Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128139
AMAlEA Sports Supercross Series Presented by Speedstick Round 3: Edison International Field (his last victory had come at the April 8, 1995, Pontiac, Michigan, supercross) with a popular and impressive victory on a chilly Southern California night, in front of a sellout crowd of 45,050. Meanwhile, Carmichael and McGrath have yet to make the podium. So much for predictions. "Tonight was a victory not only for me, but to all those who have stood behind me my entire career," LaRocco said, and in true laRocco fashion, the 30-year-old had ridden progressively better throughout the main event, completing lap one in ninth and lap 20 in first. After battling yet again with LaRocco, Vuillemin settled for second this time, saying, "This year we are close together a lot in points and on the track. It's going to be a fun season." SoBe Suzuki's Travis Pastrana got his second podium finish in a week by placing third, one worse than what he did in San Diego. For a moment, however, he had thought he might actually go one better than the previ- By CHRIS JONNUM PHOTOS BY STEVE BRUHN ANAHEIM, CA, JAN. 19 tf1 rior to the 2002 season, everyone was pretty sure that Honda's supercross victory drought would be snapped early on, and that the first few wins would be split between a Honda rider and a Yamaha racer. It would be hard to find someone, however, who thought the riders in question would be not Team Honda's Ricky Carmichael and Bud Light Yamaha's Jeremy McGrath (the only two to take wins in 2001), but Amsoil/Dr. Martens Honda's Mike LaRocco and Team Yamaha's David Vuillemin. Nonetheless, we now find ourselves three rounds into the series, with VuiJlemin and LaRocco fighting it out each week for the win and the points lead. The first two victories went to Frenchman Vuillemin, and veteran LaRod:o chose round three to end his seven-year winless stretch r 6 JANUARY 30, 2002' .. U .. I e n • _ s ous week, as he got the lead and rode well until crashing hard. Following that, he had to get rough in the late going to secure third. Carmichael recovered well enough from a poor start to take fourth for the second time in a week, and Team Honda four-stroke specialist Nathan Ramsey - the victim of Pastrana's late push - took fifth. Sixth and seventh went to Chevy Trucks Kawasaki's Ezra Lusk and Stephane Roncada, respectively, with Boost Mobile/ Yamaha/Troy Racing's Chad Reed next. Ninth went to a Compartment Syndrome-suffering McGrath, with early leader Kevin Windham, of SoBe Suzuki, completing the top 10 slots. Though not exactly expected, LaRocco's win was evidence that the veteran, who proclaims to be very comfortable on the '02 Honda, is more serious than ever this year, and he doesn't seem content with just one victory. "Winning is a heck of a lot more fun," LaRocco said. "Hopefully, I can keep that up, becau;;e seven years is a long dang time." MAIN Windham and Pastrana repeated their SoBe Suzuki heat-one starts, pulling into the top two positions early in the first lap. Byrne was third ahead of Roncada and Ramsey, with Vuillemin in sixth. McGrath, LaRocco and Carmichael were midpack. "I knew this was a kind of track where you really need a good start," LaRocco said. "I tried my best to get a good start, but I got bumped around." "This weekend I just had bad starts," Carmichael said. "It seems like I was spinning quite a bit· it's not my head at all." The two riders who are currenUy battling over the points lead· David Vuillemin (12) and Mike LaRocco (5) • battled for the win at Anaheim II. laRocco ultimately got the nod, ending his seven-year itch to get another supercross win.