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Boost Mobile/Yamaha/Troy Racing's Greg Schnell was third, riding behind Sorby for a majority of the race and also lucking out when four of the front-runners went down. It was Schnell's best race of the year, but a riding level at which he has ridden in the past (and one, obviously, at which he wants to ride again). "I liked the track, but it was soft and a little rutty," Schnell said. "I actually passed Sorby once, but he came back and nailed me hard. I was like, 'Wow!'" Fourth went to Max Pitt's Jeff Gibson, the Ohio rider who has been doing the iron-man thing this year (though he "only" qualified for the 125cc final this week). The hard work paid off, as Gibson started in 16th and then motored to near the front to capture his best-ever finish. Team ECC's Josh Woods also finished strong, in fifth. Blimpie Suzuki's Branden Jesseman and LCRRacing.com privateer Ryan Clark were sixth and seventh, respectively, with Blimpie Suzuki's Buddy Antunez, KTM Red Bull's Steve Boniface and BSY's Tyson Hadsell rounding out the top 10. Moto XXX/DGY's Larry Ward and KTM Red Bull's Grant Langston were involved in a scary crash on lap nine that took both riders out of the race. "Basically, my supercross season is over," Langston said. "I've really had some bad luck his year." Both riders were very sore after the race, but injuries were not yet determined. MAIN Kelly Smith grabbed the Powerade $1000 holeshot award, while his Moto XXX/DGY teammate Ward followed ahead of Reed, Clark, Sorby and Boniface. Langston and Pro Circuit/Chevy Trucks Kawasaki's Mike Brown were 10th and 11 th, respectively, and Gibson was in 16th at the end of the first lap. Smith led for two laps before being displaced to second by Reed. Brown went down in a corner by himself on the second lap and had to start over in last. Ward bobbled in a corner and lost a position as well. Clark was having a good run in fourth for some time as Sorby and Langston battled behind him. Langston eventually got the upper hand on both Sorby and Clark and was up to fourth when Ward came up slightly short in a rhythm section. The pause was just enough for a closely following Langston to hit Ward's rear tire. Both went down - hard. "I think he mistimed the jump and cased it, and I landed straight into him," Langston explained of the crash. "We both tumbled down, and when I got up, I couldn't breathe. It knocked the wind out me. I'm sore everywhere ... (Above left) French newcomer Eric Sorby (917) followed up his seriesdebut third in Houston with a secondplace finish In St. Louis. (Above) Greg Schnell made it to the podium after finishing third. Two laps later, with bodies, bikes and f1aggers strewn down that entire section, Smith - now riding in second - made a similar bobble. Clark smashed directly into him, and the scene looked like a motorcycle sale gone bad. "It was tight in there because of their crash, and I cross-rutted and went down hard," Smith said. "I had second locked up when Kelly went down, and I couldn't believe that I had just ran into him," Clark said. Reed was now long-gone, and Sorby vaulted from fourth to second. Schnell and a blazing Gibson took over the next two positions. Woods, who started behind Gibson in 17th, followed him up to fifth by the race's end. "The race was kind of easy, actually," Reed said. "I got a pretty good start and then - just run away and hide." eN Verackll (Hus); 13. Bllrry Carsten (Suz); 14. Josh Summey (Yam); 15. Jeffrey Bowman (Hon); 16. Brad Ripple (Su,); 17. Micky Marshall (KTM); 18. Chad Cook (Yam); 19. Tom Kelley (Su,): 20. Chase Reed (Yam). Time: 5 min., 10.860 sees. 125 LCQ (4 laps. 1-4 transfer): I. Billy Payne (Hon); 2. lsejah Johnson (Suz); 3. Adam Mennenga (Hon); 4. Robbie Horton (Hon); 5. Steve Andrich (Yom): 6. Tom Kelley (Suz); 7. Josh Summey (Yom): 8. Barry Carsten (Suz); 9. Paul Veracka (Hus): 10. Brad Ripple (Suz): 11. Micky Marshall (KTM): 12. Chad Cook (Yam); 13. Kurt Jennison (Yam); 14. Richard Wuori (KTM); 15. Michael Koch (Yom); 16. Jeffrey Bowman (Hon); 17. Danny Carlson (Suz); 18. Troy Adorns (Yom); 19. Johnny Morley (Yom); 20. Charlie Dagner (Hon); 21. Brian Stone (Kaw); 22. Chose Reed (Yam). Time: 3 min., 35.370 secs. 125 MAIN (16 laps): I. Chad Reed (Yom); 2. Eric Sorby (Kow): 3. Greg Schnell (Yom): 4. Jeff Gibson (Yam); 5. Josh Woods (Suz); 6. Branden Jesseman (Suz); 7. Ryan Clark (Yam); 8. Buddy Antunez (SOl); 9. Steve Boniface (KTM); 10. Tyson Hadsell (Yam); 11. Tommy Hofmllster (Yam); 12. John Dowd (KTM): 13. Shone Bess (Suz); 14. Mike Brown (Kaw); 15. ISlliah Johnson (SOl); 16. Adam Mennenga (Hon); 17. Kevin Johnson (Yllm): 18. Kelly Smith (Yom): 19. Lorry Ward (Yom); 20. Grant Langston (KTM): 21. Billy Payne (Hon): 22. Robbie Horton (Hon). Time: 13 min., 18.480 sees. Winner's Average Lap: 53.252 sees. Margin of Victory: 19.410 sees. AMAlEA SPORTS 125cc EASTERN REGIONAL S(JPERCROSS SERIES C'SHIP POINTS STANDINGS (After 6 of 7 rounds): I. Chad Reed (150/6 wins); 2. Mike Brown (109); 3. Steve Boniface (88); 4. Buddy Antunez (82); 5. Greg schnell (81); 5. Branden Jessemon (76); 7. (TIE) Grant Langston/ Larry Wllrd (70); 9. John Dowd (67); 10. Jeff Gibson (65); 11. Kelly Smith (60); 12. (TIE) Ryan ClarkI Josh Woods (51); 14. Robbie Horton (31): 15. Tyson Hadsell (30); i 6. Paul Currie (24): 17. Josh Summey (16); 18. Billy Payne (15); 19. Keith S. Johnson (14); 20. Johnny Moriey (13). Edw.nt Jones Dome St. Lauis, Missouri Results: April 6, 2002 llleund 6 of 7) 125 HEAT 1 (6 laps, 1·9 transfer): 1. Steve Bonifece (KTM); 2. Brenden Jesseman (Suz); 3. Mike Brown (Kew); 4. Larry Ward (Yam); 5. Jeff Gibson (Yam); 6. Kelly Smith (Y8m); 7. Tyson Hadsell (Yam); 8. Tommy Hofmester (Yam); 9. Kevin Johnson (Yam); 10. Billy Payne (Hon); 11. Robbie Horton (Hon); 12. Adam Mennengll (Hon); 13. Steve Andrich (YlIm); 14. Kurt Jennison (Vern); 15. Danny Carlson (Suz); 16. Richard Wuorl (KTM); 17. Michael Koch (Yam); 18. Brian Stone (Kaw); 19. Charlie Degner (Hon); 20. Johnny Marley (Yllm). Time: 5 min., 13.98 sees. 125 HEAT 2 (6 laps, 1-9 trllnsfer): 1. Grllnt Langston (KTM); 2. Chad Reed (Yam); 3. Buddy Antunez (Suz); 4. Eric Sorby (KllW); 5. John Dowd (KTM): 6. Greg Schnell (Yam); 7. Josh woods (Su,); 8. Shane Bess (Suz); 9. RYlln Clark (Yam); 10. lseiah Johnson (Suz); 11. Troy Adams (Yam); 12. Paul cue I • Upcoming Rounds: Final Round - Pontiac, Michigan, April 13 East-West Shootout - Las Vegas, Nevada, May 5 n e _ S • APRIL 17, 2002 39