Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Motocross Championship Series Round 1 1 : Broome-Tioga Sports Center time out after a ftrst-Iap spin-out cost him several key spots. "I got a good start but then slid out and let some pretty good guys get past me," said Fonseca. "I tried to get around some people, but the pack pulled away and I had a hard time finding my pace. I really wanted to beat Larry [Ward] today, but it didn't work out that way. But I djd beat Brock [Sellards], and that helped me in the points." Finishing sixth overall was one of New York's all-time finest, Plano Honda rider Scott Sheak. The Empire State native ran 7-5 on the day for one of his most consistent afternoons of the series, which he returned to at the last moment after his mission to win the 125cc World Championship in Europe was aborted due to difficulties with his team. "This is what I've been trying to do all year," said Sheak at the end of the day. "I'm kind of bummed at not getting top five, but I'm still pretty stoked with how I rode. And it's always great to come back here and see my fans and aiL" Suzuki factory rider Rodrig "Hot Rod" Thain continued his comeback from the shoulder injury he suffered at Southwick with a steady 6-6 ride for seventh overall, while Yamaha of Troy's Nick Wey nailed down eighth with his 15-7 effort. Langston's KTM Red Bull teammates Brock Sellards and David Pingree rounded out the top 10 overall. Sellards rode to 13-11 scores while Pingree went away with an 8-16 moto tally. MOTO ONE With the first pick to the starting gate, Langston chose the far inside gate on Broome-Tioga's concrete starting pad. Brown chose the very next spot, meaning the points leaders would be going into the tight and busy first hairpin tum together. Langston got a better jump and dove into the righthander first, while Amsoil/Dr. Martens/Factory Connection Honda rider Branden Jesseman swept in from the middle of the gates. Thain and fellow Suzuki rider Akira Narita came out next, followed by Fonseca and Pingree. Left on the ground were Motoworldracing.com's Damon Huffman, E-Z Wider's Keith Johnson and Sellards. Brown was hovering in the top 10, but the Kawasaki rider went right to work picking off a half-dozen riders on the first lap to move right up behind Langston, including a block pass on Fonseca. At the end of the first lap, it was Langston and Brown, followed by Jesseman, Fonseca, Thain, Narita and Ramsey. Brown made his aggressive move on Langston for the lead move toward the end of the second lap. Once in front, Brown tried to check out on Langston, but the KTM rider was a stubborn second that the Kawasaki could not shake. Only Jesseman could keep the two in sight, 20 SEPTEMBER 5, 2001 • cue • • and for the first 10 of 16 laps, he hovered behind them in third. Then Jesseman tried a risky line that Brown and Langston were both using to scrub speed off the face of on a long tabletop, but he lost control of his bike. He banged his head upon landing and crashed hjmself 'out of the moto and the afternoon. Besides Brown and Langston, the only battle going on was between Fonseca and Thain for fourth. Thain pushed Fonseca for the entire moto, but Fonseca did a masterful job of holding his own line and pace. In the end, Thain seemed to grow frustrated and tired, getting passed by Ramsey with two laps to go. Ramsey nearly nipped Fonseca for the third and final podium spot, and the two crossed the finish line almost side by side, the nod went to Fonseca. "Let's just say I got third-and-ahalf," joked Ramsey. "I thought I had Ernie there at the end but he just had a better drive out of the last turn and held the spot. He wanted to leave it on and I was just trying to get in there, but it's all right. It just feels good to have a good first moto going into the second one rather than a really bad one like I've been having." "Holding off Rodrig was one of the things that kept me going," said Fonseca. "I think it would have been worse if I was by myself. It was close at the end, too, because I was going for it and so was Nathan. It was kind of a ballsy move to hold off Nathan, but that's racing." Brown seemed to have the win in the bag before a couple of late gaffes allowed Langston to close to the point of striking. And when Brown failed to jump the opening triple-down tabletop on the very last lap, Langston saw his chance. Langston made the leap and then pointed his bike toward the inside line on the short doubles that followed into a hairpin left. Brown went for the outside line and exposed himself to Langston, who had a grudge to bear from the second-lap block pass Brown made on him. Langston hit Brown's front wheel and Brown hit the ground. As Brown scrambled to get back on his feet, Langston sprinted to the finish line for his third-straight moto win. "I just got up real close to him because I seemed to gain on him there [in the Supercross section] every lap," said Langston. "I got my front wheel in there and made the pass." "I just got outside there - a stupid move for me," said an angry Brown, who was so far ahead of third-place that he was not in jeopardy of losing another spot. "That's three points I lost when I could have been tied. That's all right, I'm ready to go," said Brown, already looking to the next moto. When asked if he expected Brown to react in the second moto, Langston answered, "Oh yes, definitely. He will hit me again and again if he gets a chance. That's just aggressive racing, n __ s Larry Ward went 3·3 for third overall. and as long it doesn't get dirty ... We both want to win." MOTOTWO After the brief meeting in the AMA office, Langston again chose the far inside with Brown next to him again. And once again Langston got a good jump and made it through the turn cleanly. Langston was only headed by the four-stroke of Ramsey, followed by Brown, Ward, Thain and Sheak. Behind them, the first corner looked like the conclusion of a motorcycle demolition derby, as 16 motorcycles lay in their wake. Among those down on the ground were Motoworldracing.com's Keith Johnson, Team Green rookies Josh Woods and Paul Veracka, MotoXXX's Michael Brandes, Plano Honda's Ivan Tedesco, former two-time 125cc National Champion Steve Lamson, and former two-time Broome-Tioga 125cc winner [and class champion] Doug Henry. Brown made very quick work of Ramsey and Langston on the backside of the track, as did Moto-XXX's Larry Ward. For two laps they rode in tandem, then Langston got busy and worked past Ward, who seemed to give the South African a wide berth. For the next eight laps, Langston tried to keep a hook in Brown, but the Kawasaki rider was clicking off almost perfect laps. But just as it seemed like the race would settle down and Brown would regain the points he lost at the end of the first moto, the veteran got out of shape on the back side of the rough Broome-Tioga track and cartwheeled. "I was kind of on the edge of the track and I just hit something," said Brown. "I had a pretty good lead on second at that point, so that little mistake cost me the race." "He hit something and got a big bounce and then a tank-slapper," Langston said. "After that I just kind of took it easy with the lead." Brown managed t9 get up and hold on to second, even pulling away from Ward and getting right back up to just a few seconds behind Langston . But the damage was done and Brown was out of time. Langston rode a slow one· handed wheelie past the checkered flag for his fourth-straight moto win. "I have a bit of a points gap now going into the final round at Steel City," Langston said. "I would have been comfortable even if he had won the second moto to get back to within three points, but I'll take the extra points for peace of mind." Ward cruised across the fmish line alone in third with a back wheel full of bailing twine, while Ramsey hung back in fourth for the second-straight moto. Sheak, who had out-jumped Thain on the downhill double with five laps to go, rode home in fifth. Nick Wey, Yamaha-mounted Greg Schnell, Fonseca and KTM Red Bull rider Kelly Smith rounded out the top 10. eN Broo.e-r_ $ports Center BiagUnltDn, New YtN1l Results: August 21. 2001 M.OTC 1 (30~minutes plus two laps): 1. Grzmt un9ston (KTM); 2. Mike Brown (Kaw); 3. Emesto Fonseca (Yam); 4. NlIth"n Ramsey (Yam); 5. Larry Ward (Yom): 6. Rodrig Thain (So2): 7. Scott Sheak (Hon); 8. David Pingree (KTM); 9. Ivon Tedesco (Hon); 10. Keith Johnson (Yam); t 1. Akira Manta (So2): 12. ""'drew Short (Kaw): 13. Brock Sellords (KTM); 14. Doug Henry (Yam): 15. Nick Wey (Yam); 16. Sean Hamblin (Hon): 17. Greg Schnell (Yam); 18. Damon Huffman (Yam): 19. Jeff Northrop (Kaw); 20. Randy Valade (Hon); 2 I. Keith S. Johnson (Yom); 22. Steve Bonjfece (Hon); 23. Casey Lytle (Kew); 24. Brad Hagseth (Yom): 25. Matt Walker (Hon); 26. Jacob Martin (Yem); 27. Kevin W. Johnson (Yam); 28. Ryan Hunt (KTM): 29. Wally Silva (Hon); 30. Troy Adams (Vern); 31. Nethan Tieemey (Suz); 32. David Ginolfi (Yom); 33. Kellr Smith (KTM): 34. Michael Bnmdes (Yern); 35. Peu Veracka (Kaw); 36. Branden Jessemen (Hon); 37. Levi Reid (Yam): 38. Steve Lamson (Hus); 39. Aeron Dieter (Yam); 40. Joshua Woods (Kaw). M.OTO 2 (30-minutes plus two laps): I. Grant Langston (KTM): 2. Mike Brown (Kaw); 3. Larry Ward (Yam); 4. Nathan Ramsey (Yam): 5. Scott Sheek (Hon); 6. Rodrig Thain (Suz): 7. Nick Way (Yom); 8. Greg Schnell (Yam); 9. Emesto FonsKe (Yam); 10. Kelly Smith (KTM): 1 I. Brock Sellards (KTM): 12. Damon Huffman (Yem); 13. Steve Lamson (Hus); 14. Keith Johnson (Yam): 15. Joshua Woods (Kaw); 16. David Pingree (KTM); 17. Matt Walker (Hon): 18. Paul Veracka (Kew); 19. Ivan Tedesco (Hon); 20. Randy Valade (Hon); 21. Keith R. Johnson (Yam); 22. Doug Henry (Yam); 23. Troy Adams (Yam): 24. Lavi Reid (Yam); 25. Akira Narita (Suz); 26. Aaron Dieter (Yam): 27. Jeff Northrop (Kaw): 28. Cosey Lytle (Kaw): 29. Wally Silva (Hon): 30. Michael Brandes (Vam); 3 I. David Ginolfi (Yom): 32. Brad Hagseth (Yam): 33. Steve Boniface (Hon): 34. Andrew Short (Kaw): 35. Sean Hamblin (Han): 36. Nathan Toemey (Suz): 37. Kevin Johnson (Yam); 38. Jacob Martin (Yam): 39. Ryan Hunt (KTM); 40. Branden Jesseman (Hon). a/A; 1. Grant Lengston (KTM): 2. Mike Brown (Kaw); 3. Larry Ward (Yam); 4. Nathan Ramsey (Yam); 5. Emesto Fonseca (Yam): 6. Scott Sheek (Hon): 7. Rodrig Thain (Suz): 8. Nick Say (Yom): 9. Brock Sellards (KTM): 10. David Pingree (KTM): 11. Greg Schnell (Yam): 12. Ivan Tedesco (Hon); 13. Damon Huffman (Yam); 14. Kelly Smith (KTM); 15. Keith R. Johnson (Yom); 16. Mira Narila (Suz): 17. Andrew Short (Kaw); 18. Steve Lamson (Hus); 19. Keith S. Johnson (Yam): 20. Doug Henry (Yom): 21. Joshua Woods (Kaw); 22. Sean Hamblin (Hon): 23. Matt Walker (Hon); 24. Paul Veracka (Kaw); 25. Randy Valade (Hon): 26. Jeff Northrop (Kow). AMA/CHEVY TRUCKS 125cc U.S. MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS (After 11 of 12 rounds): 1. Grant Langston (422(5 wins); 2. Mike Brown (413/3 wins); 3. Larry Ward (321); 4. Travis Pastrana (311(2 wins); 5. Emesto Fonsece (299); 6. Brock Sellards (284); 7. Nathon Ramsey (217); 8. Rodrig Thoin (201): 9. Scott Sheak (189): 10. (Tie) Damon Huffman/Branden Jesseman (171); 12. Greg Schnell (169); 13. Nick Wey (168); 14. Kelly Smith (161); 15. Denny Smith (139); 16. Steve Boniface (137); 17. Keith S. Johnson (129); 18. David Pingree (111); 19. Bobby Bond. (94); 20. Steve Lamson (90). Upcoming Round: Round 12 - Delmon~ Pennsylvania, September 2

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