Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

CLeft! Suzuki's Rodrig Thain took third in the 125cc main. (RIght) MotoworidRacIng.com's Greg Schnell slipped Into second place late in the race. (Below! Travis Preston didn't even know that he had won when he took the checkered flag. "It's so frustrating, because I've been wanting this win ever since I knew I was going to be a Supercross rider," Langston said. "I really thought that I'd win Houston because we had.a six-week break and I've been training so hard and did whatever I could. I got a good start for a change and I rode well in the beginning, but when Ernesto [Fonseca] crashed, I think I relaxed too much and started riding like an idiot. I figured that I had such a big lead that I could just ride like that and still win. I just shouldn't have jumped that double. I had a big enough lead that I could have rolled it and won. It's real frustrating .• Plano Honda/MSR's Ivan Tedesco finished fifth after getting a great start and running up front for several laps. The New Mexico resident made several mistakes and slipped back a few positions, but he is now tied for fifth in the series, which is quite respectable in such a packed field. On the opposite side of the happyteam spectrum was the Yamaha of Troy squad. Teammates Ernesto Fonseca and Justin Buckelew started out the night quite well by winning both of their] 25cc heat races, but both had bad luck in the final. Fonseca started around fourth and worked up to second within several laps. On the fourth of 15 laps, though, the Costa Rica crashed hard at the end of the long rocker section. Fonseca took some time regrouping and, after five kicks, got the YZ250F four-stroke restarted. The problem was that the length of time that it all took put him well back, down to 18th place. Fonseca put his head down and charged and salvaged a respectable sixth. Buckelew, on the other hand, had a terrible start. The New Mexico native never really looked as sharp as he did in his earlier heat-race win, then he crashed on the fifth lap in nearly the same spot that Fonseca did a lap earlier. When the checkers flew, he was in ninth. It was the team's first defeat of the '01 125cc West Series, and the team had a long meeting in the semi late after the race. Despite their results, Fonseca and Buckelew are still 1-2 in the points standing, 123-103. Motoworld of EI Cajon's Keith Johnson took seventh in the final, while Pro Caliber/Pro Grip's Jason McCormick finished eighth. Amsoil/Dr. Martens' Steve Boniface, from France, rounded out the top ] 0 in his first race back since early in the series. The 125cc West riders will now take another four-week break before heading into the final two rounds in late April. was fifth with Fonseca charging back to sixth. After the event, Preston said, "I didn't know what position I was in because my mechanic doesn't write it down, because it doesn't really matter to me. I just ride and never look back. I'm pretty happy right now." eN Astrvdollle MAIN Langston rocketed off the line and grabbed the $500 SFX Holeshot Award. Tedesco, Thain and Fonseca jumped in behind him. Buckelew, Schnell and Pingree were all toward the back of the pack. Langston pulled ahead of the field during the first two laps. Fonseca got by Thain for second, and Preston was up to fifth. Several corners later, Tedesco went down while running second and lost a few positions. The fourth lap is when things began happening. Langston had a four-second lead on Fonseca, but this year's four-time 125cc winner, Fonseca, went down at the end of the long rocker section. Fonseca got up quickly, but fiddled with his bike before getting it going. It took Fonseca five kicks to get the thumper restarted, but by the time he did, he was passed by nearly the whole field and was in 18th place. Langston now had a 10-second lead over Preston, who had moved by Thain for second with a clean block pass. Tedesco was still riding well toward the front, but Schnell was closing in after a horrendous start. A lap later, while holding eighth, Buckelew went down in the same exact spot that his teammate Fonseca did a few minutes earlier. Now both of the YoT speedsters were at the back of the pack. Up front, toward the end of the race, Langston was riding his best Supercross ever and had a nine-second lead over Preston. The Huskymounted Preston looked flawless and comfortable in second and was c1ear- Hauston, Tens Results: MIU'dI 24, 2001 Iy the fastest rider in the whoops and was slowly closing in. Langston started to look a little tired during the last few laps, but on the final lap he saluted the crowd over the a triple jump, just a few corners from the finish. The next jump was a tricky double into a corner, and he decided to jump it, but it happened to be a bad decision. The Frenchman clipped the second jump harder than he did all night and it threw him over the bars and onto the ground. He slowly got to his feet and tried to regain his composure but he was a bit dizzy from the hard hit to his head. "It was just a stupid, stupid crash," Langston said. "I just shouldn't have jumped that double. I didn't even line up for it and I still went for it. I should have just rolled it. I clipped the top and went over the handlebars and hit the ground pretty hard. I was dazed and had such blurred vision that I couldn't even see.· Preston went around the outside of Langston as he was getting going again and took over the lead. He held on for several corners and took his first-ever Supercross win, unknowingly. He did not celebrate until he went into the mechanics' area and was told that he was the winner. Then he raised his fists in the air and gave out many hugs. Schnell had passed Thain a bit earlier for third, and then he also got by Langston on the final lap and took home second. Thain rode around Langston, too, and he took third. Langston rolled in for fourth. Tedesco cue •• J25 HEAT 1 (6 laps, )·9 transfer): I. Justin Buckelew (Yom); 2. Grant l.ongston (KTM); 3. Erick VlIllejo (KlIw); 4. Ivan Tedesco (Hon); 5. Johnny M.arley (Hon); 6. Danny Cerlson (Suz); 7. Keith Johnson (YlIm); 8. Daniel Blair (Hon): 9. Robbie Skaggs (Sut); 10. Jeremy Chaussee (Hon); 11. Tiger Locey (Suz); 12. Sean Hamblin (Hon); 13. Taylor Wetts (Vem); 14. Gerrit Ordelman (Yam); 15. Brandon Morgan (Yam); 16. Matt Shue (Suz); 17. Jason Fink (KTM); 16. And",u Labrador (Yom); 19. Tommy Hofmllster (YlIm); 20. Srylln Piccirelli (Hon). TIme: 06: I 0.400 125 HEAT 2 (6 laps, 1-9 transfer): I. Emesto Fonseca (YlIm); 2. Rodrig Thllin (Suz); 3. Greg Schnell (YlIm); 4. Travis Preston (Hus): 5. JlIson McCormick (Suz); 6. Steve Boniface (Hon)i 7. Jlri Dostal (Han); 8. DlIvid Pingree (KTM); 9. Steven Eugenio (YlIm)i 10. Mlchllel Young (Hon); 11. Gio Tedesco (Hon); t2. Dax Kastrln (YlIm); 13. Eric Kowalik (Hon); t4. Ronnie Ramlscal (Hon); 15. Josh Whitmire (Yam); 16. Ryan WlIlIlIce (Hon): 17. Tommy Harrison (Yom); 16. Nick Walsh (Kaw); 19. Dennis Owens (KlIw); 20. levi Reid (YlIm). TIme; 06:04. 010 125 LCQ (4 laps, 1-4 transfer): 1. Sean Hamblin (Hon); 2. Je",my Chaussee (Hon); 3. TIger LlIcey (Suz); 4. Matt Shue (Suz); 5. Jason Fink (KTM); 6. Michael Young (Hon); 7. Ryan WlIllace (Hon); 8. Brllndon Morgan (Yam); 9. Gio Tedesco (Hon); to. Tommy Harrison (Yam); 11. Gerrit Ordelman (Yam); 12. Tommy HofmllSter (YlIm); 13. Josh Whitmire (Yam); 14. Ronnie Ramisclli (Hon); IS. Dox Kaslrin (Yom); 16. And",u Labrador (Yom); 17. Taylor Watts (Yom); 16. Eric Kowalik (Hon); 19. Levi Reid (Yem); 20. Nick Walsh (Kaw); 21. Dennis Owens (Kaw); 22. Bryan Piccirelli (Hon). TIme; 04:19.160 125 foV\lN (15 laps); 1. Travis Preston (Hus); 2. Greg Schnell (Yom); 3. Rodrig Thain (Suz); 4. Grant Langston (KTM); 5. Ivan Tedesco (Hon); 6. Emesto Fonsec:8 (Y8m); 7. Keith Johnson (Yem); 8. Jason McConnick (Suz); 9. Justin Buckelew (Vern); 10. Steve Bonifllce (Hon); 11. Erick VeLlejo (Kew); 12. David Plngnee (KTM); 13. Johnny Morley (Hon): 14. Daniel Blair (Hon); 15. Jeremy Chaussee (Hon); 16. Denny Cerlson (Suz); 17. Matt Shue (Suz); 18. Steven Eugenio (Vem): 19. Jlri Oestel (Hon); 20'. Sean Hamblin (Hon); 21. Robbie Skaggs (Suz); 22. TIger Lacey (Suz). TIme: 15:36.620 Winners Average Lap: 1:02.574 Margin of Victory: 0:04.260 AMAlEA SPORTS 125 WESTERN REGIONAL SUPERCROSS SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 6 of 8 rounds): 1. Emesto Fonsec8 (123/4 wins): 2. Justin Buckelew (103/1 win); 3. Rodrig Thain (101); 4. Donny Smith (92); 5. (TIE) Ivan Tedesco/Grant Lengston (88); 7. Devid Pingree (84); 8. (TIE) Jlri Dost81fTravis Preston (62/1 win); 10. Greg Schnell (52); 11. Keith Johnson (47); 12. Shae Bentley (46); 13. Joson McCormick (44); 14. Tyler Evans (39); IS. Ryan Clork (30); 16. Erick Vallejo (29); 17. Cosey Lytle (27); 16. Kevin Johnson (23); 19. Stephane Demartis (22); 20. TIger Lacey (16). Upcoming Rounds: Round 2 - Dallas, Texas, April 21 Round 3 - Salt Lake City, Utah, April 28 n e _ S • APRIL 4, 2001 11

• Cover