Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

SUPERCROSS TOYOTAITHORIPARTS UNLIMITED AMA SUPERCROSS SERIES (Left) Larry Ward gave Team Suzuki and himself their fourth top-five finish In as many weeks by slic ing his way through the pack up to fourth. (Right) Ricky Carm ichael kepI on rolling by winning Ihe Easlern Regiona l 125cc main - his seco nd win In as many weeks. Amazingly, II was a first fo r Carm ich ael, who had never won two 125cc mains in a row. teammate cleanly on lap 12 . Button stayed clo se for a while, but McGra th pulled away to a comfortable margin . They eventually pulled away and held formation to the finish line. After Henry and then Hughes took turns running third, Lusk charged back up to the final podium position wi th just a few lap s to go , but threw it away again in the whoop section. "Ezra (Lusk) was riding really good tonight, but he was on the edge and you can 't ride a rutted track like that ," McGrath said about his competitor. Hughes took over third after Lusk' s second cras h of the race, bu t Windham wan ted it more and took over the spot fo r good wi th just thre e la ps to go. While the top three wer e set, Ward and LaRocco we re n' t finished ye t, a nd the tw o sliced throu gh the pack n icely from 11 th and 12th, res pectively, on the first lap. The two rid er s d id n't s to p unti l Ward had fourth and LaRocco fifth . Lusk was still able to hold on to sixth place ahea d of Hu gh es, Pichon, Tort elli and Dowd. l~ Geor gia Dome At lanta, Georgia Results: February 21, 1998 (Round 7 of 16) 250 HEAT t (8 lap s, 14 trans fer to ma in): 1. Kevin Windham (Yam); 2. Mike Brown (Hon ); 3. Larry Wa rd < Suz); 4. Ryan Hu gh es (Kaw): 5 . Jim my Button (Yam); 6. John Dowd (Yam); i . Jeff Emig (Kaw), 8. Steve Lamso n (Hon): 9. G reg Albertyn (5uz) ; 10. Ke vin Crine (Kaw): 11. Anthony Amaradi o (Yam); 12. Mar co Dube (5u 7o); 13. Mi ke Karin (Yam); 14. Ca rey Hart (K.1w); I S. Jose p h Oe hl hof (Ho n); 16. Co rey Bauder (Ya m); 17. Tommy Johansson (Ka w) ; 18. Will iam Wilso n (Yam); 19. John Fe.I t.1'(Suz); 20. Keith johnson (Kaw). ' T ime: 7 min. , 49.020 sec. 250 HEAT 2 (8 lap s, 14 transfer to main); 1. Ezra Lusk IHc n): 2. Jeremy McGrath (Yam); 3. Doug Henry (Yam); 4. Mickael Picho n (Suz); 5. Mike Larocco (Hon ); 6. Sebastien Tortelli (}Caw ); 7. Damon Huffman (Kaw); 8. Heath Voss (Ho n): 9. Jean Sebastien-Roy (Ka w ): 10. Ryan Terl eck i (Suz) ; 11. Brian Ston e (Kaw): 12. Jason Fren e tte (Kaw); 13. Billy Bin ckl e y (Ya m); 14. Jason Thomas (Kaw): 15. Jeff Tilton (Yam) ; 16. Tony Graves (Yam); 17. Brad Stru nk (Hon): 18. Tom Welch (502); 19. Darren McElhat tan (Yam); 20. Barry Carsten (Suz). Ti m er 7 min ., 46.780 sec . 250 SEMI 1 (6 laps, 1·5 tran sfer to main): 1. Jimmy Button (Yam); 2. jeff Emig (Kaw); 3. john Dowd (Yam); 4. Greg Albertyn (Suz) : 5. Kevin Cline (Kaw), 6. Marro Dube (Suz) : 7. Ton y Am aradio (Yam); 8. Mike Karin (Yam ); 9. Keith Johnso n (Kaw); 10. Ca rey Hart (K. W); 1 11. Tommy Joh ansson (Kaw): 12 Joseph Oehlhof (Han); 13. William Wilson (Yam ); 14. Corey Bauder (Yam); 15. John Fe sler (502); 16. Steve Lamson IHo n). T ime: 5 min ., 52.250 sec. 250 SEM I 2 (6 laps, 1·5 tr ansfer to ma in ): 1. Dam on H uff man (Kew): 2. Mik e Larocco (Ha n); 3. Seba stien Tortclli (Kaw) : 4. Rya n Terlec ki (sU2) ; 5. jea n-Sebastien Roy (Ka w): 6. Bar ry Ca rsten (Suz ); 7. J.150n Frenette (Kaw ): 8. Brian Stone (Ka w ): 9. Billy Binckley (Yam); to. Brad Stru nk (Hon ): 11. Tony Graves (Yam); 12. Tom Welch (5u z); 13. Darren McElhattan (Yam) ; 14. Hea th Voss (H a n); 15. Jeff Tilton (Ya m); 16. Jason Thomas (K.1w ). T ime: 5 min., 51.800 sec. 250 LCQ (6 b ps, 1·2 tra n s fe r to main): 1. Ste ve Lamso n (Han); 2. Ton y Amaradio (Yam); 3. Heath VOS~ (Han); 4. Mike Katin (Yam); 5. Carey Hart (Ka w) : 6. Jason Fre nette (Ka w) : 7. Brian Sto ne (Ka w); 8. Billy Bin ckley (Ya m) ; 9 . Marco Dube (Suz ): 10. Tommy Jo ha n sson (Kaw): 11. Tom Welch (Su z ): 12 . Ke it h Joh nson (Kaw): 13. Joseph Oehlhof (H a n); 14. To ny C raves (Yam); 15. Co rey Bauder (Yam) ; 16 . Brad Strunck (Han); 17 . Will ia m Wil son (Ya m) ; 18. Joh n Fester (Suz ); 19. Da rren McElha tt a n (Yam ); 20 ja son Tho mas (Kaw); 21. Barry Carsten (5uz ); 22. Jeff Tilton (Yam). Ti mer 6 min ., 0 sec. 250 MAIN (20 laps): 1. Jeremy McC rath (Ya m); 2. Jim my Bu tton (Yam); 3. Kevi n Windham (Yam); 4. Larry Ward (Suz); 5. M ike Larocco 1HclO); 6. Ezra Lus k (Ho n); i . Ryan H ug hes (Ka w) : 8. Mic kael Pichon (Suz ); 9. Sebastien Tortelli (Kaw): 10. John Dowd (Yam); 11. Greg Albertyn ($ u z); 12. Doug He nry (Yam ); 13. Je ff Ernig (Ka w ); 14. Damon Huffman ( Kaw): 15. M ike Brown (Hon ); 16 . Iean -Sebastten Roy (Ka w) ; 17 . To ny Amaradic (Yam) : 18. Rva n Te rlec ki (Suz): 19. Kevi n Cline (Ka w ): 20. Steve Lamson (Hen) . Ti me: 19 min ., 39.600 sec. Ma rgin of victory: 8.005 sec. 250« AM A SUPE RC ROSS SE RIES POINT STANDINGS (After 7 of 16 r ou nd s ); 1. Jerem y McGrath (164 / 4 wins); 2. Kevin Windham (111); 3. Jimm y Button (107); 4. Ezra Lusk (104/2); S. (TIE) Jel f Em ig /M ik e LaR occo / larry Ward (02); 8. M ick ac1 Pich on (81); 9. (TIE) Ryan Hughes /Damon Hu ffman (80); 11. Greg Albertyn (75); 12. Dou g Henry (73); 13. Sebastien Tortelli (71/ 1 win ); 14. Mike Brown (Sq ); 15. Mike Craig (56); 16. Tim Ferry (34); 17. Phil Lawrence . (27); 18. Steve Lamson (22); l Q lean-Sebastien Roy (8); 20, Joh n Dowd (17). KTM JR . SU PERC RO SS CHALLEN G E, I. Za ch Osborne (KTM); 2. Jorda n Pittm an (KTM); 3. Bra nd on Lar ge (KTM); 4. Douglas Hall (KTM ); 5. Brad Jam es (KT M); 6. Michael Mu eller (KT M); 7. Ta te Harn ey (KTM); 8. C hris Gra ham (KTM ); 9. Cha se Mcinty re 'TM); 11. Amanda Rassl ga (KTM); 10. Blake Daniels (}" (KTM); 12. Steven Sowels Jr. (KTM); 13. She lby Rolen (KT M ); 14 . [a r re t Su dd eth (KT M) ; 15 . Jonath an Archa mba ult (KTM). Upcoming Rounds: Round 8 - Tampa. Florida, February 28 Round 9 - Daytona Beach, Florida. March 7 Toyota TrucksIThor P Unlim~ed AMA arts E astern R egional 125cc Supercross Series Round 2:Georgia Dome Carmichael. two for two By Cameron Coatney Photos by Karl Oc k e rt ATLANTA, GA, FEB. 21 ea m Pro Circuit /Sp litFire / Ka w a s a ki' s Ric k y Ca r mich ae l attained ano ther first in his young and promising caree r w hen the F1orid ag row n s peeds t er w on th e Eas te rn Regional 12Scc class for the second week in a ro w at the packed A tlanta Supe rcross. Carmichae l's win carne wi th the ease an d sho w ma nship tha t has come to be expe cted froin the talented rid er as he T whipped his KXl25 upside down a few laps from the end of his heat befo re "innin g it - and that was after a cras h. In th e m a in , Ca r mic hael ga te d a bo u t fourth, had the lead by the middle of the fir s t la p of th e I S-la p fea tu re a n d "checked ou t" for the wi n just like his mechanic, Chad Wall s, signaled him to do early in the race. " I 'rn rid ing a lot smoother th is year and my bike is really fast," Ca rmichae l said. "I' m just keepi ng m ycool , I've never won tw o su percrosses in a row and it feels gre at to d o it. lt was really nice to ge t ou t front and enjoy this win with the crowd." Finishing second was Team FMF /Honda 's IS- year-old hopeful, Danny Smith, who is definitely corning to te rms with th in g s since being switched over to the Eastern Regional SX series a few weeks ago. Smith ga ted ou tsi de of the top 10 in the main and never stopped charging on his way to taking over second before the very l ast turn. "I felt good in the main, but I was riding really tight earlier," Smith said. "I jus t never gave up a nd push ed all the way to the finish. lt feels good because I've been working so hard and I' m very excited. My mechanic, Bren t Myron, never gives u p a nd neit her does this team, so I' m just goi ng to kee p cha rging ." Taki ng the final podium position was To m Morgan Racing /Lemond s Yarnaha /MSR-b acked Robbie Ska ggs, w h o ran second for 13 laps u ntil crash ing right before the final turn. "I fi na lly go t a d e cent sta r t in a ma in ," a n exci te d Skaggs said . "So I tried to hold a go od pace, riding abou t fou r laps as har d as I cou ld . I settled into a co mforta ble p a ce , b u t m y a r ms pumped up a little bit because I was tense. I just tried to stay focused on riding the track and no t look behind me. And it wo rked unti l the last turn, but I didn't kn ow he (Smi th) was there and I cou ld n' t hold on. I bobbled and he got by me. I'm ba ck, I've got m y head on straight and Tom Morgan's go t my bike wo rkin g rea lly good. I' m in sha pe but my arms pumped up a little bit, and I'll w ork on th a t a n d I'll be back on th e podium jus t as soo n as I can." Br omle y Suz u ki / Du n lo p / MS R's Barry Carsten ran a great race to finish fou rth, followed by H ond a o f Troy's Casey Lytle in fifth. Carmichael leads the Eastern Regional point standings by 14 points over Lytle, 50-36, and Primal Impulse/Bill's Pipes/Suzuki's Robbie Reynard sits in th ird wi th 35 poin ts after a less-thanstellar ninth in the main. HEATS Transferring to th e main ou t of the first heat with a wi n was Reynard, who had to get by Ska ggs to win it. Skaggs held on to second. Reynard's teammate Charlie Bogard worked h is way into th ird , Tea m Green /Pro Circuit /Fox's Shae Bentley held on 10 fourth and Lytle ro u nded out th e top fiv e. Taking the re ma ining transfer positions were RPM/ SMP / Papa Joe's Tommy Clowers, 2Xtr eme In te rna tiona l's Jeff Dement, FMF/Extre me/Pro Actio n-backed Cory Keeney, and Carsten. Ca rmicha el wo n th e second 125cc heat ra ce af te r h av in g to b attl e b y holesh ot ar tist Lorusso, Moto XXX/ Pro Grip's Paul Cu rrie and early-race leader Shaun Per olio, as well as deal with an ear ly-race fall. Pero lio ended up tak ing second in fro nt of FMF/Hond a's Brock Sellard s, Lorusso and FMF/AXO/Goat -

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