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/127826
SUPERCROSS
THORIPARTS UNUAfrrED AMA
SUPERCROSS SERIES
"No luck,'l guess," Hughes said
afterward. "1 really don't know what to
say because I'm so pissed off. Nothjng
has gone my way. 1 trained my butt off
and nothing's working out. The supercross season is done for me because
there's no way I can win now."
Henry stalked Ward for six laps, trying several creative passing attempts
before uncorking almost the same move
on the leader that he used to pass
McGrath, Henry was aided on the inside
by some lappers that might have disturbed Ward's rhythm, but once by,
Henry started to pull away,
"1 had made so many rmstakes that
once Doug passed me 1 was just worn
out," Ward said, McGrath picked up ros
own J'UIsllit of Ward and for five more'
laps Ward felt pressure belore relinquishing second to the number-one
Suzuki, By thjs time Henry was about
four seconds clear, but McGrath seemed
to find the best speed he's had all year
and knocked a second a lap off Henry's
lead until he bobbled in the whoops
with two laps left and gave up the
chase.
''I'm happy with the latter part of the
laps," McGrath said, "The first seven
laps I rode terrible, but then I calmed
myself down and Hgured some things
(Below) Local ridar Lance Small, on the KTM SSG four-stroke, had the
crowd on its feet all night. Here, he holeshots a 250cc semi over Suzuki
rider Greg Albertyn (8) and Mlka laRocco (5). Small failed to make the
cut but came oh, so close.
(Right) Yamaha's Ezra Lusk was out in front and pulling away in the
2sOcc main before crashing in the whoops. Here, Lusk recovers but not
before Ward and Henry fly by.
out, The bike was totally better this
week, getting better all the time, and I'm
still in there, so it was a good race for
me. Henry is ridjng really good, and
he's got it all together right now. He's
just excellent dght now."
"Late in th'e race Jeremy actually
started riding really well," Ward said.
"Jeremy is a smart, smart dder, and he
knows how to picks lines really well,
That's why he's got all of those championsrops."
Further back, Ermg rode virtually
unnoticed up to fourth, while LaRocco
of the stadium for the 'evening'~ pro'gra,m, but this was not the,
ca,se this year, 'Instead, all the riders pitted insi(:ie a receotly con· , Sp"aking of Frenchmen in America, Seattle 125cq main·event
winner David Vuille....in also is headed back to France' to, get
structed pavilion right outside the Kingdome. The payilion was
totally enclosed and heat was pumped i~ to keep things warm in
his outdoor program ready for the 1997 125cc ,GPs, By ~irtue of
spite of the 30·plus degree tempera,tures outside, PACE Mj>tor, his Seattie win (and' q second at '-4,11l the FMF-backed Vuill"rriin
, Four.year,old Hay· ,
, Sports, the supercross promoters, reportedly paid $20,000 to
is just five points out of. first place in the 125cc West Region rank·
den Strum (righU
, use the pavilion so the riders and teams could have a comfortable
ings, bJJt'probably won'i be back for the rest onhe series, How·
from
. Seattle,
and roomy place t~ pit.
"
.
ever, "like ·so many othe~ young international rac~rs. he is hoping
Washi.r1gtoo, will
to race in the U.nited States full tim~ in the ne,ar future, "I'm .going
'never forget this'
Wit,hin minutes after taking the '
back to Fran~e on Tue,sday, but I all]' very happy with my fo1l'
year's. S'eatrle
checkered flag, 250cc main·
races here," Vuillemio said, "I finished fifth, second, 13th and the
,Supercross, Hay·
event winner Doug Henry
win tonight, so I'm very ,happy with, this trip: l feel like I got a'iot of
den. who has been
(right) was on the phone, On
experience for the 125 GPs, and I am very hBRPY to have won for
,diagnosed with a '
the, other end of .the line was
FMF, Maybe they wlil bring me back soon. ", ,
brain tumor,' wish'ed
Henry's wife, Stacy, who was
to meet Team.
back horne in Connecticut. "I
,Among the 54,OOO·plus fa~s in the Seattle Kingdome were ~ half
Su:wki's Jeremy
won, I won," said an elated
dozen 'members' pf the NBA World Champion Chicago Bulls
McGrath
and
Henry. "(But), it was tough .. ,'
basketball team, With 'assistance .from Oakley's ,Johnny O'Mara,
bang out w'ith the
players Tooi Kukoc, Luc Longley, Bill Werinington and Steve 'Kerr
'four·time
A,MA'
"One hundred percent better,"
, made it Clowri,on the floor to' stand behind the starting gate for a
, Supercfoss Cham·
said McGrath moments after
few heat 'aces' Defore PACE management found' them an 'open
pion, and thanks to'
crossing the finish line in sec. suite in the press box, The players seemed genuinely thrilled to
the ty1a'ka a Wish
ond place, McGrath was' refer·
me~t Jeremy McGrath,. who, in tum was \loing. to see ,the'Chic,!go
Foundation, Strum
rirg'to his motorcycl,e that he, '
Bulls·S,eattle Supersonics basketball game' the next dar Super·
had his wish come
Suzuki technicians and Pro Crr:
star Michael Jordqn was not with ,his teammates., .
'
true at the Kingdome, Strum spent the enti'e day hanging out with
ouit having been dlaliQg 'in since
McGrath in the.Suz,uki pits. And 'that w?sn't all. Strum had ,anoth·
the start of the sea'son,
We asked' Doug Henry ~hich ,of his two ,superoross ",ins' ('-4 '
er wish and American, Suzuki helped make that one come true,
and Seattle) so far this season meant the most to him, he saId
,too, Hayden also ,want.ed t\"o Suzuki motorcycles ,"just like According to' McGrath's tuner
, , neither, Instead, Henry,says,biS favorite win was iri :ll.ugust cif last
McGrath's' - one for .;'im arid one for,his 6·year.old brother, Gun: Wyatt Seals, much progress
summer when'he won the secood mot6 at the Washougal Nation·
nar, ,so' he' would bave som~one to go' riding with, sutuk( s·u.r. , has' been made in the past cOU"
pie of weeks, "We ,got a lot
al. "That was the, defining moment," Henry said, "That's where
p~~ed Hayqen with ~p new Suzuki 'JR50s during" brea,k in the
acc~mplished this w e e R , ' ,
"
t,he payoff ,came. My whole goal when I was hurt was to just get
:night's racing program,
Seals said, "The weather has really slowed us down as far as
back to ':'Ihere,'1 w~s, Winning that on~ moto at Wa~hougat was
PACE Motor -Sports added the Hol~hot Award for the; 250C t<\stiQg goes, '!'Ie"'e, basically. working on the c,hassis and the, \!IIhat gave me, th'e strengt!, anq desire to, come back, Without that
power characteristic, Tl)ere-'s plenty of pow~r, that's nOl the prc;>b' ,win" I really d",ubt that I would h!'ve gotten either of these (SX
class at, Seattle, The 'rider 'who grabs the,holeshot in the 125cc
wins), because I thought I was going'to com~ back a lot,sooner, I
lem, but we're working on torque· Jeremy likes torq~e, Overall,
main, event is now also presented with a bonus of $500, pre'sent'
thought l would gElt to ,lhe o,utdopr N~tionals la~ ye?r and start
ed by i ·900·PRO·RACE. 1'900·PROCRACE al,eady sponsors the', he's very happy with the, bike,'
winning, I djdn't'realize then how far behind I had fallen, so' last
,$1000 Holeshot Award for the 250cc class, "PACE Motor Spprts
summer' )Nas t