Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

SUPERCROSS THOR/PARTS UNUMITE~ SUPERCROSS SERIES Wheeler bumped in a turn and Keeney went careening off the track. Wheeler led for another lap before Vuillernin got him in one clean move and pulled away. Then it was Primal Impulse/Honda's Robbie Reynard who got in on the action, as he worked his way up into third and started hammering on Wheeler. Just before taking the white flag, Reynard passed Wheeler on a whooped step-up and took second. Vuillemin scored the win over Reynard, Wheeler and Thousand Oaks Kawasaki's Rusty Holland. Keeney had to settle for fifth. The second heat race was a walk in the park for Windham. He blasted into the lead and was never seen again by his challengers. Willoh held down second the whole way with little or no pressure from anyone, as did Honda of Troy's Casey Lytle in third, while Primal Impulse/Honda's Shaun Perolio took fourth. After getting off to a midpack start, Decker finished just off the pace in fifth. In the main event, Windham shot his Alley Semar-tuned YZI25 to the front of the pack and that was that. Windham would open up a f9ur-second lead by the end of the second lap, and that gap would just keep growing and growing. Running second early on was Willoh, who was chased by Lytle, Vuillemin, Decker and Johnson. Willoh held down second for seven laps before Vuillernin came up and zapped him. Willoh ran third for another two laps before the Decker/Johnson battle blew by him. Decker and Johnson traded places a couple of times at the halfway point, then Johnson took charge the rest of the way but could never breath easily. Lytle ended up sixth, finishing ahead of Keeney, Wheeler, Holland and Perolio. Reynard would never be a factor in the race. He got off to an 11 theplace start only to crash hard and drop to dead last. He still never gave up and worked his . way back up to 12th at the finish. f,N Metrodome Minneapolis, Minnesota Results: March 16, 1997 (Round 5 of 7) US HEAT 1 (6 laps;,20 riders, 16p 9 transfer): 1. David V'uillemin (Yam); 2. Robbie Reynard (Hon)i 3. Chris Wheeler (Suz); 4. Rusty Holland (Kaw); 5. Cory Keeney (Yam); 6. Brian Stone (Kaw); 7. Paul Currie (Kaw); 8. Grayson GOodman (Yam); 9. Steve Andrich (5uz); 10, Travis Preston (Yam); 11. Terrance Malan (Suz); 12. Karter Busse (Suz); 13. David Owens (Kaw); 14. James Povolny (Suz); 15. josh Kellogg (Suz); 16. Adam Martin (Hon); 17. Erik Anderson (Hon); 18. Erick Vallejo (Kaw); 19. Brad jeromjnski (Kaw); 20. David Evilsizer (Suz). Time: 5 min., 4.900 sec. 125 HEAT 2 (6 laps; 20 riders, top 9 transfer): 1. Kevin Windham (Yam); 2. jeff Willoh (Yam); 3. Casey Lytle (Hon); 4. Shaul1 Perolio (Hon); 5. Craig Decker (Kaw); 6..Tony Amaradio (Yam); 7. Casey Johnson (Kaw); 8. Michael Brandes (Yam); 9. Heath Voss (Hon); 10. Pedro Gonzalez (Kaw); 11. Josh Tarantino (Yam); 12. Ryan Terlecki (Hon); 13. Scott Davis (Kaw); 14. Mark CuHon (Kaw); 15. Jake Windham (5uz); 16. Eron Ezerins (5uz); 17. Tyler Evans (Suz); 18. Pat Foster (Su:d; 19. Tom Clowers (Yam); 20. Lex Malan (Suz). (Right) Casey Johnson (32) outdueled Craig Decker for third place in the 125cc main. (Below) The Metrodome in Minneapolis ended up selling out for round eight of tl)e AMA Supercross Series. At 60,049 spectators, it was one of the largest crowds ever at the Metrodome. Casey Lytle (}ion); 7. Cory Keeney (Yam); 8. Chris Wheeler (Suz); 9. Rusty Holland (Kaw); 10. Shaun Perotio (Han); 11. Tom Clowers (Yam); 12. Robbie Reynard (Han); 13. Paul Currie (.Kaw); 14. Pedro Gonzalez (Kaw); 15. Tony Atparadio (Yam); 16. Grayson Goodman (Yam); 17. Ryan Tcrleckj (Hon); 1~ David Owens (Kaw); 19. Michael Brandes (Yam); 20. Steve Andrich (Suz); 21. Brian Stoke (Kaw); 22. Heath Voss (Hon). Time: 12 min., 32.870 sec. Margin of victory: 3.969 sec. 125 WESTERN REGIONAL SUPERCROSS SERIES POINT STANDINGS (After 5 of 7 rounds)': 1. Kevin Windham (103/3 wins); 2. David Vuillemin (93/1); 3. Robbie Reynard (87); 4. Casey Johnson (86); 5. Craig Decker (83); 6. Nathan Ra,msey (60); 7. Cory Keeney (59); 8. Shaun Perotio (53); 9. Chris Wheeler (50); 10. Casey Lytle (49); 11. Pedro Gonzalez (47); 12. Jeff Tio1e: 4 min., 55.250 sec. 125 LeQ (4 laps; 22 riders, top 4 tl:ansfer): 1. Pedro Gonzalez (Kaw); 2. David Trey Owens (Kaw); 3. Ryan Terlecki (H.on); 4. Tom Clowers (Yam); 5. Terrance Malan (5uz); 6. Mark Culton (Kaw); 7. Travis Preston (Yam); 8. josh Tarantino (Yam); 9. James Povolny (502); 10. Tyler Evans (5uz); 11. Karter .Busse (So2); U. Eron Ezcrins (So2); 13. Ja.ke Windham (Suz); 14. Erick Vallejo (Kaw); 15. Pat Foster (5uz); 16. Scott Davis (Kaw); 17. Adam Martin .(Han); 18. David Evilsizer (So2); 19. Erik Anderson (Hon); 20. Lex Malan (5uz); 21. Josh Kellogg (5uz); 22. Brad Jerominski (Kaw). Time: 3 min., 28.250 sec. 125 MAIN (15 laps; 22 riders): 1. Kevin Windham (Yam); 2. David Vuillemin (Yam); 3..Casey Johnson (Kaw); 4, Craig Decker (Kaw); 5. Jeff Willoh (Yam); 6. WilJoh (38); 13. Brian Deegan (34/1); 14, Rusty Holland (25); 15. Michael Brandes (24); 16. Travis Preston (23); 17. Tom Clowers (19); 18. (TlE) Grayson Goodman/Travis Hodges (15); 20. Erick Vallejo (9), Upcoming Rounds: Round 6 - Houston, Texas. March 22 Round 7 - Dallas, Texas. April 26 , already riding' again a~d js hoping to return to racing at the ne~t . Grip. guards7 ' Jere'my" 250cc National' round in'Calff6rnia: ·May4:.at'Hangtown. When he· Mc!3n,th's works 5ul,uki · does come back. Pichon wlll·have·a new look, too, pichon 'has left featured new· Velcro-fas· his former clothing conipa~y ,JT Racing and is now a T~or. flacing-· tened handl~bar grip cowsponsored rider: . -. er'! a.t Minn·eapolis. Ri~ tuner, w.yatt Seals., said .they . 'Speaking of French riders. FMFs' David Vuillemin returned to got them'just this week:, 'I America:to c,?mp~te at ihe Minneapolis Supercross, V~iIIemin's ., don·t know. thily're petty. 'Origiqal plan was to. miss a c,?uple of rounds ,of the West Coast. cool.·: he said. The covers· SX· Series in.order, to ,campaign the ,Wod,! Championship 12Scc gre intended' to keep the . . MX Series, but :after strong showings in the first ,four rounds oJ grip~ .~ry 'and ·qlea·n whil~ the bikE! ·isri·t being ridden .."Th.ey're t~e.Supercross Series;'yuilleniin hasdecid~d to skip the'opening designed more for rainy conditions:' Seals said.' . 'round of the " 2~cc 'GP series in Indonesia, March 23. in order to ride. the next round of. the West Coast SX Series.in Houston: jeal)1 KawasaJ0n9 the top,five in the '97 AMA. Supercross Series: McGrath nda rider Den.nY S.t1iphenso'n 'suffered a hard get-off o4ring , tona. Sup~rcross. a~d he was still. too sick' ride at MiMe"ota.· , pagne fly....~my. RlIcGrath was. so ,e.xcited about winning that practice. After, returning to the fOits. St.ephensan was ,rushed to .homes P";'ol~y was one, of the ·I~cal· favorites at Minneapolis.. he too~, anot~er victory lap for the fu~s who st,ill remained in·lhe' the hospital with an app'arent head injury. Reports nave iUhat The 12lj·cc ,rider got. his ,nig,ht 'off on th'e right.toot when tie, ,stands. Unable to p.erform. his cu~tqmary oac-nac jumps :during ~tephens,?n 'wil,1 b,e okay.. : grab!Jed the holeshot and led from star\ to finish in his preliminary the, race. on ,the last lap. b~cause of.lap",ers. McGrath Went out". , .'. ' . heat race.. one 9f .the'toial seven p~eliminary races that were held ,and perf6rmed twO. nac,riacs, on each side, of the ,track. 0n one' Jhis year's Dirt Wurx-designed and built Minneapolis track fea· eadier in the ..day. Th·ese races are used to qu·alily riders'· into the . try. thoug~. McGrath .got a·lillle· out· of shape and C9uld,/.t- do the .. tur<1d a u,nique track '!ayo,ut and some pretty tricky sections.. It ~vening's' program. ;Povolny. however, did not make the 12.5cc "nac-nac. so he'turned ",ound and,did the jump,agaio·, this· time . ,had a t6ugh off-cam~er and whooped·filled turn. a,pakof d\ff!6ult main . .Anothe~·looal. favorite H....th· Voss. had much, better ·Iuck. performing a te~tbook example of the maneuver. . . ,:"hoopeQ'out down rlse.s. an.ess-type'section. ljrld two, long triple . .. '. . . . Jumps. "lfs g6OO, " .Honda. of ."froy:. Larry Ward said of the ehal• Voss. from ·Prior Lake, MjnnesQta, 'qualified for both the; 12S:and . Team Suzulur and bas b~n speriping ice stili coyered the area and temperatures o·utside the 'enclosed Ryan Hu,ffni8n. w.howound.up. r 1th, . . ;. . most. of ',his· downtime in. his hOme couniry of France, Pichon is .,. stadium· were as low as \Wo·degrees below-zero... r b.ein~ in,te~ie;";e.d~n . . .. '.:.. ~'fter i~ltin~ . ". .... . ~ham- '.

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