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/127944
MOTOCROSS MAZDA TRUCK/AIdA 250cc NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MX SERIES 2: Prairie City SVRA Park With a 2-1 score, Team ChaparraVYamaha's Jeremy McGrath won his first National Motocross since 1996 at the Dirt Diggers North MC Hangtown Classic. By Cameron Coatney Photos by Kinney Jones SACRAMENTO, CA, MAY 17 or Team Chaparral/Yamaha/ 1-800-COLLECT's Jeremy McGrath, this win was a long time coming. After all, his last 250cc National Motocross overall win came in August of 1996, when he was engaged 1F in a tight battle with Jeff Emig for the National Championship, which defending champ McGrath eventually lost. After a dry spell on factory Suzukis in 1997 and narrowly missing out on the overall win last week at Glen Helen, McGrath put it all together to win tKe Hangtown Oassic with a 2-1 mota tally in front of the 19,358 fans in attendance. "I was definitely looking forward to this one," McGrath confirmed. "It's been 15 Nationals and I didn't even win a mota last year, so I knew it was going to come again with time." McGrath had a phenomenal day, pulling both all-important holeshots to the first tum. In the first mota, the resident of Canyon Lake, California, led for hali of the mota until Suzuki teammates Mickael Pichon and Gre.g Albertyn moved by him. McGrath eventually got Pichon back, and nearly nipped Albertyn at the checkers, settling for second. The second mota was all McGrath, although early pressure' from Windham and later pressure from Albertyn kept things interesting to the end. "I knew I'd be sh:ong coming into here," McGrath said. "We've just got to work on bike setup a little bit, but now the puzzle is all put back together - the bike is working excellent and I feel like I can be a can tender every week. It's also much easier when you start up front, and my Chaparral Yamaha is working excellent off the line. Steve Butler and Randy Lawrence worked on the jetting for up here and it was perfect." Last year's winner, the three-time World MX Champion from South Africa, Albertyn, turned in a great day at the race track to tie McGrath on points at 47. Albertyn's 1-2 was good enough for second overall and moved him into second in the point standings behind McGrath, 88-73. "I'm pretty happy," A'lbertyn explained. "Unfortunately, in both matos, I didn't feel as relaxed as I should have been. I was a little tight all day, and then about halfway through the second mota, I caught a rock off the finger - it could be broken - and it was hard to hold on after that. My Suzuki was running great, though. "In both matos, I had to come through the pack," Albertyn continued. "In the second mota, I think I started in seventh or eighth and just took my time about it all. Once I got into second, Jeremy had quite a lead. I put in a charge for a few laps, but I just couldn't quite close it. So in tead of throwing it away, I settled for second. The track was very rough and demanding, and I bet everybody is hammered today." Team Yamaha's Doug Henry proved that he can run up front again by claiming the final podium spot with a 3-4 mota score. Exactly opposite from last week, when Henry crashed while running up front and dropped back, the family man worked his way to the front from above-average starts and kept it on two wheels to secu re his finish. "My starts didn't turn out like I wanted today and I had to work my way up," Henry said. "I felt strong both motos and worked my way through the pack, though, and that means a lot. It's a good start for the season - I'm right in there for the championship and that's where I want to be. I want to be there at tfie end. I want to win this thing and I know its going to take a lot of consistent finishes, and that's what I'm going to try and do all year." Larry Ward piloted his factory Suzuki to fourth overall for the second time in as many weeks, seemingly coming alive in the second mota to grab third after an eighth in the first mota. "This is a good finish," Ward said. "I've just got to get through that first mota. Last weekend and this weekend both, I was a little tight in the fIrst motos. In the second matos, I'm right there. I'm riding really well and the bike is working really well for me. I've gained a lot of confidence these two weekends, because I didn't know what to expect outdoors. Now I know what to expect of myself, and that's top-three