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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128090
AMAlEA Sports Supercross Series
Round 4: Bank One Ballpark
(Left) Heath Voss (26) was
impressive in both his heat
race and the main, where he
held down fourth place for a
long time.
(Right) Mike LaRocco rode
well, finishing on the podium
for the second time this year.
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Carmichael was a lonely man in the first 250cc heat race, where the top four riders transferred to the main. He blew out of the gate and jumped into the early lead but was challenged by Husqvama's Steve Lamson for a couple of turns before breaking free of the
pack and cruising on to an easy win.
Lamson held second for a few laps then dropped back. Tortelli got him on the third lap
and then LaRocco got him shortly thereafter. Lamson managed to hang with laRocco for
a while but could do nothing about a pair of fast-approaching Yamaha four-strokes, ridden
by Yamaha of Troy's Nathan Ramsey and Team Yamaha's Tim Ferry.
The tightly knit group of riders battled closely, then Ramsey got by Lamson, and Ferry
was making his move on the Husky rider when he over-cooked it in the whoops and
augured in. Ferry was shaken up in the fall and done for the night_
Tortelli ended up finishing all alone in second, as did laRocco in third. Sneaking into
the final transfer spot in fourth, just ahead of Lamson, was Ramsey. Sixth went to Planet
Honda's Mike Craig, followed by KTM Red Bull's Kelly Smith, Fast by Ferracci Husqvarna's Jason Thomas and TheEdgeSports.com Kawasaki's Michael Byrne.
Voss was on the gas in the second heat race. The Honda rider jumped out to an early
lead ahead of McGrath, Lusk, Chevy Trucks Kawasaki's Stephane Roncada and Thousand
Oaks Yamaha/pete's RV/Reynard Modification Racing's Robbie Reynard.
Voss gave McGrath a run for his money, leading the seven-time champ around the
Phoenix track for nearly three laps before McGrath cut underneath the Honda rider and
took the lead.
"That was the first time ever I got a holeshot in a heat race, so I was excited about
that," Voss said. "The track was kind of easy, wasn't so technical, so I was able to stay
ahead of McGrath for a lap and a half."
Lusk soon got around Voss as well, setting the stage for another classic McGrath-Lusk
duel.
The two riders pulled away from the rest of the pack, as they matched each other's
moves. Lusk was staying right with the leader, and at one point, the two riders touched.
McGrath explained: "At the second triple - I did three and he did three - he was on my
inside and I made the arc [setting up for the ne"t turn] a little bit, and he jumped straight
and was underneath me. I had to throw my butt out to keep him away from me. But we
still kind of hit: it was just accidental."
Their duel came to an end shortly after that when Lusk swapped at high speed through
a rhythm section and was flung hard onto the face of the ne>