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AMA EA Sports Supercross Series Round 10: Superdorne ing the champ, who won with nearly eight seconds to spare on runner-up Stephane Roncada. The Chevy Trucks Kawasaki rider bad another strong ride and is currently fourth in points. This was probably the most important race of the season for David Vuillemin, who sat out last week's round in Daytona after injuring his shoulder in a magazine photo shoot. The miss handed the points lead to Carmichael, and another one would have likely cost the Team Yamaha rider any hope for the title. But Vuillemin, who has also been hampered this year by rib and knee injuries, made a midweek trip to see his doctor in France, and returned feeling well enough to suit up and ride. AmaZingly, Vuillemin managed a third-place finish, meaning he only lost five points to Carmichael. "For me, just to ride was great," VuilJemin said. "After the heat race, I thought, 'Top 10, and I'll be happy.' I By CHRIS JONNUM PHOTOS BY STEVE BRUHN NEW ORLEANS, LA, MAR. 16 or someone who claimed to be at odds with the track, Ricky Carmichael certainly had an odd way of showing it in New Orleans, where he rode to his sixth win of the season and increased his points lead to 10. "( wasn't comfortable," Carmichael said afterward. "Actually, after practice yesterday, I knew it was going to be a long weekend. That's part of supercross, or any competition or sport. They don't hand these wins away. Tonight was definitely a hard night for me. " But even harder for the competition, who were once again unable to find an answer for the Team Honda rider. The only one to come remotely close to doing so was fellow Floridian Timmy Ferry, but the Team Yamaha rider crashed out of the lead not too far in. After that, there was no touch- IF 10 MARCH 27, 2002' DUD I ... n _ ... was really happy with third. What I want now is to be okay for Houston. It's okay - I'm only 10 points behind, so I'm going to give it a shot." "My hat's off to David," Carmichael said. "He rode good. It was surprising to see how well he did... I hope he gets better - let's let this thing go down to Vegas." Finishing fourth was Jeremy McGrath, the Bud Light Yamaha rider - now nearly over his arm problems happy with his riding. Fifth went to Chevy Trucks Kawasaki's Ezra Lusk (despite a fall), and the top 10 were filled out by Team Honda's Nathan Ramsey, Blackfoot Honda's Heath Voss, Moto XXX/DGY's Nicholas Wey, Team Honda's Ernesto Fonseca, and Ferry. MAIN Ferry has only been back from injury for two weeks, but he has already pulled two main-event Heath Yo.. (411ancl Timmy Fe..,. (15) lead the pack Into tum _ In the main event. It . . . Fe..,.'. second holeshot In two weeks, but a crash ultimately handed the IeacI to RIcky Carmichael. holeshots. This one came in front of Ramsey, Carmichael and Fonseca. "I was pumped about that," Ferry said. "The last couple of weeks, I've been going to the line concentrating on getting to the first turn first - not wanting to settle for anything else. It's paying off. This week helped with the four-stroke - all that extra power." Having less luck out of the gate were Vuillemin and McGrath. "I was sleeping on the start," McGrath said. "I don't know what happened. I got buried in the pack so bad." Despite his pain, VuilJemin quickly went about rectifying the situation, zapping several riders (including a