallas, Texas, as a member of Team Honda. At the LA Supercross - Part 2 - Henry had the lead in his heat by the third lap and won it going away to qualify for the show. The main event went down much the same as the two-time 125cc ational MX Champion got a good start, passed teammate Ezra Lusk on lap three and held him at bay for the rest of the race to take the win. The Yamaha pits were jumping when it was all over and Henry was, understandably, all smiles. After all, it's only been a year and a half since Henry's legendary crash and broken back at the Budds Creek National MX in Maryland that almost cost him his career. Henry sits atop the points chart now with 47. "It's been a long time for me," Henry said. "This year I've been working harder than ever and J feel like I'm ready to win. In the race, I started out second behind Larry Ward and on about the third lap he made a mistake and I went by him. I just tried to focus on myself because the track was really rutty and choppy out there, and I just tried to find my lines and ride smooth. "Twenty laps is a long race and 1 tried T 6 to focus on each lap and make each one count. Ezra (Lusk) got close a few times, but it's really comfortable when you're riding with a teammate because you ride with them all the time so you know how they ride and you can trust them." The Team Yamaha crew had more to be ecstatic about because of Lusk's fine ride and second-place finish in the main. The Georgian also won his heat in convincing style and never looked back after passing last week's winner, Greg Albertyn, mid race. Lusk"picked up the' $1000 1-900;Pro-Race Holeshot money in the main, succumbed to the charges of Henry and nearly got him back in the whoops before the finish. Lusk's finish put him in a tie with Albertyn for second in the points with 38. "It was an easy race," Lusk said of the duel. "I'm used to riding with Doug (Henry) and we just got together and got a little train going there for the whole race. We locked handlebars down the front straight - it was fun. 1 felt comfortable riding in second and J didn't get tight. I did feel Jeremy (McGrath) behind me for a while but 1 wasn't worried about it because I knew we had a fast pace going. "1 was waiting for the pit board that said three laps to go, but I never saw it because of the way the mechanic area was placed. I was riding conservative and when I saw the white flag it was too late. 1 could rest in some sections, and when it came down to it 1 was going to use all the fast lines and be right there on him, but the white flag came too soon. J almost got him in the whoops at the finish, but it developed a single fast line that left me nowhere to go. Honestly, I'm just not totally comfortable on the Yamahas yet - letting it hang out. More and more time is just going to do me good." 1-800-Collect/Suzuki of Troy/Fox's Jeremy McGrath turned things around this week on his new ride and finished a respectable third in the main. McGrath's mechanic, Wyatt Seals, and company got the bike working more to the fourtime defending champ's liking and he qualified for the main via a fourth-place transfer spot in his heat. The champ was apologetiC to the crowd about his finish, but nonetheless pleased with his progress. McGrath now sits in sixth in the points with 26 - a place he hasn't been since the second race of '93 as a 250cc rookie. "I'm really happy with third and things are only going to get better," McGrath said. "After last week, 1 had to salvage some points and ride smooth. 1 was about fourth off the start and then I passed Larry Ward after Yogi (Ezra Lusk) got by him. On the first lap, 1 got a bunch of dirt in my goggles up the Perir style and couldn't see anything for a few laps. J rode a good race and 1 really wanted to stay upright and make sure 1 got points. "It's a confidence builder from last week and we'll get it. My shock was better this week and Mitch Payton did a

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