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Motocross Round 1: Glen Helen Raceway Park AMA MAZDA TRUCKS NA TlONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 250cc MX SERIES there were some surprises. One of those pleasantly surprised was Team Factory Connection/Jack in the Box/Honda's Mike LaRocco, who was awarded second overall via 9-2 moto finishes. (Points are awarded per mota.) Both he and T.eam Honda's Mickael Pichon (3-7) tallied 34 points on the day, with LaRocco's better placing in the second mota breaking the tie. "To go 9-2 and get second overall is pretty lucky," a cheerful LaRocco said. "I haven't been that lucky in a while. I'll take it." Ezra Lusk struggled with poor starts in both motos but pretty much made up for them each time, going 8-3 for fourth overall on his factory-backed Honda. The next rider in the combined scoring was a visiting Ryan Hughes, who took advantage of a break in the World Championship 250cc MX Series in Europe to compete at his old stomping grounds. Team Honda set him up with a bike and with his former mechanic, Ron Wood, alld they combined their efforts to land fourth overall via a 5-6 tally. Hughes rides for the Pamo Honda team in Europe. "I felt good," Hughes said. "I came over here, no testing, jumped on the bike and felt fast. Ro.n Wood put it (Hughes' bike) together and guessed what [ would like (bike settings), and it worked out." Hughes' ride capped off an impressive 1-2-3-4-5 overall sweep by Hondamounted ride'rs. The only factorybacked Honda rider not to finish in the top five was Kevin Windham. A leg injury forced him to pullout of the first mota while running among the leaders, and it denied him any chance of a top score. The first non-Honda rider in the overall column was Team Kawasaki's Damon Huffman, who was competing in his first National since 1997 and his By Kit Palmer Photos by Kinney Jones SAN BERNARDINO, CA, MAY 9 f the way he rode at the opening round of the AMA Mazda Trucks National MX Series opener at Glen Helen Raceway Park is any indication as to what this summer is going to be like, then you'd better get used to seeing the name Sebastien Tortelli in the headlines. The 1998 250cc World Motocross Champion from France - now in his outdoor element following a so-so indoor supercross series showing - simply ruled the challenging Glen Helen track all day, coming from behind to win both motos. The Team Honda rider was undeniably the fastest rider on the track, though six-time AMA Supercross Champion Jeremy McGrath would probably argue that. Under gray skies and cool temperatures, which made for ideal, dust-free racing conditions, McGrath quickly found his way to the front of both 250cc matos, only to have the World champ run him down before all was said and done. But both times, mechanical problems kept McGrat.h from putting up much of a fight, as a cracked engine case in the first mota and broken clutch plates in the second mota slowed his drive. Still, the' way Tortelli' was riding on this day, the Frenchman might have caught him anyway. But, we'll never know for sure. . . I . '" '" '" ~ ~ :;: 6 "I am very happy," Tortelli said after putting his Shane Drew-tuned Honda in the winner's circle. "That (the first race of the National series) was a big question for me. I didn't know what to expect, so having a good first rac.e is very good for the rest of the season." McGrath managed to nurse his Mazda/Chaparral-backed Yamaha to a second-place finish in the first mota, but he wasn't as lucky in the second. He lost complete use of his clutch near the three-quarter mark and just couldn't maintain a National-type pace. "All that work for nothing," a disappointed McGrath said. "It was a great day, the bike was awesome, the first moto was great, but I cracked the cases, lost oil, so it started to slow down. In the second mota, 1 had a good lead there bu t broke some clu tch pia tes or sam thing, and guys started going by me one by one." McGrath was doubly disappointed because this is his only National appearance of the year and he wanted to go out with a win before taking a well. deserved vacation. But he still tried to be positive. "T rode well enough today to where I can leave and have a fine time being out of it," he reasoned. While it might have been easy to figure out who walked away with the overall win at Glen Helen - since TortelIi's 1~1 didn't leave much room for doubt - from second place on down (Above) Sebastien Tortelli (44), here leading Jimmy Button, felt right at home outdoors for the opening round of the AMAMazda Trucks National 250cc MX Series at Glen Helen. The '98 World champ won both motos by coming from behind. (Right) Jeremy McGrath (15) led both motos but Tortelli tracked him down each time. Mechanical problems hindered McGrath in both motos. The supercross . champ went 2-19 for 10th overall.