Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

SUPERCROSS TOYOTAITHORIPARTS UNUMITED AMA SUPERCROSS SERIES (Left) Ricky Carmichael had to ride his flrst-ever LCa, but calmed down and won his fifth straight Eastern Regional 125cc main event. (Above) Jim Neese, maintaining second, battles with Robbie Reynard (21) and Carmichael (6) early in the main event. Reynard followed Carmichael up the ladder to finish second, while Neese finished sixth. Amaradio had a comfortable hold on the final ticket to the main in second, but he fell over in a comer near the midway point, handing the transfer to Kalin. MAIN EVENT • Windham took the measure of the field going info the first tum of the 20rider 2S0cc main event, followed by Huffman, Ward, Pichon, Lusk and Craig. Lusk immediately spun sideways in the second corner, losing numerous positions. McGrath, LaRocco and a few others were slowed by Lusk, but McGrath immediately zapped his way into fourth, trailing Windham, Ward and Pichon after the first-lap jambalaya. '1 was a little late off the gate but still came 04t of the first turn pretty good," McGrath said. "Ezra was kind of spunout sideways and I think '! hit him." Emig was way back from his outside starting position, rounding the course in 18th after the first lap. Hughes and Lusk were within the top 10 until Hughes became another victim to the whoops and went over the handlebars, taking Lusk down with him. Ward pressured Windham for the lead during the first few laps, putting some distance on McGrath. Realizing this, McGrath picked up the pace and began to pressure Ward for second, and eventually executed the pass by the mechanics' area. At about the same time, Lamson and Roncada became victims of the track when they went down in a heap as well. Behind the top three, a good battle was being waged involving Pichon, Huffman, Henry, laRocco and eventually Dowd for the fourth through eighth positions. Pichon slowly faded out of the picture, and Huffman moved forward to be in the prime position to take over third when Ward crashed with only two laps to go - another victim to the tricky ruts. LaRocco held on to fourth after a spirited charge from ·14th on the first lap, followed by Henry in fifth, Dowd in sixth, Ward in seventh, Pichon in eighth, Craig in ninth, with Lusk climbing back up to 10th. CN SUperdome New Orleans, Loul.l8na Results: March 14, 1998 (Round 10 of 16) 2.lO HEAT 1 e8laps. 1-4 ......fer to aWn~ 1. Kevin Windham (Yam); 2. Ezra Lusk (Hon); 3. Mike laRoc<:o (Hon); 4. Mike Craig (Hon); 5. Damon Huffman (Kaw); 6. Phil Lawrence (Kaw); 7. Ryan Terlecki (Suz); 8. Ryan Hughes (Kaw); 9. Kevin Crine (Kaw); 10. Jason Frenette (](aw); 11. Brian Stone (!(aw); 12. Jell Tilton (Yam); 13. Cory Bauder (Yam); 14. Tommy Johansson (Kaw); 15. Chris Craft (Yam); 16. DavKl Dishman (Suz); 17. Jason Dodds (Yam); 18. Brandon Cunningham (Yam); 19. Greg AJbertyn (Suz); 20. Darren McElhatt>n (Yam); 21. Stockland; 10. Jarrod Spano; 11: jesse Holmes; 12. Trenton SUire; 13. Matthew Chambers; 14. Brodie Richard; 15. Josh... Adnms. Jason Thomas (](aw). Ti.me.: 7 min., 11.100 sec. Round 250 HEAT 2 (8 bps, 1-4 I::ransfer to main): 1. Larry Ward (Suz); 2. jeTemy McCrath (Yam); 3. Mickael Pichon (Suz); 4.. Doug H,emy (Yam); 5. john Dowd (Yam); 6. Mike Brown (Han); 7. Stephane Roncada (Hon); 8. Steve Lamson Oion);.9. jean-Sebastien Roy (Kaw); 10. Jeff Emig (Kaw); 11. Anthony Amaradio (Yam); 12. Billy BinckJey (Yam); 13. Mike K.1tin (Yam); 14. CaTey Hart (Kaw); 15. Erik Anderson (Hon); 16. 'Scott Graves (Yam); 17. Randy Jernigan (KTM); 18. Chris Shellenberger (Kaw); 19. Jeff Hedden (Yam); 20. John Fesler (Suz); 21. William Wilson (Yam). Time: 7 min., 32.780 sec. 250 SEMI 1 (6 laps, 1-5 trandu to main): 1. Damon Huffman (Kaw); 2. Phil Lawrence (Kaw); 3, Ryan Hughes (Kaw); 4. Ryan Terlecki (Suz); 5. Jason Frenette (Kaw); 6. Cory Bauder (Yam); 7. Brian Stone (Kaw); 8. Tommy Johansson (Kaw); 9. Jeff Tilton (Yam); 10. Chris Craft (Yam); 11. David Dishmnn (Suz); 12. Jason Dodds (Yam); 13, Brandon Cunningham (Kaw); 14. Darren McElhatt,lO (Yam); 15. Greg Albertyn (Suz); 16. Kevin Crine (Kaw); 17. Jason Thomas (Kaw). Time: 5 min., 36.160 sec. 250 SEMI 2 (6 laps, 1-5 transfer to main): 1. Steve Lamson (Hon); 2. John DowQ (Yam); 3. Mike Brown (Hon); 4. Stephane Roncada (Hon); 5. Jean-Sebastien Roy (Kaw); 6. Anthony Amaradio (Yam); 7. Mike Katin (Yam); 8. Billy Binckley (Yarn); 9. Jeff Hedden (Yam); 10. Scott Graves (Yam); 11. William Wilson (Yam); 12. Carey Hart (](aw); 13. Randy Jernigan (KTM); 14. Chris Shellenberger (}(aw); 15. Erik Anderson (Han); 16. Jeff Emig (}(aw); 17. John Fesler (Suz). Time: 5 min., 39.060. . 250 LeQ (6 laps, 1-2 trans!er 10 main): 1. Jeff Emig (Kaw); 2. Mike Kalin (Yam); 3. Anthony Amaradio (Yam); 4. Cory Bauder {Yam); 5. Brian Stone (Kaw); 6. Kevin Crine (Kaw); 7. Carey Hart (Kaw); 8. Jeff Hedden (Yam); 9. Billy Binckley (Yam); 10. Tommy Johansson (Kaw); 11. Scott Graves (Yam); 12. Darren McElhattan (Yam); 13. Erik Anderson (Han); 14. john Fesler (Suz); 15. Chris Craft (Yam); 16. Jeff Tilton (Yam); 17. William Wilson (Yam); 18. Randy Jernigan (KTM); 19. Jason Dodds (Yam); 20. Chris ShcUenberger (Kaw); 21. Brandon Cunningham (Kaw); 22. David Dishman (Suz); 23. Greg Albertyn (Suz); 24. Jason Thomas (Kaw). Time: 5 min.• 48.250 sec. 250 MAIN (20 laps): 1. Kevin Windham (Yam); 2. Jeremy McGrath (Yam); 3. Damon Huffman (Kaw); 4. Mike laRocco (Suz); 5. Doug Henry (Yam); 6. john Dowd (Yam); 7. Larry Ward (Suz); 8. Mkk.lel Pichon (Suz); 9. Mike Craig (Hon); 10. Ezra Lusk (Hon); 11. Jeff Emig (Kaw); 12. Steve Lamson (Hon); 13. Mike Brown (Hon); 14. Phil Lawrence (Kaw); 15. JeanSebastien Roy (Kaw); 16. Ryan Hughes (Kaw); 17. Ryan Terlecki (502); 18. Stephane Roncada (Han); 19. jason Frenette (Kaw); 20. M.ike Katin (Yam). Time: 18 min., 42.370 sec. Margin of victory: 7.004 sec. AMA 250« SUPERCROSS SERIES POINT ST ANOINGS (After 10 of 15 rounds): 1. je'r my McGrath (224/5 wins); 2. Kevin Windham (168); 3. Eun Lusk (1S7/2); 4. Lnrry Wnrd (148) 5. Jeff Emig (146); 6. Mike LnRocco (144); 7. Damon Huffman (127); 8. Mickael Pichon (U3); 9. (TlE) Doug Henry/Greg Albertyn (111); 11. Jimmy Button (110); 12. Ryan Hughes (07); B. Mjke Crajg (83); 14. Mike Brown (82); 15. Sebnstien Tortelli (71/1); 16. John Dowd (56); 17. Steve Lamson (47); 18. Phil Lawrence (41); 19. Jean· Sebastien Roy (36); 20. Tim Ferry (34). KTM JR. SUPERCllOSS CHALLENCE, 1. Brandon Miller; 2. Aaron Emory; 3. Max Eden; 4. Aaron Stricklan.d; 5. Blake Steele; 6. john-Michael Young; 7. Courtney Gerald; 8. Caleb Pierce; 9. Stephen Upcoming Rounds: Round 11 - Minneapolis, Minnesota, March 21 12 - 51. Louis, Missouri, March 28 Toyota TruckslThor Parts Unlim~ed AMA Eastern Regional125cc Supercross Series Round5:Su~dome uarmiGha;,~·l ... @n th;.~' ;.~'@1~;.~' By Cameron Coatney Photos by Kinney Jones NEW ORLEANS, LA, MAR. 14 o no one's surprise, Team Pro Circui t / SpIi tFire /Ka wasaki' s Ricky Carmichael won his fifth straight Eastern Regional 12Scc Supercross in Louisiana - but this time the win did not come as easily for the series leader, as the challenging track conditions and his own impatience had him on the edge of control for most of the evening. Carmichael was forced to ride the last-chance qualifier when he crashed after landing on Moto XXX's Brian Deegan while trying to make up ground on the first lap of his heat. Failing to qualify, Carmichael then rode his first-ever LCQ, got a bad start and finally got into transfer position with a lap to go. "I think I was more nervous in that LCQ race than I was when I won my outdoor championship," Carmichael said. "There was nothing fun about that. '1 was riding a little bit on the edge tonight, and I don't want to ride like that anymore this year, that's for sure," Carmichael continued. "This feels great, thougl). I can't believe it after the way things went for most of the night. I got a bad start, I was on the outside, and I just had to work my way through and stay on two wheels. I was casing the triples because the takeoffs were sucking me up, so I was coming up a little short. Luckily, I just calmed down and started aouble-doubling." T Team Primal Impulse/Bill's Pipes/ Suzuki's Robbie Reynard finished second to Carmichael for the fourth time this season, and he is becoming increasingly determined to stop the dominance of the young Floridian. "I'm not feeling too good about my finish - I didn't win," a dejected Reynard said from the pits. "]t's just pissing me off more and more, and it's just building up more and more inside: just wanting to beat him. It's all going to turn into something good, because I want to win. It's going to come. I've been training really hard and I'm not really getting tired, but I pulled a muscle in my chest in At1ant~ and I've been having trouble working it out. That's what happened to me tonight - my shoulder got tight, but... I'm going to beat him." Stepping on a supercross podium for the first time was American Suzuki/FMF /0' eal-backed Tyler Evans, who carne up from way back in the pack to claim third. '1t hasn't really sunk in yet, but this sure is the happiest day of my life," Evans said. "The start didn't go too good because I fell down in the first tum. I just got up and rode my butt oft and it paid off. I passed Shae (Bent1ey~ right before the white flag; he just got tired and I didn't." Team Green/Pro Circuit/Fox-sponsored Shae Bentley led early in the main and finished fourth, and Team Tecate/Thor/Kawasaki of Mexico's Erick Vallejo rounded out the top five with a solid ride. Carmichael leads the point standings with a perfect 125 points, trailed by Reynard with 101, and Team FMF/Honda's Brock Sellards holds down third with 73. HEATS Reynard had control of the first heat within a few comers and cruised to the win over Primal Impulse/Bill's Pipes/Suzuki's Charlie Bogard, Vallejo, Honda of Troy's Casey Lytle and Kingsport KTM/Pro Action/Litz Racing-backed Jim Neese. Moto XXX's Paul Currie finished sixth, Bentley took seventh, FMF /Pirelli/ AXO-backed Matt Shue got eighth and Tom Morgan Racing/Lemonds Yamaha/Dunlop-backed Robbie Skaggs took the final transfer position in ninth. The second heat was Carmichael's to lose, and he did when he gated poorly and crashed in a big pile with Deegan. Carmichael nearly landed on Deegan while attempting a triple that Deegan doubled. Hartman Enterprises/ fMF/Xtreme's Cory Keeney snagged the holeshot and led for most of the race until Sellards motored by to take the win on the last lap. Team RPM/SMP/ Papa Joe's Pizza-backed Tommy Oowers finished third, followed by Team Stiffie/TMR/Westwood's Shaun Perelio, Dr..Medsker/The Cycle Shed/KTM~ sponsored Jim Povolny, Streits Motor-

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