Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

low ing. Pa st r ana w as i n 11 th and Ward, K elly Sm ith and Matt Walker were all on th e ground after a first turn crash . Brown moved forwa rd quickly and doub led by Ramse y for the lead at the begin ni ng of the second lap. Pas trana moved forward as well and was up to seventh . A miserable Langston . w ho started in second . was slowl y losing positions, but was still moving well . He d ropped to seventh by the fifth lap. O n the sixt h of 18 laps, Brown had a comfortabl e IS -second lead over Ram sey . Johnson , Fonseca and Pas trana followed. A lap later , Pastrana was i n fifth behind Fonse ca when Fonse c a crashed over a m id - s iz ed double . Pastrana li terally jumped o ver Fonse ca , later saying , " I fo ll o w ed h im up t he ramp and he swapped and w ent down . I m issed his b ack tire by about two in ches and just made it over with lu c k , I guess." F on se c a lost two positio ns f r o m th e fall , and Pastrana was gun ning next for J o hn so n and Ramsey. He got b y Johnson on t he ninth circu it, then Ramse y a lap later for sec ond . Ram sey then fell and l o st a p osit ion to Johnson . Langston w as now in n inth and tryin g to not let any bo dy else b y. W ith s ev er al la p s r emaining , Brow n h ad an a mazing 3 0 - se c o n d le a d o ve r Pas tran a . B r ow n sta y ed focused and w as on th e gas. and Pastrana seemed to back it off a b it. At the fi nish, Bro w n was so me 4 0 -p lu s sec onds ahead of Pastra na . J ohnson , Ram se y , C u r r i e , Fonseca and We y ro un de d out th e top sev en . " I got a good start and go t up there early, " B rown said . "I knew wh at I had to do , and I j ust co ncentra te d on th at. " Pastrana said , "Mike w as ab solut e ly fl y ing o ut there . He w as w a y gon e by t he time I g ot into second ." MOToe Sella rds grabbed a strong holeshot with Ramsey , Fonseca , J ohnson and La ngsto n fo ll owi ng . B rown and Pas t rana hit coming out of th e gate, and Brow n went down in a heap just feet o u t of t h e gate . Pastrana en d ed t h e first lap in 14th. Brown picked up his bike from th e sta rt straig ht a n d put on a cha rge . The problem wa s that he w ent down aga in before compl eting on e fu ll lap. At the end of th e second lap he was in 34th position. With Sellards leading, the ra ce was awesome behind him. Ramsey , Johnson , Langston , H u f f m an , Fonseca and Pastran a all motored in un ison around the t rack , swapping positions several times. Johnson was riding well, but was not as strong as in the first moto . Langston passed him for third on th e seventh lap and then got by Ramsey for second a la p lat er. Pastrana also got by 'J o h n so n and then followed Huffman for a la p before passing him. Pastrana then s li d out i n a c o rn e r , and Huffman got ba ck b y . B rown wa s up to 16 th at the halfway point and had his wo rk cut out to salvage an overa ll fin is h. Pastrana got back by Huffman for th ird , t h en had a wo unded La ngston in h is sights fo r second . It took a wh ile , bu t he got by Langston fo r second in the mechan ics' area on th e 14t h of 17 laps. The fin al few laps wer e exc iting . Pastrana was a distant second behind S ellards a n d was slowly ga in ing ground. Sellards lo oked to have a w in w rap p ed up, but Pastrana k ept closing. B y t he t ime th e wh ite flag wav i n g , Pa st ran a was all over S el lar d s, w ho w an t e d to be th e se cond KTM m ot o w inner of th e year. Go in g into the tigh t tree -turn co rner . S e ll a r d s deci ded t o t r y so methi ng d iffe rent. Wi th Past ran a right o n hi s fender, Se l lard s locked up the b rakes in an effort t o c atch the defen din g ch a m p off guard . It almost worked , t o o . Pa s trana los t h is bal an ce and had to fight to sa v e it from goi ng d o wn . He did save it, t ho ug h, and g ot bac k o n th e gas , fin ally m otoring b y Sellards in a fas t se ction of the t ra ck with half a lap remaining . Sellards ga v e it o ne mo re sh o t before t h e en d , but Pas trana c r os sed with a f ist in th e a ir reflecting his dominance . Sellards c ro ssed closely in second , w ith Huffman , Langston , Ramsey , Ward , and Johnson taking the top seven sp o ts . Fonseca was eighth , and (Above) Thumper b rigade: Nathan Ra msey (2 8) gave the Yamaha VZ250F yet another holeshot In the fi rst race, w ith fellow four-stroke riders Keith Joh n son (7 3 ) Damon Huffman (20) and Greg Schnell (3 0) In close formation . Th e b ike h as yet to win a moto. (RIg ht ) Brock Sellards nearly gave KTM a moto w in at So uthwi c k, but was thwarted on the final lap by the n eve r -say -di e Pastrana. a hard-charg ing Brown crossed in a respectable ninth. " I' m real excited rig ht now," Pas trana sa id. " K eith Johnson and Grant and every bo dy else was on it. I charged the whole time , and it w orked out rea l good." CN MX338 Southwic k. Musachusetts Resu lts : J ne 10, 2001 125 MOTO 1 (30 minutes plus two laps ): 1. Mi k e Bro wn (KlI w); 2. Tr avis Pastrana (Suz ); 3 . Ke ith S. Johnson (YlJm); 4. Nathan Ramsey (Yam); 5. Paul Cu rri e ( Hen ); 6 . Ern esto Fon seca (Yam); 7. Nick Wey (Yam ); 8. Wally Silva (Hen ); 9 . Grant Langston ( KTM); 10. Brock Sell ards ( KTM ); 11. Larry Ward (Yam ) : 12. Iva n Tedesco (Han) ; 13. Dann y Smith (Su,) ; 14. Kelly Smi th (KTM ); 15. Damon Huffma n (Yam ); 16 . Marc DeReuver (Yam); 17. Greg Schn ell ( Yam ) ; 18 . Rodrig Th ai n (Suz); 19 . Ma tt Walk er (Hon ); 20 . Micha el Brandes (Yam); 2 1. David Pingree ( KTM ): 22 . J acob Marti n (Yam ) ; 23 . Paul ve rec ke ( K ew} : 2 4 . Ben Rid dl e (S uz ) ; 25 . T y son Had sell ( Yam ); 26 . Rand y Valad e (Han) ; 27 . Eri ck Vall ej o ( Sua): 28 . Chase Reed (S uz} : 29 . Bo bby Bo nds ( Kaw) ; 3 0 . Jason Fin k ( Yam ): 31. Micha el Youn g ( Yam ) ; 3 2 . J oe Oe hl hof ( Yam); 33 . T err y Fink le (Yam); 34 . Steve Bo niface (Hon) ; 3 5. Scott Sheek ( Ho n ) ; 36 . Steve La m so n ( Hus) ; 37 . B rand en .Jessernen (Hon) ; 38. Ton y Lorusso (Suz); 39 . Keith J ohn son (Yam ); 40 . Marco Dorsc h (Han). 125 MOTO 2 (30 minutes plu s two lap s) : 1. T ravis Pastr ana (Suz); 2. Brock Sell ards (KTM) ; 3 . Damo n Huffm an (Yam) ; 4 . Grant Langston (K TM); 5. Nathan Ramsey (Yam) ; 6 . Larry Wa rd (Y am ) ; 7 . Keith S. Jo hnson (Yam ); 8 . Emesto Fon seca (Yem) ; 9. Mi k e Br own (Ka w ) ; 10. Nick Wey ( Yem); 11. Bran den .Jesse men (Hon); 12. Tony Lo russo (Suz): 13. Kell y Smith (KTM) ; 14. Keith John son (Yam) ; 15. Wally Silv a (Han ); 16. Scott She ek (Hon) ; 17. Paul C urrie ( Han) ; 18 . Da nn y Smith (Suz); 19. Matt Wa lke r ( Hon ); 20. Ivan Tedesco (Han) ; 2 1. T y son Hadsell ( Yam ); 22. David Pingree (KTM) ; 23 . Ben Ridd le (Suz); 2 4. J oe Oeblhcf ( Yern); 25 . Ran d y valed e ( Han) ; 26 . J acob Marti n (Ya m): 27. Gr~ g Schnell ( Yam); 28. Bobby Bond. (Kaw) ; 29 . Mic hael Young ( Yam ); 30 . Marc DeReuver (Yam ); 3 1. Rodr ig T hai n ( SU2) ; 3 2 . Marco Dorsch ( Han) ; 3 3 . Peul vereeka (Kaw): 34 . Erick Vallejo (Suz); 35 . J ason Fi nk ( Yam); 3 6 . T err y Fink le ( Yam ): 37 . St ev e Bon ifa ce (Han) ; 38 . Chase R~ (Suz) ; 39 . Michae l Brandes (Yam) ; 40. Steve Lamso n (Hus). 125 O/ A: 1. Travis Pastr ana (Suz); 2. Michael Brown (Kaw) ; 3. Nathan Ramsey (Yam) ; 4 . Keith S. J ohnson (Yam) ; 5. Brock Sellards (KTM ); 6. Gra nt La n gston ( KTM ) ; 7 . Erne st o Fonseca (Ya m ) ; 8. Damon Huffm an ( Yam) ; 9 . La rry Werd ( Yam) : 10. Nick Wey (Yam) : 11. Paul Currie (Hon ) ; 12 . Wally Silva (Hon) ; 13. Kelly Smith (KTM ); 14. Dann y Smith (S uz ) ; 15 . Bra n den Je s seman ( Ho n) ; 16 . I v an Tedes co (Hon) ; 17. Tony Lo russo (S uz) ; 18 . Kei th Jo hns on (Yam ); 19 . Scott Sheek (Han ); 2 0 . Mer c DeReu ver (Yam ); 21. Matt Welk er ( Han ); 22 . Greg Schnell (Yam) ; 23. Rodrig Thain (Suz); 24. Michael Brandes (Yam). AM A CHEVY TRUCKS 125 cc U.S. MOTOCR O SS C'S HIP SERI ES POINTS STAN DINGS (Afle r 4 of 12 round s ) : 1. T ravis Pastrana ( 16 9 /2 w in s) ; 2 . Grant Langston ( 16 1/2 win s); 3. Mik e Brown (1 17): 4 . Brock Sellard s (95) ; 5. Emesto Fon seca (9 1); 6. La rry Ward (90 ) ; 7. (TI E) Rodr ig Tha in ! Nathan Ram sey / Dam on Hu ffm an ( 8 1); 10 . (T IE) Dan ny Smith! Keith S. Jo hnson (79 ); 12. (TIE) Kelly Smi th! Nick Wey ( 77 ); 14 . Scott Sheak (65 ) ; 15. Bobb y Bon ds (43) ; 16. Branden J essem an (34 ); 17. (TIE) Greg Schne ll / D e vl d Pin g r ee (33) : 19 . J u st i n Bucke lew (29 ); 20 . Steve Boniface (26 ). Upcoming Rounds: Round 5 - Budds Creek, Maryland, June 17 Round 6 - Buchanan, Michigan, July 1 Team KTM Red Bull' s Grant Langston, the 125cc points leader coming into Southwick. was inj ured in practice on Saturday when he went down and landed on his left shoulder. "My rear wheel went over a berm and then caught a hole and j ust threw me right on to my shoulder," Langston said. "I tore an A.C. ligam ent, and the arm kind of separated from the shoulder." Langston could not even lift his arm on Sunday morning and was nowhere to be seen in practice, either. Several m inutes before the 125cc first moto , Langston's uncle and mechanic Gerald Langston was seen work ing on the bike. The 125cc World champ was going to ride the parade lap to see if he could handle the pain or not. When the gate dropped for the start of the race. Langston came out of the first tum in second place, and those who knew what he was going through were in shock . Langston slowly faded back through out the moto to ninth , which was truly remarkable, and later said, "It hurt so bad in the first moto. They just gave me a pain shot, and I went for it. The doctors told me not to ride, but I had no choice. I didn 't want to lose that much ground to Travis ." An hour passed, and when the gate dropped for the second 125cc moto , Langston was back - this time in fourth. He held fourth for several laps and then actually moved forward. He passed into third on t he seventh lap and two laps later was in second. Only Pastrana and Huffman got back by Langston before the checkers flew, and he crossed the line with an amazing fourth- place ride and said, "I wasn't going to ride after that first rnoto, but we iced the shoulder and went for it. I have to thank the doctors that helped out tod ay. Steve (Augusti ne) and John [Bodner) did everythi ng that they could. My shoulder was heavily strapped, and I gave it everythi ng that I could. Those last five laps, I coul d barely hold on. I'm happy with fourth in th at second mo to. Now I've got six day s to heal for Budds Creek." cue ' e n e _ S • J UNE 20,2001 23

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