Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Cycle News 2002 06 19

Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles

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AMAIChevy Trucks 250cc U.S. Motocross Series Round 4: MX33B the leaders get away, he put his head down and began to charge aggressively through the field. By lap three of the 30-minute-plus-two-lap moto, Carmichael had moved into the runner-up position behind the early leader Yamaha/DGY/Pro Circuit's Doug Henry. A lap later, Ca(michael took over the lead, and that was it. He immediately pulled out to a comfortable margin and raced steadily to the checkers. "I'll tell you, that was a rough one," said Carmichael. "I got a good jump, but when I got over the gate I was spinning a lot. There were a couple of four-strokes on the inside of me and they kind of out-powered me. I got in that first turn and it was touch-and-go. I just played catch-up from there. I like to have motos like that. For me, mentally, it's good. I was happy to be able to come from behind." The second moto went a little easier for Carmichael. In what has lately become somewhat of a trademark for the defending series champion, Carmichael quickly displaced fast starters Keith S. Johnson of the Cern;c's.com/PC Worldwide-backed KTM team and Henry and simply rode away from his would-be competitors, eventually taking the moto win by more than 30 seconds over the second-placed rider - Team Yamaha's Tim Ferry. "The track was good and my bike is really, really fast, so I don't have to ride with too much effort," said Carmichael. "I've been getting some pretty good starts, with the exception of the first moto here today." Finishing secQnd overall to Carmichael was the aforemen- (Above) Ezra Lusk leads the pack at the start of the first 250cc moto at Southwick's MX338. (RIght) Rick)' Cannichael was again perfect, winning both motos. By JERRY ATHEY PHOTOS BY STEVE BRUHN SOUTHWICK, MA, JUN 9 o one, not even Team Universal Studios/Honda's Ricky Carmichael, was sure that the feat could ever be accomplished again. After all, the last time a rider won the opening eight motos of the 250cc outdoor series was more than 20 years ago, when the legendary Bob Hannah did the deed for Yamaha way back in 1979. But when the dust (or sand, as the case may be) settled at the fourth round of the AMA/Chevy Trucks 250cc National Championship MX Series, held at the Massachusetts sandbox known as MX N 20 JUNE 19, 2002' cue • • 338, Carmichael had done just that. In front of more than 16,000 screaming fans, the 22-year-old from Havana, Florida, piloted his Chad Wattsprepped factory CR250R to yet another perfect 1-1 finish. Carmichael's win, however, didn't come easy - at least as far as the first moto is concerned. When the riders hit Southwick's sweeping first turn to begin moto one, Carmichael was buried in the pack. Not wanting to let n __ s

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