Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

AMA EA Sports Supercross Championship Series, presented by Speed Stick Round 7: Hubert H. Humph ey Metrodome "I rode good in the last half of the up on the podium. This week, I got a main," Roncada said. "I've learned bad start and didn't have enough the last few weeks, you have to get a time to catch up." good start if you're going to run with the guys at the front. The last two CtII IbI...tH.H. . ...., . .b J ••• ... 1.U., M' Ita IIeSIIIts: f*-J 11. ZII2 weeks, I had good starts and wound 250 MEAT 1 (8 laps, 1-4 tnmsfer): I. Ezro Lusk BRIEFLY••• According to Yamaha's Keith McCarty, Timmy Ferry is expected to make his retum at the Daytona Supercross. Ferry is currently out with a bruised lung. but he has also suffered knee and arm problems this season. After Travis Pastrana, Ricky Carmichael and David Vuillemin started tripling a set of obstacles into a comer during Friday's practice session, the Dirt Wurx crew opted to make a few track changes. The move required stopping almost immediately upon landing, so the comer was moved out a few feet. In addition, workers also placed a PVC pipe on the inside of the same corner, as riders had also been jumping over the apex, The riders just jumped over the pipe, sometimes even tapping it with a footpeg as they went by. In search for entertainment on Thursday night before race day, a group from the supercross caravan showed up at Pro Kart Indoor for an evening of fun. The fastest of the kart drivers, which included some respected locals, were reportedly Craig Monty (David Vuillemin's mechanic) and Randy Lawrence (Ezra Lusk's mechanic). minutes ago, I might have had a few "I'm just happy my bike is working more choice words for you, but it's great and I got a good start," Fonseca said. "That's what it takes. You have coming around." "I think Lusk thought it was my birthday today," Vuillemin said. Lusk's slip made the top three Carmichael, Fonseca and VuilIemin. "I think I need to get a little bit faster to win this title," said Carmichael, who is still 23 points down, in part because of his roundone DNF. "I know what it takes. I respect David a lot. I have a lot of trust in his racing the way he does. I think we've both matured a lot from two years ago. It's nice to race with somebody like that." to get a good start because everyone is riding the same pace. It seems like Ricky and David are a little bit faster Having taken the two-week break that is generally prescribed for concussions, Kevin Windham retumed to action at Minneapolis, "I felt fine, but you're supposed to be careful with head injuries: said Windham. who missed last week's race in Indy. "I haven't rode since Anaheim III, so it's just a matter of getting out there. " Windham finished seventh in the main, one of his better results of the year thus far. Also making a retum was Tyler Evans. who suffered an early-season collarbone break. ·He's a little sore, but he was anxious to get back.· said Fast bY Ferracci Husqvama team manager &aida Ferraci, before giving an update on Steve Lamson, who suffered a compound fracture earl~ er this year. "It's still going to be a while for Steve,· Ferracci said, "It's a slow process, and it would be a blessing for me if he could race at the first National. • than everyone." "The start is the thing in this championship," Vuillemin said. "There are so many good guys. Hopefully, I can get some good starts and just ride like I can. I feel pretty strong." Roncada had also gotten by his fallen teammate Lusk on the final lap, which meant he was fourth on the night. Following last week's scary crash, Michael Byrne checked out of the hospital on Tuesday and returned to California. "He was over it.· joked Amsoil/Dr. Martens Honda's Paul Delaurier. "He doesn't like hospitals.· Byrne suffered broken ribs and partially collapsed lungs in the crash. but although doctors tell him his collarbone is also broken, he doesn't believe them. Byrne hopes to be back in action at Daytona. On the Monday after his win last week in Indy, Chad Reed crashed while practicing at Southern Califomia' s Elsinore Motocross Park. The Australian strained a groin muscle seriously enough that he wasn't sure if he would race Minneapolis until the last minute. Reed skipped press day and Friday's practice. but felt well enough during Saturday's practice that he decided to race. Star Racing Yamaha rider Jacob Martin suffered a ft-shoulder separation while racing in the 125cc class. After missing the early westem rounds. Robbie Reynard joined the supercross circuit last week in Indianapolis. and he was again on hand in Minneapolis. Reynard is riding a CR250 and receiving support from Reynard Modifications and Planet Honda. After Chad Reed apparently jumped a double at last week's Indy race while the red-cross flags were out, some were wondering why the Australian got off Scott-free. Actually, he didn't, as AMA MX manager Duke Finch docked him his $2200 in purse money, though the win and championship points remained intact. "It was the last lap that we had the flags out, and we were just getting ready to pull them," Finch said at Minneapolis. 'The [don't-jump! lights were still on, but we were signaling them to shut them off, and the flagmen were starting to backpedal. Chad was getting ready to go for the triple, but he realized at the last minute that he wasn't supposed to jump. He backed off, but he still had too much speed, and he doubled. I didn't feel like it was an intentional infractlon, but he did break the rule, so I thought docking him the money was the best call." 4 believe I didn't jump on the red light," Reed said. "I thought that. but I won the race and got the points, and that's all that matters to me. It's a lot more important than the 2200.' Mike Brown had been running second at the tlme, and he stood to gain a lot if Reed were disqualified. '1 think it's consistent with what the AMA does, which is disappointing," said his Pro Circuit/Kawasaki/ Chevy Trucks manager Mitch Payton in Minneapolis. 'Their common quote is that it's a gray area, and there's no common rule that matches the infractlon consistent1y. That disappoints me, because I think what it does is it treats the factory guys and the privateers different; I don't think he treats everybody the same, and I don't think he treats all the instances the same. You're constantly worried about it. Even today, if there was a deal like that, should we have taken the chance (by jumping] and paid the $2000? We'd be better off to do that, because he's not going to do nothing. Honestly, they have weak leadership." 10 n FEBRUARY 27. 2002' "" U "" I • __ s Following last week's Indy SX, Jeremy McGrath flew to New York to attend a function for Mattei toys. and while he was there, he took the opportunity to tour the site of the World Tracie Center. "It was amazing," McGrath said. "We got to get right up close to it. and it was incredible. It was a really emotional experience. " The Minneapolis round was missing some of the industry bigwigs that normally follow the tour, as the Indianapolis motorcycle trade show was happening the same weekend. That didn't stop CTi's Jim Castillo and his son Dave, however, The two took their private jet from the show to the race, then retumed to Indianapolis for the Sunday portion of the show. Racer X /IIustrafed editor Davey Coombs joined them for the retum trip. This was the first Minneapolis Supercross in which Jeremy McGrath failed to finish on the podium. McGrath won the first-ever race in the Metrodome in 1994, as well as the next five. He is the winningest rider ever at the venue, and Ricky Garmichael is the only other 250cc rider to have won there. At 54,651, attendance at the Minneapolis round seemed lower than it should have been. The Metrodome generally draws a good suparcross crowd, but this year the race was competing with a Creed concert and three University of Minnesota athletic contests

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