Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

AMAlEA Sports Supercross Series Round 3: Edison Internat'o 81 Field "From the sound of things, I missed a pretty good race up there," Windham said. "I was trying to watch as much of it as I could without losing ground to a hard-charging LaRocco." McGrath bobbled slightly at the three-quarter mark, and Carmichael moved up to his fender when McGrath was slowed by lapper Michael Byrne in the lap-16 whoops. Obviously, the Kawasaki rider was through taking notes, and he began getting ragged as he tried to take over the lead. With three laps to go, Carmichael exited the whoop section a bit hot, and slammed into McGrath in the final turn, eliciting an unappreciative look from the champ. Carmichael led McGrath over the finish-line double, then - finding himself in a vulnerable position in the following left-hander _. appeared to hesitate and allow the champ back to the front. "He was going down the right side of the whoops, and I was kind of going down the middle," McGrath said. "Then I was swinging high into the berm and coming out on the inside. He just collided on the inside because he was going inside to outside. It was unintentional, but I was lucky because I stayed strong - I didn't fall over or nothing. Then I think he felt like he made a bad move, so he gave me plenty of room. I would have been bummed if he didn't give me a little bit of room." "I kept going inside, inside, inside, and I thought he was going to go high, but he cut it back in," Carmichael said. "I figured he was going to give it back to me [in the following corner], so I went high." Nonetheless, Carmichael was plainly desirous of the lead position, riding on the edge as he looked for a way around over the next two laps. As the final lap neared its end, the two riders blitzed through the whoops, and Carmichael tried diving by in the final turn, but McGrath just barely led him up the following jump 8 .JANUARY 31, 2001 • cue •• (Above) You guessed it: Mike LaRocco climbed from a poor first lap to an eventual fourth at Anaheim II. He sits third in the series points standings. (Right) Kevin Windham had his best ride in a long time, finishing third in the main, though he was quite a ways behind McGrath and Carmichael. and across the finish line. With the crowd roaring its approval, McGrath and Carmichael stopped on a platform jump, shook hands and had a few friendly words. "That was a tight race, there," McGrath said.. "Ricky kept me honest. A few mistakes 1 made, I think he could have took advantage of them, but I've got to admire him this year for the way he's racing. Last year I think we'd have made a few more contacts in that race. That was good, fun racing, right there, and that's what it's all about." "I'm kind of kicking myself in the tail a little bit," Carmichael said. "I think there were some opportunities where I could have got him, and I could have done some dirty work. But I want to do it fair and square; I don't waot to do it dirty. There was plenty of times where I could have, but I'm not worried about that. I'm worried about 10 weeks down the road." "Every year we keep stepping it up," Windham said. "Hopefully I can just keep making little gains and get up on top of the box one day." eN Edison International Field Anaheim, California Results: January 20, 2001 HEAT 1 (8 laps, )·4 transfer): I. Jeremy McGrath (Yam); 2. Kevin Windham (Suz); 3. Travis Pastrana (Suz); 4. Steve Lamson (Hus); 5. Nathan Ramsey (Yam); 6. Mike LaRocco (Hon); 7. Michael Byrne (Kaw); B. Casey Johnson (Kaw); 9. Jason Thomas (Hus); 10. Matt Shue (SUI): 11. Michael Craig (Hon); 12. Ty Kady (SUI); 13. Dustin Nelson (Yam); 14. Anthony Amaradio (Yam); 15. Matt Karlsen (Yam); 16. Michael Kann (Yam); 17. Erik Anderson (Hon); 18. Michael Brown (Kaw); 19. Ted Campbell (SUI); 20. Takase Tanaka (Kaw). Time: 7 min" 27.640 sees. HEAT 2 (8 laps, 1-4 transfer): 1. Ricky Carmichael (Kaw); 2. Ezra Lusk (Hon); 3. Tim Ferry (Yam); 4. David Vuillemin (Yam); 5. Stephane Roncada (Kaw); 6. Nicholas Wey (Yam); 7. Robbie Reynard (Yam); 8. Damon Huffman (Yam); 9, Isaiah Johnson (Yam); 10. Kyle Lewis (Yam); 11. Sebastien Tortelli (Hon); 12. Jean-Sebastien Roy (Hon); 13. Damien Plotts (Hus); 14. Donald Upton (Suz); 15. n e __ SO Billy Binckley (Yam); 16. Robb Flote (Hon): 17. Carter Gurnee (Hon); 18. Heath Voss (Hon); 19. Christopher Neitzel (Hon); 20. Tim Beatty (Yam). Time: 7 min., 32.910 sees. SEMI 1 (6 laps, 1-5 transfer): 1, Michael Craig (Hon); 2. Mike LaRocco (Hon); 3. Michael Byrne (Kaw); 4, Nathan Ramsey (Yam); 5. Michael Brown (Kaw); 6. Jason Thomas (Hus): 7. Matt Shue (SUI); 8. Dustin Nelson (Yam); 9. Anthony Amaradio (Yam); 10. Ty Kady (SUI); 11. Matt Karlsen (Yam); 12. Erik Anderson (Hon); 13. Michael Kann (Yam); 14. Casey Johnson (Kaw); 15. Ted Campbell (SUI); 16. Takase Tanllka (Kaw). Time: 5 min.. 46.530 sees. SEMI 2 (6 laps, 1·5 transfer): 1. Stephane Roncada (Kaw); 2. Sebastien Tortelli (Hon); 3. Kyle Lewis (Yam); 4. Nicolas Wey (Yam); 5. JellnSebastien Roy (Hon); 6. Robbie Reynard (Yam); 7. Isaiah Johnson (Yam); 8. Donald Upton (Suz); 9. Damien Plotts (Hus); 10. Billy Binckley (Yam); 11. Robb Floth (Hon): 12. Christopher Neitzel (Hon); 13. Damon Huffman (Yam); 14. Carter Gurnee (Hon); 15. Heath Voss (Hon); 16. Tim Beatty (Yam). Time: 5 min., 41.860 sees. LCQ (6 laps, 1-2 transfer): 1. Robbie Reynard (Yam); 2. Isaiah Johnson (Yam); 3. Jason Thomas (Hus); 4. Damien Plotts (Hus); 5. Donald Upton (Suz); 6. Billy Binckley (Yam); 7, Anthony Amaradio (Yam); 8. Matt Shue (SUI); 9. Michael Kann (Yam); 10. Matt Karlsen (Yam); 11. Erik Anderson (Hon); 12. Carter Gumee (Hon); 13. Robb Floth (Hon); 14. Dustin Nelson (Yam); 15. Damon Huffman (Yam); 16. Casey Johnson (Kaw); 17. Ty Kady (SUI); 18. Christopher Neitzel (Hon); 19. Heath Voss (Hon); 20. Ted Campbell (SUI); 21. Tim Beatty (Yam): 22. Takase Tanaka (Kaw). Time: 5 min., 49.100 sees. Life as a factory rider has been good to Timmy Ferry thus far. The four-stroke rider made the top five this week. MAIN (20 laps): 1. 250: I. Jeremy McGrath (Yam); 2. Ricky Carmichael (Kaw); 3. Kevin Windham (Suz); 4. Mike LaRocco (Hon); 5. Timmy Ferry (Yam); 6. David Vuillemin (Yam); 7. Stephane Roncada (Kaw); 8. Nathan Ramsey (Yam); 9. Nicholas Wey (Yam); 10. Sebastien TortelU (Hon); 11. Michael Byme (Kaw); 12. Ezra Lusk (Hon); 13. Michael Brown (Kaw); 14. Steve Lamson (Hus); 15. Kyle Lewis (Yam); 16. Jean-Sebastien Roy (Hon); l7. Isaiah Johnson (Yam); 18. Michael Craig (Hon); 19. Robbie Reynard (Yam); 20. Travis Pastrana (SUI). Time: 18 min.• 50.830 sees. Winner's Average Lap: 56.541 sees. Margin of Victory: .009 see. AI'1A/EA SPORTS SUPERCROSS SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 3 or 16 rounds): 1. Jeremy McGrath (70/2 wins); 2. Ricky Carmichael (67/1 win); 3. Mike LaRocco (58): 4. (TIE) Ezra Lusk/Kevin Windham (49): 6. David Vuillemin (45); 7. Nathan Ramsey (37); 8. Nicholas Wey (35); 9. Stephane Roncada (34); 10. Timmy Ferry (30); 11. Michael Byrne (23); 12. Travis Pastrana (18); 13. Casey Johnson (17); 14. Michael Craig (16); 15. Michael Brown (15); 16. (TIE) Robbie Reynard/Steve Lamson/Damon Huffman (14); 19. (TIE) Isaiah Johnson/Kyle Lewis/Sebastien Tortelli (11). Upcoming Rounds: Round 4 - Phoenix, Arizona, January 27 Round 5 - Anaheim, California, February 3

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