Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

BRIEFLY••• After missing the first two rounds of the senes with a sore shoulder incurred in a practice crash at Anaheim I, Sebastien Tortelli showed up to try again at Anaheim 1/, ·It feels much better," said Tortelli after Fnday's practice session, though he waited until after the whoops were cut In on Saturday to make the final cal/ on whether or not to ride CTortelJi's shoulder hurts him most in the whoops.>. Since he hadn't ndden either of the first two rounds. the Frenchman had to go through pre-qualifying to make the night's program. Tortelli and his French osteopath Jean Savoca (who was on hand at Anaheim 1/) have decided that arthroscopic surgery is unnecessary, and Savoca says the shoulder should be 100 percent physically by next week's Phoenix round. Western Regional 1 25cc Supercross Series Round 3: Edison InternatIonal Field Number of the beast: Having twice crashed and landed on his ribcage in the past couple of weeks, David Vuillemin showed up at Anaheim II's Friday practice wearing a Fox chest protector. and having practiced only a half-hour during the week. "They hurt." the Team Yamaha rider said of his ribs. ·1 never got them X-rayed, so I don't know what's wrong. I just know that they hurt... Somebocly told me that if you can meve your arm like this [raising armJ, they're not broken, so I guess they're not. Even if it's broken, there's nothing to do for broken ribs." Vuillemin doffed the protector for Saturday. In the three main events thus far. Vuillemin has finished 6-6-6. He only finished sixth once last year, and it was his worst result. .Jeremy McGrath had a pretty hard crash in Saturday's practice when he tangled with Fast by Ferracci Husqvarna's Damien Plotts in a rhythm section, McGrath bailed off the back of the bike and avoided injury, Remember our" A;YZ250'" cover line of two weeks ago? We could have changed it to "A;VZ250x4" this week, as Yamaha's Jeremy McGrath and Yamaha of Troy's Emesto Fonseca were once again the winners at Anaheim II on their VZ250 and VZ250F, respectively. McGrath's victory extended his lead as the King of Anaheim, upping his career 250cc win count In that city to eight. four of which have come in the past two years. McGrath will have a chance at Anaheim III to win number nine in two weeks. Track-building crew Dirt Wurx prepared a course that was almost completely different from that of two weeks earlier. The track featured an over-under bridge for the first time this year, and was packed with step-up Jumps and rhythm sections (one of which inspired some creative approaches by several riders). Two whoop sections were utilized - one long one and the other much shorter. The circu.t also had split sections in a couple of turns in an attempt to create passing possibilities, but most riders faulted the track for being one-lined. In fact. despite the closeness of the Jeremy McGrath-RickY Carmichael main-event battle. the two overtook one another less than on the previous week's much-praised San Diego track. After sitting out round two with a sore knuckle. Steve Lamson iced down h.s hand and raced at Anaheim II The Fast by Ferracci Husqvarna rlder finished fourth in hiS heat race, then went on to take 14th In the main. He IS planning on contesting at least the next two races. Dot Bomb Kawasaki: Eagle-eyed results scanners will perhaps be surprlsed to note that neither TheEdgeSports,com rider Casey Johnson nor Motoworidracing.com/Answer Yamaha's Damon Huffman qualified for the main event. There was a fair amount of bad luck leading up to that fact. For example, Johnson had his chain derail while he was running in qualifying position near the end of the first semi, and Huffman had his titanium sprocket bolts shear while racing in semi two. In the LCQ, the two got together - literally - when Johnson went for a block pass on Huffman and their two bikes became entangled. Mota XXXlDGY/Atomic 22 rider Kyle Lewis took a scary-looking tumble in practice, hitting his head hard enough to damage his helmet. The tough veteran nonetheless suited up for the race, placing 15th in the main. One of the hottest topics in the pits lately is the dirt, and how it will affect the title chase. Jeremy McGrath is generally considered to be most at home on slick, hard-packed tracks, while RickY Carmichael is thought to be best when the soil is a bit softer. In fact. Carmichael's San Diego win came on a track that had been softened slightly by rain. As a result. some think the complexion of the series could change when the circuit hits the eastern rounds, where the dirt may be more to Carmichael's liking. And many have already penciled in Carmichael as the winner at outdoor-esque Daytona, where he picked up his first Supercross win last season. Still. McGrath has proven that he can win east of the Mississippi (and anywhere else, for that matter). and Carmichael hasn't fared too poorly in the west. "I feel good on the east coast, but I tell you. the west coast is treating me pretty darned good," Carmichael said. "I might not want to leave the west coast." On the warm-up lap for the main event. Robbie Reynard rolled a little too slowly over a peaked jump. lost his balance, and toppled over the side. The Oklahoman took it all in stride, bowing to the laughing spectators nearby before remounting and lining up for the start. Team Pro Circuit/Kawasaki/SplitFire's Casey Lytle injured his ankle in practice for the second Anaheim Supercross, Lytle cased a triple in Friday practice hard enough to bend his footpeg pin, then did the same thing in the first Saturday practice. A visit to a doctor for an MRI revealed torn tendons, and although Lytle was scheduled to see his specialist as we went to press Monday morning, chances are he will not rejoin the series until it return from the Eastern Region break. During the week after Jeremy McGrath's loss at San Diego, a quiet rumor popped up that the champ's pants had slipped down during the main, We reviewed photographer Steve Bruhn's shots from the weekend, and discovered that indeed, McGrath's pants were partially unzipped at some point in the main event. Whether or not the distraction was a factor in the race may never be known. Spotted at Anaheim II: Road race legend Mick Doohan. Kool Green CART racer Daria Franchitti. Team Rahal driver Max Pappis, SCCA Trans-Am Champion Tom Kendall. Casey Mears (nephew of four-time Indy 500 Champion Rick Mears), NASCAR racer Robbie Gordan and members from the band Kern, Though he stalled In his heat (lnsetl and had to qualitY via the LCQ. Emesto Fonseca pulled orr a win in the main, notching his second Anaheim victory in th.... weekends. By DAVE DERINGER PHOTOS BY STEVE BRUHN -r-- or Team Manager Erik Kehoe V and his Yamaha of Troy squad, the Speed Stick-presented 2001 EA Sports Supercross Series has been nothing short of spectacular. Team riders Ernesto Fonseca and Justin Buckelew have so far manhandled the 125cc class and, to make things even sweeter, Yamaha of Troy 250cc riders Nathan Ramsey and Nick Wey have also been doing well. Fonseca, on his controversial YZ250F four-stroke, cleaned house at the Anaheim I series opener, and Buckelew rode away with his first ever victory a week later at San Diego. And little changed for round three, as the Yamaha of Troy team again prevailed at Anaheim II. The 1999 Eastern Regional 125cc Supercross Champion, Fonseca, rode his Kenny Germain-tuned thumper to a booming victory Saturday night in front of a nearly packed house of 44,811 spectators. Fonseca, had a rough time making it to the fmal, but once he did, he put everything together and wrapped up his second win of the early season and the ninth of his career. The Costa Rican finished out the race nine seconds ahead of Buckelew and KTM Red Bull's newest import Grant Langston. G U G I • n Despite how it may have appeared, Fonseca's win did not come easily. Earlier in the day during practice, Fonseca took a spill that shook him up pretty good. Then, in his heat race later that night, Fonseca staUed his bike in the whoops and eventually finished 11 tho After breeZing through the LCQ, Fonseca started fourth in the main and climbed to the front of the pack by lap six. From there, he rode unchallenged to the checkered flag. (That part was easy.) "I'm so pumped right now, but it's been a real tough day for me," Fonseca said. "I crashed hard in practice and had to go to the last chance, and to win the main just feels so good. I tried to be smooth and ride my own race, and when I was behind Langston, I just said to myself to be calm and don't do anything stupid. Anaheim has been good to me." Buckelew had a near flawless night. The Albuquerque, New Mexico, native won his heat race handily, and then he finished second to his teammate in the main event. Buckelew took the holeshot in the 15-lap main but was passed by Langston on the _ _ so • JANUARY 31,2001 9

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