Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

think we got better as the season went on." Sixth overall went to Lamson, who finished 9-6, followed by Roncada, who went 4-12 for seventh overall. Lamson's Fast by Ferracci/DKNY/ Husqvama teammate, Travis Preston, was eighth overall with a consistent 8-8 ride, followed by KTM/Sarges Cycles/AXO's Clark Stiles, who finished 10-9. Moto XXX/DGY/Atomic 22's Kyle Lewis rounded out the top 10 overall with his 12-10 ride. Carmichael, who clinched his second consecutive 250cc National Motocross Championship one week ago at Binghamton, closes out the season with 490 points and seven wins. Windham finished second with 482 points and two wins, followed by Ferry in third, with 439 points and one win. The Racer Productions-prepared track was in perfect shape for Sunday's National. Sunny skies, temperatures in the high seventies and light breezes made the racing comfortable for both fans and racers alike. MOTO ONE Dowd blasted to the holeshot, followed by Carpenter, Windham, Stiles and Lamson. Team Honda's Ezra Lusk went down with Pro Source/Thor/Pro Action Yamaha rider Tom Hofmaster and Decker Cycles KTM's Vince Kamow and returned to the race dead last. By the time the riders made their way to the first straight, Windham had moved into the lead with Dowd, Carpenter, Lamson and Reynard not far behind. Vuillemin quickly moved into fifth, just ahead of LaRocco, Ferry and Roncada. The four factory riders freight-trained their way through the pack, first passing Reynard and then, on the next lap, dropping Lamson, Carpenter and Dowd. By the halfway point of the moto, the leaders had firmly established themselves. Windham, who had been turning lap times in the 2 minute, 31 second range, was long gone, enjoying a lead of more than 15 seconds. LaRocco and Ferry hammered on each other for second, separated by just a few bike lengths and, a few seconds back from them, the French duo of Vuillemin and Roncada battled for fourth. Reynard was alone in sixth, followed by the KTM's of Dowd and Carpenter and the Husqvarnas of Lamson and Preston. With just a few laps to go, Vuillemin went down, handing fourth to Roncada. "My rear wheel wasn't in a rut and when I accelerated, I just slid out," said Vuillemin. "Luckily, I did not stall the bike. I just crashed, turned around and got going again." Windham took the decisive moto win with LaRocco and Ferry about 10 seconds behind. "I got out there into a comfortable lead and then just kind of watched the race behind me," said Windham. "The track is really tricky right now and I almost went down a time or two. Some places have a lot of traction and others are hard and slick. I was mainly trying to conserve my energy for the second moto." Roncada was fourth, his secondbest moto finish of the year. Vuillemin regained his composure to hold on to fifth. "I was running pretty good, but I started to get a lot of arm pump, so I could not stay with LaRocco and Timmy. I think I have the speed, I just need to maybe ride more relaxed." Reynard was sixth, tying his season's best, followed by Dowd in seventh. Preston was eighth with teammate Lamson in ninth. Stiles rounded out the top 10. MOTOTWO Windham wasted no effort the second time out and perfectly railed the first turn to take the holeshot with LaRocco, Dowd, Vuillemin and Lamson in hot pursuit. With clear track ahead, Windham immediately moved out to a solid lead as Ferry and Preston moved past Lamson and Dowd. On the second lap, LaRocco made a mistake on the track's upper jump section, allowing Vuillemin to pull alongside him on the fast downhill exiting the section. "I missed a gear up there and had to roll one of the jumps," said laRocco. Vuillemin attempted to go under the Honda pilot in the very next turn, but the tough-as-nails LaRocco responded by railing the outside berm and closing the door on Vuillemin as the pair entered the track's grasscovered 'Euro' section. The battle allowed Ferry to close and he quickly motored by Vuillemin and set his sights on LaRocco. With Windham, once again, solidly out front, the attention shifted to the skirmish between LaRocco and Ferry for the runner-up spot. Just after the completion of the lap, Ferry attempted to swing around the outside of LaRocco on the track's finish-line downhill sweeper. The move enabled Ferry to pull alongside LaRocco on the next uphill jump section and slice under his Honda rival in the very next turn. "He kind of bobbled coming out of the corner," said Ferry. "I got a little more traction. I was staying a little bit lower on the jumps and I got beside him. There was nowhere for him to go, since he was on the outside." "Tim was riding faster than I was," said LaRocco. "1 just let him go and tried to pick up his pace, but I just couldn't find it." Vuillemin was now all alone in fourth, followed at a distance by lamson and Dowd. Preston, Reynard and Lusk battled for seventh. Just after the halfway point, Ferry began to close the five second gap to Windham. A few laps later, with Windham squarely in his sights, Ferry made a costly mistake and went down. "I just lost the front end and tumbled," said Ferry. "I was praying that the bike was going to stay running, and luckily it did. If I would've had to restart it, LaRocco would've gotten by. I didn't want to have to pass him again, that's for sure." With the final laps of the 2001 season beginning to wind down, Ferry cue'. n It was a thumper's duel for second place, as Mike LaRocco (5) diced with Tim FerTy (15). FerTy came out on top. mounted another charge to try to get to Windham, with LaRocco solid in third and Vuillemin occupying fourth. Dowd and Reynard began a late-race battle for fifth, leaving Lamson to contend with Lusk for seventh. With just a few laps left, Reynard dropped out of the moto with engine trouble. "It seems like every time I'm doing well, something happens," said Reynard shortly after the moto. "I was right behind Vuillemin and I felt like I was riding really good." On the final lap, Ferry closed to within just a few bike lengths of Windham, but it was too late. Windham crossed the finish line for the moto - and overall - win, his second of the year. "Timmy was riding strong and I saw him back there coming up," said Windham. "I just put my head down and tried to go as fast as I could, but I was having a little trouble finding lines that worked for me. The track was getting pretty brutal. I'm happy to get through the last race and go out with a win." Ferry was close at the end, but had to settle for second. "It was a strong ride for me, for sure," said Ferry. "I felt really good towards the end, but I made that little bobble and fell. It kind of messed up my hopes of winning the moto. 1 gave it everything I had until the last tum. 1 would have liked to have had a couple more laps." LaRocco charged in for third, followed by Vuillemin in fourth. Dowd finished fifth, followed by Lamson in • _ s 'SEPTEMBER 12, 2001 15

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