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he didn't lose this time, with a seri0usy injured groin, one has to think the possibility exists of his not only winning the title in his rookie year, but of his pulling off a perfect series. As long as they don't hold a race on a Monday. eN Hubert H. Humpbrey Metnld.... Minneap.lis, Minnes.ta Results: February 1&, 2002 125 HEAT I (6 laps, 1-9 transfer); I. Grant Langston (KTM): 2. Steve Boniface (KTM); 3. Mike Brown (KllW); 4. Branden Jesseman (Suz); 5. Jeff Gibson (Yam); 6. Ryan Clark (Yam); 7. Andrew Short (502); 8. Daniel Blair (Yom); 9. Tyson Hadsell (Yom): 10. Buddy Antunez (502); II. Billy Payne (Hon); 12. JOShUlli Woods (SUI); 13. Brian Stone (KllW); 14. Kurt Jennison (Yom); 15. Steve Andrich (Yam); 16. Michael Campbell (Yom); 17. Mark Burkhart (Yom); 18. Kelly Smith (Yom); 19. Paul Verocko (Hus): 20. Danny C8rlson (Suz). TIme: 5 min .• 7.49 sees. 125 HEAT 2 (6 lops, 1·9 trons!er); I. Chad Reed (Yam); 2. Robbie Horton (Hon); 3. J8con Martin (Yom); 4. Larry Word (Yom); 5. John Oowd (KTM); 6. Michllel Blose (Suz); 7. Steve Mertens (Hus); 8. Keith Johnson (Yom); 9. Greg Schnell (Yom); 10. Paul Currie (Suz); 11. Jashue Summey (Yem); 12. Chose Reed (Yom); 13. Richard Wuori (KTM); 14. Michael Koch (Yom); 15. Bradley Ripple (502); 16. Brendan Haff (Kew); 17. Johnny Merley (Hon); 18. Teylor Watts (Yam); 19. Michael Kennn (Yam); 20. Brandon Butler (SUI). TIme: 5 min., 7.96 sees. 125 LeQ (4 laps, 1·4 tnmsfer): I. Kelly Smith (Yam); 2. Buddy Antunez (SUI); 3. Chllse Reed (Yom); 4. Joshua Woods (SUI); 5. Billy Payne (Hon); 6. Steve Andrich (YlIm): 7. Jashull Summey (Yam); 8. Mark Burkhart (Yom); 9. Brton Stone (Kow); 10. Michael Koch (Yam); 11. Michael Ktlnn (Yam); 12. Bradley Ripple (Suz); 13. Johnny Marley (Hon); 14. Brzmdon Hoff (Kaw); 15. Micheel Campbell (Yem); 16. Kurt Jennison (Yam); 17. Richard Wuori (KTM); 18. Paul Currie (SUI>; 19. Taylor Watts (Yom); 20. Paul Verocka (Hus): 21. Danny CD rison (502); 22. Brandon Butler (502). Langston (111) got by Boniface late In the 125cc main for second. runc: 3 min .• 23.93 sees. Mobile/Yamaha/Troy Racing's Greg Schnell taking seventh. The top 10 were rounded out by ECC Suzuki's Josh Woods, Nielsen Enterprises Honda's Robbie Horton, and Blimpie Suzuki's Buddy Antunez. MAIN Near-identical qualifying times had indicated that Langston (heat-one winner) and Reed (heat-two winner) would be the ones to watch, and they were both in the top three out of tum one. Sneaking in between them, however, was Boniface, who was chasing Reed from second. The powerful Yamahas and KTMs seem to have an advantage on starts, and the lap-one standings confirmed this, as only Brown's Kawasaki (in fourth) and Horton's Honda (in 10th) broke up the blue-and-orange theme of the top 10. In between them were Smith, Ward, Dowd, LCR Racing's Ryan Clark and Star Racing's Jacob Martin. No Suzukis were in the top 10, though part of this was admittedly due to an impromptu "team meeting" a few turns after the start, a yellowbike pile-up that collected Antunez, Blimpie teammate Branden Jesseman and YSA's Michael Blose. Everyone - spectators and riders alike - knew that Reed was riding injured, but he betrayed no vulnerability as he rode steadily at the head of the pack. In fact, there was very little passing happening anywhere in the pack; Ward quickly got around Smith, and Brown pressured Langston, who in turn pressured Boniface, but things looked downright polite compared to the free-for-all we're finding in the early 250cc laps of late. Only Antunez was on a charge, moving from near last to 14th by the midway point. At about the same time, Brown mistimed a rhythm section and was gapped slightly by Langston, and then Dowd went down in the whoops and stopped to have his mechanic adjust his bike. He rejoined the race, but dropped from seventh to a lap down. With half of the race still remaining, the top nine were Reed, Boniface, Langston, Brown, Ward, Smith, Schnell, Woods and Horton, and a comparison of that with the final results will show you that there wasn't 125 MAIN (15 lops); I. Chad Reed (Yom); 2. Grant Langston (KTM): 3. Steve Boniface (KTM); 4. Michael Brown (Kow); 5. Larry Word (Yom); 6. Kelly Smith (Yom); 7. Greg Schnell (Yom); 8. Joshua Woods (SUI); 9. Robbie Horton (SUI); 10. Buddy Antunez (Suz); 11. Ryan Clark (YlIm); 12. Tyson Hadsell (Yom): 13. Keith Johnson (Yom); 14. Steve Mertens (Hus); 15. Jeff Gibson (Yem); 16. Daniel Blair (Yam); 17. John Dowd (KTM); 18. Branden Je:sseman (SUI); 19. Micheel Blose (Suz); 20. Andrew Short (Su,); 21. Chose Reed (Yom); 22. Jacob Martin (Yam). Time: 12 min., 47.19 sees. Winner's Average Lap: 51.146 sees. Margin of Victory: 10.31 sees. AMA EA SPORTS 125« EASTERN REGION S(JPERCROSS C'SHIP SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 2 of 8 rounds): I. Chad R~d (50/2 wins): 2. Michael Brown (40); 3. (TIE) Larry Ward/Steve Boniface (34); 5. Buddy Antunez (31); 6. Greg Schnell (26); 7. (TIE) Kelly Smith/Grant Langston (22); 9. Robbie Horton (21); 10. John Dowd (20). a lot of late action. Langston appeared content to follow his teammate from third, only proving otherwise on the penultimate lap. He closed on the Frenchman over a triple, then moved by Boniface in the following corner. Around the same time, Antunez kept things interesting further back, displacing LCR Racing's Ryan Clark for 10th. That was it, as the line-up stayed the same through the final moments, with Reed retaining his flawless U.S. win record. The Aussie is on top of the standings with 50 points, 10 better than second-place Brown. And if Upcoming Rounds: Round 3 - Atlanta, Georgia, February 23 Round 4 - Daytona, Fiorida, March 9 Boniface (36) eamed his first podium finish as a KTM Red Bull teamster at Minneapolis, ftnlshlng third. cue' e n • _ s FEBRUARY 27. 2002 13