Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

having Team Chevy Trucks Kawasaki's Ricky Carmichael breathing down his neck for most of the race. At one point, Carmichael got really close to Lusk but then was forced to turn the heat down a little bit when arm pump began settling in. Finishing a distant fourth was Mike LaRocco on the Amsoil/Dr. Ma rten s/ J ou rn e y siC om petit ion Accessories Honda, followed by Team Suzuki's Travis Pastrana, who was impressive to say the least in his first 250cc Supercross race. Perhaps the biggest surprise of the night was the disappointing ride turned in by Team Yamaha's David Vuillemin, and no one could say that he didn't have his chances. Vuillemin took huge holeshots in both his heat race and the main but couldn't take advantage of those good starts. He went from first to sixth in the main, saying that he just couldn't figure out the Anaheim track. After leading the first couple of laps, then running among the leaders for much of the race, and then trading paint a few times with Pastrana, Roncada said he physically ran out of gas, causing him to drop back to seventh after his stellar start. "I had the speed, but I got a little tense, tired," Roncada said. After out-dueling McGrath for an exciting heat-two win, Team Suzuki's Kevin Windham went flat in the main event. He gated poorly and was unable to mount any kind of charge. Windham ended up eighth, followed by Yamaha of Troy's Nick Weyand Planet Honda's Mike Craig. Yamaha of Troy's Nathan Ramsey piloted his team's YZ426F thumper to an impressive 11 th-place finish, ahead of Kawasaki-supported Craig Decker, TheEdgesports.com Kawasaki's Casey Johnson, Fast by Ferracci Husqvama's Steve Lamson and Motoworldracing .com/Answer Yamaha's Damon Huffman. Rounding out the top 20 was Moto XXX/DGY / Atomic 22's Kyle Lewis, Motoworldracing.com/Answer Yamaha's Isaiah Johnson, The Edgsports.com Kawasaki's Michael Byrne, Great Lakes aviation's Heath Voss and Team Yamaha's Tim Ferry, who suffered a flat rear tire while running up front early in the race. Unable to take part in the evening's activities was Team Honda's Sebastien Tortelli. Earlier in the day, Tortelli went down in a section of whoops during a practice session, injuring his shoulder. Tortelli tried to convince his team manager Cliff White and his trainer that he was okay to ride, but they wouldn't bite. Instead, Tortelli left the stadium and was immediately flown to Phoenix, Arizona, to have an MRI performed on the shoulder later that night. HEATS The first 250cc Supercross race of the year promised to be a good one, with VuilJemin, Lusk, LaRocco, Pastrana, Lamson and Roncada, among others, on the line. Vuillemin timed the drop of the gate perfectly and pulled an indisputable holeshot ahead of Craig, Lusk, Lamson, LaRocco, Roncada, Ferry and Pastrana. Vuillemin led the pack around the track for a lap but couldn't shake Lusk, who didn't waste any time trying to get by the Yamaha rider. Lusk prodded and poked at Vuillemin until he got by the Frenchman on the second lap. But Vuillemin wasn't about to give up without a fight and cut to the inside of Lusk and took the lead back. The two riders continued their duel for the lead through the next couple of turns, and then Lusk wicked it up through a whoop section and crept past Vuillemin, putting the Honda into the lead for good. He steadily pulled away from Vuillemin, scoring a solid win over the Yamaha rider. Meanwhile, Pastrana was on the move. Competing in his first 250cc race, the Team Suzuki rider was steadily working hi way up through the pack. The 250cc rookie slipped past Ferry and Craig, then found himself right behind a familiar face - Roncada, who had lost the 2000 125cc National MX title to Pastrana by a couple of points. It didn't take Pastrana long to find a way past his old rival, and then Lamson. Pretty soon, the teenaged Pastrana was rapidly gaining on the veteran LaRocco. Pastrana was badgering his elder foe when LaRocco bobbled just before a spacious double jump that LaRocco was forced to single. Pastrana easily flew his Suzuki by LaRocco's Honda and into third place. And Pastrana wasn't done yet. Pastrana set his sights on Vuillemin and, to everyone's surprise, the young star reeled in and passed the Frenchman through a rhythm section. A lap later, the checkered flag came out and Pastrana took a very impressive second, and, more importantly, made a statement that he's ready for the 250cc class. Third went to Vuillemin, while LaRocco finished out the first heat race in the final transfer spot in fourth, right in front of Roncada. Ferry ended up sixth ahead of Craig, Kawasaki's Craig Decker, and Isaiah Johnson. But the big winner of the first heat race of the year was Lusk. "This is an emotional victory for me," Lusk said. ''I'm already farther along than I was last year. "We [Lusk and VuilJemin] had a little battle there for a while, a little bit more than I really wanted," Lusk added. "But it was good." The second heat race featured McGrath, Windham and Carmichael, and, just as expected, these three riders led the way off the start. Windham nailed the holeshot, but McGrath cut underneath the Suzuki rider, setting the stage for an exciting three-way battle for the lead. In typical McGrath fashion, the seven-time Supercross Champion tried sprinting away from the field, but Windham and Carmichael stayed right with the champ. Suddenly, McGrath made a rare mistake and briefly bobbled on the third lap. By the time he got back going, Windham and Carmichael had ridden past the cue. e McGrath struggled a little bit in his heat race (finishing a close second to Kevin Windham). but he regrouped to lead all but two laps of the 250cc main. former leader. Windham took over but had Carmichael right behind him, and it wasn't long before McGrath had caught back up to the leading duo. As the race neared the finish, McGrath began stepping up his attack on Carmichael and eventually out-dragged the 250cc National MX Chevy Trucks Kawasaki'. Ricky Cannichael got off to a good series start, finishing third. n e _ is • JANUARY 17, 2001 7

• Cover