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/127941
MOTOCROSS Round 1: Speedworld MX Park AMA WESTERN NATIONAL FOUR·STROKE MX SERIES By Don Schneider PHOENIX, AZ, APR. 19 wo-time AMA Western National Four-Stroke MX Champion Lance Smail picked up where where he left off with his 1996 and 1997 championships seasons as he swept to the overall win in the thumper series opener at Speedworld MX Park. . But there was at least one difference. After winning his previous ti ties aboard KTM LC4 620 , Smail was asked to ride the FC501 Husaberg during his series campaign in 1998. His new mechanic, Russ Fletcher (who helped Mike Young Jr. to the 1996 Eastern Region championship), was ecstatic with Smail's perfect 1-1 moto sweep. White Brothers/Yamaha-backed Brian "Spud" Walters finished with a 22 aboard a Yamaha YZ400F, keeping sight of Smail in both motos before crashing in moto two while trying to keep pace with the champion. Greg Schnell put together 4-3 rides on his Motoworld of El Cajon-sponsored YZ400F. Round one brought with it the huge hype about the production 1998 Yamaha YZ400F four-stroke, and its impact on the series was obvious right from the start of the day. After 36 riders went through tech inspection, the tally totaled 26 Yamahas, six Husabergs, three Husqvarnas and one Honda. Taking the prizes as the two lightest machines were the FC400 Husaberg of Robert aughton (238 pounds) and the PC50l Husaberg of Tony Graves (241 pounds), both of which were built by Premier Motorsports owner Barry Noblitt. Phoenix Speedworld MX Track Promoter Dan Matthews was pleased to see 2025 screaming fans lining the fences. The clear skies and 90-degree heat would playa factor in the final few laps of each moto. MOTOONE In true championship fashion, Smail was off the concrete pad first in the opening moto. Walters and Schnell barely edged out North County Yamaha-backed Steve Drew. Then came Moto XXX's Scott Myers and Premier Motorsports' Naughton in very close quarters. Premier Motorsports Husqvarna-sponsored Rich Taylor rounded the first turn ahead of Kalos, Dubach, Tyler King and Pro Valve-sponsored Craig Canoy. Schnell drove it wide in turn two, losing position to Drew for third. Dropping off the next tabletop jump, Walters went high and railed the out ide righthander while Smail carved the inside rut. The duo exited the corner simultaneously and set up for the massive, 120foot double that most riders would master on the day. Smail twisted the throttle to the stops in fourth gear and shot his thumper up and over as Walters backed off. Drew also turned up the wick and (Above) Two-time and defending AMA Western National Four-Stroke MX Series Champion Lance Smail picked up where he left off last season· in the winner's circle. Smail rode to perfect 1·1 moto scores to capture the overall victory in the '98 series opener at Speedworld MX Park. (Left) This is about the only view the competition had of Small's ne"'! Husaberg FCS01 factory ride. Smail, who won his previous titles on a KTM, is hoping to give the "Swedish connection" its first AMA National number-one plate as well. was fortunate not to have followed Walters line, or he would have probably splattered "Spud." Myers tried to hold off Kalos, to no avail. Up front, Smail and Walters' were already eight seconds ou t on Ka los. Schnell, too, worked his way forward, carving into fourth ahead of Myers after the riverbed washout. Vosburg/IMS/SMP-sponsored Mike Healey (who started out of the top 10) and Dustin Nelson were certainly on the pipe. Within 1'I, laps they had picked off Andy Anaya and Canoy. Healey and Nelson then went around Graves on lap four. Graves hung with the duo an9 stayed in the hunt. Kalos also was on fire, dropping four riders in his quest for the front. He was third by lap two. Passing had to be done aggressively and quickly, as the roo t was difficult to deal with. Dubach got aggressive and blockpassed by Myers and Taylor on lap two and motored up within a rock's throw of Schnell. "Rocks is just what happened to me," Myers said with a laugh. '1 got roosted so bad out there by the e killer fourstrokes, and then my mechanic (Matt Wallace) I think was also throwing rocks at me. By the halfway point, I had collected tons of pea gravel inside my jersey and down my pants. It worked into my shorts. You see all that stuff right by that chair? That's what came out when I stripped down." . Dubach kept pressing forward, and he passed Schnell on lap five. Taylof was to be the next in Du bach's sigh ts: but Dubach then threw it away while approaching a pebbly right-hander after the quad-roller straightaway secho . Dubach lost the fire on his big-bore and wa~ relegated to 15th before purging and refiring his bike. I Taylor had his Husqvarna TC6l0 singing and looking very strong. But lIe also had trouble, landing a little shaft