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/128143
AMA EA Sports Supercross Championship Series, presented by Speed Stick Round 7: Huber"'t H. Hu rey Metrodome "I just messed up, and since wasn't expecting to mess up, I was relaxed," McGrath said. "I got thrown up onto the front end and got shot off to the right. I had to do a little 360 and get going again." Vuillemin had also picked his way through the crazy early laps unscathed, moving up to sixth by the midway point. It looked like that might be where he'd finish, but with just five laps remaining, he picked off a fading McGrath. He was now stuck behind Roncada, and the two Frenchmen went at it politely for a couple of laps. When Roncada bobbled in the whoops, Vuillemin capitalized and moved into fourth, but there still seemed little chance that he would keep his podium streak alive. IAbove) Sebastien Tortelli (13) started his season with a holesho1ln the 250cc main. He was followed closely by teammate Emesto Fonseca (hIdden behind Tortelli), Ezra Lusk (11), Pastrana (199), Robbie Reynard (171, Nathan Ramsey (25) and Jeremy McGrath (hIdden behind Lusk). led the main event early on, only to give way to McGrath on lap five. Ramsey (25) crashed out on his CRF450R late In the main. (Right) Points leader David Vuiliemln had another come-frombehind rlde and kept his podium streak alive with a thlrdplace finish, FEBRUARY 27,2002' circuit, Lusk made a mistake and went down, handing third place to the steady Vuillemin. "I just clipped a jump and went down," Lusk said about an hour later. "The bike's running well, and I'm riding good - I feel like we've got this figured out. It's a shame I put in 19and-three-quarter good laps to have that happen, but we're happy to be on-track. If you'd asked me about 20 fd@@@@ @[J!]fi)D5rJ;J5fiD@ [liiJ~fJD@!Ju&J[JiJ@@ [1&JIX1@@@@ Before Mike LaRocco's night ended on a bad note (with him breaking his wrist in the main), it began on a bad-note (with him struggling in qualifying). The Amsoil/Dr. Martens Honda rider suffered horrendous starts and actually had to ride the last-chance qualifier. In the first heat race, Chevy Trucks Kawasaki's Ezra Lusk snared the holeshot and took the win, though he had to hold off a late challenge fIom former friend Ricky Carmichael, who was working through the pack on his factory Honda. Following a fifthplace start, Carmichael advanced to third on the fifth lap, then passed teammate Sebastien Tortelli to secure the runner-up spot. Taking the heat's final direct transfer was SoBe Suzuki's Kevin Windham, while fifth-place laRocco would have to go on to the Semi. 'Yogi's been going pretty good all year," Lusk said of himself in third person. "He's just been stuck in the pack. Ijust didn't look back and rode my own race. I had to protect my lines." In the next heat, SoBe Suzuki's Travis Pastrana took the lead on lap one with an aggressive pass on Bud Ught Yamaha's Jeremy McGrath, then took a convincing win that had many believing this might be his night. Team Yamaha's David Vuillemin was second after tuming in the night's fastest heat-lap and capitalizing on a late McGrath mistake, and Team Honda's Emesto Fonseca was fourth. "I made a few mistakes in the beginning, but I put it together," said Pastrana, whose win was two seconds faster than that of Lusk_ 'It's good to know you're at least in the running with the pace." After a holeshot by MotoworldRacing.com Suzuki's Damon Huffman in semi two, Team Honda's Nathan Ramsey quickly took command and cruised to a comfortable win_ laRocco, meanwhile, got away mid-pack, then was held up further by a pile-up on lap one. Huffman held on for the runner-up spot, with LCR Racing Yamaha's Keith Johnson taking third_ Fourth went to Nicholson Yamaha's Jimmy Wilson, and Max Pitts Yamaha's Jeff Gibson completed the top five, just holding off an LCQ-bound laRocco. Having crashed and twisted his ankle in his heat, Chevy Trucks Kawasaki's Stephane Roncada came out in semi one and took the holeshot and a comfortable win. He was followed by Moto XXX/DGY Yamaha's Nick Wey, who was in turn trailed by Blackfoot Honda's Heath Voss. Moto XXX/DGY Honda's Kyle Lewis and Fast by Ferracci Husqvarna's Tyler Evans took the semi's final two transfer positions. Pity the poor LCQ riders who had to go up against LaRocco, as the Hoosier was not pleased to be racing again at this point of the evening. He put an earJy pass on Damien Plotts and won over Reynard Modifications/Planet Honda's Robbie Reynard. This of course meant laRocco had finaUy made the main, but it also meant a poor gate pick - a contributing factor to his midpack main-event start and-subsequent injury-inducing Pastrana clash. IAbove) Fonseca (24) 8 "I have been racing against Stephane since I was eight - I know him," Vuillemin said. "It seems like this year he is very aggressive with everybody. I was behind him and was faster, and I was looking for a spot to pass him. I passed really smooth - I don't want to ride dirty." Carmichael, who had checked out at this point, led Fonseca and Lusk through the final laps, but on the final cue I • n • _ lIS