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/128024
Anaheim. Callfo!"'nlS • 1 ~&CCI AMA/EA Sports Supercross Series Round 1 : Edison International Field of Anaheim that's why everybody got in front of me," Yamaha's Vuillemin said. "It was a tough race to come back. I'm a little upset, but I'm okay." Another rider who was riding well after a horrible start was McGrath's Chaparral teammate Tim Ferry, who rounded the first lap in 17th place. He quickly got on the gas and hurried up to 10th place when his Yamaha fiz· zled out on the 10th lap with, reportedly, carburetion problems. Ferry was looking fast all night and it appeared as though he's been taking plenty of notes with his new teammate McGrath. Finishing out the main in sixth place was Yamaha's Jimmy Button on the YZ426 thumper. Button was always mixed up in some sort of bat· tie, making the 426's Supercross debut an exciting one. Crossing the finish line a few seconds behind Button in seventh was Albertyn, who couldn't do too much with his ninth· place start. As mentioned, Carmichael settled for eighth, fol· lowed by Ward, who struggled through the night with a sore back. Dowd, also riding with a tender back (see Briefly ... ) climbed from 16th to 10th, while Yamaha of Troy's Stephane Roncada, who will switch gears to the 125cc class when the Chevy Trucks/Kawasaki's Ricky Carmichael was blazing fast for eight laps, but fatigue - and McGrath· caught up to him. A collarbone injury prevented him from training for much the off-season. Where it was once hard to get a company not inside the motorcycle industry even to look at Supercross, such firms are now attaching themselves to the sport in record numbers. In accordance with the deal we reported last week, the Kawasaki team was running the Chevy Trucks logo on its bikes, riding gear and personnel uniforms. The logo also appeared on the team semi, albeit in a generic rendition, as Kawasaki's truck painter wasn't able to complete the job before Anaheim. The trailer was painted in white primer, with temporary black Kawasaki and Chevy logos affixed for round one; Kawasaki expects the new paint job to be ready for round two. Continuing the automotive theme, Mazda continues to support Team Chaparral, and has begun backing Team Demarini as well. (Toyota, of course, remains the series·pre· senting sponsor.) Another new Kawasaki sponsor is Castrol, known primarily for its automotive lubri· cants. The company plans to release a new line of motorcycle· specific oils by early February, and Kawasaki and SplitFire/Pro Circuit Kawasaki (which Castrol is also now spon· soring) are helping with testing and development. "They're making any changes we ask them to," said Pro Circuit boss Mitch Payton, whose team had been sponsored by Maxima for the last nine years. As for Team Planet Honda, it has picked up sponsorship from shoemaker Dr. Martens, who has become one of Planet Honda's chief financial backers. In exchange, Planet Honda team members and mechanics will wear Dr. Martens Industrial line, as well as some of the many other styles the company offers. "The Planet Honda sponsor· ship is a perfect fit for us," Dr. Martens' CEO Martin Berendsen Andreu Labrad.or's Ralphs-sponsored 125cc said. "Dr. Martens roots are in Honda is an example of the many outside rock and roll, rebellion and indio sponsorship now evident in Supercross. EA viduality, and motocross perfect· Sports, Dr. Martens, Chevy Truck, Mazda, Jack ly embodies the radical, reneIn The Box, Demarini and Speed Stick are a gade spirit of youth that Dr. few of the others. Martens represents." One bike in particular that was drawing a lot of looks was the Honda of 125cc·c1ass entrant Andreu Labrador, who was stationed in the second FMF semi. Labrador's father, Manny, is tied in with Ralphs and Food 4 Less supermarkets, and Andreu was sporting a big red Ralphs logo on his otherwise white CR. It seems the company was in negotiations with Honda regarding possible team sponsorship, but wasn't able to sew up a deal in time for the season. 10 JANUARY 19, 2000' .. Y .. I e n eVIl's series makes its East Coast swing, took 11 tho He was followed by FMF/Honda's Brock Sellards, Suzu· ki's Damon Huffman, Strategic 3's Phil Lawrence, Great Lakes Aviation's Heath Voss, FMF's Michael Brandes, Answer/Planet Honda/Dr. Martens' Jean·Sebastien Roy, Demarini's Tyler Evans and Plano Honda's Grayson Goodman. eN Edison Intemational Field of Anaheim Anaheim, Califomia Results: January 8, 2000 [Round 1 of 16J 250 HEAT 1 (8 laps, 1-4 transfer to main): I. Kevin Windham (Han); 2. Mike laRocco: 3. Damon Huffman (Suz); 4. Brock Sellards (Hon); 5. Stephane Roncada (Yam); 6. John Dowd (Kaw); 7. David Vuillemin (Yam); 8. Shaun Perolio (Kaw); 9. Michael Brandes (Han): 10. Kelly Smith (KTM): 11. Tyler Evans (Suz); 12. Jean·Sebastien Roy (Hon); 13. Erik Anderson (Hon); 14. Carter Gurnee (Hon); 15. Adam Land (Han): 16. Takeshl Kolkeda (Yam): 17. Ty Kady (Suz); 18. Kyle Lewis (Suz); 19. Matthew Bateman (Suz). Time: 8 min.. 19.850 sec. 250 HEAT 2 (8 laps, ]-4 transfer to main): 1. Jeremy McGrath (Yam); 2. Tim Ferry (Yam); 3. Larry Ward (Kaw); 4. Ricky Carmichael (Kaw); 5. Sebastien Tortelli (Hon); 6. Heath Voss (Hon); 7. Phil Lawrence (Yam); 8. Greg Albertyn (Suz); 9. Grayson Goodman (Hon); 10. Shayne King (KTM); 11. James Povolny Jr. (Han): 12. Billy Blnckley (Yam): 13. Jimmy Button (Yam); 14. Zeb Armstrong (Yam); 15. Dennis Umphres (Yam); 16. David Demangos (Hon); 17. Todd Downs (Hon); 18. Bruno Leblanc (Kaw); 19. Jason Dubin (Suz). Time: 8 min., 20.290 sec. 250 SEMI 1 (6 laps, 1-5 transfer to main); 1. David Vui1lemin (Yam); 2. John Dowd (Kaw); 3. Michael Brandes (Hon); 4. Stephane Roncada (Yam); 5. Tyler Evans (Suz); 6. Jean-Sebastien Roy (Hon); 7. Kelly Smith (KTM); 8. Shaun PeroJio (Kaw); 9. Erik Anderson (Hon); to. Carter Gurnee (Hon); II. Adam Lend (Han): 12. Ty Kady (Su,): 13. Matthew Bateman (Suz); 14. Kyle Lewis (Suz); 15. Takeshi Koikeda (Yam). Time: 6 min.. 17.290 sec. 250 SEMl 2 (6 laps, 1·5 transfer to main): 1. Greg Albertyn (Suz); 2. Sebastien Tortelli (Hon); 3. Jimmy Button (Yam); 4. Phil Lawrence (Yam); 5. Grayson Goodman (Hon); 6. Shayne King (KTM); 7. Heath Voss (Hon); 8. James Povolny Jr. (Hon); 9. Billy Binckley (Yam); to. Zeb Armstrong (Yam); 11. As we reported last week, Jeff Emig broke both wrists when he came up short on a dou· ble while practicing in late December for the Supercross season. Emig was on hand at Anaheim, and despite the fact that he was sporting casts on both arms, he appeared to be in pretty good spirits. "I should have another five weeks with these [casts), and then I get another set," said Emig. "Then it's therapy." Emig is being treated by Dr. Jim Matiko of Arrowhead Orthopedic Surgeons in San Bemardino, California, and expects to be out for "probably a few months." Though Emig is temporarily out of action, his newly formed team - Strategic 3 Motorsports· is not standing still. The squad . backed primarily by TheEdgeSports.com . was running a beautiful new semi truck at Anaheim, out of which it fielded Bryan McGavarn, Phil Lawrence and Michael Byme. McGavarn was signed near the end of last year to contest the Western 125cc rounds on a YZ. He's wearing Fox apparel, while the rest of the team sports Shift gear. McGavam didn't qualify for the main in Anaheim. Lawrence was picked up from Moto XXX following Emig's injury, though he's not real· Iy a replacement since both riders will ride for the team upon Emig's return. The Strate· gic 3 semi featured a Moto XXX logo, as did Lawrence's helmet, in appreciation for that team's cooperation in letting the veteran go. "I told myself five months ago to just give it one last shot," said Lawrence. "I haven't been too motivated the last two years, and my results have shown that. You can't expect to just ride around in this sport and do well. I was going to give it everything I had - even when I was at Moto XXX . and just see what happened. Then this fell in my lap." While the remainder of the team is spon· sored by FMF, a pre-existing deal has Lawrence being backed by Pro Circuit. He Both arms in casts, Jeff Emig was finished 14th in the 250cc main. on hand to support his new racing Byrne is an Australian who was riding for team - Strategic 3 Motorsports, Strategic 3 only for this race, though it's which is backed primarily by The possible he'll retum for a few more rounds. Byrne was riding a Honda CR in the 125cc EdgeSports.com. The team has a division. brand new semi truck.