Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

AMA/Yamaha Fall Classic Eastern Four-Stroke National Series Rounds 6/6: Muddy Creek Raceway By BARBARA WILLIAMS PHOTOS BY ROB HACHTEN/ PHOTOS 2 Go AND B.J. SMITH/WWW.MOTOWORKS.COM BLOONTVIllE, TN, OCT. 21 ay this out loud: "I want to win J every moto of every race in the Eastern Four-Stroke Nationals." Does it make you feel just a little goofy? Uke maybe you're 6 years old again, standing in front of the mirror practicing your race face, and then your mom walks in to kiss you good-night? Red Bull KTM's Kelly Smith of Ludington, Michigan, has done just that, fantastic as it sounds. Furthermore, the 2001 Four-Stroke Championship is Smith's third crown in as many seasons, to the delight of his sponsors Red Bull KTM, WP Suspension, KStyle, Thor, Michelin, Tsubaki, FMF, Spectro, Sunstar, Magura, Brembo, VP Racing Fuels, Cornwell Tools, Motion Pro, and Braking. "We didn't really set out to win every moto," insisted Steve Matthes, Smith's mechanic for the last two years. "It just worked out that way." Nice work if you can get it, but it says something about the teamwork. "The KTM 520 SX is basically boxstock, except for the Big Gun exhaust and other little stuff, like gearing and tires," Smith explained. "But the bike is awesome. I would just concentrate on the start, peg the throttle, and let the bike do the rest. Most of the time, I got the holeshot. In fact, there have been 10 in a row." "The 520 SX is so dependable," Matthes added, "my work hasn't been really too demanding. All I've done is the maintenance during the week and the race preparation, and then fine adjustments at the races themselves. It's been fun." The first Four-Stroke Pro-moto holeshot belonged to Smith (big surprise), followed by Alabama rider Clark Stiles, Georgia's Matt Walker and Jeff Gibson of Thornville, Ohio. Kevin Walker, always a threat at Muddy Creek, found himself on the ground in turn one as the herd thundered past. "It was my own dum fault," chuckled Walker ruefully. "I got into the rear wheel of a guy in front of me and put myself down." Meanwhile, Smith had already put the big Katoom on autopilot out front, leaving all the action to those in his contrail. Planet Racing/Skin Industries/SMP Clothing Co./Smith Sport Opticssponsored Matt Walker revved up his borrowed YZ426F and stuck it inside Stiles' KTM on a downhill to take over second, capitalizing on the rough straight following that to keep Mountain Adventures Honda-backed Stiles behind him. In another lap or so, Gibson passed Stiles in the woods section, putting rz 36 NOVEMBER 21,2001 • cue \AbOVe) Jeff Gibson came back from a Mrious wrist Il1iury to win the 125cc Pro-Am title In the AMAIYarnaha Fall Classic:1Eastem Four-8ll'oke NatIonals. Gibson also earned runner-up in the Fou..... Stroke Pro cIasa and fow1h place in the 250cc Pro-Am contest. IAbove) Kelly Smith has the momentum now, with a per1ect serles 01 Fou.....Stroke Pro moto wins to rack up his third Eastem Fo.. r-stro.... NatIonal title in a row. Smith also donned the 250cc Pro-Am crown, winning every molo but three. (Left) Matt Walker topped the 125cc Pro-Am event for the day at Muddy Creek Raceway in Blountville, Alabama, site 01 rounds six and six 01 the AMAIYamaha Fan Classic and the Eastem Four-Stroke Nationals. himself in third and taking aim at Walker. Going side by side over the huge back-stretch tabletop straight, Walker and Gibson stole the show. Then Walker made a slight mistake. "Passing Jeff over that last double, I overjumped and went off the track," Matt explained. "In order to avoid getting docked, I had to re-enter the I e n e _ os track at the same place, and that let Clark past. By then, it was the last lap, so I just decided to settle down and ride safe for fourth." Matt Walker rode six motos during the day and came up without the holeshot in five of them. The second round of the Four-Stroke Pro contest was the last Pro moto of the day, and Walker nailed it. "I was tired of getting beat to the first tum," Matt explained. "My dad and I were talking about it on the way to the line, and he said, 'Try to roll it.' So I did, and got the best start I've ever had - going up the hill from the gate, I was two lengths ahead of everyone. Then I looked over to my right, and there was Kelly, coming hard." Walker squeezed Smith to the outside and stayed in front until halfway through the race, when Smith found an opening and went ahead for good. Walker stayed close and would have liked to push the issue, but by then the sun was getting low. "You know how the late-afternoon sun is at Muddy Creek," Matt commented. "The light is beautiful, golden and everything, but it gets right in your eyes, and on certain parts of the track you can't see a thing because you're blinded. I figured it was better to ride a solid, safe second than to go

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