and the rest in tow. Preston jumped by
Dowd in the whoops, but it was a shortlived lead, as Dowd. went by on a triple
jump soon after. Willoh fell in behind
the two to take third at the checkers.
Team FMF /Thor /Honda's David
Pingree took fourth, ahead of his teammate McCormick, Deegan, Ramsey, One
Industries/Pro Circuit/Sinisalo-sponsored Ryan Duff, and Pro Circuit/ '
Answer / Bridgestone-backed Isaiah
Johnson, who finished ninth. The rest
went to the last-chance qualifier.
Fast Cycles/REP/Allan Nott-backed
Joseph Oehlhof took the early lead in
the LCQ, but Team Primal Impulse/
Bill's Pipes/Suzuki's Jiri Dostal took the
lead and maintained it, in front of
Oehlhof,. American Suzuki/FMF/
O'Neal-sponsored Tyler Evans and
Cia wson Motors ports / Pro Circuit /
Enzo's Jeffrey Pestana.
MAIN
In the main, Willoh nabbed the 1-900PRO-RACE Holeshot Award, with Pingree, R'Yitt> the 125cc Eastern RegioQ having a week off. many insiders·: my heat race ov!'r. Mcqrath. In the main .. I was dicing with Kevin
were speculating -thllt Team Pro Circuit/SplitFlre/KawasaJky right now f9r him to.ride a 250. .In :. end."' W.ard 'was also fighting back: troubl.es in tv1i"nnesota -but
didn't.feel the n",ed to, talk about it or play'it up, unlike some of his,
the y!'ar 2000. who. knows? He',s hever ;ridden anything els<: but
, Afler,s.Gfterihg a 'few Jarring :crashes of his own- in New' Orieans. :: KawasaKis - he won Over 60' Amateur Champioriships on th!'m ::c·o'c,ompetitors. He_ finished ninth.
'
Team Suzuki's Greg Albeofyil ;,vas also 'out of action In Min.besides-ihe one <125cc Natiorial title) he got last year - the one
.
,,nesota::Albertyn, who held'10th in the point.standings going 'Into' h~-should have here, real soon: He's,pretty loyal:"
rhe title chase in tlie 125cc Western'Regional Supel'i::ross Series
'will come· down to Team; Yamaha;s John' Dowd and Team
'Minneapolis, was instructed by physiCians to take the wee.k off
aher suffering,nerv,e damage in his' necK '![ld upper back last' . qpeaking of ,Carmichael.. Team Mo'to XXx/Pro Grip's Brian, Yamaha/FMF(Michelin's J;l·avid,Vuiilem'n. barring :any unfore- ,
Oe." said
Su:zu~j's- team .manager Roger' D,eC.oster" "If he can.not ride
Floridian landed on_ him off a triple jump' in their heat race la'st
neapolis after getting the .best of Vuillemin' in thelr last meettng'in
'during the week. he won't I .sit out ,the N.ew· QrleaQs' SJ:< a
11 poiQts behind' th!9 lea~er DOwd, and,if anything '''weird"', should'
times. "I\'s just. amazing to me that we can get diy dirt in the mid, . wee1<-a,gO.- Button wrenched his back while landing from one of. happen "to the' battling duo. Roncada could end up w'ith the champiooship. "Dallas ,and tlie West title would b!' 'a 1]10re lasti.ng ,
the tricky and rutted Superdome triple jumps, "I feel pretty goos:J."
die of winter in Minnesota." said Dirt.Wurx"s' Mark "Bomber"
'. Ba'rnett. "It almost lOOKS like 'we'II' have to water ,it, Th~ dirt, - Button said about 'his, return: "I. got home late Monday: it took us. 'record," D9Wd replied when asked Whether he'd {ake a win in
'. which was stored under a parking garage. has _~et up'very 'sta,ble
almost 18' hours to get.home. and I werit to. the doctor ever)' day, . Dallas or a win at the' East/West Shootout in' Las 'vegas on- May
.and the cour,s,! wnl see verY limited rutting. It also means ,that we '- and 'things started-improving, It wa." a se.,,;ere .pfnch of the sciatic '5. "V!'gas Will he fun. too. but I:ve ~ever won a championship. So
ca,:, make everYthing sharp, When the dirt is soh, everything gets .. nerve. So' I just worked on .gett(ng that loosened up and getting
that .would be something.'
. .
Te~m Yamaha's Kevi'; Windham 'and Team StiffielTom 'Morgan
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