Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Round 3: Bank One Ballpark (Left) The 125cc win was Ramsey's first major supercross victory. He is currently fourth In the series points chase. (Right, left to right) Michael Brandes, Nsthan Ramsey, and easy Johnson all sit In the top five In 125cc Western Regional point standings Suzuki rider Steve Andrich back to third. Pro Circuit/Bobby ]'s Yamaha rider Keith Jolmson was fourth. 10 MAIN Among a flurry of banging handlebars and flying elbows that saw Lytle get the short end of the chaos, it was Ramsey snaking the hoIeshot and leading the 125cc swarm out onto the highspeed Bank One circuit. "1 did the double on the start, and Ramsey and I went over the jump together, and 1 ended up getting pinched off and up against the hay bales:' Lytle said. Immediately behind Ramsey were Michael Brandes, Clawson Motorsportsbacked Rusty Holland, Casey Johnson, Chiodi and a banged-up Lytle. The pack flew in formation for the fir t two la ps before Johnson made his first move to the front by jumping past Holland over a triple jump. On the same lap, Lytle found his way by Chiodi. As the race neared the six-lap mark, Johnson began a charge on Ramsey, who by this time had built up five seconds on the pack. Reeling in Brandes, he made the move and set off after Ramsey. Meanwhile, Lytle, also trying to make up ground, whizzed past both Chiodi and Holland. At the halfway mark, both Chiodi and Holland were knocked out of the race when they tangled in the infield section. Making it past the carnage, Ramsey continued to glide around in methodical fashion out front, clicking off one consistent lap after another. However, with approximately three laps to go, Johnson turned up the wick even more and began tearing off and chewing up big chunks of the SplitFire/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider's lead. With two laps left, things got close. "I came out at the front in the lead, and I was really, really nervous, and 1 made a few mistakes," Johnson said. "But then, during the middle of the race, I smoothed out and said to myself, 'You know, this is just like riding at the Kawasaki test track back home: and I started pulling out and feeling really good. Then I bumped into one of my teammates, Billy (Payne), when I was coming around to lap him, and 1 got really nervous with all the lappers. I was being cautious in case he, Casey, reeled me in, and I didn't know he was on me until the very last lap." On the white-flag lap, Johnson closed right up on Ramsey and the two riders had the nearly 50,OOO-strong crowd on • Hs feet. Over the triple, Ramsey pulled even with the race leader and they rocketed into the big, sweeping right-hand bowl turn, and Johnson made his move. "I was like, 'Oh no!'" Ramsey aid. "So 1 just tried to hold the inside line, and he tried to stick it in there, and I really saw him." Bu t Ramsey came ou t of the turn in the lead, while Johnson, who had railed the outside, lost just enough momentum to let Ramsey get the upper hand. :' After that, it was home sailing," Ramsey said. Ramsey lofted his KX125 over the finish line with the crowd-approved win over a proud - but vanquished - Johnson. Almost a third of the track behind the pair came Brandes, finishing in third. Lytle took fourth over Boulder Yamaha/FMF/ Answer-backed privateer Isaia·h Johnson. Travis Preston grabbed ixth, Ryan Oark claimed seventh, and O'Neal/American Suzuki/ Sunstar-supported Tyler Evans took eighth. CN Bank One Ballpark Phoenix, Arizona January 23, 1999 (Round 3 of 7) 125 HEAT 1 (6 lapsi 1-9 transfer to main): 1. Casey Lytle (Yam); 2. Nathan Ramsey (Kaw); 3. Michael Brandes (Suz); 4. Ryan Clark (Kaw); 5. Erick Vallejo (Kaw); 6. Charles Bogard (Su.); 7. Billy rayne (Kow); 8. Stephan Demartis (Hon); 9. Roderick Thain (Hon); 10. Matt Maximoff (Hon); 11. Donovan Mit hell (Yam); 12. Stan Sloboda (Suz); 13. Chris Wheeler (Yam); 14. Cory Francis (KTM); 15. Kenny &rtram (KTM); 16. Dennis Owens (Suz); 17. Travis Preston (Suz); 18. Tyson Taylor (Sl1z); 19. Tom Clowers (Suz); 20. Ryan Doff (Yam). Time: 5:10.850. HEAT 2 (6 l3.ps, 1-9 t-ransfer to main): 1. Casey Johnson (Yam); 2. Jsaiah Johnson (Vam); 3. Andy H

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