Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Round 1: Edison International Field TOYOTA TRUCKSfrHOR/PARTS UNLIMITED AMA U.S. SUPERCROSS SERIES ToyotafThorlParts Unlimned AMA Western Regional 125cc Supercross Series Round 1: Edison International Field Mighty Caseys By Matt Freeman Photos by Kinney Jones ANAHEIM, CA, JAN. 9 t last year's opening round of the AMA Western Regional 125cc Supercross Series, Yamaha's John Dowd prevailed on a mud-soaked field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. After that, the factory-backed Dowd went on to eventually chalk up. enough wins to clinch the series championship. This year, the opening round had a totally different look to it: a new stadium, a dry track, and only support teams lining the starting ga te of the 12Scc main event, all of which made for a total turnaround from last year. However, one thing was the sarne: A Yamaha took the checkered flag while leading the way. This time, however, it was piloted by Yamaha of Troy's Ci!sey Johnson. Halfway through the 12Scc main event, it appeared that "Casey" was headed to victory - though it was not Casey Johnson in the lead; it was Johnson's Yamaha of Troy teammate Casey Lytle who was the one out mfront after snagging the holeshot. He led all but one very important lap - the last one, as Johnson made an impressive charge from sixth to pass Lytle on the w hiteflag lap. The two riders actually bumped when the pass occurred, but there were no hard feelings - just smiles in the Yamaha of Troy semi after the race. "1 was just really hungry for this win," Johnson said. "I had my sights on first, and 1 was hoping 1 would have enough time to catch Lytle - and 1 did." The win marked-'j"ohnson's first career supercross victory. Lytle was equally as pleased with his finish despite missing out on the win by one lap. "1 made some mental changes between my heat race and the main, and it came out all right," said Lytle. ".In the heat race, I did not get off to a very good start, so 1 was concentrating on doing better in the main, and I got the holeshot. That's exactly what 1 wanted to do, and 1 pictured myself doing it. Then 1 just tried to get away as far as I could. Johnson was riding a good race, and he caught me." Like Johnson, Primal Impulse/Suzuki/Bill's Pipes/Shift/Scott/Shoeibacked Michael Brandes got a less-thanspectacular start and had to work his way from seventh up to third, where he finished. At times it appeared that Brandes was actually the fastest rider on the track, but Johnson's charge and Lytle's early lead were just too mucll for Brandes to overcome. Motorworld Yamaha's Greg Schnell followed Lytle from the second-place position for 12 laps before falling victim to Johnson and Brandes. Schnell's eventual fourth-place effort was impressive, considering that he was nursing an injury. "1 broke my shoulder five weeks ago, so that slowed me down," said Thor/Pro Circuit/Renthal/Alpinestarsbacked Schnell. "I got a little winded, and my shoulder really started bother- A Button said. "I was working my way through the pack, I was in sixth or seventh, and I was going to pass 'Fro' (Emig), and 'Fro' kind of jumped to the in ide of me - didn't make any contact, but I just screwed up in the corner and stalled it. By the time I got it started, I was about 15 seconds behind last place; I guess I ended up 14th. It sucks, but I'm riding fine and there's no one on the track going faster than I am. I'm just going to have to get my starts down a little better and not make mistakes where I stall the bike on the track." After Button restarted, his thumper starting popping, but according to him, everything was okay. "When it gets a little bit cooler, it does that," Button explained. "In the daytime, it doesn't do it so much, plus the carburetor is brand-new - new diaphragm and everything - so it has more tendency to pop." . Despite a somewhat promising start, Team Suzuki had a horrible finish, as none of its three riders finished higher than 16th - that place being taken by a flu-bitten Albertyn. "1 didn't have a good day 'today," Albertyn said. 'Tve been in bed with a fever all week - bad timing. Considering it's the first race of the year, I'm not too worried; consistency is what counts. I'm feeling really good this year. The bikes are great. 1 just hope our team can get their act together." Early leader Ward faded back to 18th, while Reynard tumbled back to 19th. After a 12th-place start, Emig clawed and scratched his way up to eighth, spending much of the race dicing with Carmichael and McGrath, who eventually got around Emig three laps from the finish. "From press day (Thursday) to the end of the main event, 1 made a major leap in confidence," Emig summarized, "because 1 was not happy, or £lowing, at the beginning of the weekend. By the end of the weekend, 1 was racing around with McGrath and Carmichael, running really good lap times. Plus, the top eigh t guys were all running the same lap times, so I feel good about that." CIII <:5 N i::" as :::J c:: as ..... 12 Edison International Field Anaheim, California Results: January 9, 1999 (Round 1 of 16) 2SO HEAT 1 (8 laps, 14 transfer to main): 1. Ezrn Lusk (Hon); 2. Larry Ward (502); 3. Stcph~e R?nCa~3 (Yam); 4. Seb.,stien Tortellj (Hon); 5. DaVid VuiJIemm (Yam); 6. Greg Albertyn (Suz); 7. Steve La~n (Yam); 8. Jason McCormick (Hon); 9. Lance Small (KTM); 10. Damon Huffman (Kaw); 11. MickaeJ Pichon (Hon); 12. Ryan Terlecki ($uz); 13. Tyson Kady (Yam); 14. Brian Yamaha of Troy's Casey Johnson took the checkered flag after turning a sixth-place start into a 15-lap charge to the lead in the 125cc main event. Stone (Kaw); 15. Scott Davis (Suz); 16. Ray Crumb (Yam); 17. Pedro Gonzalez (Kaw); 18. Brad Woolsey (K..,w); 19. Grayson Goodman (Hon); 20. Phil Lawrence (Suz). Time: 7:14.210 250 HEAT 2 (Slaps, 1-4 transfer to maW: 1. Jeremy McGrath (Yam); 2. Robbie Reynard (Suz); 3. Ricky Carmichael CKaw); 4. Jimmy Button (Yam); 5. Tim Ferry (Yam); 6. Mike laRocco (Hon); 7. Takeshi Koikeda (Yam); 8. Kyle Lewis (Suz); 9. Doug Dubach (Yam); 10. Ted Campbell (5oz); II. Brock SeUanis (Hon); 12. James Povolny Jr. (Yam); 13. Tony Amaradio (Yam); 14. Billy BinckJey (Yam); 15. Kevin Windham (Hon); 16. Heath Voss (Hon); 17. Kelly Smith (KTM); IS. John Dowd (Yam); 19. Bruno LeBlanc CHon); 20. Jeff Emig (Kaw). Time: 7:14.360 250 SEMI 1 (61a.ps, 1-5 transfer to main): 1. Mick.,cl Pichon (Han); 2. Steve Lnmson (Yam); 3. Greg Albertyn (Suz); 4. Ph.iJ Lawrence (Suz); 5. David Vuillemin (Yam); 6. Damon Huffman (Kaw); 7. Pedro Gonzalez (Kaw); 84 Jason McCormick (Han); 9. Ryan Terlecki (Suz); 10. Ray Crumb (Yam); 11. Tyson Kady (Yam); 12. Lance Smail (K1"M); 13. Brad Woolsey (l(aw); 14. Brian Stone (Kaw); 15. Scott Davis (Suz); 16. Grayson Goodman (Hon). Time: 5:21.700 250 SEMl 2 (6 laps, 1-5 transfer to main): 1. Kevin Windham (Hon); 2. john Dowd (Yam); 3. Mike LaRocco (Hon);' 4. Tim Ferry (Yam); 5. Brock Sel1ards (Hon); 6. Jeff Emig (Kaw); 7. Kyle Lewis (Suz); 8. Heath Voss (Hon); 9. Ted Campbell (Suz); 10. Takeshi Koikeda (Yarn); 11. james Povolny Jr. (Yam); 12. Billy BinckJey (Yam); 13. Tony Amaradio (Yam); 14. Dou~ Dubach (Yam); 15. Kelly Smith (KTM); 16. Bruno leBlanc (Hon). Time: 5:28.220 250 LeQ (6 laps, 1-2 transfer to main): 1. Jeff Emig O

• Cover