Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

AMAIChevy Trucks U. S. Motocross Championship Series Round 8: Washougal M~t=?ark be seen, but not many humans can withstand the abuse that the current Eastetn Regiotial SUpercrbss Champion has Uhdergone ovet the last few weeks - especially when much of that mistreatnient is to the head. Finishing second overall at Washougal was KTM Red Bull's Grant Langston. It is now hard to tell that the reigning 125cc Wbrld Champion has a hurt shoulder at all, as he rode to a strong 2-3 outing. The South African had two great starts and rode well all day, taking advantage of another Pastrana mistake. Lahgston now mOves ihto second behind Brown, only five points out. He has rebounded incredibly after getting hurt and missing ah entire rouhd, but he has his work cut out for himself to capture his first title here In America, because Brown wants it bad, and he is on a roll. "Mike is hard to beat, and he is charging hard," Langstort said. "navis had a good championship roll going, but I doh't know what's goin!;j on how. Mike is only five points ahead of me hOW, alid I'm going to try to get it back. I've got over two weeks to get ready for the next one." Team Suzuki's Rodrig Thain rounded out the podium in third. The Frenchman went 4-5 on the hilly and loamy course, and was a front-runner all day. After missing a few rounds do to an injury, Thain has come back to prove that he is definitely a factor in the 125cc wars. Eveh though he has sigried a lucrative contract with another team for next year, he is still looking for that elusive American win on his SuzukI. "My Suzuki was working good today, and I want to thahk my mechanic Tony [BeriUtti] and my ttainer Stefah," Thain said. "I finaily fihished the secohd mota, ahd I thlhk the next tace I'll do better, too." MaRihg a big returri to action at WashoUgal was Pro CitcUit/Kal,Vasaki/SplitFlre's Talloh Vohlahd. THe tider from NortHerri California put In ah ihspiting 3-8 sctlre for the day after being out of action for all of the series to date except for the opening mota at Glen Helen, in which he hit his head very hard. Vdhlarld's third in the mst mota proves that the veterah is stili not ready to pack It up arid cail it quits. Just severzll days before the eveht, Vohlahd crashed hard while practicing and gave hiniself another scare. He lobked like he had been ridlhg tHe entire tithe, thoUgh, especially in the mst mota. and he will be a factor In the final few rounds. "I worked hard today, arid It feels good," Vohland said. "I passed a lot of riders in both motos and felt good orl the bike. j !;jot stUck behind some guys In the second one and didn't go anywhete. It wzlsn't too bad of a retUrri ... 32 AUGuSt 8, 2(j01 • a II a W• Mota XXX/Atomic 22/DGY's Larry Ward was fifth overall. Ward had a rough first mota, finishing 12th, but he got a great start in mota two and rode to a second-place finish, looking like the Ward that we have seen over the past few weeks. He still holds fouttH in the points standings going into tHe final stretch. "I had oil in my face and on my goggles in that second mota, but it was just one of those things, and I rode through it," Ward said. "HopefulIy, I'll start another string of seconds with this one." KTM Red Buil's Brock Sellards was sixth overall with an 11-4 score, while Yamaha of Troy's Ernesto Fonseca finished seventh with a 9-6 ride. Plano Honda's Scott Sheak was eighth with a 6-10, and Amsoil/ br. Ma rterls/ J au rney siC am petl tion A.ccessorles-backed Steve BOhiface was ninth with 10-9 inoto finishes. White Brothers/Dt. b/YamahilsUppotted I:loug Dubach came oUt to do battle with the young lions and finIshed 10th ovetall. The 38-year-old veteran racer rode to a 7-12 score and was in the mix ail day aboard a Yamaha YZ250F four-stroke. MOTD 1 Fonseca grabbed the start out of the short and harrow first tllrn, with LaNgston, Pastrana and Brown followIng. Dubach, IHM Red Buil's Kelly Smith and Thilln were next. Pastrana and Planet Honda's Matt Walker went down In tum two and remounted in last. Brown moved into the lead before the end of the first lap and set the pace. Langston settled into second early, and Fonseca, Dubach, Sinith and Thain trailed. Fast by Ferraccl Husqvarna's Lamsbn, Vohland, Seilards and Brandes all diced behind for position next. Pastrana was 29th at the end of the first lap and had some ground to <;over. nu _ _ (Above, right) Thain (321 posted 4-5 moto finishes, which were good enough for a solid third overall at Washougal, while Langston followed Brown hOme In both motos, posting a 2-3 for second overall. Langston Is stili second In the series standings, while Thain Is mired In 13th. Langston was all over Brown In the openlng laps, and they both pulled away from rest of the pack. Pastrana was rolling and was Up to 19th by the third lap. Thain moved Into fourth on the fourth lap, and Vohland was on the gas also. Dubach began to slip back a little. Thain passed Fonseca for third on lap five, and then Vohland passed Fonseca for fourth a tap later. Brandes, who started in 10th, was up to sixth on the sixth lap, and Pastrana was up to 13th. Brown was now pulling some distance from Langston and was about five seconds ahead. Vohland was all over Thain, and they battled for third for some time before Vohland made the pass up in the hills. Brandes got by Fonseca for fifth, and Dubach and Sheak were closing in too. Sheak passed Fonseca a lap later at the end of the whoops, and Pastrana was up to 11 th with a few laps to go. Pastrana then passed Kelly Smith in the S-turns at the bottom of the track for 10th. Smith and Amsoll/Dr. Martens/ Jburneys/Competltion Accessories' Branden Jesseman collided in the final laps, and both went off the track. Jesseman got the worst of It, as he hit a tel.evision towet. He split his nose and rnaLith open and was said to have a slight concussion. Dubach and Pastrana both got by Fonseca in the closing laps, and Thain gave Vohland one more try; the two drag-raced down the whoops as the checkers were flying, with Vohland holding on for third behind Brown and Langston. Brandes had his best mota of the year, crossihg In fiItb', and SheaR, Dubach and Pastrana followed. Fonseca was ninth, and Ward crossed in 12th. "I had a good start and rode well," Brown said after the mota. "Langston was on my tail for a while, but I think I had some better lirtes." Langston said, "That track is slick, and Mike [Browrt] was goihg fast." MOT02 Fonseca took his second holeshot of the day, and was followed by Langston, Sellards, Thain, Brown and Ward. Vohland was in 14th at the end of the first lap. Sellards was leading the first lap as they came out of the hills. Ward, Fonseca and Pastrana followed. Thain was In fifth, and Brown and Langston were next. Ward passed Sellards for the lead on the second lap up in the hills, and Brown had moved up several positions behind Pasttana. A iilp later, Browh block-passed Pastrana in the mechanics' turn for third. After his strong first mota, Vohland was having a little harder time moving through the field. He was stuck in 12th for some time before slowly moving forward. A.fter passing Pastrana, Brown was on a charge for the lead, and next in his sights was Sellards. He passed Sellards up in the hills on the fourth lap, and was gunning for Ward. Pastrana then passed Sellards a bit later in the S-tums for third. Langston also moved by his teammate Sellards next, and Fonseca was closing in, too. Brown chased Ward for a short time before taking over the lead. Pastrana held third ahead of Langstoh, and Vohland was stili in 11th. Several laps tater, Pastrana was on

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