Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Round 9: Daytona International Speedway TOYOTA TRUCKSITHOR/PARTS UNLIMITED AMA SUPERCROSS SERIES FMFlHonda's Danny Smith enjoyed his best ride since breaking his leg last year. Smith rounded out the top three in the 125cc class. Behind those two came Smith in by far his best effort of the season. Smith was 17th and 14th in the previous two rounds. '1 like it here - it's pretty fun," Smith aid of his second Daytona outing. "I had to sort out my training. I started riding in January from an injury I had last year, and things are starting to pick up for me. I've just got to gradually get better and hopefully I'll be in the middle of the podium before the year's out. The race went good for me. I came out with a good start and made some quick passes and' [ was in fifth for a while, then fourth, then third, then I dropped back a position and regrouped. Then [ ended up passing for third again and held on. I'm happy with my ride." The battle for fourth went the distance, with Horton holding off the charging Sellards. A good distance behind came Wey, all alone and ahead of Kelly Smith. Two notables who failed to finish were fast starter Vohla]ld and Shue. Shue was the first of the front-runners to exit as his Suzuki threw a chain on the third lap. Vohland pulled off the track on the eighth lap, the victim of a pulled muscle in his upper arm and shoulder area as he continues to regain full strength after suffering a broken collarbone at the Anaheim Supercross. eN _ Daytona International Speedway Daytona Beach, Florida Results: March 6, 1999 (Round 3 of 8) 125 HEAT 1: 1. Brock Sellards (Hon); 2. Stephane Roncada (Yam); 3. Jin Dostal (Suz); 4. Tallon VohL'\nd (Han); 5. Matt Shue (Suz); 6. Josh Demuth (Yam); 7. Jimmy Wilson (Yam); 8. Barry Carsten (Suz); 9. Ryan ingly in complete control. It was all part of his plan: Get out front and try and hold on. "I was just trying to ride as fast as I can in the beginning," Roncada said. '1 wanted to have as big as lead as possible, so [ can slow down." Just as quickly as he had stormed to the front, however, things started to go horribly wrong for the Frenchman. His lead started to dwindle ever so slightly, and then it was gone. The next thing he knew, Fonseca was not only on him, but by him. Roncada's arms were pumping up, but he refused to blame the heat. "We've been here for a week already so we could get used to the heat and stuff," Roncada said. "We've been training on a sand track. ThaI's okay, I just got arm pump really bad in the middle. I slowed down and that's it. The track was pretty rough." So far this season, a perfectly tuned Roncada has been no match for Fonseca. A Roncada with arm pump couldn't 'even come close. Fonseca simply rode off into the Florida afternoon, taking his third straight victory and his first Daytona Supercross win. You get the feeling it won't be his last. '11's tough because there are so many good riders out there," Fonseca said. "It's definitely very competitive, and everything has been coming out really good for me. II's just being strong every race, and consistent, and I think thaI's what it takes. Hopefully, I can keep it cool and keep the points lead. It was kind of wefrd because at the start of the race I was tired and didn't really know what was going on. Then I started to loosen up a little more and then everything came out great. Stephane was riding very good and he pulled away to a big lead for a while. I thought I was going to stay in second for the whole race, btlt I picked it up and everything came out great. I'm real happy for the win." Duff (Yam); 10. Jason Thomas (Yam); 11. Doug Parsons (Suz); 12. Jason McCormick (Hon); 13. Ronnie Renner (Yam); 14. Robbie Skaggs (Suz); 15. Kevin erine (Suz); 16. Matt Walker (Yam); 17. Jason Fink CKaw); 18. Sam Vannitelli (Yam); 19. Aaron meter (Suz); 20. Clark Stiles (!(aw). Time: 9 min.• V 370 sec. 125 HEAT 2: 1. Ernesto Fonseca {Yam); 2. Robbie Horton (Yam); 3. Danny Smith (Hon); 4. Kelly Smith (KTM); 5. icholas Wey (Kaw); 6. Joseph Oehlhof (KTM); 7. James Povolny Jr. (Yam); 8. Jim eese (Yam); 9. Mark Burkhart (Yam); 10. Charles Dunaway (Yam); 11. Kris Papworth (Suz); 12 Jeff G;ese (Yam); 13. Josh' Whitmire (Yam); 14. Jered Black (Yam); 15. Thomas Barron (Kaw); 16. Brian Mason (Kaw); 17. Daryl Ray Youngblood (Yam); 18. Davey Yezek Jr. (Suz); 19. Ty Wallace (Yam); 2tl. Paul Carpenter (Han). Time: 10 min., 38.830 sec. LCQ: 1. Jason McCormick (Hon); 2. Matt Walker (Yam): 3. Doug Parsons (Suz); 4. Kevin Crine (Suz); 5. Charles Dunaway (Yam); 6. Robbie Skaggs (Suz); i. Jason 'thomas (Yam); 8. Brian Mason (Kaw); 9. Sam Yannitelli (Yam); 10. Kris Papworlh (Suz); 11. Josh Whitmire (Yam); 12. Jeff Giese (Yam); 13. J3S00 Fink (Kaw); 14. Aaron Dieter (So2); 15. Ronnie Renner (Yam); 16. Clark Stiles (Kaw); 17. Jered Black (Yam); 18. Thomas Barron (Kaw); 19. Daryl Ray Youngblood (Yam); 20. Dilvey Yezek J)'. (Suz); 21. Ty Wallace (Yam); 22. Paul Carpenter (Hon), 125 FLNAL: 1. Emesto Fonseca (Yam); 2. Stephane Roncada (Yam); 3. Danny Smith (Hon); 4. Robbie Horton (Yam); 5. Brock Sellnrds (H.on); 6. Nicholas Wey (Kaw); 7. Kelly Smith (KTM); 8. Barry Carsten (Suz); 9. Jim Neese (Yam); 10. Jason McCormick (Hon); 11. Joseph Oehlhof (KTM); 12. Josh Oemuth (Yam); 13, Kevi.n Crine (Suz); 14. Jin DostaJ (SUZ)i 15. Ryan Duff (Yam); 16. Mark Burkhart (Yam); 17: Jimmy Wilson (Yam); 18. Doug Parsons (Suz); 19. Tallon VohJand (Hon); 20. Matt Shue (Suz); 21. Matt Walker (Yam); 22. lames Povolny Jr. (Yam). Time: 24 min., 06.070 sec. Margin of Victory: 11.008 sec. AMA EASTER REGJONAL 125« SlJPERCROS5 SERIES POINT STANDINCS (After 3 of 8 rounds): 1. Ernesto Fonseca (75/3); 2. Stephane Roncada (64); 3. Brock Sellards (58); 4. Robbie Horton (51); 5. Nicholas Wey (47); 6. Danny Smith (42); 7. Joson McConnick (36); 8. Jason Thomas (27); 9. Jiri Dostal (26); 10. Barry Carsten (25); 11. (TIE) J;m Neese/Kelly Smith (23); 13. Matt Shue (21); 14. TyWallace (20); 15. TaUon Vohland (16); 16. Joseph Oehlhof (15); 17. Jimmy Wilson (13); 18. Josh Demuth (12); 19. Mike Kalin (9); 20. Kevin Crine (8). Upcoming Rounds: Round 4 - Houston, TX, March 13 Round 5 - Minneapolis, MN, March 20 Snowcross event remaining on March 13 in Lake Geneva. Wisconsin. his After tliat. he'II focus all his energy on preparing for the defense 'AMA 250cc National Championship. which begins on Mothers Qay at Glen Helen. He'l! also race in two more Supercross races in 1999. in Pon· Team'Yamaha's medical woes· continue with the injury suffered by John tlac. Michigan. and the season finaie.in ~as Vegas. Henry was given a Dowd in the Daytona Supercross. Dowd came together with Ezra.Lusk choice as 10 what motorGycle h!"d ride in 'gg and he opted for the VZ400 on the second,lap and suffered a broken left. arm that will keep him out of . four·stroke. ",I wouidn't have had any time to test the 250, - Henry. said. aCtion for u'p to two months. 'Basically. I dislocated my' should!!r and ·:rm more:-used,to the 490. So rn·g,6 ride the 4qD because I don't have broke the top of my arm bone' a little bit. - Dowd said." "There's a chunk:' any· time on. the 250. ~ Henry s'lid 'he .didn '\ k,!ep up wi\h the ~eries too up there,that's broken.·Tne.doetor said six to eight l(oIeE!ks.·· With' Jimrriy much, though he was always curiou.s as to how his teamma'e John Dowd ·.Button .still questionable. Doug Henry could·end up being Yamah'a's:only fared. "iI'd ask, 'Wlio won?'. If it 'l"asn·.t'Joh n. I'd ask, 'How'd JOhn team rider at Hous\qn next week, Even, if Button does come back, both 6f . '. '. ,'. . ' .Y'!maha·s official.facto')' riders will be ab,?ard the ''(2:400. With no. repre- .. After thi: rac.e, Henry. talke'd ,about the' e~Pf"ience of racing allain, :11 wa& senta,tion on the VZ250, '.'...' : . tough:out there, but t m glad I hung in there for the rac!" ,. h·e said. "I "fas '. . . " .. '. pre'tty tired out. th~re and I thoughl for a second, 'Man'. what the heck am l Hcinda'~ Ezra L';sk escaped from the crash with Dowd wiih a conc~ssion. 'doing ouf here?' Then I kind of Io,osened up. a little bit and it felt pretty though he seerrred to qe 'much worse off at the time of the crash: Lusk'wa~ good." When asked to judge where' he Was 'in' comparison to normal. knocked oot for 15 to 20 seconds and lay mO,tionless in ttie middle of the Henry saiti: ., r m about 50 percent." . " . 'track as the leaders approae.he9 for another lap. 1)1ey were slowed and' waved pa~t as .track "and. mehampions parade of the famous 1999 Supercross' season. debut . Speedway p-oor to the running of the Daytona 200. at Daytona and finished 14th in the final, despite having not rid. The supercross layout. at Daytona has long had a reputation for being the den a bike until the' WednesdaY' longest. roughest race track 00 which the series competes. This'year was prior to·the·event. -I'm rusty.' . no different. In fact. most of the riders were in agreement that the Gary Henry said after qualifying' directly Bailey-designed track was even t.ougher than·.in years past. With' the out of his heat race With a fifthsupercross regulars normally competing on tracks that feature lap times pl"c!!' fjnl'sh, ··Getting the timing of 50 or so seconds. Daytona's one-minu.te·and-30-sec6nd lap tiines back is tough.: Henry has been would also be a factor, According to Ho~da's Jeff.Stanton, Daytona separacing snowmobiles this' winter, rates the men from ·.the boys. He said there were only four riders who bur even that hasn't been as pro.were physically strong enoug~ to have a shot ai winning the raCe. "All of duciive as' he'd have iiked. ':If the other guys are relying on their talent .to get 'em through." Stanton there was more snow. I'd be betsaid.. ln·case you were wonde.ring. race.winner Jeremy McGrath was one ter off, but I haven't ridden as of the' fourriders that Stanto.n mentioned: muc~.as I'd like, I rode'a motorcy-. . cle a couple of limes in January Ifs not v.ery often that you can't findYama~a's motoc.ross t!!am manag~r, and then again this week, My Keith McCartY. at a supercross.or motocross race. But such was.the goa) was to make it to the main. 'If case at Daytona. Tlie longtime 'fixture at the racesstayed home to attend I got in the top 10. I'd be real . a family wedding. happy." Henry has one more ••• of ctor-

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