Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

14th annual Carlsbad Christmas Grand Prix STORY BY SCOTT ROUSSEAU P;HOTOS By MATT LINDSAY CARLSBAD,CA, DEC. 9 hatever his approach to the new year, seven-time AMA Supercross Champion Jeremy McGrath usually includes the Carlsbad Christmas Grand Prix in his training schedule, taking just enough time to dominate the Pro ranks at Carsbad Raceway. This year was no different. McGrath was one of more than 650 entrants who attended the MotoPro-hosted event at the venerable facility located just north of San Diego and charged to victory in all three of the individual Pro classes. McGrath defeated his closest rival, Suzuki DRZ400-mounted Travis Pastrana, by more than 30 seconds in the 40-minute 250cc Pro race, the marquee event of the GP. High velocity was the order of the day for this year's event, as Coast Racing Association promoter John Taylor laid out a 6-mile course that was devoid of technical sections, adding a lengthy start straight on the facility's revamped upper motocross course while retaining the full length of the dragstrip and that track's return roads as well as some fourthand fifth-gear singletrack sections leading to and from the fabled U.S. Grand Prix motocross track. McGrath was loaded for bear, gearing up his Yamaha YZ250 until it felt like he was "doing 100 mph out there," but he certainly suffered off the start. Pastrana grabbed the holeshot, followed by fellow Suzuki rider R.J. Thompson, when the 250cc Pro gate launched off the starting line. McGrath was stuck in about 10th place at that point. "I don't think that those guys realized it was supposed to be a hand-onhelmet start," McGrath said. "I was the only one with my hand on my helmet, and they all got the holeshot on me. Then I pushed a bad line in a corner and went off the course, so then it was like, 'Okay, settle down.'" Once he did settle down, McGrath was devastatingly fast, reeling his way up to third place as the field cleared the big jump that sent the field toward the fast singletrack hillside section which, in turn, leads to the Grand Prix motocross track. Pastrana was still in the lead by two seconds when the field reappeared at the top of the Carlsbad Freeway on the GP track, but McGrath had passed Thompson and was already moving in for the kill. He then put his longlegged YZ to good use, shooting ahead of Pastrana just before they got onto the dragstrip. McGrath had the lead as they started lap two, and he was already making time. McGrath's lead was up to 15 seconds the next time he ran down the drag strip, and Pastrana was still sec- W 58 JANUARY 9. 2002' eye I IAbove) Ho·ho·haulin': More than 650 entrants invaded Carlsbad ,Raceway for the 14th annual Christmas Grand Prill. Old Saint Nick himself even took time out of his busy schedule to join in the fun. In case you're wondering, the fat man flies. ILeft) American Hero: "Bad" Brad Lackey returned to Carlsbad and scored a win In the Pre-1g75 Vintage Ellpert race on his vintage CZ. Lackey remains the only American ever to win the 500ccWorld Motocross Championship. ond, with Thompson third, but then Thompson was mysteriously ahead when they came through the scoring area. Pastrana was right there, and he would get back by Thompson before they left the upper motocross track, but the miscue allowed McGrath an even more comfortable lead. "I actually crashed twice," Pastrana said. "Once I missed a turn in the back section of the course and hit a fence, and the other time I went off the course and had to figure out how to get back on it. And Jeremy was just cruising out there, but he was flying, darn it." Meanwhile, freestyle big daddy Mike Metzger was up to fourth place. Metzger was riding his actual freestyle e n e _ s IAbove) Jeremy McGrath ruled the Christmas GP with an iron hand, dominating all three individual Pro events. McGrath and teammate Lawrence Lewis went on to finish second in the Pro team race. (Above) Travis Pastrana jumped aboard a Suzuki DR·Z400 for the first time and finished second to McGrath in the 250cc Pro feature despite crashing twice. Pastrana and teammate Malcolm McCassy later won the Pro team race. workhorse Suzuki with little more than a fresh change of plastic. Metzger had to battle his way past Matt Kurlsen after the first lap, and Kurlsen wasn't about to let him settle down. The two wound up dicing for the full 40 minutes, with Metzger securing the spot at the finish. "It was rough out there, but I feel I'm in pretty good shape to hang on that long with such stiff suspension," Metzger said. "That guy [Kurlsen] was fast. He passed me before the dragstrip two laps in a row, but I always got him back on the strip." McGrath's lead was up to 20 seconds on the white-flag lap, and he held nothing back, adding another 13 to that advantage before the check- ered flag. Pastrana held on for second, ahead of Thompson, and was just pleased to be first four-stroke. "That [DR-ZI was a blast," Pastrana said. "The first time I ever rode it was to the starting line for the race." If nothing else, McGrath appreciated the diversion of the Grand Prix, even if it still is part of his training schedule. "It has been so much supercross and motocross, so it's just fun to come here and get in some endurance training - except that I didn't break a sweat," McGrath said. "I just live 10 minutes from here, and all my friends are here. John Taylor is a cool guy, and I want to come here and support this place. Who knows how long it is going to be here?"

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