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Lusk was just as happy with his second-place finish. "Awesome," he said. "It just went very well for me. Winning the heat race really lit the fire; it got me in the groove, got me in race mode." Even Carmichael was pleased with third place. "I stayed with Yogi [Lusk] the whole race," Carmichael said. "I have to congratulate Ezra for a fantastic ride for his first race back, and Jeremy, too. He rode a great race. I just wish we were a little closer to Jeremy at the end, but I know when we get back to a tackier track, I'll be more comfortable; this track was hard and slippery, and that's not my best." Even though the race up front between McGrath, Lusk and Carmichael played itself out early on, the racing action from fourth place on back got hotter and hotter (especially when Roncada and Pastrana got together) as the race wore on. Approaching the halfway point, a tiring Roncada was trying to keep control of fourth place when Pastrana came up behind him, and Pastrana got Roncada's attention right away when he plowed into the side of Roncada in a turn following a whoop section. Pastrana got by Roncada, but Roncada paid Pastrana back in the very next corner. Pastrana got a bikeside full of Roncada's Kawasaki, and the two wobbled down the next straight where they tangled again. Pastrana ended up getting the upper hand after those exchanges of paint and settled into fourth. "He [Pastrana] nailed me," Roncada said of Pastrana's first torpedo. "He was a little bit out of control at the end of the whoops, but I got him back, so he knows that he can't nail me like that. He came afterwards to say he was sorry, so that's good." "I came through the whoops, shifted into fourth gear and thought I could get enough room," Pastrana said. "We collided pretty good; it tweaked my whole front end. He came back; paybacks are hell, and he paid me back a couple of times. I went over to apologize to him [after the race]; we're still pretty good friends, but he was kind of pissed. But it's pretty much settled right now. "I enjoy racing like that - when he was bumping me I was like, 'All right, that's good.' I'd rather have him like that than come and hit me after he gets done." Not long after Roncada and Pastrana exchanged pleasantries on the track, lAbove, left to right) McGrath, Lusk and Cannichael celebrate on the Anaheim podium. (Above right) Yamaha's David Vuillemin (934) and Lusk had an intense battle In their heat race. Vulllemin couldn't find his rhythm on the slick track. LaRocco moved in for the kill on the now-exhausted Roncada, passing the former leader for fifth. Then Vuillemin would get by Roncada, as well. "When I passed McGrath," Roncada said, "I was pretty excited about that, but I got a little tense and tired. Then Travis got behind me and I tensed up even more, because I thought he was going to kill me out there. I thought, 'Just go.'" After their little clash, Pastrana began showing signs of fatigue, as well. He couldn't help but let LaRocco catch up to him and didn't have the strength to defend his position. LaRocco cut to the inside through a turn and quietly slipped into fourth place, where he would finish out the race, right in front of Pastrana. "I'm super happy with fifth place," Pastrana said. "[But] I take a lot of pride in my training, and I was very disappointed that I faded so bad towards the end. For the first time in my life, I got arm pump in a race." Well behind Pastrana finished a very disappointed Vuillemin. "I had a bad time with the track; it was so slick," Vuillemin said. '" was on fire for the start, but nothing went like I wanted. I made a lot of mistakes the first few laps that cost me a lot of positions. I just could not find my rhythm." After Roncada finished another disappointed rider - Kevin Windham. An eighth-place finish was not what he had in mind, especially after beating McGrath in his earlier heat race. "I just got a bad start and just kind of fumbled around back there in the back and got in on the wrong pace," Windham said. "Ultimately, I started getting tight and frustrated because I wasn't up there with the guys up front." After getting off to a horrible start, Yamaha of Troy's Nick Wey kept plugging away and was rewarded with an impressive ninth-place finish, while Planet Honda's Mike Craig rounded out the top 10 after riding well all night. eN (Kaw): 6. Tim Ferry (Yam): 7. Mike Croig (Hon): 8. Craig Decker (Kaw); 9. Isaj~h Johnson (Yam); 10. Donald Upton (Suz); 11. Matt Shue 12. Tony Reynard (Yam): 8. Steve Andrich (Hon): 9. Ty Kady (Suz); 10. Donald Upton (Suz); 11. Tony Amaradio (Yam); 12. Jean-Sebastien Roy (Hon): 13. Matt Shue (Suz); 14. Robb Floth (Hon); 15. Michlliel Kann (Yam); 16. Christopher Neitzel (Hon); 17. David Demangos (Hon): 18. Jeff Pestana (Hon); 19. Erik Anderson (Hon); 20. Tim Beatty (Yam); 21, Jimmy Wilson (Yam); 22. Robbie Horton (Yam). 250 MAIN (20 laps): I. Jeremy McGrath (Yam): 2. Ezra Lusk (Hon); 3. Ricky Carmichael (Kaw); 4. Mike LaRocco (Hon); 5. Travis Pastrana (5uz); 6. David Vuillemin (Yam); 7. Stephane Roncada (KlIiw): 8. Kevin Windham (Suz): 9. Nick Wey (Yem): 10. Mike Crllig (Hon); 11. Nathan RlIimsey (Yam): 12. Craig Decker (Kaw); 13. Casey Johnson (Kaw); 14. Steve Lamson (Hus): 15. Demon Huffman (Yam): 16. Kyle Lewis (Y8m); 17. ISlliah Johnson (Yam); 18. Michael Byrne (Kaw): 19. Hellith Voss (Hon); 20. Tim Ferry (Yam). Time: 20 min. 57.880 sec. Winner's average lap time: 1 min. 2:894 sec. Margin of victory: 8.002 sec. AMAlEA SPORTS SOPERCROSS SERIES POINT STANDINGS (After 1 of 16 rounds): 1. Jeremy McGroth (25): 2. Euo Lusk (22): 3. Ricky Carmichllel (20); 4. Mike laRocco (18); 5. Trllvls PlIstrllna (16); 6. Da:vid Vuillemin (15); 7. Stephane Roncada (14): 8. Kevin Windham (13): 9. Nick Wey (12): 10. Mike Croig (II): II. Nathan Ramsey (10): 12. Croig Decker (9): 13. Cosey Johnson (8): 14. Steve Lamson (7); 15. Damon Huffman (6); 16. Kyle Lewis (5); 17. Isaiah Johnson (4); lB. Michael Byrne (3): 19. Heath Voss (2): 20. TIm Ferry (I). (SUI): Amaradio (Yam); 13. Steve Andrich (Hon ; J4. Steve Lamson (Hus); 15. Jimmy Wilson (Yam: 16. Robb Floth (Hon): 17. Jeff Pestano (Hon): 18. Dovid Demangos (Hon); 19. Jason Thomes (Hus); 20. Robbie Horton (Yam). Time: 8 min., 31 :170 sec. 250 HEAT 2 (8 laps, 1-4 transfer): 1. Kevin Windham (Suz); 2. Jeremy McGrath (Yam); 3. Ricky Carmichael (Kaw); 4. Nathan Ramsey (Yam); 5. Nick Wey iYam): 6. Hellith Voss (Hon); 7. Michlliel Byrne Kaw ; 8. Damon Huffman (Yam); 9. Kyle Lewis Yllim : 10. Robbie Reynard (Yam); 11. Doug Dehllillin Hon); 12. Ted Campbell (Suz); 13. Damien Pious Hus); 14. Tim Beatty (Yam); 15. Jean-SebllStien oy (Hon); 16. Casey Johnson (Kaw); 17. Erik Anderson (Hon); 18_ Michael Kann (Yam): 19. Ty Kody (Suz): 20. Christopher Neitzel (Hon). Time: 8 min, 31:480 sec. 250 SEMI 1 (6 laps. 1-5 transfer): 1. Stephane Roncadlli (Kaw); 2. Tim Ferry (Yam); 3. Steve Lamson (Hus); 4. Mike Craig (Hon); 5. Craig Decker (Kaw); 6. Isaiah Johnson (Yam): 7. Don Upton (Suz): 9. Matt Shue (Suz): 10. Steve Andrich (Hon): 11. Jeff Pestllina (Hon); 12. Tony Amaradio (Yam); 13. Jimmy Wilson (Yam); 14. Robb Floth (Hon); 15. David Den:umgos (Hon); 16. Robbie Horton (Yam). Time: 6 min, 20:820 sec. 250 SEMI 2 (6 laps, )-5 transfer): I. Nick Wey Yam); 2. Heath Voss (Hon); 3. Casey Johnson Kaw); 4. Michael Byrne (Kaw); 5. Kyle Lewis lYoml: . Damon Huffmlm (YlIim); 7. Robbie Reynllrd Yam; 8. TIm Beotty (Yam): 9. Doug Deh.on (Hon): 10. Ted Campbell (Suz); 11. JClIin·Sebastien Roy (Hon): 12. Ty Kod.l'.(Suz): 13. Erik Anderson (Hon): 14. Mich.el Kann (Yam); 15. Christopher Neitzel (Hon); 16. Damien Plotts (Hus). Time: 6 min. 31 :050 sec. 250 LCQ (6 laps, 1·2 transfer): I. Domon Huffman uam); 2. Isaiah Johnson (Yam); 3. Jason Thomas Hus); 4. Damien Plotts Hus); 5. Doug Deh88n ( on); 6. Ted Cempbell 7. Robbie ~ ~ Upcoming Rounds: Round 2 - San Diego, California, January 13 Round 3 - Anaheim, California, January 20 (~uz); In the days leading up to the Anaheim opener, it became apparent that a new phenomenon may be hitting Supercross; team mascots. The first sign was at Jeremy McGrath's Wednesday press introduction at Inglewood's Great Western Forum for his Mazda Yamaha team, where an animated version of the champ - complete with No Fear gear, iarge Alpinestars boots, a huge goatee and an earring-adomed foam head. Little Jeremy, as he is often called, will accompany the team to the ftrst seven rounds of the series, as well as the Salt Lake City and Las Vegas rounds. "The idea was completely Jeremy's," said Mazda Yamaha team manager Larry Brooks. "It was built in West Hollywood by a guy that builds Disney characters. We just built it up just to mostly deal with the crowd. The lines are getting so long with Jeremy signing that he (the mascot] can go up and down it and give away whatever we want to give away. He keeps the crowd occupied more than anything, and promotes McGrath and No Fear and Mazda and Yamaha; all of our team sponsors." At the following day's Anaheim press day, Team Honda unveiled its new mascot, Universal Studios character Woody Woodpecker. Woody seemed more of a ham than a bird (even more so live than on television), mugging for the cameras and even doing the splits in front of the team truck. Perhaps Woody overdid the athletics, as he failed to show up on race day. "It seems like it's going to work out well," said Honda P.R. manager Greg Wright. "It's good for the kids, and it also gives the riders a bit of a break from keeping the fans happy." Apart from being a hit with the kids at Anaheim. it's a good bet that the mascots were popular with the riders, as they deflected some of the P.R. duties and allowed them to concentrate more on racing. Just don't make them feel ignored, Woody. Edison International Field of Anaheim Anaheim, California Results: January &, 2001 250 HEAT 1 (Blaps, 1-4 transfer): 1. Ezra Lusk (Hon); 2. Travis Pastrllnll (So2); 3. David Vuillemin (Yllm); 4. Mike laRocco (Hon); 5. Stephane Roncada eye I • n __ S • JANUARV17,2001 9