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/127992
(left) Lusk's win at Indy was his fifth of the year. (Below) Mickael Pichon made it a Honda 1-2 sweep. He rode to a solid second-place finish. while practicing and reaggravating them following another get-off during a practice session at Indy, Pichon was at least pleased with the way the main event turned out. "Things haven't been good for me the last two weeks - eighth and sixth," Pichon said, "so I just wanted to get back on the podium and move up in the championship." Which he did. Pichon climbed into fourth place, a spot previously occupied by Team Suzuki's Larry Ward, who was one of many who got caught up in that first-turn, multi-rider crash. He ended up a disappointing 17th. One of the biggest happenings of the night involved Tim Ferry, who rode a strong race, putting his Noleen-backed Yamaha on the third step of the podium. It was his best 2S0cc supercross finish ever, and it marked the first time that a privateer made the podium this year. Ferry ran fourth for most of the race and was more than happy to accept third when Huffman ended up on his head in a whoop section. "I think by far this is the best ever (feeling)," the' 1997 Eastern Regional 12Scc Supercross Champion said, "even better than when I won the championship in '97." Finishing fourth, approximately three seconds behind Ferry, was McGrath, whose performance was not~. ing short of spectacular when you consider the fact that he rounded the first lap in 17th place after falling in the first turn and suffering another small get-off '. during his climb to the front. "[ was happy with the way I rode," McGrath said. "You just can't let those guys get away like that." Recently crowned West Coast 12Scc champ Nathan Ramsl!Y rounded out the top fi.ve after starting'off in sixth. He was followed across the finish line by Indiana's own Mike LaRocco, who also got tangled up in the first turn. LaRocco hooked up with McGrath for a while before struggling to get around Ramsey, which he never did. Sixth went to Ricky Carmichael, who was never really a factor in the race and who was followed a cross the Iine by Grea t La kes Aviation/Honda rider Heath Voss, who ran among the leaders early in the race. It was by far his best ride of the year. Suzuki's Robbie Reynard and a struggling Chaparral/Yamaha's Steve Lamson rounded out the top 10. 'Tm not letting it hang out as much as I need to," Lamson said of his now customary midpack finishes. "1 have to keep plugging away." Huffman, meanwhile, looked to have third place sewn up, but he went down hard on the 13th lap, though he salvaged 11th, ahead of Jimmy Button, who also suffered a solo fall - also on the 13th lap (right after Huffman's crash) while seemingly set for a top-five finish. After Button came Suzuki's Greg Albertyn, followed by Yamaha Japan's Takeshi Koikeda, PJ1 National Arenacross Champion Buddy Antunez, Planet Honda's Jean-Sebastien Roy, Ward and Plano Honda's Grayson Goodman. Nonfinishers included Moto XXX'~ Phil