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/128025
Chance race. Those who place 10th or lower become spectators. Rancho Cordova, California's Robert Curry, a former World Cup Champion, returned to past form on the day. He aced both heats, earning a front-row spot in the main with 20 points. Also transferring from the heats to the main, each with 15 points, were Bevan Compton from Johannesburg, South Africa, and defending World Cup Champion Anthony Barlow from Merseyside, England. These three riders had to wa it until the Last Chance race had been run to see who the balance of their competitors would be in the six-man, six-lap main. The lineup for the six-rider, four-lap Last Chance race had England's Simon Cartwright on the pole, current World Cup points leaders Nick FaFard from Quebec, Canada, in the middle position and Shawn Hurley from Westminster, Colorado, completing the front row. Row two had Ronny Kemp from Cary, North Carolina, on the inside, British rider Darren Pearson in the middle and Dean Garrod, also from England, on the outside. When the starting tape went up, FaFard beat Cartwright to the fIrst turn. Hurley and Kemp were in hot pursuit, running in third and fourth. The two front riders held their positions, but behind them a fIerce battle was taking place for the last transfer position. Kemp got by Hurley on the inside, sending the passed racer high, allowing Pearson to get by also and take fourth place. On lap three, third-placed Kemp set his sights on second-placed Cartwright. Another aggressive pass by Kemp got him the more secure secondplace spot, putting Cartwright in the precarious third-place "bump" spot. As the field took the white final-lap flag, Pearson was on a charge. In a bold move - some might call it a "banzai move" - Pearson blasted under Cartwright in the last turn. Both riders drifted high into the marbles, and in the process Cartwright got literally covered up with snow off Pearson's spinning rear wheel. Pearson narrowly edged out "Frosty The Snowman" to the checkered, taking the fmal transfer position. The main event was now set to go. Curry launched out of the pole starting position in convincing style to take the lead. Barlow took second place in the fIrst turn, having started from the outside slot. Compton was close behind. The top three were unable to make a move on each other for three laps. Young FaFard, 17, came from a ways back to challenge Compton for third place. Meanwhile, Barlow moved up to challenge the leader, Curry. On lap four, FaFard got by Compton with a strong inside pass and picked it up even more to catch up to the leaders. When the white flag waved, there was a three-way battle for the lead, as Kemp took fourth place from Compton. Just at that moment, Pearson crashed hard into San Diego Supercross Tickets EI Cajon Moto World Of EI Cajon 660 EI Cajon Blvd. (619) 442·3338 Escondido North County Yamaha 1315 Las Villas Way (760) 432-9501 Laguna Niguel Mission Yamaha Inc. 25891 Crown Valley Parkway (949) 582-0351 La Habra LeBard & Underwood 321 E. Imperial Hwy (714) 879·8252 Lemon Grove Yamaha Suzuki Lemon Grove 7345 Broadway (619) 465-5023 National City South Bay Yamaha 1 West 35th Street (619) 420-2300 Oceanside Moto Pro, Inc. 1425 S. Coast Hwy (760) 433-4333 Poway Alba Yamaha 12255 Poway Road (858) 486-4380 San Bernardino Chaparral Motorsports 555 South "H" Street (909) 889·2761 San Diego Fun Bike Center, Inc. 4689 Convoy Drive (858) 278-6635 San Diego San Diego's House Of Motorcycles 4904 EI Cajon Blvd (619) 229-noo Phoenix Supercross Tickets Avondale USA Motorsports 310 N. Dysart (623) 925-8800 Chandler Town & Country Motorsports 3333 N. Arizona (480) 503-3333 Flagstaff Northland Motorsport 4401 North Hwy 89 (520) 526-7959 Glendale Metro Motorsports 6161 West Bell Road (602) 843-5000 Mesa Champion Yamaha 1250 S. Clearview (480) 325-1818 Phoenix Apache HonNam 3618 W. Camelback Road (602) 973-5111 Phoenix Yamaha of Arizona 13023 N. Cave Creek (602) 992-8620 Scottsdale AZ Powersports 1800 N. Scottsdale Road (602) 970-4800 Scottsdale Desert Motorsports 15001 N. Hayden Suite 103 (602) 348-0909 Tucson Eastside Cycle 4940 East 22nd Street (520) 748-0760 Tucson Cycle & Ski 4475 W. Ina Road (520) 579-3939 c u c • e n e vv s • JANUARY 26, 2000 37