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turn crash. "My back-end swung over, and I landed sideways on the next jump, but somehow I was able to save it." Tennessee's Mike Brown had yet another inspiring ride. The Pro Circuit/Kawasaki/SplitFire rider, who has yet to finish outside of the top four, rounded out the podium in Minneapolis after starting in ninth. Brown worked hard for his trophy, and his consistent finishes now have him in second in the points standings with only two rounds remaining. "My start wasn't that good, and I did have to work hard for that one," Brown later commented. "I was a little nervous running back there, but my hard work and training I've been doing is paying off.' Fourth was Brown's teammate Tallon Vohland. Coming off a strong third-place finish at Daytona, Vohland is back up to where he wants to be, although a win would be nice too. The Northern-Californian slipped into fifth in the points chase with his strong finishes of late. Ramsey was fifth. Although fifth is not where he wants or needs to be, Ramsey is lucky to have finished where he did. After being sucked into the first-turn crash, Ramsey remounted nearly dead-last and put on a charge to salvage what he could. The LaKe Elsinore, California, resident dug deep, and his strong fifth-place result showed how bad he wants to get back his number-one plate from 1999. Ramsey was obviously disappointed with what happened, but he was still upbeat and positive about the future. "Someone's bike just shot out, and I landed right on it," he explained. "There were bikes everywhere, but I think that happened after the fact. One good thing though - it didn't hurt me. "I'm just going to keep working hard on this week off and come back at St. Louis and hopefully win,' Ramsey continued. "As we all know, anything can still happen.' MotoworidRacing .com/ Answer Yamaha's Isaiah Johnson finished sixth. After being out of action for two weeks with a knee injury sustained at Atlanta, Johnson found his speed and started and rode in fifth for nearly the entire race. Only the hard-charging Ramsey got by Johnson, and after the event, Johnson was wearing a big smile. Western Regional contender Travis Preston made the long trip worthwhile as he finished seventh aboard his Fast by Ferracci Husqvarna. Planet Honda's Paul Currie was eighth, with Pro Circuit/Ka wa sa k i/SplitFire' s Bobby Bonds finishing ninth. MotoworldRacing .coml Answer Yamaha's Greg Schnell rounded out the top 10, while KTM Red Bull's Kelly Smith, AM Leonard's Joe Oehlhof, Planet Honda's Matt Walker, Plano Honda/MSR's Travis Elliott and Team Suzuki's Ben Riddle finished 11th through 15th, respectively. MAIN Pastrana and KTM-mounted Kelly Smith drag-raced down the start straight, but it was Smith who was credited with the $500 SFX holeshot award. Moments later, a major pileup occurred. Nearly 10 riders were involved in the crash, and Ramsey was one of them. Also going down was Husqvarna's Chris Gosselaar, Suzuki's Danny Carlson, Bonds and F&S' Charles Dunaway. "I just landed on a bike that was down, and that's all she wrote," Ramsey said of the crash. "I got her going and just tried to rally back.' Pastrana motored by Smith halfway through the first lap and took over the point. Vohland, Weyand Brown all avoided the first-turn carnage and got by Smith early also. Pastrana poured it on early, and on the third lap had an eight-second lead over Wey, who had gotten by Vohland for second. Brown, who started in ninth, was up to fourth on the third lap and had his teammate Vohland in his sights. A lap later, Brown made the pass on Vohland for third. After e~ding the frrst lap in 20th, Ramsey was the man on a mission, as he wanted to lose as few points as possible to Pastrana. It took him several laps to get going, but once he got into his groove, he just picked off riders one by one. By the seventh lap, Ramsey was up to 12th and still motoring his YZ250F four-stroke thumper. Pastrana was all business out front as he kept gaining ground on Wey. Brown, Vohland and Isaiah Johnson all rode in unison for several more laps, but Ramsey was closing in. On the 10th lap, Ramsey was up to ninth and still going. He passed Kelly Smith and Preston on the 11th lap, Currie on the 12th, and made his final pass on Isaiah Johnson on the 14th lap of the 15-lap final. He never gave up. Pastrana took his seventh career 125cc Supercross win and regained the points lead that he lost at Atlanta, and with two races to go, he is in a great position to take his first Supercross title in only his second year on the circuit. Still, the teenager is having a blast and is always smiling. "I was having fun out there, and the track was good," Pastrana commented from the podium. "Some of those guys got involved in that crash, and I didn't have much of a race. It's too bad Nate went down because I would h'!ve liked to battle with him. He came back to fifth though - that's phenomena!!" eN Schnell (Vern): 4. Christopher Gosselallr (Hus); 5. Tollon Vohlond (Kow); 6. lsoioh Johnson (Yom); 7. Ben Riddle (Su,); 8. Chorles Dunowoy (Su,)· 9. Travis Elliott (Hon); 10. Taylor Watts (Vern); 11. Enc KOWlllik (Hon); 12. Mark Wundrllck (Yam); 13. Dex Kostrin(Yom); 14. Michoel Compbell (Yom); 15. John Kldd Jr. (Su,); 16. Mike Lodner (Hon)' 17 Michoel Luomo (Hon); 18. Clinton Miller (Yom)'; 19: Jesse Peterson (Hon); 20. Ryen Clark (V8m); 21. Dele Neubuer (Yam). (Above) Nick Wey (23) picked up the slack for crashed teammate Nate Ramsey, grabbing second - his bestever result. (Bottom) Easily one of the year's biggest surprises Is veteran Mike Brown, who continues to Impress on the stadium tracks. He was third at Minnesota, and h_ never finished worse than fourth. Just wait for the NatIonals••• Tune: 05:05.880 125 Heat 2 (6 laps, 1·9 transfer): 1. Nathan Romsey (Yom): 2. Nick Wey (Yom); 3. Kelly Smith (KTM); 4. Trovis Preston (Hus); 5. Poul Currie (Hon); 6. Mott Wolker (Hon); 7. Bobby Bonds (Kow)' 8 Bryon MeGovron (Hus); 9. Joe Oehlhor (Yom)' '10' Cory Keeney (Yom); 11. Dove Oettel (Vom): 12' Keith Johnson (Yom); 13. Thomos Kelly (Suz)~ 14: Brandon Hoff (Kaw); 15. Vincent Kamow (Yam); 16. Ryon Pederson (Hon); 17. Jerud Mikkelson (Yom)' 18. Danny Edmondson (Han); 19. Reese Laur1tze~ (Yam); 20. Tommy Hofmaster (Yam); 21. Danny Corlson (Sul). TIme; 05;06.200 125 LCQ (4 laps. 1·4 transfer): I. Danny C.arlson (Suz): 2. Tommy Hofmaster (Yam); 3. Vincent Kamaw (Yam): 4. Dave Oettel (Yam); 5. Dax Kostrin (Yom); 6. Michoel Compbell (Yom): 7. Mort< Wundrack (Yam): 8. Keith Johnson '(Yam); 9. Eric Kowelik (Hon); 10. Taylor Watts (Yem): 11. Brendan Hoff (Kew); 12. Micheel Luoma (Hon); 13. Jesse Peterson (Hon): 14. John Kidd Jr. (Suz): 15. Clinton Miller (Yam): 16. Thomas Kelly (Suz): 17. Jerud Mikkelson (Yam): 18. Mike llldner (Hon); 19. Ryan Pederson (Han): 20. Reese llluritzen (Vern); 21. Cory Keeney (Yem); 22. Denny Edmondson (Han); 23. Ryan Clark (Yam): 24. Dale Neu~uer (Yem). TIme; 03;30.610 . 125 Main (15 laps): 1. Travis Pastrana (Suz); 2. Nick Wey (Kaw): 3. Mike Brown (Kaw); 4. Tallon Vohland (Kaw): 5. Nathan Ramsey (Yam): 6. Iseieh Joh~son (Yam): 7. Travis Preston (Hus); 8. Payl CUrrie (Hon); 9. Bobby Bonds (KlIw); 10. Greg Schnell (Yom); 11. Kelly Smith (KTM); 12. Joe Oehlhor (Yom); 13. Mott Wolker (Hon); 14. Trovis Elliott (Hon); 15. Ben Riddle (SUI); 16. Chorles Dunowoy (Suz); 17. Dove Oettel (Yom); 18. Vincent Komow (Yom); 19. Donny Corlson (Sul); 20. Tommy Hofmester (Yam): 21. Christopher Gosselaar (Hus); 22. Bryan McGavran (Hys). TIme: 13;24.310 Winners Average Lap: 0:53.620 Margin or V"lctory; 0;07.890 AMAlEA SPORTS 125cc EASTERN REGIONAL SUPERCROSS SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (~Jter 5 of 7 rounds): 1. Travis Pestrene (107/4 wins); 2.. MJke Brown (102); 3. Nothon Romsey (99! 1); 4. Nick Wey (96); 5. Tollon Vohlond (68); 6. Brock Sellords (66); 7. Trovis Elliott (56); 8. Matt Wolker (50); 9. Kelly Smith (48); 10. Ben Riddle (43); 11. Poul Currie (38); 12. Bobby Bonds (37); 13. Joe Oehlhof (33); 14. Christopher Gosselaer (31): 15. lselah Johnson (24): 16. Charles Dunewey (22); 17. Tommy Hormoster (15); 18. Chose Reed (11); 19. Billy Poyne (10); 20. (TIE) Domien Plotts! Mott Shue (8). Upcoming Rounds: Round 2 - 51. Louis, Missouri, March 31 Round 3 - Pontiac, Michigan, April 7 Hubert H. Humphrey MetrDdome Mlnnupelis, Min.nab 1lesD1ts: Much 17, ZOOI 125 Helt 1 (6 laps, 1-9 transfer): 1. Trllvis Pastrena (Suz); 2. Mike Brown (Kew); 3. Greg ayallll n __ • • MARCH 28, 2001 17